σέ
sé
G4571
SILEX Entry
Definition
Second person singular pronoun in the accusative case, referring to the direct object of an action—'you' (singular). The term marks the individual directly addressed or affected by an action and distinguishes that person from the speaker (first person) and others (third person). In Koine Greek, this form expresses direct address in statements, questions, and commands, and often stands alone or with clarifying particles for emphasis.
Semantic Range
you (singular, accusative), thee, direct object of address, emphatic or unemphatic object pronoun
Root / Etymology
From the Greek root συ-, which forms second person singular pronouns; σέ is the accusative singular form of the personal pronoun σύ ('you'). Related to Proto-Indo-European *tu- ('thou').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Koine Greek, σέ strictly serves as the accusative (object) singular form of the personal pronoun σύ (second person singular, 'you'). Found throughout nearly all periods of Greek, the form is fully maintained in the language of the Septuagint and New Testament, used for both direct address and emphasis. Unlike modern English, Greek distinguished between singular (σύ/σέ) and plural (ὑμεῖς/ὑμᾶς) 'you.' Classical authors sometimes placed σέ in initial or emphatic position for stylistic emphasis. The English traditions 'thee' (subject or object) or 'thou' (subject) once reflected such distinctions but have become archaic. No significant semantic shift occurs between the classical and New Testament eras for this form. Occasionally enclitic (as σε), and context determines whether an emphatic or unemphatic usage is meant. The construction X thy house (σέ τὸν οἶκον σου) reflects a grammatical insertion in Strong's listing, not separate lexical meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
accusative case singular of σύ; thee:--thee, thou, X thy house.
Word Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.