σήμερον
sḗmeron
G4594 adverb
SILEX Entry
Definition
Adverb indicating the time of speaking or acting, specifically meaning 'today,' that is, the current or present day. In narrative or reported speech, refers to the same calendar day as the utterance or action; in some idiomatic or legal contexts, emphasizes present time or immediate contemporary relevance. Occasionally contrasts with 'yesterday' or 'tomorrow' to denote present occasion or urgency.
Semantic Range
today, on this day, at the present time, presently, this very day
Root / Etymology
From a compound formation: the article σ(ὁ/ἡ) plus ἡμέρα ('day'), with contraction and phonetic changes yielding σήμερον. The construction ultimately means 'the (current) day.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Σήμερον appears already in classical Greek prose (e.g., Herodotus, Plato) with the meaning 'today,' with little evolution through Hellenistic and Koine periods. In Septuagint and New Testament contexts, it consistently denotes the day in which the speaker is situated, whether in narrative, legal, or didactic settings. It does not bear additional religious or symbolic meaning in itself. English translations ('today,' 'this day') generally capture the full semantic range, though the sense of immediate relevance can be more emphatic in Greek. The word functions solely as an adverb in the New Testament and most Koine literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
neuter (as adverb) of a presumed compound of the article ὁ (t changed to s) and ἡμέρα; on the (i.e. this) day (or night current or just passed); generally, now (i.e. at present, hitherto):--this (to-)day.
Root Family
σήμερον (sēmeron) — day, present time
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4594-01 |
σήμερον | semeron | ADV |
today | today | 41 |
Occurrences in Scripture
41 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4594-01 |
Matthew 6:11 | σήμερον | semeron | ADV |
today | |
G4594-01 |
Matthew 6:30 | σήμερον | semeron | ADV |
today | |
G4594-01 |
Matthew 11:23 | σήμερον | semeron | ADV |
today | |
G4594-01 |
Matthew 16:3 | σήμερον | semeron | ADV |
today | |
G4594-01 |
Matthew 21:28 | σήμερον | semeron | ADV |
today | |
G4594-01 |
Matthew 27:8 | σήμερον | semeron | ADV |
today | |
G4594-01 |
Matthew 27:19 | σήμερον | semeron | ADV |
today | |
G4594-01 |
Matthew 28:15 | σήμερον | semeron | ADV |
today | |
G4594-01 |
Mark 14:30 | σήμερον | semeron | ADV |
today | today |
G4594-01 |
Luke 2:11 | σήμερον | semeron | ADV |
today | today |