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ἔνι

éni

G1762 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

Enclitic adverb meaning 'there is, exists, is present (in, among).' Used to indicate the existence or presence of something or someone within a context or group, often functioning impersonally. The sense is equivalent to 'there exists' or 'is found in/among,' typically with a focus on location or inclusion within a set or group.

Semantic Range

there is, exists in, is present among, is found in, exists among, (in negation) there is not

Root / Etymology

Formed as a contracted (enclitic) form of ἔνεστι(ν), itself from the preposition ἐν ('in') and the verb εἰμί ('to be'). Thus, it literally means 'is in' or 'exists in.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

ἔνι is rare in classical Greek but appears in some dialectal and poetic contexts. In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, including the New Testament (notably Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11), it is used impersonally to assert the existence or relevance of a particular status or condition within a group (e.g., 'there is not Greek and Judean'). The term is semantically equivalent to ἔνεστι, but ἔνι is more enclitic and occurs in specific idiomatic negations (οὐκ ἔνι, 'there is not'). The nuance can be obscured in some English translations, which may render it simply as 'is' or omit it due to English idiom. Its use marks a specific, context-limited existential sense rather than a broad ontological statement. While related to εἰμί ('to be'), ἔνι always implies a locative or contextual presence, not mere existence. Standard translations rarely distinguish ἔνι from other forms of 'to be,' though in Greek its usage is less general than εἰμί or ἔνεστι.

Translation Consistency

primary "be" 0 occurrences

ἔνι is an existential/impersonal marker indicating existence or presence (there is/exists/is present). The simple, natural base verb that best captures that full range in everyday English is “be,” which can be inflected as needed (is/are/was/are not) to render the typical uses.

Alternatives (6 occurrences):
"there is" (4x) "is" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

contraction for the third person singular present indicative of ἔνειμι; impersonally, there is in or among:--be, (there) is.

Root Family

ἐν-εἰμ- (éni) — to be, to exist, to be present

Root ἐν-εἰμ- to be, to exist, to be present

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G1762-01 ἔνι eni V PRS ACT IND 3P SG is to one there is 6

Occurrences in Scripture

6 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G1762-01 1 Corinthians 6:5 ἔνι eni V PRS ACT IND 3P SG is to one is
G1762-01 Galatians 3:28 ἔνι eni V PRS ACT IND 3P SG is to one there is
G1762-01 Galatians 3:28 ἔνι eni-2 V PRS ACT IND 3P SG is to one there is
G1762-01 Galatians 3:28 ἔνι eni-3 V PRS ACT IND 3P SG is to one there is
G1762-01 Colossians 3:11 ἔνι eni V PRS ACT IND 3P SG there is to one there is
G1762-01 James 1:17 ἔνι eni V PRS ACT IND 3P SG is to one is
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