Study
Word study

Word study

Greek

If

ἐάνStrong’s G1437

ean

Appears in 319 verses of the New Testament

In short

Ean is the Greek word usually translated “if”, “only” and “maybe”. It appears in 319 verses of the New Testament.

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;”
2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV
Meaning

Usually translated “if”, “only” and “maybe”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.

How it's translated
  • if 255
  • only 49
  • maybe 26
  • when 4
  • if indeed 3
  • might 2
  • what if 1
  • then 1

Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.

Where it's used most
  • Matthew 60
  • John 54
  • 1 Corinthians 42
  • Mark 36
  • Luke 28
  • 1 John 21

21 books in all.

Related words
Explore in Scripture
All 319 verses, by book
Ephesians 1
6:8
Colossians 4
3:133:173:234:10
1 Thessalonians 2
2:73:8
2 Thessalonians 1
2:3
1 Timothy 3
1:82:153:15
2 Timothy 2
2:52:21
1 Peter 1
3:13
3 John 2
1:51:10
Greek dictionary

ἐάν ean · if

ἐάν, contr. fr. εἰ ἄν, conditional particle, representing something as "under certain circumstances actual or liable to happen," but not so definitely expected as in the case of εἰ with ind. (Bl., §65, 4; cf. Jhn.13:17, 1Co.7:36), if haply, if; 1. with subjc. (cl.); (a) pres.: Mat.6:22, Luk.10:6, Jhn.7:17, Rom.2:25, 26 al.; { (b) aor. (= Lat. fut. pf.): Mat.4:9 16:26 (cf. ptcp. in Luk.9:25; M, Pr., 230), Mrk.3:24, Luk.14:34, Jhn.5:43, Rom.7:2, al.; = cl. εἰ, with opt., Jhn.9:22 11:57, Act.9:2; as Heb. אִם = ὅταν, Jhn.12:32 14:3, I Jhn.2:28 3:2, Heb.3:7" (LXX) . …

From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

How the English word “if” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.

IF, verb transitive

It is used as the sign of a condition, or it introduces a conditional sentence. It is a verb, without a specified nominative. In like manner we use grant, admit, suppose. Regularly, if should be followed, as it was formerly, by the substitute or pronoun that, referring to the succeeding sentence or proposition. if that John shall arrive in season, I will send him with a message. But that is now omitted, and the subsequent sentence, proposition or affirmation may be considered as the object of the verb. Give John shall arrive; grant, suppose, admit that he shall arrive, I will send him with a message. The sense of if or give, in this use, is grant, admit, cause to be, let the fact be, let the thing take place. if then is equivalent to grant, allow, admit. 'If thou wilt, thou canst make me whole, ' that is, thou canst make me whole, give the fact, that thou wilt.

  1. “IF thou art the son of God, command that these stones be made bread” Matthew 4:3
  2. Whether or not.

Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.

Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.