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I.εἰμί has the force of a predicate (i. e. is the substantive verb):to be, i. e.

1.to exist;

a. passages in which the idea of the verb preponderates, and some person or thing is saidto exist by way of distinction from things non-existent:ἐστινὁΘεός,Hebrews 11:6;ὁὤνκαίὁἦν (Winers Grammar, 68 (66), cf. 182 (172);Buttmann, 50 (43)),Revelation 1:4 (;);;ἐνἀρχήἦνὁλόγος,John 1:1;πρίνἈβραάμγενέσθαι,ἐγώεἰμί,John 8:58 (soWH marginal reading in 24, 28; (see II. 5 below));πρότοῦτόνκόσμονεἶναι,John 17:5;ἦν,καίοὐκἐστικαίπερἐστινRec., according to the better readingκαίπαρέσται (GTrWH, butLTπαρέσται, correctly; cf. AlexanderButtmann (1873) Ausf. Spr. § 108 Anm. 20;Chandler § 803),Revelation 17:8;ἐσμεν,Acts 17:28;τάμήὄντα andτάὄντα things that are not, things that are,Romans 4:17; things that have some or have no influence, of some or of no account,1 Corinthians 1:28 (ἐκάλεσενὑμᾶςοὐκὄνταςκαίἠθέλησενἐκμήὄντοςεἶναιἡμᾶς,Clement of Rome, 2 Cor. 1:8 (cf. Gebh. and Harn. at the passage and especially onHermas, vis. 1, 1, 6 [ET])). Hence,

b. equivalent toto live:εἰἤμεθα (orἦμενRec.)ἐνταῖςἡμέραιςτῶνπατέρωνἡμῶν if we had been (viz. living) in the days of our fathers,Matthew 23:30;οὐκεἶναι is used (as in classical Greek, cf.Passow, i., p. 792 (Liddell and Scott, under A. I. 1)) of the dead (whoare not, are no more):Matthew 2:18.

c. equivalent toto stay, remain, be in a place:Matthew 2:13, 15;Mark 1:45 (LWH bracketsἦν);;Luke 1:80; see V. 4 below.

d. equivalent toto be found, the subject being anarthrous; as,ἦνἄνθρωποςthere was (found, Germanes gab) a man, etc.:Luke 16:1, 19;Luke 18:23;John 3:1;John 4:6;John 5:2;John 6:10;1 Corinthians 8:5;1 Corinthians 12:4-6;1 Corinthians 14:10;1 Corinthians 15:44;1 John 5:16, and often;ἔσονταιἐμπαῖκταιJude 1:18;ἐστι,ἦν,ἔσται with a negative:οὐκἐστιδίκαιοςthere is not (namely, found) a righteous man,Romans 3:10; addRomans 3:12, 18;χρόνοςοὐκἔσταιἔτι there shall be no longer time,Revelation 10:6; add,Revelation 22:3, 5 (Rec. addsἐκεῖ);Revelation 21:25 (hereἐκεῖ stands)ἀνάστασιςνεκρῶνοὐκἐστιν,1 Corinthians 15:12;μήεἶναιἀνάστασιν,Matthew 22:23 and its parall.;Acts 23:8. Here belong also the phrasesεἰσιν,οἱ etc.,οἵτινες etc.,there are (some) who etc.:Matthew 16:28;Matthew 19:12;Mark 9:1;Luke 9:27;John 6:64;Acts 11:20;οὐδείςἐστινὅς,Mark 9:39;Mark 10:29;Luke 1:61;Luke 18:29; with a noun added,ἕξἡμέραιεἰσιν,ἐναἷς etc.Luke 13:14;τίςἐστιν,ὅς,Matthew 7:9 (LTrWH omitἐστιν);Matthew 12:11 (Tr omits;WH bracketsἐστιν):ἐστινὁ with a participlethere is (viz., is not lacking)one that etc.John 5:32 (?),;.

e. when used of things, events, facts, etc.,εἶναι is equivalent toto happen, take place:νῦνκρίσιςἐστιν,John 12:31;γογγυσμόςἦν,John 7:12θόρυβοςτοῦλαοῦ.Mark 14:2;σχίσμα,σχίσματα,John 9:16;1 Corinthians 1:10;1 Corinthians 12:25;ἔριδες,1 Corinthians 1:11;αἱρέσεις,1 Corinthians 11:19:πένθος,πόνος,κραυγή,Revelation 21:4;ἔσονταιλιμοίκαίλοιμοί (RGTr marginal reading in br:, others omitκαίλοιμοί)καίσεισμοίMatthew 24:7;ἀνάγκημεγάλη,Luke 21:23;ἀνάστασινμέλλεινἔσεσθαι,Acts 24:15. of times and seasons:χειμώνἐστιν,John 10:22;νύξ,John 13:30ψῦχος,John 18:18;καύσων,Luke 12:55;ἑσπέραActs 4:3πρωΐα,John 18:28 (Rec.);σκοτία,John 20:1:ἐστι,ἦνὥρα — asἕκτη,Luke 23:44;John 4:6;John 19:14 (LTTrWH) (), etc.; also of feasts:John 5:1, 10;John 9:14;Acts 12:3;Luke 23:54;Mark 15:42. universally,τόἐσόμενον what will be, follow, happen:Luke 22:49;πότεταῦταἔσται;Matthew 24:3;πῶςἔσταιτοῦτο;Luke 1:34; after the Hebrew,καίἔσται (equivalent toוְהָיָה) followed by the future of another verb:Acts 2:17 (fromJoel 2:28 ()); (fromJoel 2:32 ());Acts 3:23:Romans 9:26 (fromHosea 1:10 ()).τίοὖνἐστιν;what then is it? i. e.how stands the case? What follows therefore?Acts 21:22;1 Corinthians 14:15, 26.

2. equivalent toπάρειμι,to be present; to be at hand; to be in store:οἶνοςοὐκἐστιν,John 2:3Tdf.;παμπολλοῦ (Rec.)ὄχλουὄντος, when there was present,Mark 8:1; add,;Matthew 12:10RG;Hebrews 8:4;οὔπωγάρἦνπνεῦμα (ἅγιον),was not yet present, i. e. had not yet beengiven (which some authorities add).John 7:39; so also in the wordsεἰπνεῦμαἅγιονἐστιν (butRGTr accentἅγιονἐστιν., cf.Chandler § 938),Acts 19:2;ἀκούσας ...ὄντασῖτα,that there was an abundance ofgrain,Acts 7:12;δύναμιςκυρίουἦνεἰςτόἰᾶσθαιαὐτούς, was present to heal them,Luke 5:17.

3.ἐστιν with an infinitive, as in Greek writings fromHomer down (seePassow, i., p. 792f; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, A. VI.); see examples from the O. T. Apocrypha in Wahl, Clavis apocryph., p. 155),it is possible to etc.; with a negative (as more common in classic Greek also),it is impossible:Hebrews 9:5;1 Corinthians 11:20 (cf.Winer's Grammar, § 44, 2 b.).

II.εἰμί (as a copula) connects the subject with the predicate, where the sentence shows who or what a person or thing is as respects character, nature, disposition, race, power, dignity, greatness, age, etc.

1. universally:ἐγώεἰμίπρεσβύτης,Luke 1:18;ἐγώεἰμίΓαβριήλ,Luke 1:19;ἔρημοςἐστινὁτόπος,Matthew 14:15;προφήτηςεἰσύ,John 4:19;σύεἰὁΧριστός,Matthew 26:63;καθαροίἐστε,John 13:10;ὑμεῖςἐστετόἅλαςτῆςγῆς,Matthew 5:13;Ἰουδαίουςεἶναιἑαυτούς,Revelation 3:9, cf.Revelation 2:9, and countless other examples

2.εἰμί, as a copula, indicates that the subject is or is to be compared to the thing expressed by the predicate:ἡσφραγίςμουτῆςἀποστολῆςὑμεῖςἐστε, ye are, as it were, the seal attesting my apostleship, i. e. your faith is proof that the name of apostle is given me rightfully,1 Corinthians 9:2;ἡἐπιστολή (namely,συστατικη, cf.1 Corinthians 9:1)ὑμεῖςἐστε, i. e. ye yourselves are like a letter of recommendation for me, or ye serve as a substitute for a letter of recommendation,2 Corinthians 3:2;τοῦτοἐστιτόσῶμαμου, this which I now hand to you is, as it were, my body,Matthew 26:26;Mark 14:22;Luke 22:19;ὑμεῖςναόςΘεοῦἐστε (L textTTr textWHἡμεῖς ...ἐσμεν ye (we) are to be regarded as the temple of God,2 Corinthians 6:16, cf.1 Corinthians 6:19;ὁΘεόςναόςαὐτῆςἐστιν (ἐστιRGTr],καίτόἀρνίον, they are to be regarded as its temple, they occupy the place of a temple in the city because present with everyone in it,Revelation 21:22. Hence,

3.εἶναι, getting an explicative force, is often equivalent toto denote, signify, import, asὁἀγρόςἐστινὁκόσμος,Matthew 13:37-39, 19f, 22;Luke 8:11f, 14;Galatians 4:24;Revelation 17:15;Revelation 19:8, (theSept.Genesis 41:28;Ezekiel 37:11);τουτ'ἐστιν (soTWH uniformly, except thatWH omitsν.ἐφελκ. inHebrews 2:14), Lachmannτοῦτ᾿ἔστιν (except inRomans 10:6, 7, 8; alsoTreg. except inMatthew 27:46;Mark 7:2;Acts 1:19;Romans 9:8;Romans 10:6, 7, 8; sometimes writtenτοῦτοἐστιν, seeTdf. Proleg., p. 111; cf.Winers Grammar, 45;Buttmann, 11 (10)), an explanatory formula (equivalent toτοῦτοσημαίνει) which is either inserted into the discourse as a parenthesis, or annexed to words as an apposition (cf.Winers Grammar, 530 (493);Buttmann, 400 (342). It is to be distinguished fromτοῦτοδέἐστιν:τουτ'ἐστιν introduces an incidental explanation for the most part of the language;τοῦτοδέἐστιν subjoins an explanatory statement, relating generally to the thought; (cf. ourthat is to say, andthat is); seeRomans 1:12 and Fritzsche at the passage):Matthew 27:46;Mark 7:2;Acts 1:19;Romans 7:18;Romans 10:6-8;Philemon 1:12;Hebrews 2:14;Hebrews 7:5, etc.; likewiseὁἐστι,Mark 3:17;Mark 7:11, 34;Hebrews 7:2;ὁἐστιμεθερμηνευόμενον,this signifies, when interpreted, etc.Mark 15:34;Acts 4:36; see 6 c. below.

4. In the Bible far more frequently than in secular authors, and in the N. T. much more often in the historical than in the other books, a participle without the article serves as the predicate, being connected with the subject by the verbεἶναι (cf.Winers Grammar, § 45, 5 and especiallyButtmann, 309ff (265ff)); and a. so as to form a mere periphrasis of the finite verb;

a. with the present participle is formed — a periphrasis of the present:ἐστιπροσαναπληροῦσα ...καίπερισσεύουσα,2 Corinthians 9:12; — a periph. of the imperfect or of the aorist, mostly in Mark and Luke (Buttmann, 312 (268)):ἦνκαθευδεν,Mark 4:38;ἦνπροάγων,;ἦνσυγκαθήμενος,;ἦνδιανεύων,Luke 1:22;ἦσανκαθήμενοι,;ἦνἐκβάλλων,;ἦσανκαθεζόμενοι (Lachmann, others,καθήμενοι),Acts 2:2, and other examples; once in Paul,Philippians 2:26ἐπιποθῶνἦν; — a periph. of the future:ἔσονταιπίπτοντες (ἐκπίπτοντεςRG),Mark 13:25.β. with the perfect participle is formed — a periph. of the aorist (imperfect (?)):ἦνἑστώς,Luke 5:1; — a periph. of the pluperfect:ἦσανἐληλυθότες,συνεληλυθυῖαιLuke 5:17;Luke 23:55; especially with the perfect passive participle:ἦνἡἐπιγραφήἐπιγεγραμμένη,Mark 15:26;ἦναὐτῷκεχρηματισμένον,Luke 2:26;ἦντεθραμμένος,Luke 4:16; add,Luke 8:2;Luke 23:51;Acts 1:17, etc.γ. once with an aorist participle a periph. of the pluperfect is formed:ἦν ...βληθείς (RGLTr marginal readingβεβλημένος)ἐντῇφυλακή,Luke 23:19TTr textWH; on the same use of the aorist sometimes in Greek writings cf.Passow, i., p. 793; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, B. 2; yet cf.Buttmann, § 144, 24 at the end).

b. so as to indicate continuance in any act or state (Buttmann, 310f (266)):ἦνδιδάσκων was accustomed to teach,Mark 1:22;Luke 4:31;Luke 19:47;ἦν (TTr textWHἦλθεν)κηρύσσων,Mark 1:39;Luke 4:44;ἦσαννηστεύοντες held their fast,Mark 2:18;ἦσανσυλλαλοῦντεςwere talking,Mark 9:4;ἦνσυγκύπτουσα,Luke 13:11;ἦνθέλων,Luke 23:8;ἦνπροσδεχόμενος,Mark 15:43 (Luke 23:51προσεδέχετο); once in Paul,Galatians 1:23ἦσανἀκούοντες, with the future (cf.Buttmann, 311 (267)):ἔσταιδεδεμένον,ἔσταιλελυμένον, equivalent to shall remain bound, shall remain loosed,Matthew 16:19;ἔσταιπατουμένη shall continue to be trodden down,Luke 21:24, and other examples c. to signify that one is in the act of doing something:ἦνἐρχόμενον was in the act of coming,John 1:9 (cf. Meyer edition Weiss at the passage);ἦνὑποστρέφων,Acts 8:28.

d. the combination ofεἶναι with participle seems intended also to give the verbal idea more force and prominence by putting it in the form of a noun (seeButtmanns Grammar, andWiner's Grammar, as above)ἦνἔχωνκτήματαπολλά (Germanwohlhabend (English wasone that had)),Matthew 19:22;Mark 10:22;ἔσῃσιωπῶν,Luke 1:20;ἦνὑποτασσόμενος (obedient, in subjection),Luke 2:51;ἴσθιἐξουσίανἔχων, be thou ruler over,Luke 19:17;ἦνσυνευδοκῶνActs 8:1;ζῶνεἰμί,Revelation 1:18, and in other examples three times in Paul:εἰ ...ἠλπικότεςἐσμενμόνον if we are those who have only hoped, or to whom nothing is left but hope,1 Corinthians 15:19;ἦνἦν ...καταλλάσσων, the reconciler,2 Corinthians 5:19;ἅτινάἐστιλόγονἔχοντασοφίας, are things having a reputation of wisdom,Colossians 2:23 (Matthiae, § 560 ((so Kühner, § 353 Anm. 3)) gives examples from secular authors in which several words intervene betweenεἶναι and the participle).

e. Of quite another sort are those examples in whichεἶναι has its own force, being equivalent toto be found, to be present, to stay, (see I. above), and the participle is added to express an act or condition of the subject (cf.Buttmann, § 144, 27):ἐντοῖςμνημασι ...ἦν was i. e. stayed)κράζων,Mark 5:5;ἦνδέἐκεῖ (was kept there) ...βοσκομένη,Mark 5:11;Matthew 8:30;ἦσανἐντῇὁδῷἀναβαίνοντες, Luther correctly,they were in the road (going up etc.Mark 10:32;εἰσινἄνδρες ...εὐχήνἔχοντες,Acts 21:23; add,Matthew 12:10 (RG);;Mark 2:6, (in the last two examplesἦσανwere present);Luke 4:33;John 1:28;John 3:23;Acts 25:14;Romans 3:12, etc.;ἄνωθενἐστιν,καταβαῖνον etc. (insert a comma afterἐστιν),is from above,καταβαῖνον etc. being added by way of explanation,James 1:17 (cf.Buttmann, 310 (266)).

5. The formulaἐγώεἰμί (I am he), frequent in the Gospels, especially in John, must have its predicate supplied mentally, inasmuch as it is evident from the context (cf.Krüger, § 60, 7); thus,ἐγώεἰμί, namely,ἸησοῦςὁΝαζωραῖον,John 18:5 (hereL marginal reading expressesὁἸησοῦς,WH marginal readingἸησοῦς);John 18:6, 8;it is I whom you see, not another,Matthew 14:27;Mark 6:50;Luke 24:36 (Lachmann in brackets);John 6:20; namely,ὁκαθήμενοςκαίπροσαιτῶν,John 9:9; simplyεἰμί,I am teacher and Lord,John 13:13;οὐκεἰμί namely,ἐξαὐτῶν,Luke 22:58;John 18:25;I am not Elijah,John 1:21; specifically, I am the Messiah,Mark 13:6;Mark 14:62;Luke 21:8;John 4:26;John 8:24, 28;John 13:19; I am the Son of God,Luke 22:70 (likeהוּאאֲנִי,Deuteronomy 32:39;Isaiah 43:10); cf.Keim, 3:320 (English translation, 6:34; Hofmann, Schriftbeweis, i. 63f). The third person is used in the same way:ἐκεῖνοςἐστιν, namely,ὁυἱόςτοῦΘεοῦ,John 9:37; namely,ὁπαραδώσωνἐμέ,John 13:26.

6. Of the phrases having a pronoun in place of a predicate, the following deserve notice:

a.τίςεἰμί,εἰ,ἐστιν, a formula of inquiry, used by those desiring — either to know what sort of a man one is whom they see, or what his name is,John 1:19;John 8:25;John 21:12;Acts 26:15 — or that they may see the face of some one spoken of, and that he may be pointed out to them,Luke 19:3;John 9:36;σύτίςεἰὁ with a participle,who (i. e. how petty)art thou, that etc.? the question of one administering a rebuke and contemptuously denying another's right to do a thing,Romans 9:20;Romans 14:4 (Strabo 6, 2, 4, p. 271σύτίςεἰὁτόνὈμηρονψεγωνὡςμυθογραφον);ἐγώτίςεἰμί;who (how small) am I? the language of one holding a modest opinion of himself and recognizing his weakness,Acts 11:17, cf.Exodus 3:11.

b.εἰμίτίς, likesum aliquis in Latin, to be somebody (eminent):Acts 5:36;εἶναιτί, like the Latinaliquid esse,to be something (i. e., something excellent):Galatians 2:6;Galatians 6:3; in these phrasesτίς andτί are emphatic; cf. Kühner, § 470, 3; (Winers Grammar, 170 (161);Buttmann, 114 (100));εἶναιτί after a negative,to be nothing,1 Corinthians 3:7, cf. Meyer at the passage; also in questions having a negative force,1 Corinthians 10:19 (cf.Winer's Grammar, § 6, 2).οὐδένεἰμί,1 Corinthians 13:2;2 Corinthians 12:11;οὐδένἐστιν, it is nothing, is of no account,Matthew 23:16, 18;John 8:54;Acts 21:24;1 Corinthians 7:19.

c.τίςἐστι, e. g.ἡπαραβολή, what does it mean? what is the explanation of the thing?Luke 8:9τίςεἴηἡπαραβολήαὐτῇ;Acts 10:17τίἄνεἰντόὅραμα;Mark 1:27τίἐστιτοῦτο;what is this? expressive of astonishment,Luke 15:26τίεἰνταῦτα; what might be the cause of the noise he heard?Luke 18:36;John 10:6,τιναἦν,ἅἐλάλειαὐτοῖς.Τίἐστι what does it mean?Matthew 9:13;Matthew 12:7;Luke 20:17;John 16:17f;τίἐστινεἰμήὅτι,Ephesians 4:9; see II. 3 above.

d.οὗτος,αὕτη,τοῦτοἐστιν followed by a noun, equivalent to in this is seen, is contained, etc.α. is so employed that the pronoun refers to something which has just been said:οὗτοςγάρἐστιὁνόμος, the law is summed up in what I have just mentioned, comes to this,Matthew 7:12.β.. in John's usage it is so employed that the pronoun serves as the subject, which is defined by a noun that follows, and this noun itself is a substitute as it were for the predicate:αὐτῇἐστινἡνίκη ...ἡπίστιςἡμῶν1 John 5:4;αὕτηἐστινἡμαρτυρίατοῦΘεοῦ,ἥν, etc.1 John 5:9Rec.οὗτος,αὕτη,τοῦτοἐστι followed byὅτι (Buttmann, 105 (92); cf.Winer's Grammar, 161 (152)):John 3:19;1 John 1:5;1 John 5:11, 14; followed byἵνα (to say that something ought to be done, or that something is desired or demanded (cf.Winers Grammar, 338 (317);Buttmann, 240 (207))):John 6:29, 39;John 15:12;1 John 3:11, 23;1 John 5:3; followed byὅτε etc.John 1:19 (Winer's Grammar, 438 (408)).

7. The participleὤν,οὖσα,ὄν,ὄντες,ὄντα, joined to a substantive or an adjective, has the force of an intercalated clause, and may be translatedsince or although I am, thou art, etc. (here the English use of the participle agrees in the main with the Greek):εἰ οὖν ὑμεῖς, πονηροὶ οὔντες, οἴδατε,Matthew 17:11; add,;Luke 20:36;John 3:4;John 4:9;Acts 16:21;Romans 5:10;1 Corinthians 8:7;Galatians 2:3;James 3:4, and often; twice with other participles, used adjectivally (Buttmann, 310 (266)):ὄντεςἀπηλλοτριωμένοι,Colossians 1:21;ἐσκοτισμένοι (RG, othersἐσκοτωμένοι),Ephesians 4:18.

8. Sometimes the copulaἐστιν (with the accent (seeChandler § 938)) stands at the beginning of a sentence, to emphasize the truth of what the sentence affirms or denies:Luke 8:11;1 Timothy 6:6;ἐστιδέπίστις etc.Hebrews 11:1 (although some explain it here (as a substantive verb), 'but faith exists' or 'is found,' to wit in the examples adduced immediately after (seeWiners Grammar, § 7, 3)); several times so used inPhilo in statements (quoted by Delitzsch onHebrews 11:1) resembling definitions.οὐκἐστιν:Matthew 13:57;Mark 12:27;Acts 10:34;1 Corinthians 14:33;James 3:15.

III.εἰμί joined with adverbs;

1. with adverbs of place;

a. where?to be, be busy, somewhere:ἐκεῖ,Matthew 2:15;Matthew 27:55;Mark 3:1 (L omits;Tr bracketsἦν), etc.;ἐνθάδε,Acts 16:28;ἔσω,John 20:26;οὗ,Matthew 2:9;Matthew 18:20;Acts 16:13;ὅπου,Mark 2:4;Mark 5:40;John 6:62;Acts 17:1, etc.;ποῦ,Matthew 2:2;John 7:11, etc.;ὧδε,Matthew 28:6;Mark 9:5, etc.

b. with adverbs of distance:ἀπέναντιτίνος,Romans 3:18 (Psalm 35:2 ());ἐκτόςτίνος,2 Corinthians 12:2 (3χωρίςτοῦLTTrWH);ἔμπροσθεντίνος,Luke 14:2;ἐντόςτίνος.Luke 17:21;ἐνώπιοντίνος,Revelation 1:4;Revelation 7:15;μακράνἀπότίνος,John 21:8;Mark 12:34;πόρρω,Luke 14:32;ἐπάνω,John 3:31{a} (31^bGTWH marginal reading omits the clause); of the situation of regions and places:ἀντιπέρα (orἀντιπέρα etc. see under the word)τίνος,Luke 8:26;ἐγγύς — now standing absolutely,John 19:42; now with the genitive,John 11:18;John 19:20, etc.; now with the dative,Acts 9:38;Acts 27:8.

c. whence?to be from some quarter, i. e.to come, originate, from:πόθεν,Matthew 21:25;Luke 13:25, 27;John 7:27;John 9:29;John 19:9;John 2:9 (πόθενἐστιν namely,ὁοἶνος, whence the wine was procured);ἐντεῦθεν,John 18:36.

2. with adverbs of quality;οὕτωςεἰμί,to be thus or so, to be such; absolutely,Matthew 13:49; withἐνὑμῖν added,Matthew 20:26 (hereRGTἔσται);οὕτωςἔσται, so will it be, i. e. come to pass,Matthew 13:40 (49 (see above));οὕτωςἐστιν orἔσται, of things, events, etc.,such is or will be the state of the case (Winer's Grammar, 465 (434)):Matthew 19:10;Matthew 24:27, 37, 39;Mark 4:26;Romans 4:18 (Genesis 15:5); so of persons,John 3:8.καθώςἐστιν as, even as, he, etc. is,1 John 3:2, 7;1 John 4:17;εἰμίὥσπερτίς to be, to do as one, to imitate him, be like him,Matthew 6:5 (RG);Luke 18:11 (RGTWH text);ἔστωσοιὥσπερ etc. regard him as a heathen and a publican, i. e. have no fellowship with him,Matthew 18:17;εἰμίὡς orὡσείτίς, to be as, i. e. like or equal to anyone, Matt. (LTTrWH);;Luke 11:44; (LTrWH marginal reading);;1 Corinthians 7:29f;τάσπλάγχναπερισσοτέρωςεἰςὑμᾶςἐστιν he is moved with the more abundant love toward you,2 Corinthians 7:15. — But see each adverb in its place.

IV.εἰμί with the oblique cases of substantives or of pronouns;

1.εἶναιτίνος, like the Latinalicuius esse, equivalent toto pertain to a person or a thing, denotes any kind of possession or connection (possessive genitive); cf.Krüger, § 47, 6, 4ff;Winers Grammar, § 30, 5 b.;Buttmann, § 132, 11.

a. of things which one owns:ἔσταισουπᾶσα (Rec.πάντα),Luke 4:7;οὗἐστινἡζώνηαὕτη,Acts 21:11; add,Mark 12:7;John 10:12;John 19:24; — or for the possession of which he is fitted:τίνοςἐστινἡβασιλείατοῦοὐρανοῦ orτοῦΘεοῦ, he is fit for a share in the kingdom of God,Matthew 5:3, 10;Matthew 19:14;Mark 10:14;Luke 18:16.πάνταὑμῶνἐστι, all things serve your interests and promote your salvation,1 Corinthians 3:21.

b. of things which proceed from one:2 Corinthians 4:7.

c.to be of one's party, be devoted to one:1 Corinthians 1:12;2 Timothy 2:19;τοῦΧριστοῦ,Mark 9:41;Romans 8:9;1 Corinthians 1:12;2 Corinthians 10:7; hence alsoτῆςὁδοῦ (namely,τοῦκυρίου)εἶναι,Acts 9:2 (cf.Buttmann, 163 (142)).

d.to be subject to one; to be in his hands or power:Matthew 22:28;Acts 27:23;Romans 9:16;Romans 14:8;1 Corinthians 3:23;1 Corinthians 6:19, 20Rec.;πνεύματος,Luke 9:55Rec. Hence,

e.to be suitable, fit, for one:Acts 1:7.

f.to be of a kind or class:εἶναινυκτός,σκότους,ἡμέρας,1 Thessalonians 5:5, 8; orto be of the number of (a partitive genitive, cf.Buttmann, 159 (139)):Acts 23:6;1 Timothy 1:20;2 Timothy 1:15.

g. with a genitive ofquality:Hebrews 10:39;Hebrews 12:11. h. with a genitive ofage:Mark 5:42;Luke 3:23;Acts 4:22 (Tobit 14:11). With this use (viz. 1) ofεἶναι, those examples must not be confounded in which a predicate nominative is to be repeated from the subject (cf.Krüger, § 47, 6, 1):οὐκἐστινὁΘεόςνεκρῶν,ἀλλάζώντων, namely,Θεός,Matthew 22:32, cf.Mark 12:27;Luke 20:38;ταῦτατάῤήματαοὐκἐστιδαιμονιζομένου, namely,ῤήματα,John 10:21;οὐκἐστινἀκαταστασίαςὁΘεός,ἀλλάεἰρήνης,1 Corinthians 14:33;ἄλλοβιβλίον,ὁἐστιτῆςζωῆς,Revelation 20:12; add,2 Corinthians 2:3;1 Peter 3:3.

2.εἰμί with the dative (cf.Krüger, § 48, 3 (who appears to regard the dative as expressing a less close or necessary relationship than the genitive);Winers Grammar, § 31, 2);

a.ἐστιμοι,ἡμῖν, etc.it is mine, ours, etc.,I, we, etc.,have:Luke 1:7;Luke 2:7, 10;Luke 14:10;John 18:10, 39;John 19:40;Acts 7:5;Acts 8:21;Acts 10:6;Romans 9:2, 9;1 Corinthians 9:16;1 Peter 4:11, and often.οὐκἐστιἡμῖν (othersὑμῖν)ἡπάληπρός etc. we have not a struggle against etc.Ephesians 6:12;εἰσινἡμῖν we have here etc.Acts 21:23;τίἔσταιἡμῖν what shall we have? what will be given us?Matthew 19:27;ὑμῖνἐστινἡἐπαγγελία the promise belongs to you,Acts 2:39.

b.εἶναιτίνιτίto be something to (or for) someone, used of various relations, as of service, protection, etc.:σκεῦοςἐκλογῆςἐστιμοιοὗτος namely,τοῦ with an infinitiveActs 9:15;ἔσεσθεμοιμάρτυρες, Acts (RG, cf.);ἔσομαιαὐτῷΘεόςκαίαὐτόςἔσταιμοιυἱός,Revelation 21:7;ἔσονταιμοιλαός,2 Corinthians 6:16 (RG);εἰςτόεἶναιαὐτόν ...πατέρα ...τοῖς etc.Romans 4:11.

c.εἶναιτίνιτί,to be to one as or for something, to pass for etc.:1 Corinthians 1:18;1 Corinthians 2:14;1 Corinthians 9:2, cf.Matthew 18:17.

d.εἶναιτίνιτί,to be, i. e.conduce, redound to one for (or as) something (cf.Krüger, § 48, 3, 5):1 Corinthians 11:14;2 Corinthians 2:15;Philippians 1:28;οὐαίδέμοιἐστι,1 Corinthians 9:16 (Hosea 9:12).

e.ἔσταιτίνι,will come upon, befall, happen to, one:Matthew 16:22;Luke 1:45.

f.Acts 24:11οὐπλείουςεἰσίμοιἡμέραιἤδεκαδύο (LTTrWH omitἤ and readδώδεκα) not more than twelve days are (namely, passed) to me, i. e. it is not more than twelve days.Luke 1:36οὗτοςμήνἕκτοςἐστιναὐτῇ this is the sixth month to (with) her. Those passages must not be brought under this head in which the dative does not belong to the verb but depends on an adjective, asκαλός,κοινωνός,φίλος, etc.

V.εἰμί with prepositions and their cases.

1.ἀπόὁτίνος (τόπου),to come from, be a native of:John 1:44 (45) (cf.ἀπό, II. 1 a.).

2.εἰςτί, a. to have betaken oneself to some place andto be there, to have goneinto (cf.Winers Grammar, § 50, 4 b.; (Buttmann, 333 (286)):εἰςοἶκον,Mark 2:1 (RG; othersἐν);εἰςτόνἀγρόν,Mark 13:16 (RG);εἰςτήνκοίτην,Luke 11:7;εἰςτόνκόλπον,John 1:18, where cf. Tholuck (Winers Grammar, 415 (387);Buttmann, as above); (onActs 8:20 seeἀπώλεια, 2 a.). metaphorically,to come to:εἰςχολήνπικρίας (hast fallen into),Acts 8:23.

b.to be directedtoward a thing:ὥστετήνπίστινὑμῶν ...εἶναιεἰςΘεόν,1 Peter 1:21;to tend to anything:Romans 11:36 (Winers Grammar, § 50, 6).

c.to be for, i. e. conduce or inure to, serve for (Buttmann, 150f (131f);Winer's Grammar, § 29, 3 a.):1 Corinthians 14:22;Colossians 2:22;James 5:3;ἐμοίεἰςἐλάχιστονἐστι, it results for me in, i. e. I account it, a very small thing,1 Corinthians 4:3, (εἰςὠφέλειαν,Aesop fab. 124, 2).

d. In imitation of the Hebrewהָיָה followed byלְ,εἶναιεἰςτινα orτί stands where the Greeks use a nominative (Winers Grammar andButtmann, as above; especiallySophocles' Lexicon, under the wordεἰς, 3):Matthew 19:5 andMark 10:8 and1 Corinthians 6:16 andEphesians 5:31ἔσονταιεἰςσάρκαμίαν (fromGenesis 2:24);1 John 5:8εἰςτόἐνεἰσιν, unite, conspire, toward one and the same result, agree in one;2 Corinthians 6:18 (Jeremiah 38:1 ());Hebrews 1:5 (2 Samuel 7:14);.

3.ἐκτίνος, a.to be of, i. e.a part of anything, to belong to, etc. (Winers Grammar, 368 (345); cf.Buttmann, 159 (139)):1 Corinthians 12:15f;ἐκτινων,of the number of:Matthew 26:73;Mark 14:69;Luke 22:58;John 1:24;John 6:64, 71 (RT);;Acts 21:8;2 Timothy 3:6;1 John 2:19;Revelation 17:11 (Xenophon, mem. 3, 6, 17);ἐκτοῦἀριθμοῦτινων,Luke 22:3.

b.to be of, i. e. to haveoriginated, sprung, come, from (Winers Grammar, § 51, 1 d.;Buttmann, 327 (281f)):Luke 23:7;John 1:46 (); (ὁὤνἐκτῆςγῆς);;Acts 4:6;Acts 19:25;Acts 23:34;Galatians 3:21;1 John 4:7;ὅςἐστινἐξὑμῶν, your fellow-countryman,Colossians 4:9.

c.to be of, i. e.proceed from one as the author (Winers Grammar, 366f (344f);Buttmann, 327 (281)):Matthew 5:37;John 7:17;Acts 5:38;2 Corinthians 4:7;1 John 2:16;Hebrews 2:11;εἶναιἐξοὐρανοῦ,ἐξἀνθρώπων, to be instituted by the authority of God, by the authority of men,Matthew 21:25;Mark 11:30;Luke 20:4; to be begotten of one,Matthew 1:20.

d.to be of, i. e.be connected with one; to be related to, (cf.Winer's § 51, 1 d.; cf. inἐκ, II. 1 a. and 7):ὁνόμοςοὐκἐστινἐκπίστεως, has no connection with faith,Galatians 3:12;ἐξἔργωννόμουεἶναι (Luth.mit Werken umgehen),Galatians 3:10; especially in John's usage,to depend on the power of one, to be prompted and governed by one, and reflect his character: thusεἶναιἐκτοῦδιαβόλου,John 8:44;1 John 3:8;ἐκτοῦπονηροῦ,1 John 3:12;ἐκτοῦκόσμου,John 15:19;John 17:14, 16;1 John 4:5; when this expression is used of wickedness, it is equivalent to produced by the world and pertaining to it,1 John 2:16; opposed toἐκτοῦΘεοῦεἶναι,John 8:47;1 John 4:1-3; this latter phrase is used especially of true Christians, as begotten anew by the Spirit of God (seeγεννάω, 2 d.):1 John 4:4, 6;1 John 5:19;3 John 1:11;ἐκτῆςἀληθείαςεἶναι, either to come from the love of truth as an effect, as1 John 2:21, or, if used of a man, to be led and governed by the love and pursuit of truth, asJohn 18:37;1 John 3:19;ὁὤνἐκτῆςγῆςἐκτῆςγῆςἐστι, he who is from the earth as respects origin bears the nature of this his earthly origin, is earthly,John 3:31.

e.to be of, i. e.formed from:Revelation 21:21;1 Corinthians 11:8.

4.ἐντίνι, a. with the dative of place,to be in, i. e.be present, to stay, dwell; a propMatthew 24:26;Luke 2:49, etc.; on the surface of a place (Germauf), asἐντῇὁδῷ,Mark 10:32 and elsewhere;ἐντῷἀγρῷ,Luke 15:25.at:ἐνδεξιά tou]Θεοῦ,Romans 8:34;to live, dwell, as in a city:Luke 18:3;Acts 9:10;Philippians 1:1;1 Corinthians 1:2, etc.; of God,ἐνοὐρανοῖς,Ephesians 6:9; of things which are found, met with, in a place:2 Timothy 2:20, etc.β. things so pertaining to locality that one can, in a proper sense,be in them or be surrounded by them, are spoken of in the same way metaphorically and improperly, asεἶναιἐντῷφωτί,ἐντῇσκοτία:1 John 2:9, 11;1 Thessalonians 5:4;ἐνσαρκί,Romans 7:5;Romans 8:8 (seeσάρξ, 4).

b.to be in a state or condition (seeButtmann, 330 (284); cf.Winer's Grammar, § 29, 3 b. andἐν, I. 5 c.):ἐνεἰρήνη,Luke 11:21;ἐνἔχθρα,Luke 23:12;ἐνκρίματι,Luke 23:40;ἐνπεριτομή,ἐνἀκροβυστία,Romans 4:10;ἐνδόξῃ,2 Corinthians 3:8, etc.; hence, spoken of ills which one is afflicted with:ἐνῤύσειαἵματος,Mark 5:25;Luke 8:43 (ἐντῇνόσῳ,Sophocles Aj. 271; inmorbo esse,Cicero, Tusc. 3, 4, 9); of wickedness in which one is, as it were, merged,ἐνταῖςἁμαρτίαις,1 Corinthians 15:17; of holiness, in which one perseveres,ἐνπίστει,2 Corinthians 13:5.

c.to be in possession of, provided with a thing (Winer's Grammar, 386 (361)):Philippians 4:11;ἐνἐξουσία,Luke 4:32;ἐνβαρεῖ (seeβάρος, at the end),1 Thessalonians 2:7 (6).

d.to be occupied in a thing (Bernhardy (1829), p. 210; (see iv, I. 5 g.)):ἐντῇἑορτή, in celebrating the feast,John 2:23;to be sedulously devoted to (A. V.give oneself wholly to) a thing,1 Timothy 4:15 (Horace, epistles 1, 1, 11omnis in hoc sum).

e. a person or thing is saidto be in one, i. e.in his soul: thus, God (by his power and influence) in the prophets,1 Corinthians 14:25; Christ (i. e. his holy mind and power) in the souls of his disciples or of Christians,John 17:26;2 Corinthians 13:5;τόπνεῦματῆςἀληθείας,John 14:17; friends are said to beἐντῇκαρδία of one who loves them,2 Corinthians 7:3. vices, virtues, and the like, are said to be in one: asδόλος,John 1:47 (48);ἀδικία,John 7:18;ἄγνοια,Ephesians 4:18;ἁμαρτία,1 John 3:5;ἀλήθεια,John 8:44;2 Corinthians 11:10;Ephesians 4:21;1 John 1:8;1 John 2:4, (ἀλήθειακαίκρίσις, 1 Macc. 7:18);ἀγάπη,John 17:26;1 John 2:15;ὁλόγοςαὐτοῦ (τοῦΘεοῦ)οὐκἐστινἐνἡμῖν, God's word has not left its impress on our souls,1 John 1:10;τόφῶςοὐκἐστινἐναὐτῷ, the efficacy or influence of the light is not in his soul (rather, an obvious physical fact is used to suggest a spiritual truth:the light is not in him, does not shine from within outward),John 11:10;σκοτία,1 John 1:5;σκάνδαλον,1 John 2:10, i. e. there is nothing within him to seduce him to sin (cf. Dusterdieck and Huther at the passage).Acts 13:15 (if ye have in mind any word of exhortation etc. (Winers Grammar, 218 (204f)).

f.ἐντῷΘεῷεἶναι is saidα. of Christians, as being rooted, so to speak, in him, i. e. intimately united to him,1 John 2:5;1 John 5:20;β. of all men, because the ground of their creation and continued being is to be found in him alone,Acts 17:28.

g. with a dative of the personto be in — (i. e. either)among the number of:Matthew 27:56;Mark 15:40;Luke 2:44;Romans 1:6; — (or,in the midst of:Acts 2:29;Acts 7:44Rec., etc.) h. noteworthy, further, are the following:ἐστιτίἐντίνι there is something (to blame) in one,Acts 25:5; something is (founded (A. V.stand)) in a thing,1 Corinthians 2:5;οὐκἐστινἐνοὐδενίἄλλῳἡσωτηρία salvation is (laid up, embodied) in none other, can be expected from none,Acts 4:12; with the dative of the thing,is (contained, wrapped up)in something:Ephesians 5:18;Hebrews 10:3;1 John 4:18.

5.εἰμίἐπί a.τίνος, to beon:ἐπίτοῦδώματος,Luke 17:31;ἐπίτῆςκεφαλῆς,John 20:7; to be (set) over a thing,Acts 8:27; to preside, rule, over,Romans 9:5.

b.τίνι,to be at (Winer's Grammar, 392 (367)):ἐπίθύραις,Matthew 24:33;Mark 13:29.

c.τινα,to be upon one:χάριςἦνἐπίτινα, was with him, assisted him,Luke 2:40;Acts 4:33;πνεῦμαἦνἐπίτινα, had come upon one, was impelling him,Luke 2:25, cf.Luke 4:18; theSept.Isaiah 61:1; add,Galatians 6:16;εἶναιἐπίτόαὐτό,to be (assembled)together (cf.αὐτός, III. 1),Acts 1:15;Acts 2:1, 44; of cohabitation,1 Corinthians 7:5 (according to the readingἦτε forRec.συνέρχεσθε).

6.εἰμίκατά a.τίνος,to be against one, to oppose him:Matthew 12:30;Luke 9:50;Luke 11:23;Galatians 5:23;Romans 8:31 (opposed toὑπέρτίνος, as inMark 9:40).

b.κατάτί,according to something:κατάσάρκα,κατάπνεῦμα, to bear the character, have the nature, of the flesh or of the Spirit,Romans 8:5;εἶναικατ'ἄνθρωπον,Galatians 1:11;κατ'ἀλήθειαν,Romans 2:2.

7.μετάτίνος, a.to be with (i. e., to associate with)one:Matthew 17:17;Mark 3:14;Mark 5:18;Luke 6:3;John 3:26;John 12:17;John 16:32;Acts 9:39, and often in the Gospels;Revelation 21:3; of ships accompanying one,Mark 4:36; of what is present with one for his profit,2 John 1:2;Romans 16:20; Hebraistically,to be with one, i. e. as a help (of God, becoming the companion, as it were, of the righteous):Luke 1:66;John 3:2;John 8:29;John 16:32;Acts 7:9;Acts 10:38;Acts 11:21;Acts 18:10;2 Corinthians 13:11;Philippians 4:9;2 John 1:3, cf.Matthew 28:20 (Genesis 21:20;Judges 6:12, etc.).

b.to be (i. e. to cooperate)with:Matthew 12:30;Luke 11:23 (Xenophon, an. 1, 3, 5 (othersἰέναι)).

8.εἰμίπαρά a.τίνος,to (have come and so)be from one: Christ is saidεἶναιπαράτοῦΘεοῦ,John 6:46;John 7:29;John 9:16, 33;τίπαράτίνος, is from i. e. given by one,John 17:7.

b.τίνι,to be with one:Matthew 22:25;οὐκεἶναιπαράτῷΘεῷ is used to describe qualities alien to God, asπροσωπολημψία,Romans 2:11;Ephesians 6:9;ἀδικία,Romans 9:14.

c.τινα (τόπον), by,by the side of:Mark 5:21;Acts 10:6.

9.πρόςτινα (cf.Winers Grammar, 405 (378)), a.toward:πρόςἑσπέρανἐστι it is toward evening,Luke 24:29.

b.by (turned toward):Mark 4:1.

c.with one:Matthew 13:56;Mark 6:3;Mark 9:19;Luke 9:41;John 1:1 (cf. Meyer at the passage).

10.σύντίνι, a.to associate with one:Luke 22:56;Luke 24:44;Acts 13:7;Philippians 1:23;Colossians 2:5;1 Thessalonians 4:17.

b.to be the companion of one, to accompany him:Luke 7:12 (RelzTTr bracketsWH);;Acts 4:13;Acts 22:9;2 Peter 1:18.

c. (to be an adherent of one, be on his side:Acts 5:17;Acts 14:4 (A. V.to hold with) (Xenophon, Cyril 5, 4, 37).

11.εἰμίὑπέρ a.τίνος,to be for one, to favor his side:Mark 9:40;Luke 9:50;Romans 8:31 (opposed toεἰμίκατάτίνος).

b.τινα,to be abore one, to surpass, excel him:Luke 6:40.

12.ὑπότινα (cf.Buttmann, 341 (293)), a.to be under (i. e., subject to)one:Matthew 8:9RGTTr;Romans 3:9;Romans 6:14;Galatians 3:10, 25;Galatians 5:18;1 Timothy 6:1.

b.to be (locally)under a thing: e. g. under a tree,John 1:48 (49); a cloud,1 Corinthians 10:1. Further, see each preposition in its own place.

VI. As in classical Greek, so also in the N. T.εἰμί is very often omitted (cf.Winer § 64, I. 2, who gives numerous examples (cf. 596 (555); 350 (328f));Buttmann, 136f (119f)),ἐστιν most frequently of all the parts:Luke 4:18;Romans 11:36;1 Corinthians 4:20;2 Timothy 3:16;Hebrews 5:13, etc.; in exclamations,Acts 19:28, 34; in questions,Romans 9:14;2 Corinthians 6:14-16;τίγάρ,Philippians 1:18;Romans 3:3;τίοὖν,Romans 3:9;Romans 6:15; alsoεἰ,Revelation 15:4;εἰμί,2 Corinthians 11:6;ἐσμεν,ἐστε,1 Corinthians 4:10;εἰσί,Romans 4:14;1 Corinthians 13:8, etc.; the imperativeἔστω,Romans 12:9;Hebrews 13:4f;ἐστε,Romans 12:9;1 Peter 3:8;εἰν in wishes,Matthew 16:22;Galatians 6:16, etc.; even the subjunctiveἤ afterἵνα,Romans 4:16;2 Corinthians 8:11 (afterὅπως), 13; often the participleὤν,ὄντες, as (seeButtmann, § 144, 18) inMark 6:20;Acts 27:33; in the expressionsοἱἐκπεριτομῆς,ὁἐκπίστεως,οἱὑπόνόμον, etc. (Compare:ἄπειμι,ἔνειμι (ἔξεστι),πάρειμι,συμπάρειμι,σύνειμι.)

STRONGS NT 1510: εἶμιεἶμι,to go, approved of by some inJohn 7:34, 36, for the ordinaryεἰμί, but cf.Winers Grammar, § 6, 2; (Buttmann, 50 (43). Compare:ἄπειμι,εἴσειμι,ἔξειμι,ἔπειμι,σύνειμι.)

With 2,479 occurrences, εἰμί functions far beyond a grammatical copula; it frames the revelation of divine presence, personal identity, covenantal relationship, and eschatological hope that permeate every book of the New Testament.

Foundational Identity of God

From the burning bush ofExodus 3:14 (LXX ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν) the Lord’s self-designation as “I AM” reverberates through the revelation of Scripture. In the New Testament the phrase resurfaces unaltered inJohn 8:58: “Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus affirms, “before Abraham was born, I am!”. Here εἰμί marks not merely existence but the timeless, self-sufficient being of God himself.Revelation 1:8 echoes the same divine claim: “I am the Alpha and the Omega… who is, and was, and is to come”.

Christological Revelations: The ‘I Am’ Sayings

Seven metaphorical proclamations in John further unfold the Messiah’s identity and mission:
• “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35).
• “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).
• “I am the gate for the sheep” (John 10:7).
• “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11).
• “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
• “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
• “I am the true vine” (John 15:1).

Each announcement unites ontology with soteriology: who Jesus is grounds what he does. The verbal form εἰμί thereby becomes the hinge between Christ’s person and his redemptive work.

Revelation of the Divine Presence

When Jesus calms the storm, he declares, “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” (Mark 6:50;Matthew 14:27). The assurance “it is I”—literally “I am”—links the miracles of deliverance with the covenant promise, “I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10; cf.Acts 18:10). The same presence sustains missionary courage (Matthew 28:20) and undergirds apostolic proclamation (Acts 26:15–18).

Covenant and Redemption

Paul roots justification and sanctification in the believer’s new identity: “By the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:10). Union with Christ is declared, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The indicative εἰμί precedes every imperative; redeemed being issues in obedient living (Romans 6:11;Ephesians 5:8).

Existential Comfort for Believers

In trials, εἰμί anchors believers to divine constancy.Hebrews 13:5 cites God’s oath: “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” immediately followed by the confession, “The Lord is my helper” (Hebrews 13:6). Identity statements such as “you are God’s workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10) and “you are a chosen people” (1 Peter 2:9) cultivate assurance, humility, and purpose.

Mission and Witness

The missionary summons often employs εἰμί to articulate witness. When asked, “Who are you?” John the Baptist replies, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness” (John 1:23). Paul’s courtroom testimony repeats Christ’s words, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5; 26:15), making the persecuted Church the visible locus of the risen Lord’s presence.

Eschatological Hope

Future hope is framed by present being.1 John 3:2 declares, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed.” Because Christ “is” the resurrection (John 11:25), believers “will be” raised. Revelation culminates with the divine self-disclosure, “I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16), assuring consummation.

Pastoral and Spiritual Formation

Shepherding language employs εἰμί to foster identity and action: elders are to be “examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3), and disciples are urged to “be holy” (1 Peter 1:16). The participial forms (e.g., ὤν, ὄντες) weave character into community life (Philippians 2:15;Colossians 3:12).

Historical Reception and Theological Reflection

Early patristic writers recognized the theological weight of εἰμί. Ignatius of Antioch speaks of Christ as “our God” (Letter to theEphesians 18), echoing the confession “the Word was God” (John 1:1, using ἦν, imperfect of εἰμί). The Nicene Creed crystallizes this: “God from God… being (ὄντα) of one substance with the Father.” Reformation exegesis retained the emphasis, grounding justification in Christ’s declarative “It is finished” (John 19:30) and the believer’s participatory “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

Summary

Whether expressing God’s eternal self-existence, Christ’s saving identity, the believer’s new standing, or the Church’s hope, εἰμί saturates the New Testament with the proclamation that God is—and because He is, all promises stand secure.