Lexical Summary esmen: we are Original Word: ἐσμέν Strong's Exhaustive Concordance are, be, have our being, have hope. First person plural indicative of eimi; we are -- are, be, have our being, X have hope, + (the gospel) was (preached unto) us. see GREEK eimi NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfirst pers. pl. pres. ind. of eimi, q.v. Topical Lexicon Form and Rhetorical Forceἐσμέν functions as the first-person plural present indicative of εἰμί, supplying the simple copula “we are.” While grammatically modest, its placement in a clause often carries weighty theological and communal implications, announcing who the speaker(s) collectively understand themselves to be before God, the world and one another. Because Greek word order is flexible, authors regularly front ἐσμέν for emphasis (“children of God we are,” 1 John 3:1), or pair it with emphatic pronouns (ἡμεῖς ἐσμέν) to heighten contrast (“We are Abraham’s descendants,” John 8:33). Corporate Identity Before God 1 John, Romans and Galatians employ ἐσμέν to declare redeemed status: Each asserts covenant identity as gift, not speculation. The verb grounds assurance: believers are already “God’s workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10) and belong to a new household. Confession and Witness Paul uses ἐσμέν as communal self-designation for ministry roles: These statements move beyond status to vocation, binding every believer to the apostolic mission. The form invites congregational repetition—“we are”—turning theology into corporate confession that motivates service. Contrast with Unbelieving Claims In John 8:33-41 the Judean interlocutors sharply insist, “We are Abraham’s descendants… we are not illegitimate children.” Their use of ἐσμέν exposes misplaced confidence in natural pedigree. Jesus’ reply relocates true descent in obedient faith, showing that the bare assertion “we are” gains validity only when aligned with divine truth. Solidarity and Humility Hebrews 10:39 sets a pastoral tone: “But we are not of those who shrink back.” The writer joins himself with readers, modeling leadership-through-identification rather than distance. Likewise, James 3:9 (LXX echoes) reminds that humans “are made in God’s likeness,” leveling social hierarchies and fostering mutual honor. Link to the Divine “I Am” John’s Gospel famously records Jesus’ ἐγώ εἰμι declarations; the community’s ἐσμέν stands in dependent relationship to His sovereign self-revelation. Because He is, we are. The believers’ plural confession derives its certainty from the singular, eternal “I Am.” Old Testament Resonance (LXX) In the Septuagint, Israel repeatedly avows, “We are Your people” (e.g., Isaiah 63:19), providing a canonical backdrop. New-covenant writers adopt the same verbal form to proclaim fulfillment: what Israel longed to be, the Church already is through Christ. Historical Reception Early baptismal liturgies featured antiphonal exchanges: “Who are we?” “We are God’s people, the flock of His pasture.” Patristic writers such as Cyprian (“One cannot have God as Father who does not have the Church as mother; we are one body”) used ἐσμέν formulas to reinforce ecclesial unity. Reformation confessions echoed the pattern (“We are accounted righteous by faith alone”), and evangelical hymnody continues the line (“We are one in the Spirit”). Pastoral and Discipleship Uses • Identity Formation: Regular rehearsal of ἐσμέν texts stabilizes believers against identity crises. Missional Unity Because ἐσμέν names believers collectively, it undercuts individualism and ethnic division. Ephesians 2:10 links new creation to good works “which God prepared in advance for us to do,” implying that mission is inseparable from shared identity. Congregations that internalize the “we are” vision move naturally toward cooperative outreach, compassion ministries and global partnerships. Eschatological Assurance 1 John 5:19 states, “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.” The present tense of ἐσμέν anchors believers between Christ’s first and second comings, assuring them of belonging even while they await full consummation. Conclusion Though linguistically a simple copula, ἐσμέν carries rich theological freight. Scripture employs it to proclaim redeemed identity, missional purpose, humble solidarity and eschatological hope. Whenever the Church echoes the apostolic “we are,” it simultaneously remembers who God has made it and declares to the watching world the transforming power of the gospel. Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance ἐσθίειν — 6 Occ.ἐσθίετε — 6 Occ. ἐσθιέτω — 3 Occ. ἐσθίων — 11 Occ. ἐσθίωσιν — 2 Occ. ἐσθίοντα — 2 Occ. ἐσθίοντες — 4 Occ. ἐσθίοντι — 1 Occ. ἐσθιόντων — 4 Occ. ἐσθίουσιν — 8 Occ. ἐσόπτρῳ — 1 Occ. ἐσόπτρου — 1 Occ. ἑσπέρα — 1 Occ. ἑσπέραν — 1 Occ. ἑσπέρας — 1 Occ. Ἑσρώμ — 3 Occ. ἔσχατα — 4 Occ. ἐσχάταις — 3 Occ. ἐσχάτας — 1 Occ. ἐσχάτη — 11 Occ. |
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