What does εἰ (ei) mean in the Bible?
Εἰ is a Greek conditional particle often translated if or whether. It can introduce real conditions, assumed conditions, rhetorical conditions, indirect questions, or arguments that test a conclusion.
Greek · G1487
εἰ
If, whether, that, etc.
Reading a lexicon entry
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εἰ G1487
Pronunciation ei
What does εἰ (ei) mean in the Bible?
Εἰ is a Greek conditional particle often translated if or whether. It can introduce real conditions, assumed conditions, rhetorical conditions, indirect questions, or arguments that test a conclusion.
Reader summary
Full entry for εἰ (G1487) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1487?
The BSB source-word alignment has 502 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include If (308), except (37), vvv (23), . . . (13), Only (13).
Where does εἰ (ei) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 4:3. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (64), Matthew (55), Luke (53), John (49).
What This Word Actually Means
Εἰ is a Greek conditional particle often translated if or whether. It can introduce real conditions, assumed conditions, rhetorical conditions, indirect questions, or arguments that test a conclusion.
Pastorally, this word matters because conditions often reveal the logic of faith. If God is for us, who can be against us? If Christ has not been raised, faith is futile. If righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing. The word helps readers follow the argument.
But an if statement does not always mean uncertainty. Some conditions are assumed for argument, some are warnings, some are impossible alternatives, and some are pastoral tests.
Lexical sourcegrammatical
How the Bible Uses It
Ei is currently counted about 502 times in the local Greek artifact. It commonly introduces if, whether, or conditional argument language.
- John.15.18
If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first.
Jesus speaks of the world hating His disciples. The conditional wording frames opposition in relation to Him.
- Rom.8.31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Paul asks what can be said if God is for us. The condition supports assurance in the argument.
- 1Cor.15.2
By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
Paul says the gospel saves if they hold firmly to the preached word. The condition warns against empty belief.
- 1Cor.15.17
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
If Christ has not been raised, faith is futile. The condition exposes the necessity of the resurrection.
- Gal.2.21
I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.
If righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing. The condition protects the grace of God.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It If 308× Matthew 4:3, Matthew 4:6, Matthew 5:29, Matthew 5:30
except 37× Matthew 5:13, Matthew 11:27, Matthew 12:39, Matthew 16:4
vvv 23× Matthew 12:10, Matthew 19:3, Mark 8:23, Mark 9:9
. . . 13× John 14:11, Acts 11:19, 1 Corinthians 14:5, 1 Corinthians 15:2
Only 13× Matthew 12:24, Matthew 13:57, Matthew 14:17, Matthew 15:24
- 12× Romans 13:9, 1 Corinthians 8:2, 1 Corinthians 8:3, 2 Corinthians 11:20
but 11× Matthew 12:4, Matthew 24:36, Mark 2:7, Mark 6:8
since 7× John 5:47, John 7:4, Acts 18:15, Galatians 5:25
though 6× Luke 11:8, Luke 18:4, 2 Corinthians 7:12, 2 Corinthians 12:11
whether 6× Luke 14:31, John 9:25, Acts 4:19, 1 Corinthians 7:16
that 5× Mark 15:44, Acts 19:2, Acts 26:8, Acts 26:23
[or] 4× 2 Corinthians 11:20
unless 4× Luke 9:13, Romans 9:29, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Revelation 13:17
but only 3× Mark 13:32, Revelation 9:4, Revelation 21:27
if [it is] 3× Romans 11:6, Romans 12:18, 1 Corinthians 11:6
If he does 3× Mark 2:21, Mark 2:22, Luke 5:36
[to see] if 2× Luke 6:7, Acts 17:11
Even if 2× Matthew 26:33, 1 Corinthians 9:2
to have 2× Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2
What if 2× Acts 23:9, Romans 9:22
[An elder must] 1× Titus 1:6
[and as the] 1× Acts 26:23
[and] 1× 1 Timothy 5:10
[Even] if 1× 1 John 5:9
[for] 1× Revelation 14:11
[is this] 1× Acts 5:8
[such as] 1× 1 Timothy 5:10
[to see] whether 1× 1 John 4:1
[Was it] 1× Hebrews 3:18
[When] 1× James 3:3
[will] 1× Luke 13:23
{to see} if 1× Mark 3:2
Although 1× 2 Corinthians 5:16
and so 1× Philippians 3:11
back 1× Matthew 18:28
because 1× 2 Corinthians 5:3
But if 1× Romans 14:14
Evidently 1× Galatians 1:7
except for 1× Mark 8:14
for 1× 1 Timothy 1:10
hoping that 1× Acts 27:12
if [that were] 1× Mark 13:22
if [you have] 1× Philippians 2:1
if [you suffer] 1× 1 Peter 4:16
If only 1× Luke 19:42
If they do 1× Matthew 9:17
in the hope that 1× Romans 11:14
no 1× Mark 8:12
now that 1× 1 Peter 2:3
only for 1× Luke 6:4
perhaps 1× 1 Corinthians 15:37
Regardless 1× 1 Corinthians 7:17
since [you are] 1× Galatians 4:7
Surely 1× Ephesians 4:21
to see if 1× Luke 14:28
which 1× Luke 6:9
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 4:3 Εἰ to If Conjunction Matthew 4:6 Εἰ to If Conjunction Matthew 5:13 εἰ to except Conjunction Matthew 5:29 εἰ to If Conjunction Matthew 5:30 εἰ to if Conjunction Matthew 6:1 εἰ to If Conjunction Matthew 6:23 εἰ to If Conjunction Matthew 6:30 εἰ to If Conjunction Matthew 7:11 εἰ to if Conjunction Matthew 8:31 Εἰ to If Conjunction
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 4:3
Aligned rows 502
Books represented 25
Matthew 55 Mark 35 Luke 53 John 49 Acts 35 Romans 44 1 Corinthians 64 2 Corinthians 36 Galatians 20 Ephesians 4 Philippians 13 Colossians 4 1 Thessalonians 1 2 Thessalonians 2 1 Timothy 13 2 Timothy 4 Titus 1 Philemon 2 Hebrews 16 James 10 1 Peter 15 2 Peter 2 1 John 7 2 John 1 Revelation 16
Source forms
εἰ 342x ei Matthew 5:13, Matthew 5:29, Matthew 5:30, Matthew 6:1
Εἰ 84x Ei Matthew 4:3, Matthew 4:6, Matthew 8:31, Matthew 12:7
εἴ 55x ei Matthew 18:28, Mark 9:22, Mark 11:25, Luke 19:8
Εἴ 21x Ei Matthew 16:24, Mark 4:23, Mark 8:23, Mark 8:34
Parsing patterns
Conjunction 502x Matthew 4:3, Matthew 4:6, Matthew 5:13, Matthew 5:29
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Ask what the condition is testing and what conclusion the passage draws from it.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim ei always signals uncertainty.
- Do not claim conditional grammar alone proves whether a promise is secure or insecure.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Marks logical conditions and indirect questions; distinguishes reality-level assumptions from hypothetical or contrary-to-fact scenarios.
Strong's G1487
Lexical occurrences 502 verses Greek text appearances 505 times 16 shown below Word forms 3 forms 502 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Ephesians 3:1-6 Source Gloss
if, whether, that, etc.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 505 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 4:3 Conditional
Εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 4:6 Conditional
Εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 5:13 Conditional
εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 5:29 Conditional
εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 5:30 Conditional
εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 6:1 Conditional
εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 6:23 Conditional
εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 6:30 Conditional
εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 7:11 Conditional
εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 8:31 Conditional
Εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 9:17 Conditional
εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 10:25 Conditional
εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 11:14 Conditional
εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 11:21 Conditional
εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 11:23 Conditional
εἰ ei
if
Read verse Matthew 11:27 Conditional
εἰ ei
if
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 3 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 3 Aligned forms 502
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Matt 4:3 · Matt 4:6 · Matt 5:13 · Matt 5:29 · Matt 5:30 · Matt 6:1 · Matt 6:23 · Matt 6:30 · Matt 7:11 · Matt 8:31 · Matt 9:17 · Matt 10:25 · Matt 11:14 · Matt 11:21 · Matt 11:23 · Matt 11:27 458×
Matt 12:10 · Matt 19:3 · Matt 27:49 · Mark 3:2 · Mark 8:23 · Mark 10:2 · Mark 11:13 · Mark 15:36 · Mark 15:44 · Luke 6:7 · Luke 6:9 · Luke 13:23 · Luke 14:28 · Luke 14:31 · Luke 22:49 · Luke 23:6 40×
Acts 26:23 · 1 Pet 2:19 · 1 Pet 2:20 4×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
conditional particle introducing assumption about reader's knowledge of Paul's ministry
conditional particle in parable expressing hypothetical future outcomes and repentance
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 502 lexical occurrence verses.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Ei marks if or whether language. It helps readers see how a claim is being tested, assumed, warned, or argued.
Anchor passage
Rom.8.31
Doctrinal connections
- ἀνάστασις: resurrection, central to 1 Corinthians 15.
- χάρις: grace, central to Galatians 2:21.
- δικαιοσύνη: righteousness, related to law and grace.
- πίστις: faith, tested by resurrection and gospel endurance.
Ei introduces conditional or indirect-question clauses. The verb form and rhetorical context decide whether the condition is open, assumed, contrary, or argumentative.
From Old to New Testament
Biblical writers use conditions to warn, assure, expose false conclusions, and protect gospel truth. ei often marks those conditional turns in Greek.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain