Bible Lexicons

εἰ ,

conjunctive particle, used in conditions and in indirect questions.

I. Conditional, if;

1. c. indic., expressing a general assumption;

(a) pres.: seq. indic. pres., Matthew 11:14, Romans 8:25, al.; seq. imperat., Mark 4:23; Mark 9:22, John 15:18, 1 Corinthians 7:9, al.; seq. fut. indic., Luke 16:31, Romans 8:11, al.; seq. pf. or aor., with negation in apodosis, Matthew 12:26, Romans 4:14, al.; similarly, seq. impf., Luke 17:6, John 8:39; seq. quæst., Matthew 6:23 John 5:47; John 7:23; John 8:46, 1 Peter 2:20;

(b) fut.: Matthew 26:33, 1 Peter 2:20;

(c) pf.: John 11:12, Romans 6:5, al.;

(d) aor.: Luke 16:11; Luke 19:8, John 13:32; John 18:23, Revelation 20:15, al.

2. Where the assumption is certain = ἐπεί : Matthew 12:28, John 7:4, Romans 5:17, al.

3. Of an unfulfilled condition, c. indic. impf., aor. or plpf., seq. ἄν , c. imp. or aor. (see ἄν , I, i).

4. C. indic., after verbs denoting wonder, etc., sometimes, but not always, coupled with an element of doubt: Mark 15:44, 1 John 3:13, al.

5. C. indic., as in LXX (Numbers 14:30, 1 Samuel 14:45, al. = Heb. H518), in oaths, with the formula of imprecation understood in a suppressed apodosis (WM, 627; Burton, § 272): Mark 8:12, Hebrews 3:11 (LXX) Hebrews 4:3 (LXX),

6. Rarely (cl.) c. optat., to express a merely possible condition: Acts 24:19; Acts 27:39, 1 Corinthians 14:10; 1 Corinthians 15:37, 1 Peter 3:14; 1 Peter 3:17

II. Interrogative, if, whether.

1. As in cl., in indir. questions after verbs of seeing, asking, knowing, saying, etc: c. indic. Pres., Matthew 26:63, Mark 15:36, Acts 19:2, 2 Corinthians 13:5, al.; fut., Mark 3:2, Acts 8:22, al.; aor., Mark 15:44, 1 Corinthians 1:16, al.; c. subjc. aor. (M, Pr., 194), Philippians 3:12.

2. As in LXX (= Heb. H518 and interrog. הֲ , Genesis 17:17, al.; v. WM, 639 f.; Viteau, i, 22), in direct questions: Mark 8:23 (Tr., WH, txt.), Luke 13:23; Luke 22:49, Acts 19:2, al.

III. With other particles.

1. εἰ ἄρα , εἴγε , εἰ δὲ μήγς , see ἄρα , γε .

2. εἰ δὲ καί , but if also: Luke 11:18; but even of, 1 Corinthians 4:7, 2 Corinthians 4:3; 2 Corinthians 11:6.

3. εἰ δὲ μή , but if not, but if otherwise: Mark 2:21-22, John 14:2, Revelation 2:5, al.

4. εἰ καί , if even, if also, although: Mark 14:29, Luke 11:8, 1 Corinthians 7:21, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Philippians 2:17, al.

5. καί εἰ , even if see καί .

6. εἰ μή , if not, unless, except, but only: Matthew 24:22, Mark 2:26; Mark 6:5, John 9:33, 1 Corinthians 7:17 (only), Galatians 1:19 (cf. ἐὰν μή , 216; v. Hort., Ja., xvi); ἐκτὸς εἰ μή , pleonastic (Bl., § 65, 6), 1 Corinthians 14:5; 1 Corinthians 15:2, 1 Timothy 5:19..

7. εἰ μήν = cl. ἦ μήν (M, Pr., 46), in oaths, surely (Ezekiel 33:27, al.): Hebrews 6:14.

8. εἴ πως , if haply: Acts 27:12, Romans 1:10.

9. εἴτε . . . εἴτε , whether . . . or: Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 3:22; 1 Corinthians 13:8, al.