What does ἐνδείκνυμι (endeíknymi) mean in the Bible?
Ἐνδείκνυμι means to show, demonstrate, display, or prove by action. Paul uses it for manifestations that reveal character and consequence.
Greek · G1731
ἐνδείκνυμι
To indicate (by word or act)
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ἐνδείκνυμι G1731
Pronunciation endeíknymi
What does ἐνδείκνυμι (endeíknymi) mean in the Bible?
Ἐνδείκνυμι means to show, demonstrate, display, or prove by action. Paul uses it for manifestations that reveal character and consequence.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἐνδείκνυμι (G1731) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1731?
The BSB source-word alignment has 11 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include showing (2), to show (2), did (1), He might display (1), I might display (1).
Where does ἐνδείκνυμι (endeíknymi) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Romans 2:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Romans (3), Hebrews (2), Titus (2), 1 Timothy (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Ἐνδείκνυμι means to show, demonstrate, display, or prove by action. Paul uses it for manifestations that reveal character and consequence. First Timothy 1 says Christ displayed perfect patience in Paul, making the former blasphemer and persecutor an example for future believers. Second Corinthians 8 calls the church to demonstrate the reality of its love through concrete generosity before other churches.
Second Timothy 4 reports that Alexander showed Paul much harm, leaving repayment to the Lord. The verb does not guarantee that every display is good; it makes something evident. Gospel teaching should therefore ask what is being shown, through whose action, and with what fruit. Mercy, love, and harm all become visible in deeds.
How the Bible Uses It
Paul uses ἐνδείκνυμι for making something evident through action. Christ displays patience, churches demonstrate love, and an opponent manifests harmful conduct.
- 1Tim.1.16
But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
Christ's perfect patience is displayed in saving Paul, turning a notorious sinner into an example of mercy for those who will believe.
- 2Cor.8.24
In full view of the churches, then, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our boasting about you.
The Corinthians are asked to make love visible through the completion of generous support under accountable administration.
- 2Tim.4.14
Alexander the coppersmith did great harm to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
Alexander's actions demonstrated substantial harm, yet Paul entrusts just repayment to the Lord rather than commanding personal revenge.
Book contextPassage context
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 showing 2× Titus 2:10, Titus 3:2
to show 2× Romans 9:22, Hebrews 6:11
did 1× 2 Timothy 4:14
He might display 1× Ephesians 2:7
I might display 1× Romans 9:17
might display 1× 1 Timothy 1:16
show 1× 2 Corinthians 8:24
show [that] 1× Romans 2:15
you have shown 1× Hebrews 6:10
Show sample aligned rows
Romans 2:15 ἐνδείκνυνται to show [that] Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural Romans 9:17 ἐνδείξωμαι to I might display Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 1st Person Singular Romans 9:22 ἐνδείξασθαι to to show Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle 2 Corinthians 8:24 ἐνδεικνύμενοι to show Verb - Present Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Plural Ephesians 2:7 ἐνδείξηται to He might display Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Singular 1 Timothy 1:16 ἐνδείξηται to might display Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Singular 2 Timothy 4:14 ἐνεδείξατο to did Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular Titus 2:10 ἐνδεικνυμένους to showing Verb - Present Participle Middle - Accusative Masculine Plural Titus 3:2 ἐνδεικνυμένους to showing Verb - Present Participle Middle - Accusative Masculine Plural Hebrews 6:10 ἐνεδείξασθε to you have shown Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Romans 2:15
Aligned rows 11
Books represented 7
Romans 3 2 Corinthians 1 Ephesians 1 1 Timothy 1 2 Timothy 1 Titus 2 Hebrews 2
Source forms
ἐνδεικνυμένους 2x endeiknymenous Titus 2:10, Titus 3:2
ἐνδείξηται 2x endeixētai Ephesians 2:7, 1 Timothy 1:16
ἐνδεικνύμενοι 1x endeiknymenoi 2 Corinthians 8:24
ἐνδείκνυνται 1x endeiknyntai Romans 2:15
ἐνδείκνυσθαι 1x endeiknysthai Hebrews 6:11
ἐνδείξασθαι 1x endeixasthai Romans 9:22
ἐνδείξωμαι 1x endeixōmai Romans 9:17
ἐνεδείξασθε 1x enedeixasthe Hebrews 6:10
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Singular 2x Ephesians 2:7, 1 Timothy 1:16
Verb - Present Participle Middle - Accusative Masculine Plural 2x Titus 2:10, Titus 3:2
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Plural 1x Hebrews 6:10
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular 1x 2 Timothy 4:14
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Middle 1x Romans 9:22
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 1st Person Singular 1x Romans 9:17
Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural 1x Romans 2:15
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle 1x Hebrews 6:11
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Look for sustained and relevant action rather than treating one dramatic public gesture as proof of settled character.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that outward display alone reveals every motive or guarantees inward faithfulness.
- Do not use Paul's naming of Alexander's harm to justify personal vengeance; Paul entrusts repayment to the Lord.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to indicate (by word or act)
Strong's G1731
Lexical occurrences 11 verses Greek text appearances 11 times Word forms 4 forms 11 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to indicate (by word or act)
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
to mark, point out. Mid„
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
11 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Romans 2:15 Verb Third Person Plural Present Middle Indicative
ἐνδείκνυνται endeiknuntai
I show forth
Read verse Romans 9:17 Verb First Person Singular Aorist Middle Subjunctive
ἐνδείξωμαι endeixwmai
I show forth
Read verse Romans 9:22 Verb Aorist Middle Infinitive
ἐνδείξασθαι endeixasqai
I show forth
Read verse 2 Corinthians 8:24 Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Middle Imperative
ἐνδείξασθε endeixasqe
I show forth
Read verse Ephesians 2:7 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Middle Subjunctive
ἐνδείξηται endeixhtai
I show forth
Read verse 1 Timothy 1:16 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Middle Subjunctive
ἐνδείξηται endeixhtai
I show forth
Read verse 2 Timothy 4:14 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Middle Indicative
ἐνεδείξατο· enedeixato
I show forth
Read verse Titus 2:10 Verb Present Middle Participle Accusative Plural Masculine
ἐνδεικνυμένους endeiknumenouv
I show forth
Read verse Titus 3:2 Verb Present Middle Participle Accusative Plural Masculine
ἐνδεικνυμένους endeiknumenouv
I show forth
Read verse Hebrews 6:10 Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Middle Imperative
ἐνδείξασθε endeixasqe
I show forth
Read verse Hebrews 6:11 Verb Present Middle Infinitive
ἐνδείκνυσθαι endeiknusqai
I show forth
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 mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 4 Aligned forms 11 Tenses Aorist, Present Voices Middle
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 3×
Aorist Middle Eph 2:7 · 1 Tim 1:16 · Rom 9:17 3×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 3×
Present Middle Titus 2:10 · Titus 3:2 · 2 Cor 8:24 3×
Indicative states a fact or reality 3×
Aorist Middle 2 Tim 4:14 · Heb 6:10 2×
Present Middle Rom 2:15 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 2×
Aorist Middle Rom 9:22 1×
Present Middle Heb 6:11 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 11 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist 6 present 5
Voice
middle 11
Mood
subjunctive 3 participle 3 indicative 3 infinitive 2
NT Occurrences
Romans 2:15 ἐνδείκνυνται present middle indicative ongoing Romans 9:17 ἐνδείξωμαι aorist middle subjunctive subjunctive Romans 9:22 ἐνδείξασθαι aorist middle infinitive infinitive 2 Corinthians 8:24 ἐνδεικνύμενοι present middle participle participle Ephesians 2:7 ἐνδείξηται aorist middle subjunctive subjunctive 1 Timothy 1:16 ἐνδείξηται aorist middle subjunctive subjunctive 2 Timothy 4:14 ἐνεδείξατο aorist middle indicative completed Titus 2:10 ἐνδεικνυμένους present middle participle participle Titus 3:2 ἐνδεικνυμένους present middle participle participle Hebrews 6:10 ἐνεδείξασθε aorist middle indicative completed Hebrews 6:11 ἐνδείκνυσθαι present middle infinitive infinitive
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Origins
ἐνδείκνυμι is built from these roots:
For the Preacher and Teacher
The gospel creates visible evidence without turning discipleship into spectacle. Christ displays patience by saving Paul, whose violent past makes mercy's reach unmistakable. The Corinthians demonstrate love by completing a generous commitment through trustworthy channels. Alexander, by contrast, displays harm through deeds, and Paul names that injury while entrusting judgment to the Lord.
These contexts teach churches to take action seriously. Words of love should mature into generosity, repentance should bear fruit, and patterns of harm should not be dismissed because someone maintains a respectable confession. At the same time, ἐνδείκνυμι does not authorize leaders to stage virtue for applause or demand unsafe exposure from others. God interprets the heart perfectly; the church attends humbly to scripturally relevant fruit.
Above all, Christian evidence begins with Christ's displayed patience toward sinners and responds with demonstrable love.
Anchor passage
1Tim.1.16
Doctrinal connections
- 1 Timothy 1:12-17, mercy and Christ's perfect patience displayed in Paul
- 2 Corinthians 8:16-24, accountable administration and proof of love
- 2 Timothy 4:9-18, named harm, faithful presence, and judgment entrusted to God
- Exodus 9:13-16, God's power and name shown in judgment and deliverance
- Micah 6:8, covenant good shown in just and humble action
- John 13:34-35, love making discipleship recognizable
Ἐνδείκνυμι combines δείκνυμι, to show, with a prefix that can emphasize showing in or by something. The middle forms often mean demonstrate or show for oneself in context. The direct object identifies the quality or effect made evident.
From Old to New Testament
God displays His name through mighty acts and reveals His covenant character in justice and mercy. Jesus makes the Father known and commands visible love. Apostolic churches show grace through generosity while entrusting final judgment of harm to the Lord.
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