Lexical Summary ean: if, when, whenever Original Word: ἐάν Strong's Exhaustive Concordance before, but, except, ifFrom ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty -- before, but, except, (and) if, (if) so, (what-, whither-)soever, though, when (-soever), whether (or), to whom, (who-)so(-ever). See me. see GREEK ei see GREEK an see GREEK me HELPS Word-studies 1437 eán (a conjunction, derived from 1487 /ei, "if" and 302 /án, a particle showing a statement is conditional) – if, referring to a condition extending to its "spin-off" possibilities – i.e. that happen if the condition is actualized or is valid. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origincontr. from ei and an Definition if (a conditional particle used like NG1487, but usually with the Gr. subjunctive mood) NASB Translation case (1), everyone (1), except* (1), if (222), if* (2), or* (1), though (2), unless* (34), whatever* (22), when (2), whenever* (2), wherever* (8), whether* (1), whoever* (17), whomever* (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1437: ἐάνἐάν; I. a conditional particle (derived from εἰ ἄν), which makes reference to time and to experience, introducing something future, but not determining, before the event, whether it is certainly to take place; if, in case, (Latinsi; German wenn; im Fall, dass; falls; wofern); cf., among others, Hermann ad Viger., p. 832; Klotz ad Devar. ii. 2, p. 450ff; Winers Grammar, 291f (273f). It is connected: 1. with the subjunctive, according to the regular usage of the more ancient and elegant classic writers. a. with the subjunctive present: Matthew 6:22 (ἐάν οὖν ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἁπλοῦς ἤ, if it be the case, as to which I do not know, that thine eye etc.); Matthew 6:23; Matthew 17:20; Luke 10:6; John 7:17; John 8:54 (R G L marginal reading); b. with the subjunctive aorist, corresponding to the Latin future perfect: Matthew 4:9 (ἐάν προσκυνήσῃς μοι, if thou shalt have worshipped me); Matthew 5:46; Matthew 9:21; Mark 3:24; Mark 9:50 Luke 14:34; Luke 17:4; Luke 20:28; John 5:43; John 11:57; Romans 7:2; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 7:8, 39; 1 Corinthians 8:10; 1 Corinthians 16:10 (ἐάν ἔλθῃ Τιμόθεος; for although he was already on his way to Corinth, yet some hindrance might still prevent his arriving); 2 Corinthians 9:4; Galatians 6:1; James 2:2; 1 John 5:16 (Lachmann present); Revelation 3:20, and often; also in the oratio obliqua, where the better Greek writers use the optative: John 9:22; John 11:57; Acts 9:2 (Winers Grammar, 294 (276); (cf. Buttmann, 224 (193))). The difference between the present and the aorist may be seen especially from the following passages: 2 Timothy 2:5 ἐάν δέ καί ἀθλῇ τίς, οὐ στεφανοῦται, ἐάν μή νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ, 1 Corinthians 14:23 ἐάν οὖν συνέλθῃ ἡ ἐκκλησία ... καί πάντες γλώσσαις λαλῶσιν, εἰσέλθωσι δέ ἰδιῶται ἤ ἀπ', 1 Corinthians 14:24 ἐάν δέ πάντες προφητεύωσιν, εἰσέλθῃ δέ τίς ἄπιστος, Matthew 21:21 ἐάν ἔχητε πίστιν καί μή διακριθῆτε. Also εἰ ("quod per se nihil significat praeter conditionem," Klotz, the passage cited, p. 455) and ἐάν are distinguished in propositions subjoined the one to the other (Winer's Grammar, 296 (277f)): John 13:17 εἰ ταῦτα οἴδατε, μακάριοι ἐστε, ἐάν ποιῆτε αὐτά, John 3:12; 1 Corinthians 7:36; in statements antithetic, Acts 5:38f; or parallel, Mark 3:24-26. Finally, where one of the evangelists uses εἰ, another has ἐάν, but so that each particle retains its own force, inasmuch as one and the same thing is differently conceived of by the different minds: Mark 9:43 ἐάν σκανδαλίζῃ (σκανδαλίσῃ L marginal reading T WH text) ἡ χείρ σου, and Mark 9:47 ἐάν ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου σκανδαλίζῃ σε, i. e. if so be that, etc.; on the other hand, Matthew, in Matthew 18:8f and Matthew 5:29f concerning the same thing says εἰ. c. irregularly, but to be explained as an imitation of the Hebrew אִם which is also a particle of time (cf. Gesenius, Thesaurus, under the word, 4), ἐάν with the subjunctive aorist is used of things which the speaker or writer thinks will certainly take place, where ὅταν, when, whenever, should have been used: ἐάν ὑψωθῶ, John 12:32; ἐάν πορευθῶ, John 14:3; ἐάν φανερωθῇ, 1 John 2:28 (L T Tr WH, for ὅταν R G); 1 John 3:2; ἐάν ἀκούσητε, Hebrews 3:7 from Psalm 94:8 d. sometimes when the particle is used with the subjunctive aorist the futurity of a thing is not so much affirmed as imagined, it being known to be something which never could happen: ἐάν εἴπῃ ὁ πούς, if the foot should say, or were to say, 1 Corinthians 12:15; ἐάν ἔλθω πρός ὑμᾶς γλώσσαις λαλῶν, 1 Corinthians 14:6. 2. by a somewhat negligent use, met with from the time of Aristotle on, ἐάν is connected also with the indicative (cf. Klotz, the passage cited, p. 468ff; Kühner, § 575 Anm. 5; Winers Grammar, 295 (277); Buttmann, 221f (191f); Tdf. Proleg., p. 124f; WHs Appendix, p. 171; Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word; Vincent and Dickson, Modern Greek, 2nd edition, Appendix, § 77); and a. with the future indicative, in meaning akin, as is well known, to the subjunctive: (ἐάν δύο συμφωνησουσιν, Matthew 18:19 T Tr); ἐάν οὗτοι σιωπησουσι, Luke 19:40 L T Tr WH; ἐάν ... ὁδηγήσει, Acts 8:31 T Tr WH (ἐάν βεβηλώσουσιν αὐτά, Leviticus 22:9); but also b. with the present indicative: ἐάν δανείζετε, Luke 6:34 L marginal reading Tr text; ἐάν στήκετε, 1 Thessalonians 3:8 T Tr text WH; ἐάν τέ ἀποθνῄσκομεν, Romans 14:8 Lachmann with an preterite indicative, but one having the force of a present: ἐάν (Lachmann ἄν) οἴδαμεν, 1 John 5:15 without variant. 3. ἐάν joined with other particles; a. ἐάν δέ καί, but if also, but even if, (A. V. but and if (retained by R. V. in 1 Cor.)); with the subjunctive: Matthew 18:17; 1 Corinthians 7:11, 28; 2 Timothy 2:5. b. ἐάν καί: Galatians 6:1. c. ἐάν μή, if not, unless, except; with the subjunctive present: Matthew 10:13; Luke 13:3 (Lachmann text aorist); Acts 15:1 (Rec.); 1 Corinthians 8:8; 1 Corinthians 9:16 (R G L marginal reading T WH marginal reading); James 2:17; 1 John 3:21; with the subjunctive aorist: Matthew 6:15; Matthew 18:35; Mark 3:27; John 3:8; John 8:24; 1 Corinthians 14:6f, 9; Romans 10:15; ( d. ἐάνπερ (L Tr separately, ἐάν περ) if only, if indeed: Hebrews 3:6 (where L brackets περ, and T Tr WH read ἐάν), e. ἐάν τέ ... ἐάν τέ,sive ...sive, whether ... or: Romans 14:8; (often in the Sept. for אִם ... אִם, as Exodus 19:13; Leviticus 3:1; Deuteronomy 18:3). Cf. Klotz, the passage cited, p. 479f; Kühner, § 541; (Buttmann, 221 (191)). f. κἄν for καί ἐάν, see κἄν. II. The classic use of the conditional particle ἐάν also in the contracted form ἄν (see p. 34{b} above) seems to have led the biblical writers of both Testaments to connect ἐάν, with relative pronouns and adverbs instead of the potential particle ἄν, as ὅς ἐάν (so Tdf. in 12 places), ὁ ἐάν (so Tdf. uniformly), etc. (this use among secular writings is very doubtful, cf. Winers Grammar, p. 310 (291); Buttmann, 72 (63)): Matthew 5:19; Matthew 10:14 (R G); STRONGS NT 1437a: ἐάνπερἐάνπερ, see ἐάν I. 3 d. ἐάν introduces contingency—“if,” “whenever,” “should.” It normally governs the subjunctive mood, signaling an outcome that hinges on a stated condition. The particle thus frames possibilities, responsibilities, warnings, and promises, giving shape to biblical logic and exhortation. Scope and Distribution With 337 appearances, ἐάν spans every major New Testament corpus: Gospels, Acts, Pauline letters, General Epistles, and Revelation. Its frequency underscores the prominence of conditional thought in divine revelation, inviting readers to consider the consequences of belief or unbelief, obedience or disobedience. In the Teaching of Jesus • Kingdom entrance: “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). These sayings tie blessing to responsive faith, highlighting both grace and human responsibility. Covenant Blessing and Warning The New Covenant includes conditional assurances. John’s Gospel strings a series of ἐάν clauses—“If you remain in My word… you will know the truth” (John 8:31-32); “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him” (John 14:23). Conversely, “If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a branch and withers” (John 15:6). The same structure governs warning passages such as Hebrews 3:6,14 and 10:38, pressing the hearer toward persevering faith. Apostolic Exhortation to Holiness Paul employs ἐάν to urge ethical integrity: “If I have not love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2); “If you live by the Spirit, you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). James echoes, “If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food… what good is it?” (James 2:15-16). The conditional form exposes the futility of profession without practice. Church Discipline and Fellowship Matthew 18 layers multiple ἐάν statements (verses 15-19), outlining steps for restoring a sinning brother and authenticating corporate prayer: “If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven” (verse 19). The same formulation undergirds instructions on receiving missionaries (3 John 1:5-10) and guarding the Lord’s Table (1 Corinthians 11:27-32). Assurance of Salvation Romans 10:9 anchors saving faith in confession and belief: “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” 1 John repeatedly ties assurance to ongoing response: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us” (1 John 1:9); “If we keep His commandments, we know that we have come to know Him” (1 John 2:3). Prayer and Divine Response Jesus and the apostles consistently present prayer as condition-linked: Mark 11:25 connects forgiveness received with forgiveness extended; 1 John 5:14-15 promises answers “if we ask according to His will.” The conditional particle protects against presumption while encouraging bold request. Eschatological Warnings and Promises “Watch, therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—if he should come in the evening, or at midnight” (Mark 13:35-36). Revelation maintains the motif: “If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in” (Revelation 3:20); yet “If anyone takes away from the words of this book, God will take away his share in the tree of life” (Revelation 22:19). Conditional clauses thus bracket final hope and judgment. Historical Reflection Early patristic writers cited ἐάν clauses to defend orthodox doctrine against antinomianism and fatalism. The Reformers highlighted Romans 10:9 and Hebrews 3:14 to emphasize faith’s necessity and perseverance. In modern missions, conditional promises fuel prayer and evangelism—“If I be lifted up… I will draw all men” (John 12:32). Pastoral and Practical Application 1. Preaching: ἐάν statements clarify gospel appeals—announce promise, state condition, urge response. Summary ἐάν is the hinge on which New Testament appeals turn. By coupling divine initiative with human response, it preserves the balance between grace and responsibility, warning and comfort, assurance and exhortation. Through its 337 occurrences, Scripture summons every reader: “If you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15). Englishman's Concordance Matthew 4:9 ConjGRK: πάντα δώσω ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς NAS: I will give You, if You fall down KJV: thee, if thou wilt fall down INT: all will I give if having fallen down you will worship Matthew 5:13 Conj Matthew 5:19 Conj Matthew 5:20 Conj Matthew 5:23 Conj Matthew 5:32 Conj Matthew 5:46 Conj Matthew 5:47 Conj Matthew 6:14 Conj Matthew 6:15 Conj Matthew 6:22 Conj Matthew 6:23 Conj Matthew 7:12 Conj Matthew 8:2 Conj Matthew 8:19 Conj Matthew 9:21 Conj Matthew 10:13 Conj Matthew 10:13 Conj Matthew 11:6 Conj Matthew 11:27 Conj Matthew 12:11 Conj Matthew 12:29 Conj Matthew 12:32 Conj Matthew 14:7 Conj Matthew 15:5 Conj Strong's Greek 1437 |
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