Lexical Summary egó: I, me Original Word: ἐγώ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance I, me. A primary pronoun of the first person I (only expressed when emphatic) -- I, me. For the other cases and the plural see eme, emoi, emou, hemas, hemeis, hemin, hemon, etc. see GREEK eme see GREEK emoi see GREEK emou see GREEK hemas see GREEK hemeis see GREEK hemin see GREEK hemon NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. pronoun of the first pers. Definition I (only expressed when emphatic) NASB Translation have (2), mine (10), mine* (1), myself (11), number (1), ours (8), ourselves (4), part (2), say (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1473: ἐγώἐγώ, genitive ἐμοῦ, enclitic μου; dative ἐμοί, enclitic μοι; accusative ἐμέ, enclitic με; plural ἡμεῖς, etc.; personal pronoun, I. 1. The nominatives ἐγώ and ἡμεῖς, when joined to a verb, generally have force and emphasis, or indicate antithesis, as Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16 (ἐγώ μέν ... ὁ δέ); Matthew 3:14 (ἐγώ ... ἔχω, καί σύ); 2. The enclitic (and monosyllabic) genitive, dative, and accusative are connected with nouns, verbs, adverbs, but not with prepositions: ἔμπροσθεν μου, John 1:15; ὀπίσω μου, Matthew 3:11; ἰσχυρότερός μου, ibid.; τίς μου ἥψατο, Mark 5:31; λέγει μοι, Revelation 5:5; ἀρνήσηταί με, Matthew 10:33; Luke 12:9 (on the accent in these expressions cf. Winers Grammar, § 6, 3; (Lipsius, Gram. Untersuch., p. 59ff; Lob. Path. Elementa ii., p. 323f; Tdf. N. T. edition 7, Proleg., p. 61f; edition 8, p. 104)); but δἰ ἐμοῦ, κατ' ἐμοῦ, πρό ἐμοῦ, etc., ἐν ἐμοί, περί, δἰ, ἐπ', κατ', εἰς ἐμέ. The only exception is πρός, to which the enclitic με is generally joined, Matthew 25:36; Mark 9:19, and very often; very rarely πρός ἐμέ, John 6:37{a}, and according to L T Tr WH in Acts 22:8, 13; Acts 24:19; (also Acts 23:22 T Tr WH; John 6:35 and 45 T Tr text WH; Luke 1:43 T WH; Matthew 19:14; John 6:37{b},65, Tdf.; John 6:44 Tr text WH marginal reading; 1 Corinthians 16:11 L Tr; but πρός με, Matthew 3:14 Tdf. and Matthew 11:28 Griesbach; cf. Lipsius as above, p. 61 note). Moreover, the full forms ἐμοῦ, ἐμοί, ἐμέ are used in case of emphasis or antithesis; thus, ἐμοῦ, Luke 10:16; ἐμοί, John 7:23; John 10:38, etc.; ἐμέ, Mark 14:7; John 7:7, etc. 3. As in classic Greek, μου and ἡμῶν are very often used for the possessive pronouns ἐμός and ἡμέτερος (Buttmann, § 127, 21); and when so used, a. they are generally placed after their substantives, as ὁ οἶκος μου, ἡ ζωή ἡμῶν, etc. — the fuller form ἐμοῦ only for the sake of distinction or antithesis (cf. Buttmann, § 127, 22), as μητέρα αὐτοῦ καί ἐμοῦ, Romans 16:13; πίστεως ὑμῶν τέ καί ἐμοῦ, Romans 1:12. b. But they are sometimes placed before substantives, even which have the article, when no emphasis resides in the pronoun or antithesis is involved in its use (Winers Grammar, § 22, 7 N. 1; Buttmann, as above): μου τούς λόγους, Matthew 7:24, 26; even before prepositions, μου ὑπό τήν στέγην, Matthew 8:8; less frequently ἡμῶν, as ἡμῶν τήν πόλιν, Acts 16:20; it is prefixed for emphasis in ἡμῶν τό πολίτευμα, Philippians 3:20, cf. Winers Grammar, as above; Rost § 99, 4, p. 452ff 7th edition adduces a multitude of examples from Greek authors; (cf. Krüger, § 47, 9, 12 who states the rule as follows: when joined to a substantive having the article the reflexive genitive, with αὐτοῦipsius, and ἀλλήλων, requires the attributive position, the personal genitive, and αὐτοῦejus, the partitive position). 4. τί ἐμοί (ἡμῖν) καί σοι (ὑμῖν); what have I (we) to do with thee (you)? (cf. Buttmann, 138 (121); Winer's Grammar, 211 (198); 585 (544)): Matthew 8:29; Mark 1:24; Mark 5:7; Luke 8:28; John 2:4; Heb. וָלָך מַה־לִּי, Judges 11:12; 2 Kings 3:13; 2 Samuel 16:10; 2 Chronicles 35:21; 1 Esdr. 1:24; also in classic Greek; cf. Aulus Gellius n. a. 1, 2; Epictetus diss. 2, 9, 16; τί ἡμῖν καί αὐτῷ, ibid. 1, 1, 16; τί ἐμοί καί αὐτοῖς, ibid. 1, 27, 13; 22, 15. τί γάρ μοι, what does it concern me? what have I to do etc.: 1 Corinthians 5:12; cf. Bos, Ellipses Graec., p. 599, Schaefer edition; Bernhardy (1829), p. 98; Krüger, § 48, 3, 9; Kühner, 2:364f; (Buttmann, as above, also 394 (337); Winers Grammar, 586 (545)). ἐγώ is the first–person singular pronoun, translated “I” or “me.” Found about 2,600 times, it occurs in every New Testament book except 3 John. Its function is simple—identifying the speaker—yet its placement and emphasis often carry rich theological weight, clarifying personal responsibility, covenant relationship, and divine self-revelation. Grammatical Distinctives Koine Greek usually omits subject pronouns because the verb ending supplies the person. When ἐγώ is added, the writer is stressing contrast (“I, not another”), personal testimony, or solemn affirmation. In narrative, the presence of ἐγώ can highlight a turning point; in discourse, it can intensify an argument or oath (Matthew 5:22; Galatians 1:12). The pronoun also appears in compound forms (ἐμαυτοῦ, ἐμοί, ἐμένα), each retaining that emphatic force. Distribution in the New Testament • Gospels and Acts: approximately 1,100 uses, often in direct speech. This ubiquity ensures the reader constantly hears both human and divine voices speaking personally. Christological Significance: The “I Am” Declarations John’s Gospel strategically links ἐγώ with εἰμί to echo the divine name revealed in Exodus 3:14. Each declaration applies Old Testament covenant attributes to Jesus Christ: • “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). In John 8:58 Jesus asserts, “Truly, truly, I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am!”. The juxtaposition of ἐγώ with present tense εἰμί, set against the aorist “was,” stakes an unambiguous claim to eternal self-existence. The crowd’s attempt to stone Him (verse 59) confirms they understood the covenantal overtones. Divine Self-Disclosure in Revelation In Revelation 1:17 Jesus proclaims, “I am the First and the Last.” Similar formulations appear in 1:8; 21:6; 22:13. Here ἐγώ joins titles drawn from Isaiah 41–48, affirming that the glorified Christ shares Yahweh’s eternal attributes. Apostolic Testimony and Personal Transformation Paul uses ἐγώ to narrate conversion and calling, underscoring both divine initiative and human response. • Acts 26:15: “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’” In these texts, ἐγώ is never autonomous; it is defined by God’s grace. Accordingly, ἐγώ becomes the grateful subject of divine action, transforming boasting into doxology. Sin, Law, and the Inner Person Romans 7 features a dense cluster of ἐγώ (over 25 times) as Paul dissects the conflict between regenerate desire and indwelling sin. The tension culminates in Romans 7:24–25: “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Here the emphatic ἐγώ exposes human inability under the law, preparing for the Spirit-empowered life of Romans 8. Corporate Identity and Individual Responsibility Although the New Testament stresses corporate realities (“you are the body of Christ,” 1 Corinthians 12:27), ἐγώ reminds each believer of personal accountability: • Matthew 16:24: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” Thus Scripture balances communal privilege with individual obedience. Covenant Language and Divine Promises Old Testament citations preserve the divine “I” when quoted in Greek: • Hebrews 13:5: “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you, nor will I ever forsake you.’” The repetition of ἐγώ in these promises underlines God’s unilateral faithfulness. Historical and Cultural Background Outside Scripture, ἐγώ was the ordinary first-person pronoun in classical and Koine Greek. In Hellenistic rhetoric it could convey philosophical introspection (e.g., Epictetus) or heroic boasting (Plutarch). The New Testament writers reshape that cultural usage, subordinating the self to God’s mission and community service. Pastoral and Homiletical Implications 1. Personal Evangelism: The abundance of first-person testimony legitimizes sharing one’s own encounter with Christ (John 9:25). Key Texts for Study and Memorization John 8:58; Romans 7:24-25; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 4:13; Revelation 1:17-18. Conclusion Though ἐγώ is merely a pronoun, its inspired usage ranges from the majestic self-revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ to the humble confession of sinners saved by grace. In every context, ἐγώ serves to exalt the covenant God who addresses His people personally and invites each believer to respond, “Here am I. Send me!” Englishman's Concordance Matthew 1:23 PPro-G1PGRK: μεθερμηνευόμενον Μεθ' ἡμῶν ὁ θεός INT: translated With us God Matthew 2:6 PPro-G1S Matthew 2:8 PPro-D1S Matthew 2:15 PPro-G1S Matthew 3:11 PPro-N1S Matthew 3:11 PPro-G1S Matthew 3:11 PPro-G1S Matthew 3:14 PPro-N1S Matthew 3:14 PPro-A1S Matthew 3:15 PPro-D1P Matthew 3:17 PPro-G1S Matthew 4:9 PPro-D1S Matthew 4:19 PPro-G1S Matthew 5:11 PPro-G1S Matthew 5:22 PPro-N1S Matthew 5:28 PPro-N1S Matthew 5:32 PPro-N1S Matthew 5:34 PPro-N1S Matthew 5:39 PPro-N1S Matthew 5:44 PPro-N1S Matthew 6:9 PPro-G1P Matthew 6:11 PPro-G1P Matthew 6:11 PPro-D1P Matthew 6:12 PPro-D1P Matthew 6:12 PPro-G1P Strong's Greek 1473 |
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