ἐτήρουν
eteroun
from (a watch; perhaps akin to θεωρέω); to guard (from loss or injury, properly, by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from φυλάσσω, which is properly to prevent escaping; and from κουστωδία, which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), i.e. to note (a prophecy; figuratively, to fulfil a command); by implication, to detain (in custody; figuratively, to maintain); by extension, to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively, to keep unmarried); by extension, to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively, to keep unmarried):--hold fast, keep(- er), (pre-, re-)serve, watch.
Matthew 27:36 · Word #3
Lexicon G5083
| Lemma | τηρέω |
| Transliteration | tēréō |
| Strong's | G5083 |
Morphology V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state of being |
| Tense | IMPF — Imperfect — Continuous or repeated past action |
| Voice | ACT — Active — The subject performs the action |
| Mood | IND — Indicative — States a fact or reality |
| Person | 3P — 3rd person — The one spoken about ("he/she/it/they") |
| Number | PL — Plural — More than one |
Lexical Info
| Lemma | τηρέω |
| Strong's | G5083 |
SIBI-P1 G5083-05
was/were watch-guarding
| Root | τηρέω (tēreō) |
| Core Meanings | to watch, to guard, to keep under careful observation, to preserve, to maintain, to hold in custody |
| Semantic Range | to guard from loss or harm, to keep watch over, to preserve intact, to observe or keep (commands), to maintain faithfully, to hold in custody, to retain or withhold |
| Conceptual Significance | τηρέω frequently describes faithful obedience to commandments, careful preservation of divine truth, or protective guarding by God or believers. It emphasizes vigilant, attentive keeping—suggesting covenant loyalty, spiritual watchfulness, and sustained commitment rather than momentary action. |
| Morphological Notes | Verb, imperfect active indicative; either 1st person singular ("I was watch-guarding") or 3rd person plural ("they were watch-guarding"). The imperfect tense denotes ongoing or repeated past action; active voice; indicative mood. |
| Rendering Rationale | The rendering "watch-guarding" preserves the root idea of keeping one’s eye upon something in order to guard or preserve it. The imperfect active indicative form (ἐτήρουν) is reflected by "was/were," conveying continuous or repeated action in past time, and allows for either first person singular ("I was") or third person plural ("they were") as indicated by the morphology. |
AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)
Words from Root τηρέω (to watch, to guard, to keep under careful observation, to preserve, to maintain, to hold in custody)
| SILEX Code | Transliteration | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
G5083-03 |
eteresan | they were keeping watch over |
G5083-04 |
eteresas | you were guarding |
G5083-07 |
terei | he/she/it is watch-guarding (also: you are watch-guarding for yourself) |
Word Usage (72 occurrences of G5083)
| Location | Form | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew 19:17 | τήρησον | tereson | |
| Matthew 23:3 | τηρεῖτε | tereite | |
| Matthew 27:36 | ἐτήρουν | eteroun |