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Greek

If

εἰStrong’s G1487

ei

Appears in 472 verses of the New Testament

In short

Ei is the Greek word usually translated “if”, “only” and “lest”. It appears in 472 verses of the New Testament.

“Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;”
2 Thessalonians 1:6 KJV
Meaning

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

How it's translated
  • if 384
  • only 88
  • lest 14
  • whether 14
  • if indeed 6
  • except 3
  • that 2
  • what if 2

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

Where it's used most
  • Matthew 57
  • 1 Corinthians 56
  • Luke 54
  • John 46
  • Romans 41
  • Acts 36

25 books in all.

Related words
Explore in Scripture
All 472 verses, by book
Ephesians 4
3:24:94:214:29
Colossians 4
1:232:52:203:1
1 Thessalonians 1
4:14
2 Thessalonians 3
1:63:103:14
2 Timothy 3
2:112:122:13
Titus 1
1:6
Philemon 2
1:171:18
2 Peter 2
2:42:20
2 John 1
1:10
Greek dictionary

εἰ ei · if

εἰ, conjunctive particle, used in conditions and in indirect questions. I. Conditional, if; 1. with indic, expressing a general assumption; (a) pres.: before indic, pres., Mat.11:14, Rom.8:25, al.; before imperat., Mrk.4:23 9:22, Jhn.15:18, 1Co.7:9, al.; before fut. indic., Luk.16:31, Rom.8:11, al.; before pf. or aor., with negation in apodosis, Mat.12:26, Rom.4:14, al.; similarly, before impf., Luk.17:6, Jhn.8:39; before quæst., Mat.6:23, Jhn.5:47 7:23 8:46, 1Pe.2:20; (b) fut.: Mat.26:33, 1Pe.2:20; (with) pf.: Jhn.11:12, Rom.6:5, al.; …

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.