BIBLE GREEK WORD STUDY
Tis (τίς) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
τίς (G5101) is a Greek interrogative pronoun rendered in English as 'who,' 'which,' or 'what,' used to introduce both direct and indirect questions.
Meaning of the word
τίς is classed as an interrogative pronoun. It introduces questions about identity ('who?'), nature ('what?'), or selection ('which?') and may appear in either a direct question expecting an answer or an indirect question embedded in a statement.
The word is grammatically flexible: it inflects for case (nominative τίς, genitive τίνος, etc.) and number. The neuter singular form τί is the most common in the New Testament and typically renders the English 'what.' When declined, it can also function as a substantive ('who?') or adjective ('which?').
Usage in Scripture
In Matthew 5–7, the Sermon on the Mount, τίς / τί occurs repeatedly as Jesus presses His hearers with probing questions: 'what reward have ye?' (Mt 5:46), 'what do ye more than others?' (Mt 5:47), 'what thy right hand doeth' (Mt 6:3), and 'which of you by being anxious can add one cubit…?' (Mt 6:27).
The same section uses τί to expose anxiety about daily necessities: 'What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?' (Mt 6:31). Elsewhere Jesus deploys τίς in pointed diagnostic questions such as 'why beholdest thou the mote…?' (Mt 7:3), using the pronoun to turn attention back onto the questioner. Across its 50 occurrences, τίς is overwhelmingly a teaching tool, drawing out confession, reflection, or conviction rather than merely seeking information.
The word in detail
- G5101 τίς is the standard Greek interrogative pronoun, functioning as both 'who/which' (masculine/feminine) and 'what' (neuter). Its 50 NT occurrences are concentrated in questions—often in Christ's teaching—designed to prompt self-examination rather than elicit a factual reply.
Example verses
- Matthew 5:46 τίνα (accusative of τίς) frames the rhetorical question 'what reward have ye?'—pressing disciples to examine their motives for loving only those who love them back.
- Matthew 6:25 τί appears twice ('what ye shall eat … what ye shall put on') in Jesus' command against anxiety, redirecting thought from material needs to the Father's care.
- Matthew 6:27 τίς is used as 'which of you,' a question expecting no answer, to underline the futility of worry in extending one's life even an inch.
- Matthew 7:3 τί introduces Jesus' diagnostic 'why beholdest thou the mote…?'—turning the question back on the hearer's own spiritual blindness.
Common questions
Is τίς always translated 'what' in English Bibles?
No. Depending on gender and case, τίς is rendered 'who,' 'which,' or 'what.' The neuter singular τί usually becomes 'what,' while masculine/feminine forms are typically 'who' or 'which.'
How many times does τίς appear in the New Testament?
The Greek lexicon entry records 50 total occurrences across 43 distinct verses. These are distributed across the Gospels and other NT books, with notable concentration in Matthew's teaching sections.
Does τίς always expect an answer?
Not necessarily. In many of Jesus' questions (e.g., Mt 6:27; 7:3), τίς introduces a rhetorical question designed to prompt self-examination or conviction rather than to gather information.