ἡμεῖς
hēmeîs
G2249
SILEX Entry
Definition
First person plural nominative pronoun; 'we' as the subject of a verb, with an emphatic or contrastive nuance when used in distinction from others. Functions primarily to indicate a group that includes the speaker. Especially in contexts where emphasis or explicit distinction is required, ἡμεῖς is used in place of the less-emphatic enclitic form, especially when contrasting 'we' with 'you' or 'they', or for clarity in complex sentences.
Semantic Range
we (emphatic or contrastive), we (including the speaker and others), ourselves (when used for emphasis)
Root / Etymology
Formed from the Greek root ἐγώ (I), with the pluralizing suffix; 'we' is the nominative plural form. Cognate in form and function with pronouns in other Indo-European languages. Comparable emphatic forms occur elsewhere in Greek pronominal systems.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Koine Greek, ἡμεῖς serves as the standard nominative plural pronoun for the first person ('we'). It appears in texts when the speaker wishes to specify the subject group (as opposed to ὑμεῖς, 'you'), or to introduce contrast (e.g., 'we, not they'). The non-emphatic plural pronoun ἡμῖν and enclitic forms are used in less marked contexts. ἡμεῖς is attested from early Greek literature (Homeric onward) but continues to function, without significant semantic shift, through classical, Hellenistic, and Koine periods, including the Septuagint and New Testament. English translations usually render ἡμεῖς as 'we', but Greek use allows for greater nuance, especially in discourse structure (topic-focus articulation) than English pronouns may reflect. Modern translations sometimes miss emphatic or contrastive distinctions signaled by the explicit use of this form, especially where Greek omits the pronoun unless emphasis is desired.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
nominative plural of ἐγώ; we (only used when emphatic):--us, we (ourselves).
Root Family
ἡμ- (hēmeîs) — we, first person plural subject, emphatic we
Word Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.