Ei — G1487

G1487 · Greek — εἰ

Pronunciation: i

Definition

conjunction

if, whether, that, etc.

  1. εἰ Conditional is connected, according to the variety of conditions, with various tenses and moods
    1. with the indicative of all tenses, when anything is simply and generally assumed to be, or to be done, or to have been done, or to be about to be
      1. with the present indicative
      2. with the future indicative
      3. with the perfect indicative
      4. with the aorist indicative — followed by the present in the apodosis
    2. Not infrequently, when a conclusion is drawn from something that is quite certain, εἰ with the indicative is used argumentatively so as to be equivalent in sense to ἐπεί
    3. When it is said what would have been, or what would be now or in the future, if something else were or had been, εἰ is used with the imperfect, pluperfect, and aorist indicative
      1. εἰ with the imperfect, followed in the apodosis by ἄν with the imperfect
      2. εἰ with the pluperfect, followed in the apodosis by ἄν with the pluperfect or the aorist, in the sense of the Latin pluperfect subjunctive
    4. As in classic Greek, εἰ with the indicative is often joined to verbs expressing wonder, surprise, or other strong emotion (where ὅτι might have been expected), when the thing spoken of is either not quite certain, or, although certain, yet in accordance with the well-known Greek urbanity is represented as not quite free from doubt (Matthiae, ii., p. 1474f; Kühner, ii., p. 887f; ; Winers Grammar, § 60, 6
    5. Contrary to Greek usage, in imitation of the Hebrew אִם, εἰ, with the indicative is so used in oaths and asseverations that by aposiopesis the formula of imprecation (constituting the apodosis) is suppressed
    6. Sometimes, as in classic Greek, after a protasis with εἰ and the indicative, the apodosis is suppressed on account of mental agitation and left to be supplied by the reader or the hearer from the context
    7. The conditional εἰ is joined with the optative, to indicate that the condition is merely thought of or stated as a possibility . No example of this construction is found in the Gospels
      1. universally, in short intercalated clauses
      2. where it indicates that something may occur repeatedly
      3. where the condition represents the mind and judgment of others
    8. with the subjunctive, when it is assumed that something may take place, but whether it will in reality is unknown before the event, in order to make the event seem to be more certain than if ἐάν were used
  2. εἰ Interrogative, whether. "The conditional particle gets this force if a question is asked about anything, whether it is or is not so, and that about which the question is put is uttered as it were conditionally" (Klotz, the passage cited, p. 508; (Winers Grammar, § 57, I; Alexander Buttmann 248ff ; 254f
    1. As in Greek writings in an indirect question after verbs of seeing, asking, deliberating, knowing, saying, etc
      1. with the present indicative
      2. with the future indicative
      3. with the aorist indicative
      4. with the subjunctive aorist
    2. Contrary to the usage of Greek authors, like the Hebrew אִם and the interrogative he (ה), it is used in the Sept. and the N. T. (especially by Luke) also in direct questions
  3. εἰ with other particles and with the indefinite pronoun τίς, τί
    1. εἰ ἄρα, see ἄρα, 1
    2. εἴγε, see γέ, 3 c
    3. εἰ δέ καί, a. but if also, so that καί belongs to some word that follows
      1. but though, but even if, so that καί belongs to εἰ
    4. εἰ δέ μή, but if not
    5. εἰ δέ μήγε, see γέ, 3 d
    6. εἰ καί, a. iif even, if also
      1. though, although
    7. καί εἰ, even if
    8. εἰ μή, a. in a conditional protasis, with the same sequence of moods and tenses as the simple εἰ see I. above, if not, unless, except
      1. it serves, with the entire following sentence, to limit or correct what has just been said, only, save that, (Latinnisi quod)
      2. universally
      3. ἐκτός εἰ μή, arising from the blending of the two expressions εἰ μή and ἐκτός εἰ, like the Latinnisi si equivalent topraeterquam si, except in case, except
    9. εἰ μήν, assuredly, surely, in oaths
    10. εἰ μή τί or μήτι, unless in some respect, unless perchance, unless indeed
    11. εἰ οὐ , if not
      1. when the idea to which οὐ belongs is antithetic a. to a positive term, either preceding or following
      2. the οὐ coalesces, as it were, with the word to which it belongs into a single idea
    12. εἰ οὖν, if then
    13. εἴπερ (εἰ and περ, and this apparently from περί), properly, if on the whole
    14. εἰ πῶς or εἴπως (G T), if in any way, if by any means, if possibly
    15. εἴτε... εἴτε, a. whether... or , without a verb following
      1. whether... or
    16. εἰ τίς, εἰ τί

Usually translated as

if, whether, that, though, although, forasmuch as

Origin

a primary particle of conditionality

Occurrences

Ei occurs 301 times in 287 verses of the King James.

Distribution of the word across the Bible: Matthew (35), Mark (14), Luke (31), John (35), Acts (27), Romans (30), 1 Corinthians (35), 2 Corinthians (14), Galatians (15), Philippians (1), Colossians (3), 1 Thessalonians (1), 2 Thessalonians (1), 1 Timothy (4), 2 Timothy (3), Philemon (2), Hebrews (13), James (6), 1 Peter (10), 2 Peter (2), 1 John (5)

Strong's Lexicon — E