ἑλόμενος
hairéomai
choosing
To take for oneself, to choose, select, or prefer. In classical and Hellenistic Greek, αἱρέομαι most commonly denotes the deliberate act of choosing or selecting something or someone among alternatives, often emphasizing personal preference or resolve. In contexts where the middle voice is used (as is most common), it refers to the subject's purposeful choice for oneself. In rare cases, it may also indicate the act of taking to oneself in a broader sense, including appropriating or adopting.
Hebrews 11:25 · Word #2
Lexicon G138
| Lemma | αἱρέομαι |
| Transliteration | hairéomai |
| Strong's | G138 |
| Definition | To take for oneself, to choose, select, or prefer. In classical and Hellenistic Greek, αἱρέομαι most commonly denotes the deliberate act of choosing or selecting something or someone among alternatives, often emphasizing personal preference or resolve. In contexts where the middle voice is used (as is most common), it refers to the subject's purposeful choice for oneself. In rare cases, it may also indicate the act of taking to oneself in a broader sense, including appropriating or adopting. |
Morphology V AOR MID PTCP NOM M SG
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state of being |
| Tense | AOR — Aorist — Simple occurrence, often past |
| Voice | MID — Middle — The subject acts on itself or in its own interest |
| Mood | PTCP — Participle — A verbal adjective |
| Case | NOM — Nominative — The subject of the sentence |
| Gender | M — Masculine — Grammatical masculine |
| Number | SG — Singular — One |
Common Translation
| Phrase | choosing |
| Literal | having-chosen |
Lexical Info
| Lemma | αἱρέω |
| Strong's | G138 |
SIBI-P1 Translation G138-03
having chosen for himself
| Morphological Notes | Verb; aorist tense (completed action), middle voice (reflexive/self-involved), participle; nominative masculine singular. |
| Rendering Rationale | The aorist tense conveys a completed act, and the middle voice highlights personal involvement or self-interest. As a nominative masculine singular participle, it is rendered as "having chosen for himself," preserving both the reflexive force and participial form. |
View full lexicon entry for G138 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
having chosen for himself
| Same as P1 | Yes |
| Rationale | P1 is contextually accurate and faithful to the middle voice and nuance of personal choice. No adjustment needed. |