BIBLE GREEK WORD STUDY
Eis (εἷς) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
εἷς (Strong's G1520) is a Greek cardinal numeral meaning 'one,' the smallest whole unit and the foundation of counting.
Meaning of the word
εἷς is the Greek cardinal numeral for 'one.' It denotes a single unit, the first and smallest whole number, and serves as the building block from which larger numbers are constructed. In its various inflected forms (ἑνός, ἑνί, ἕνα, μία, μιᾶς, μιᾷ, μίαν, ἓν), it functions as both an adjective modifying a noun ('one commandment') and as a substantive standing alone ('one person,' 'one thing').
Beyond simple counting, εἷς carries the idea of unity and uniqueness. When paired with related words such as καρδία ('heart'), it expresses oneness of purpose or devotion (Matthew 6:22). When used in the neuter ἕν ('one thing'), it can point to a single, undivided reality, as in Jesus' prayer that his disciples 'may be one' (John 17:22), echoing the unity between the Father and the Son.
Usage in Scripture
In the Gospels, εἷς appears in a range of concrete settings. Jesus uses it to underline the unbreakable permanence of the law (Matthew 5:18: 'one jot or one tittle'), to identify a single commandment among many (Matthew 5:19), to measure distance (Matthew 5:41: 'one mile') and stature (Matthew 6:27: 'one cubit'), and to highlight undivided loyalty in the face of competing masters (Matthew 6:24). These everyday uses show how εἷς grounds Jesus' teaching in tangible, countable reality.
In John's Gospel, εἷς takes on a theological weight. John 1:3 affirms that 'without him was not one thing (ἕν) made that hath been made,' presenting Christ as the agent of every single created thing. John 17:22 extends this into the life of the community, where the oneness shared by the Father and the Son becomes the pattern for the unity of believers.
The word in detail
- G1520 εἷς is a first-declension Greek numeral with three gender forms: masculine εἷς, feminine μία, and neuter ἕν. It inflects through nominative, genitive, dative, and accusative cases. The form μία (feminine) is unrelated in form to the masculine and neuter stems, a feature inherited from an older Indo-European pattern. As a numeral it appears without an article ('one man') or with the article ('the one [person]'), and in the neuter it commonly substitutes for an indefinite 'one thing.'
Example verses
- Matthew 5:18 Jesus uses ἕν (neuter εἷς) twice to insist that even the smallest marking of the law—'one jot, one tittle'—will not pass away until all is fulfilled.
- Matthew 6:24 εἷς appears in the contrasting pair 'the one… the other,' setting two masters in opposition and demanding undivided allegiance to God.
- John 1:3 The neuter ἕν emphasizes totality: not a single thing in all creation exists that was made apart from the Logos.
- John 17:22 Jesus prays that his disciples 'may be one (ἕν),' modeling their unity after the oneness the Father and the Son share.
Common questions
Is εἷς the same as the indefinite article 'a/an' in English?
Not exactly. εἷς is a numeral ('one'), not an article, though in the singular it often functions like 'a/an' when the focus is on individuality (e.g., 'one jot'). Greek has no separate indefinite article, so εἷς occasionally fills that role, but its primary meaning remains numerical.
How many times does εἷς appear in the New Testament?
According to the data provided, εἷς occurs 37 times across 24 distinct verses. Because Greek inflects the numeral across gender and case, a single English translation can render it as 'one,' 'a,' or even 'first' depending on context.