μένω (G3306) — Greek Lexicon

μένω

ménō

G3306 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To remain in a place or state, to continue to exist or stay; to persist or endure over time. The term denotes sustained presence, whether physically (to stay in a location), relationally (to continue in a relationship), or metaphorically (to persist in a state, activity, or condition). Also conveys remaining unchanged or steadfast, either in an external circumstance or an internal disposition.

Semantic Range

to remain in a place, to stay or wait, to continue in a relation, to persist in a state or condition, to endure or last, to not depart, to abide, to be steadfast, to be unchanged

Root / Etymology

μένω is a primary verb of uncertain etymology, attested from classical Greek onward. Its root form is stable throughout Greek literary tradition.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, μένω commonly describes remaining in a physical place (e.g., staying at home, waiting for someone, not departing), but it can also mean to endure or persist in a state or quality. In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, the term retains these senses, appearing frequently in narrative and philosophical texts (for instance, of enduring misfortune or persistently adhering to a principle). In the Septuagint, μένω often renders Hebrew terms denoting steadfastness or enduring presence (e.g., עָמַד or שָׁכַן), expanding its metaphorical nuances. In the New Testament, μένω acquires significant metaphorical and relational connotations, such as abiding in a teaching, love, or relationship (e.g., 'abiding in Me,' John 15:4–7). English translation traditions sometimes narrow μένω to 'dwell' or 'abide,' but these do not always capture the breadth of the term’s physical, relational, and existential range. The verb differs from forms like διαμένω ('to remain through,' 'to persist') in emphasizing the general idea of remaining, without explicit reference to a process or completion.

Translation Consistency

primary "remain" 50 occurrences

“Remain” best captures the full semantic range of μένω — to stay in a place, continue in a relation, persist in a state, or endure unchanged. It is the most frequent natural rendering in the data, is idiomatic in modern English, and avoids the archaic tone of alternatives like “abide,” making it suitable for consistent use across all forms.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy):--abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for), X thine own.

Root Family

μεν- (kataménō) — to remain, to stay, to abide

Root μεν- to remain, to stay, to persist, to endure

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
G2650	καταμένω	those persistently remaining
G3305	μέντοι	nevertheless
G3438	μονή	dwelling places
G362	ἀναμένω	to remain in expectation
G4037	περιμένω	to remain in anticipation
G4357	προσμένω	to remain with

Word Forms

26 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G3306-14`	μένει	menei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	remains	he/she/it remains	he/she/it remains	29
`G3306-03`	ἔμεινεν	emeinen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	remained	remained	remained	10
`G3306-22`	μένον	menon	`V PRS ACT PTCP ACC N SG`	abiding	remaining	remaining	10
`G3306-18`	μένετε	menete	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL`	abide	keep remaining	keep remaining	7
`G3306-06`	μεῖναι	meinai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to stay	to remain	to remain	6
`G3306-08`	μείνῃ	meine	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	abides	may remain	may remain	6
`G3306-07`	μείνατε	meinate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	remain	Remain	Remain	5
`G3306-13`	μένῃ	mene	`V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	continue	may remain	may remain	5
`G3306-15`	μένειν	menein	`V PRS ACT INF`	to remain	to continue remaining	to continue remaining	5
`G3306-19`	μενέτω	meneto	`V PRS ACT IMP 3P SG`	let him remain	let him remain	let him remain	5
`G3306-25`	μένουσαν	menousan	`V PRS ACT PTCP ACC F SG`	abides	remaining	remaining	5
`G3306-04`	ἔμενεν	emenen	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	he stayed	was remaining	was remaining	3
`G3306-11`	μείνωσιν	meinosin	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL`	remain	they may remain	they may remain	3
`G3306-01`	ἐμείναμεν	emeinamen	`V AOR ACT IND 1P PL`	stayed	we remained	we remained	2
`G3306-02`	ἔμειναν	emeinan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	they stayed	they remained	they remained	2
`G3306-09`	μείνητε	meinete	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 2P PL`	abide	you may remain	you may remain	2
`G3306-17`	μενεῖτε	meneite	`V FUT ACT IND 2P PL`	will abide	you (plural) will remain	you (plural) will remain	2
`G3306-20`	μένω	meno	`V PRS ACT IND 1P SG`	abide	I remain	I remain	2
`G3306-26`	μένουσιν	menousin	`V PRS ACT IND 3P PL`	await	they remain	await	2
`G3306-05`	ἔμενον	emenon	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL`	were waiting	they were remaining	they were remaining	1
`G3306-10`	μεῖνον	meinon	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG`	Stay	Remain	Remain	1
`G3306-12`	μεμενήκεισαν	memenekeisan	`V PLPF ACT IND 3P PL`	they would have remained	they had remained	they had remained	1
`G3306-16`	μένεις	meneis	`V PRS ACT IND 2P SG`	are you staying	you remain	you remain	1
`G3306-21`	μένομεν	menomen	`V PRS ACT IND 1P PL`	we abide	we remain	we remain	1
`G3306-23`	μένοντα	menonta	`V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M SG`	abiding	remaining	remaining	1
`G3306-24`	μένοντος	menontos	`V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M SG`	abiding	of the one remaining	remaining	1

Occurrences in Scripture

118 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G3306-07`	Matthew 10:11	μείνατε	meinate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	stay	Remain	Remain
`G3306-03`	Matthew 11:23	ἔμεινεν	emeinen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	it-would-have-remained	remained	remained
`G3306-07`	Matthew 26:38	μείνατε	meinate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	remain	Remain	Remain
`G3306-18`	Mark 6:10	μένετε	menete	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL`	stay	keep remaining	keep remaining
`G3306-07`	Mark 14:34	μείνατε	meinate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	remain	Remain	Remain
`G3306-03`	Luke 1:56	ἔμεινεν	emeinen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	stayed	remained	remained
`G3306-04`	Luke 8:27	ἔμενεν	emenen	`V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG`	stayed	was remaining	was remaining
`G3306-18`	Luke 9:4	μένετε	menete	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL`	stay	keep remaining	keep remaining
`G3306-18`	Luke 10:7	μένετε	menete	`V PRS ACT IMP 2P PL`	remain	keep remaining	keep remaining
`G3306-06`	Luke 19:5	μεῖναι	meinai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to stay	to remain	to remain
`G3306-10`	Luke 24:29	μεῖνον	meinon	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P SG`	Stay	Remain	Remain
`G3306-06`	Luke 24:29	μεῖναι	meinai	`V AOR ACT INF`	stay	to remain	remain
`G3306-03`	John 1:32	ἔμεινεν	emeinen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	remained	remained	remained
`G3306-22`	John 1:33	μένον	menon	`V PRS ACT PTCP ACC N SG`	remaining	remaining	remaining
`G3306-16`	John 1:38	μένεις	meneis	`V PRS ACT IND 2P SG`	are you staying	you remain	you remain
`G3306-14`	John 1:39	μένει	menei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	he was staying	he/she/it remains	he/she/it remains
`G3306-02`	John 1:39	ἔμειναν	emeinan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	they stayed	they remained	they remained
`G3306-02`	John 2:12	ἔμειναν	emeinan	`V AOR ACT IND 3P PL`	they stayed	they remained	they remained
`G3306-14`	John 3:36	μένει	menei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	remains	he/she/it remains	he/she/it remains
`G3306-06`	John 4:40	μεῖναι	meinai	`V AOR ACT INF`	to stay	to remain	to remain
`G3306-03`	John 4:40	ἔμεινεν	emeinen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	he stayed	remained	remained
`G3306-23`	John 5:38	μένοντα	menonta	`V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M SG`	abiding	remaining	remaining
`G3306-25`	John 6:27	μένουσαν	menousan	`V PRS ACT PTCP ACC F SG`	that endures	remaining	remaining
`G3306-14`	John 6:56	μένει	menei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	abides	he/she/it remains	he/she/it remains
`G3306-03`	John 7:9	ἔμεινεν	emeinen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	he stayed	remained	remained
`G3306-09`	John 8:31	μείνητε	meinete	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 2P PL`	abide	you may remain	you may remain
`G3306-14`	John 8:35	μένει	menei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	remains	he/she/it remains	he/she/it remains
`G3306-14`	John 8:35	μένει	menei-2	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	remains	he/she/it remains	he/she/it remains
`G3306-14`	John 9:41	μένει	menei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	remains	he/she/it remains	he/she/it remains
`G3306-03`	John 10:40	ἔμεινεν	emeinen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	He stayed	remained	remained
`G3306-03`	John 11:6	ἔμεινεν	emeinen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	he stayed	remained	remained
`G3306-03`	John 11:54	ἔμεινεν	emeinen	`V AOR ACT IND 3P SG`	stayed	remained	remained
`G3306-14`	John 12:24	μένει	menei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	remains	he/she/it remains	he/she/it remains
`G3306-14`	John 12:34	μένει	menei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	remains	he/she/it remains	he/she/it remains
`G3306-08`	John 12:46	μείνῃ	meine	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	remain	may remain	may remain
`G3306-22`	John 14:10	μένων	menon	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	abiding	remaining	remaining
`G3306-14`	John 14:17	μένει	menei	`V PRS ACT IND 3P SG`	dwells	he/she/it remains	he/she/it remains
`G3306-22`	John 14:25	μένων	menon	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	abiding	remaining	remaining
`G3306-07`	John 15:4	μείνατε	meinate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	Abide	Remain	Remain
`G3306-13`	John 15:4	μένῃ	mene	`V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	it abide	may remain	may remain
`G3306-18`	John 15:4	μένητε	menete	`V PRS ACT SUBJ 2P PL`	ye abide	keep remaining	keep remaining
`G3306-22`	John 15:5	μένων	menon	`V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M SG`	abiding	remaining	remaining
`G3306-13`	John 15:6	μένῃ	mene	`V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	remains	may remain	may remain
`G3306-09`	John 15:7	μείνητε	meinete	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 2P PL`	you abide	you may remain	you may remain
`G3306-08`	John 15:7	μείνῃ	meine	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	abide	may remain	may remain
`G3306-07`	John 15:9	μείνατε	meinate	`V AOR ACT IMP 2P PL`	abide	Remain	Remain
`G3306-17`	John 15:10	μενεῖτε	meneite	`V FUT ACT IND 2P PL`	you will abide	you (plural) will remain	you (plural) will remain
`G3306-20`	John 15:10	μένω	meno	`V PRS ACT IND 1P SG`	abide	I remain	I remain
`G3306-13`	John 15:16	μένῃ	mene	`V PRS ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	remain	may remain	may remain
`G3306-08`	John 19:31	μείνῃ	meine	`V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG`	might remain	may remain	may remain

← G3305 Greek Lexicon G3307 →