Lexical Summary su: you Original Word: σύ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance youThe person pronoun of the second person singular; thou -- thou. See also se, soi, sou; and for the plural humas, humeis, humin, humon. see GREEK sou see GREEK se see GREEK soi see GREEK humas see GREEK humeis see GREEK humin see GREEK humon NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originsecond pers. sing. pers. pronoun Definition you (early mod. Eng. thou) NASB Translation number (1), yours (17), yourself (4), yourselves (20), yourselves* (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4771: σύσύ, pronoun of the second person (Doric and Aeolic, τύ, Boeotic, τοῦ), genitive σου, dative σοι, accusative σε; (which oblique cases are enclitic, unless a preposition precede; yet πρός σε is written (uniformly in Rec. (except Matthew 26:18), in Grab. (except John 21:22, 23), in Treg. (except Matthew 26:18; Acts 23:30), in Lachmann (except Matthew 26:18; John 17:11, 13; John 21:22, 23; Acts 23:30), in Tdf. (except Matthew 26:18; Luke 1:19; John 17:11, 13; John 21:22; Acts 23:18, 30; 1 Timothy 3:14; Titus 3:12); also by WH in Matthew 25:39), see ἐγώ, 2; Lipsius, Grammat. Untersuch., p. 62f, (Winers Grammar, § 6, 3; Buttmann, 31 (27))); plural ὑμεῖς, etc.; Latintu, etc.,vos, etc.; thou, etc., ye, etc. The nominatives σύ and ὑμεῖς are expressed for emphasis — before a vocative, as σύ Βηθλημ, Matthew 2:6; σύ παιδίον (Lucian, dial. deor. 2, 1), Luke 1:76; add, John 17:5; Acts 1:24; 1 Timothy 6:11, etc.; ὑμεῖς οἱ Φαρισαῖοι, Luke 11:39; — or when the pronoun has a noun or a participle added to it in apposition in order to define it more sharply, as σύ Ἰουδαῖος ὤν (thou, being a Jew), John 4:9, cf. Galatians 2:14; ὑμεῖς πονηροί ὄντες, Matthew 7:11; — or when several are addressed who are at the same time particularized, σύ ... σύ, James 2:3; also in antithesis, Matthew 3:14; Matthew 6:17; Matthew 11:3: Mark 14:36; Luke 16:7; John 2:10; John 3:2; Acts 10:15; 1 Corinthians 3:23; James 2:18, and very often; sometimes the antithetic term is suppressed, but is easily understood from the context: εἰ σύ εἰ, if it be thou, and not an apparition, Matthew 14:28; add, Luke 15:31; Luke 17:8, etc.; — or when a particle is added, as σύ οὖν (at the close of an argument, when the discourse reverts to the person to be directly addressed), Luke 4:7; John 8:5; Acts 23:21; 2 Timothy 2:1, 3; σύ 2 Timothy 2:8; (in contrasts), Luke 9:60; 2 Timothy 3:10; Titus 2:1; Hebrews 1:11, etc.; ὑμεῖς δέ, Matthew 21:13; James 2:6; καί σύ, and thou, thou also, thou too, Matthew 11:23; Matthew 26:69, 73; Luke 10:15; Luke 19:19, 42; Luke 22:58; plural, Matthew 15:3, 16; Luke 17:10; before the 2nd person of the verb where the person is to be emphasized (like the German du, ihr eben, du da, 'it is thou,' 'thou art the very man,' etc.), σύ εἰ, Matthew 27:11; Mark 15:2; Luke 23:3; John 1:19; John 3:10; John 4:12; John 8:53; Acts 23:3, etc.; plural Luke 9:55 Rec.; σύ λέγεις, εἶπας, Matthew 26:25; Matthew 27:11; Mark 15:2; it is used also without special emphasis ((cf. Buttmann, § 129, 12, and) see ἐγώ, 1), Mark 14:68; John 8:13; Acts 7:28, etc. Tile genitives σου and ὑμῶν, joined to substantives, have the force of a possessive, and are placed — sometimes after the noun, as τόν πόδα σου, Matthew 4:6; τούς ἀδελφούς ὑμῶν, Matthew 5:47, and very often;—sometimes before the noun (see ἐγώ, 3 b.), as σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, Luke 7:48; σου τῆς νεότητός, 1 Timothy 4:12; ὑμῶν δέ καί τρίχες, Matthew 10:30; add, Mark 10:43 (here Rec. after); Luke 12:30; John 16:6; Romans 14:16; 2 Corinthians 1:24 (here now before, now after); — sometimes between the article and noun, as τήν ὑμῶν ἐπιπόθησιν, 2 Corinthians 7:7; add, 2 Corinthians 8:14(13),14; Topical Lexicon Basic Sense and Grammatical Function σύ is the singular personal pronoun of the second person. Greek verbs already encode person and number, so the explicit use of σύ is ordinarily emphatic or contrastive. Its position in the sentence often signals the author’s intent to focus attention on the one being addressed, whether in tender reassurance, sharp rebuke, or solemn commission. Frequency and Distribution in the New Testament Appearing about 2,926 times, σύ is spread evenly across narrative, epistolary, and apocalyptic literature. The Synoptic Gospels employ it heavily in direct discourse; John features it in dialogues that unveil Christ’s identity; Acts shows the early church addressing individuals inside and outside the covenant; the Epistles use it pastorally, and Revelation uses it prophetically. Emphatic Address in Divine–Human Encounters 1. Reassurance: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God” (Luke 1:30). Gabriel singles out Mary, underscoring personal grace. Christ’s Penetrating Questions and Declarations Jesus frequently employs σύ when probing faith or exposing motives: The accent on “you” singles out the interlocutor, compelling personal decision. Contrast Between Human Limitation and Divine Authority In John 8:23 Jesus declares, “You are from below; I am from above,” drawing an absolute line between fallen humanity and incarnate deity. Paul mirrors this contrast when quoting Christ: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). The juxtaposition of your weakness with My power elevates grace. Pastoral Use in Apostolic Correspondence • Individual charge: “But as for you, continue in the things you have learned” (2 Timothy 3:14). By retaining the singular σύ even when addressing communities, writers personalize corporate exhortation, reminding each believer of personal accountability. Covenantal Promises and Warnings Luke 22:32: “I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail.” Jesus intercedes specifically for Peter, illustrating individual security within corporate election. Conversely, Revelation 3:3 warns Sardis: “Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief.” The singular pronoun personalizes collective responsibility, stressing that spiritual lethargy begins with the individual. Ethical Imperatives in Daily Relationships Ephesians 4:29: “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth.” The singular targets every tongue, dismantling excuses grounded in group dynamics. James echoes this: “Submit yourselves therefore to God” (James 4:7). Moral transformation is traced to personal surrender. Liturgical and Prayer Contexts The Lord’s Prayer begins with the plural “Our Father,” yet Jesus shifts to singular when counseling private devotion: “But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6). The plural frames communal identity; the singular underscores solitary transparency before God. Christological Significance The baptismal declaration—“You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11)—anchors Christ’s public ministry in a direct affirmation from the Father. The explicit pronoun safeguards orthodox confession: Jesus alone is the eternal Son, not a representative placeholder. Eschatological Contexts Revelation 2–3 features repeated personal appeals: “Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). Judgment and reward hinge on individual perseverance, demonstrating that final accountability is never swallowed by corporate identity. Old Testament Echoes and Septuagint Usage New Testament citations often preserve the Septuagint’s emphatic pronoun. Romans 9:15 quotes Exodus 33:19: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy.” Though a different grammatical person, the pattern of personal pronouns underscores God’s sovereign discretion—He chooses, He calls, He hardens or shows mercy, engaging each person directly. Textual and Exegetical Considerations When pronouns are omitted in some manuscripts or translations, the Greek reader must infer subject by verb endings. Where σύ appears, translators face whether to render it explicitly (“you”) or leave the emphasis to context. Modern English normally retains it, but italics or word order sometimes convey the extra stress, as in the: “I never knew you; depart from Me” (Matthew 7:23). Ministry and Homiletical Applications 1. Preaching: The preacher can mirror apostolic focus by shifting from “we” to “you,” pressing the congregation toward personal response. Conclusion Though small, σύ shapes biblical revelation by making God’s word unmistakably personal. Every blessing, command, warning, and promise comes home to the solitary heart, summoning each listener to repent, believe, obey, and rejoice in the living God. Forms and Transliterations ἡμᾶς ἡμῖν ἡμῶν σε σέ σὲ σοι σοί σοὶ σου σού σοῦ συ σύ σὺ υμας ὑμᾶς Υμεις Ὑμεῖς υμιν ὑμῖν υμων ὑμῶν emas ēmas emin ēmin emon ēmōn hemas hemâs hēmas hēmâs hemin hemîn hēmin hēmîn hemon hemôn hēmōn hēmō̂n hymas hymâs Hymeis Hymeîs hymin hymîn hymon hymôn hymōn hymō̂n se sé sè soi soí soì sou soú soû su sy sý sỳ umas Umeis umin umon umōnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 1:20 PPro-G2SGRK: τὴν γυναῖκά σου τὸ γὰρ INT: [as] the wife of you that which indeed Matthew 2:6 PPro-N2S Matthew 2:6 PPro-G2S Matthew 2:13 PPro-D2S Matthew 3:7 PPro-D2P Matthew 3:9 PPro-D2P Matthew 3:11 PPro-A2P Matthew 3:11 PPro-A2P Matthew 3:14 PPro-G2S Matthew 3:14 PPro-N2S Matthew 4:6 PPro-G2S Matthew 4:6 PPro-A2S Matthew 4:6 PPro-G2S Matthew 4:7 PPro-G2S Matthew 4:9 PPro-D2S Matthew 4:10 PPro-G2S Matthew 4:19 PPro-A2P Matthew 5:11 PPro-A2P Matthew 5:11 PPro-G2P Matthew 5:12 PPro-G2P Matthew 5:12 PPro-G2P Matthew 5:13 PPro-N2P Matthew 5:14 PPro-N2P Matthew 5:16 PPro-G2P Matthew 5:16 PPro-G2P Strong's Greek 4771 |
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