Lexical Summary eién: might be, would be Original Word: εἴην Strong's Exhaustive Concordance should be, was, were. Optative (i.e. English subjunctive) present of eimi (including the other person); might (could, would, or should) be -- mean, + perish, should be, was, were. see GREEK eimi NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originoptative (like English subjunctive) pres. of eimi, q.v. Topical Lexicon Overview εἴην is the first-person optative form of the Greek verb “to be.” Although the specific form never appears in the extant text of the Greek New Testament, it illuminates the biblical vocabulary of desire, possibility, and prayerful yearning. The optative mood communicates what someone hopes or wishes might come to pass, distinguishing it from the certainty of the indicative and the command of the imperative. Its presence in wider Koine literature and the Septuagint supplies context for understanding the biblical writers’ nuanced expressions of longing and dependence on God’s sovereign will. The Optative Mood and the Language of Holy Aspiration 1. The optative often frames petitions directed toward God, expressing humble submission rather than presumption. Canonical Witness: Absence that Speaks • No manuscript of the Greek New Testament contains εἴην. This absence is not an accident of transmission but a reminder that Scripture employs the grammatical tools it needs without waste. When first-person desire is voiced in the New Testament, writers prefer direct statements (“I wish,” Romans 9:3) or prayers (“may…,” Ephesians 3:16-19) rather than this particular optative form. Septuagint and Early Christian Usage • In the Greek Old Testament the form appears in prayers and laments, e.g., Job 3:16 LXX, where Job cries out that he “might have been” miscarried—an anguished optative expressing deep sorrow. Theological Significance 1. Being and Becoming: Scripture teaches that true “being” is grounded in God’s self-existence (Exodus 3:14). Any wish concerning our own state (“that I might be…”) must be anchored in His immutable nature (James 4:13-15). Practical and Ministry Reflections • Preaching: Highlight the contrast between worldly self-assertion (“I will be”) and biblical humility (“may I be” as God wills). Related Forms Worth Studying • εἴη (third-person optative) – regularly appears in New Testament doxologies. Summary Though εἴην is textually absent from the New Testament, its optative essence permeates Scripture’s prayers, hopes, and doxologies. It embodies the believer’s posture of yearning submission, aligning personal desire with the unchanging will and glory of God. Understanding this form deepens appreciation for the Spirit’s precision in inspiring every word of Scripture and equips the Church to voice its longings in a manner that honors the Lord of all being. Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance εἰδωλοθύτων — 3 Occ.εἰδωλόθυτον — 3 Occ. ἱερόθυτόν — 1 Occ. εἰδωλολατρία — 2 Occ. εἰδωλολατρίαις — 1 Occ. εἰδωλολατρίας — 1 Occ. εἰδωλολάτραι — 3 Occ. εἰδωλολάτραις — 2 Occ. εἰδωλολάτρης — 2 Occ. εἴδωλα — 3 Occ. εἰδώλων — 4 Occ. εἴδωλον — 2 Occ. εἰδώλου — 1 Occ. εἰκῇ — 6 Occ. εἴκοσι — 11 Occ. εἴξαμεν — 1 Occ. ἔοικεν — 2 Occ. εἰκὼν — 6 Occ. εἰκόνα — 10 Occ. εἰκόνι — 4 Occ. |
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