Lexical Summary ón, ousa, on: being, existing Original Word: ὤν, οὖσα, ὄν Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be, come, have. Including the feminine ousa (oo'-sah); and the neuter on (on) present participle of eimi; being -- be, come, have. see GREEK eimi NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originmasc., fem. and neut. pres. part. of eimi, q.v. Topical Lexicon Grammatical Essence of ὤν, οὖσα, ὄν A present participle of εἰμί, consistently expressing continuous, ongoing existence. It functions adjectivally or substantivally, most often translated “being,” “who is,” or simply “is,” underscoring a state that is neither initiated nor terminated within the context. Roots in Old Testament Revelation The Septuagint renders the divine self-disclosure of Exodus 3:14 with the phrase ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν, “I AM the One who is.” Here ὁ ὤν encapsulates the aseity and unchanging nature of God. Early Jewish and Christian readers understood this participle to preserve the covenant Name, linking the burning-bush encounter to every later confession of God’s eternal presence. Divine Title in Revelation and Worship John carries the participle directly into Christian worship language: “Grace to you and peace from Him who is and was and is to come” (Revelation 1:4; cf. 1:8; 4:8). “Who is” translates ὁ ὤν, presenting the risen Christ with the same descriptor used of YHWH in Exodus. The triple temporal formula elevates the simple participle into a doxological title, declaring the Lord’s timeless sovereignty in public worship of the early churches. Christological Usage in Johannine Writings John 1:18 describes the Son as “the One being in the bosom of the Father” (ὁ ὢν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ Πατρός). The participle conveys the Son’s unbroken fellowship with the Father prior to the Incarnation and during His earthly ministry. In John 9:25 the healed man testifies, “Whether He is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I see,” contrasting his former state (blind) with the continuing reality (seeing) established by Jesus’ action—again a use of εἰμί-forms to stress enduring fact. Pauline Parallels and Theological Continuity While Paul often employs ὑπάρχω for essential being (Philippians 2:6), the participial idea of unceasing existence undergirds key statements such as “Christ, who is your life” (Colossians 3:4) and “God, who is over all” (Romans 9:5). The participle’s nuance of constancy helps underscore doctrines of Christ’s deity, the believer’s new identity, and the immutability of divine promises. Early Church Interpretation Patristic writers treated ὁ ὤν as a verbal icon of the divine nature. Athanasius argued from Exodus 3:14 and Revelation 1:8 that since the Son bears the same participial title as the Father, He must share the same eternal essence. Gregory of Nyssa used the term to contrast God’s uncreated being with the created order’s contingent existence. Doctrinal Themes Highlighted by ὤν 1. Self-existence: God depends on nothing outside Himself (Psalm 90:2; Acts 17:25). Pastoral and Liturgical Implications • Assurance. Believers draw confidence from the One who eternally “is,” especially amid uncertainty (Hebrews 13:8). Summary Though Strong’s 5607 is not separately tallied in New Testament concordances, its participial force permeates Scripture. From Moses’ burning bush to John’s Apocalypse, ὁ ὤν proclaims the Lord’s unoriginated, unending life and grounds every promise of His steadfast presence with His people. Forms and Transliterations οντα ὄντα οντες ὄντες ων ὤν on ōn ṓn onta ónta ontes óntesLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance ᾖ — 1 Occ.Ἰωβὴδ — 3 Occ. ὧδε — 62 Occ. ᾠδαῖς — 2 Occ. ᾠδὴν — 5 Occ. ὠδὶν — 1 Occ. ὠδῖνας — 1 Occ. ὠδίνων — 2 Occ. ὠδίνω — 1 Occ. ὠδίνουσα — 2 Occ. ὠνήσατο — 1 Occ. ᾠόν — 1 Occ. ὥρᾳ — 61 Occ. ὧραί — 1 Occ. ὥραν — 22 Occ. ὥρας — 21 Occ. ὡρῶν — 1 Occ. Ὡραίᾳ — 1 Occ. Ὡραίαν — 1 Occ. ὡραῖοι — 2 Occ. |
    |