What does πρίν · Ἀβραάμ · γίνομαι · ἐγώ · εἰμί mean in the Bible?
πρίν · Ἀβραάμ · γίνομαι · ἐγώ · εἰμί is a Greek phrase meaning "prior, sooner".
Greek · G4250, G11, G1096, G1473, G1510
πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι ἐγώ εἰμι
Prior, sooner · Abraham, the Hebrew patriarch · to be · :--I, me. · I exist (used only when emphatic)
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
πρίνG4250prior, sooner
Pronunciationprín
Open lexicon entry →ἈβραάμG11Abraham, the Hebrew patriarch
PronunciationAbraám
Open lexicon entry →γίνομαιG1096to be
Pronunciationgínomai
Denotes coming into being or becoming, not static existence; emphasizes transition and change rather than mere state.
Open lexicon entry →ἐγώG1473:--I, me.
Pronunciationegṓ
Open lexicon entry →εἰμίG1510I exist (used only when emphatic)
Pronunciationeimí
Open lexicon entry →What does πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι ἐγώ εἰμι (prin Abraam genesthai egō eimi) mean in the Bible?
πρίν · Ἀβραάμ · γίνομαι · ἐγώ · εἰμί is a Greek phrase meaning "prior, sooner".
Full entry for πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι ἐγώ εἰμι (G4250, G11, G1096, G1473, G1510) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How many biblical occurrences are listed for G4250, G11, G1096, G1473, G1510?
G4250, G11, G1096, G1473, G1510 is connected to 13 lexical occurrence verses in the lexicon data.
Evidence Summary
Greek phrase. prior, sooner
Source Gloss
prior, sooner
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 2 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 patterns2Aligned forms13
Mark 14:30 · Luke 2:26 · John 4:49 · John 8:58 · Acts 2:20 · Acts 7:2 · Acts 25:167×
Matt 1:18 · Matt 26:34 · Matt 26:75 · Mark 14:72 · Luke 22:61 · John 14:296×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 389 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist296present45perfect37future6imperfect3pluperfect2
Voice
middle336active39passive14
Mood
indicative222participle88infinitive29subjunctive25optative16imperative9
NT Occurrences
Matthew 1:22γέγονενperfect active indicativeresultantMatthew 5:18γένηταιaorist middle subjunctivesubjunctiveMatthew 6:10γενηθήτωaorist passive imperativeimperativeMatthew 7:28ἐγένετοaorist middle indicativecompletedMatthew 8:13γενηθήτωaorist passive imperativeimperativeMatthew 8:16γενομένηςaorist middle participleparticipleMatthew 8:24ἐγένετοaorist middle indicativecompletedMatthew 8:26ἐγένετοaorist middle indicativecompletedMatthew 9:10ἐγένετοaorist middle indicativecompletedMatthew 9:16γίνεταιpresent middle indicativeongoingMatthew 9:29γενηθήτωaorist passive imperativeimperativeMatthew 11:1ἐγένετοaorist middle indicativecompletedMatthew 11:20ἐγένοντοaorist middle indicativecompletedMatthew 11:21ἐγένοντοaorist middle indicativecompletedMatthew 11:21γενόμεναιaorist middle participleparticipleMatthew 11:23ἐγενήθησανaorist passive indicativecompletedMatthew 11:23γενόμεναιaorist middle participleparticipleMatthew 13:21γενομένηςaorist middle participleparticipleMatthew 13:53ἐγένετοaorist middle indicativecompletedMatthew 14:15γενομένηςaorist middle participleparticipleMatthew 14:23γενομένηςaorist middle participleparticipleMatthew 14:6γενομένοιςaorist middle participleparticipleMatthew 15:28γενηθήτωaorist passive imperativeimperativeMatthew 16:2γενομένηςaorist middle participleparticipleMatthew 18:13γένηταιaorist middle subjunctivesubjunctiveMatthew 18:19γενήσεταιfuture middle indicativeprospectiveMatthew 18:31γενόμεναaorist middle participleparticipleMatthew 18:31γενόμεναaorist middle participleparticipleMatthew 19:1ἐγένετοaorist middle indicativecompletedMatthew 19:8γέγονενperfect active indicativeresultantMatthew 20:8γενομένηςaorist middle participleparticipleMatthew 21:19γένηταιaorist middle subjunctivesubjunctiveMatthew 21:21γενήσεταιfuture middle indicativeprospectiveMatthew 21:4γέγονενperfect active indicativeresultantMatthew 21:42ἐγενήθηaorist passive indicativecompletedMatthew 21:42ἐγένετοaorist middle indicativecompletedMatthew 23:15γένηταιaorist middle subjunctivesubjunctiveMatthew 24:20γένηταιaorist middle subjunctivesubjunctiveMatthew 24:21γέγονενperfect active indicativeresultantMatthew 24:21γένηταιaorist middle subjunctivesubjunctive+349 more occurrences
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
πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι ἐγώ εἰμι is built from this root:
Cross-Language Connections
Hebrew roots and equivalents that share conceptual or etymological ground with this Greek word.