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ἔρχομαι

érchomai

G2064 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To come, to go; used of physical movement toward or away from a place or person. Also used idiomatically for arriving, appearing, entering, or fundamentally experiencing a transition (in space, time, or state). In figurative contexts, may denote the emergence or coming forth of events, conditions, or persons (e.g., the coming of an era or the appearance of a figure). The primary sense is movement either toward the speaker/writer or away, with context determining direction.

Semantic Range

to come, to go, to arrive, to appear, to enter, to approach, to move (in general), to result, to happen, to become present, to transition (in time/state), to originate

Root / Etymology

Root verb ἐρχ- (erch-), considered primary in Greek; present and imperfect tense forms are from ἔρχομαι, while other tenses derive from related forms such as ἐλεύσομαι (future), ἦλθον (aorist), and ἐλήλυθα (perfect), all reflecting a suppletive paradigm. Cognate with related verbs in other Indo-European languages (e.g., Latin 'orior', English 'arise'), though precise derivation within Greek is debated.

Historical & Contextual Notes

ἔρχομαι is a central Koine Greek verb for movement, widespread in classical, Hellenistic, and biblical texts. Its use is not strictly limited to physical movement but, particularly in biblical literature, also extends to metaphorical or eschatological 'comings' (e.g., 'the coming of the kingdom,' 'he who is to come'). In narrative, the direction of movement hinges on context, as ἔρχομαι can mean both 'come' and 'go,' depending on perspective. The verb is highly irregular, forming its tenses from several distinct roots (suppletion): present ἔρχομαι, future ἐλεύσομαι, aorist ἦλθον, perfect ἐλήλυθα. This suppletion shows its deep roots in the Greek language. In the Septuagint and the New Testament, the verb is frequently used for both mundane and significant theological events, but the English distinction between 'come' and 'go' can obscure its flexibility in Greek. Related verbs such as πορεύομαι emphasize the manner or process of going, while ἔρχομαι highlights the fact or event of movement or arrival. Standard translations frequently default to 'come' or 'go,' which only partly capture the semantic breadth.

Translation Consistency

primary "come" 50 occurrences

’Come’ is the most natural, frequent, and versatile English equivalent for ἔρχομαι. It covers arrival, appearing, entering, approaching, and the various figurative senses (coming into being, events that come to pass). Using ‘come’ keeps translations consistent and idiomatic while context can indicate direction or nuance when needed.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

middle voice of a primary verb (used only in the present and imperfect tenses, the others being supplied by a kindred (middle voice) , or (active) , which do not otherwise occur); to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively):--accompany, appear, bring, come, enter, fall out, go, grow, X light, X next, pass, resort, be set.

Root Family

ἐρχ- (exérchomai) — to come, to go, to move

Root ἐρχ- to come, to go, to arrive, to move
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G1831 ἐξέρχομαι they have gone out
G4281 προέρχομαι will go before

Word Forms

54 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2064-25 ἐλθὼν elthon V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG having come having come having come 111
G2064-39 ἔρχεται erchetai V PRS MID IND 3P SG comes comes comes 91
G2064-19 ἦλθεν elthen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG came he/she/it came he came 89
G2064-18 ἐλθεῖν elthein V AOR ACT INF to come to come to come 41
G2064-17 ἔλθῃ elthe V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG comes he/she/it may come he/she/it may come 35
G2064-48 ἐρχόμενος erchomenos V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG coming the one coming the one coming 26
G2064-27 ἐλθόντες elthontes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL having come having come having come 22
G2064-41 ἔρχομαι erchomai V PRS MID IND 1P SG I come I am coming I am coming 20
G2064-52 ἔρχονται erchontai V PRS MID IND 3P PL they come they are coming they are coming 20
G2064-47 ἐρχόμενον erchomenon V PRS MID PTCP ACC N SG coming the one coming coming 18

Occurrences in Scripture

632 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2064-24 Matthew 2:2 ἤλθομεν elthomen V AOR ACT IND 1P PL we have come we came we came
G2064-25 Matthew 2:8 ἐλθὼν elthon V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG may come having come having come
G2064-25 Matthew 2:9 ἐλθὼν elthon V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG it came having come having come
G2064-27 Matthew 2:11 ἐλθόντες elthontes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL having come having come having come
G2064-25 Matthew 2:23 ἐλθὼν elthon V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG he came having come having come
G2064-50 Matthew 3:7 ἐρχομένους erchomenous V PRS MID PTCP ACC M PL coming those coming those coming
G2064-48 Matthew 3:11 ἐρχόμενος erchomenos V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG coming the one coming the one coming
G2064-35 Matthew 3:14 ἔρχῃ erche V PRS MID IND 2P SG come you are coming are coming
G2064-47 Matthew 3:16 ἐρχόμενον erchomenon V PRS MID PTCP ACC N SG coming the one coming coming
G2064-25 Matthew 4:13 ἐλθὼν elthon V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG he came having come having come
G2064-25 Matthew 5:17 ἦλθον elthon V AOR ACT IND 1P SG I came having come I have come
G2064-25 Matthew 5:17 ἦλθον elthon-2 V AOR ACT IND 1P SG I came having come I have come
G2064-25 Matthew 5:24 ἐλθὼν elthon V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG come having come having come
G2064-22 Matthew 6:10 ἐλθέτω eltheto V AOR ACT IMP 3P SG let come let him come let it come
G2064-52 Matthew 7:15 ἔρχονται erchontai V PRS MID IND 3P PL come they are coming are coming
G2064-25 Matthew 7:25 ἦλθον elthon V AOR ACT IND 3P PL came having come came
G2064-25 Matthew 7:27 ἦλθον elthon V AOR ACT IND 3P PL came having come came
G2064-25 Matthew 8:7 ἐλθὼν elthon V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG having come having come having come
G2064-54 Matthew 8:9 ἔρχου erchou V PRS MID IMP 2P SG 'Come!' Come Come
G2064-39 Matthew 8:9 ἔρχεται erchetai V PRS MID IND 3P SG he comes comes comes
G2064-25 Matthew 8:14 ἐλθὼν elthon V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG having come having come having come
G2064-30 Matthew 8:28 ἐλθόντος elthontos V AOR ACT PTCP GEN M SG having come of the one having come of the one having come
G2064-20 Matthew 8:29 ἦλθες elthes V AOR ACT IND 2P SG have you come you came you came
G2064-19 Matthew 9:1 ἦλθεν elthen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG He came he/she/it came he came
G2064-27 Matthew 9:10 ἐλθόντες elthontes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL came having come having come
G2064-25 Matthew 9:13 ἦλθον elthon V AOR ACT IND 1P SG I came having come I came
G2064-12 Matthew 9:15 ἐλεύσονται eleusontai V FUT MID IND 3P PL will come they will come they will come
G2064-25 Matthew 9:18 ἐλθὼν elthon V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG come having come having come
G2064-25 Matthew 9:23 ἐλθὼν elthon V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG having come having come having come
G2064-28 Matthew 9:28 ἐλθόντι elthonti V AOR ACT PTCP DAT M SG having come to the one having come to the one having come
G2064-16 Matthew 10:13 ἐλθάτω elthato V AOR ACT IMP 3P SG let come let him come let it come
G2064-17 Matthew 10:23 ἔλθῃ elthe V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG comes he/she/it may come he/she/it may come
G2064-25 Matthew 10:34 ἦλθον elthon V AOR ACT IND 1P SG I came having come I have come
G2064-25 Matthew 10:34 ἦλθον elthon-2 V AOR ACT IND 1P SG I came having come I have come
G2064-25 Matthew 10:35 ἦλθον elthon V AOR ACT IND 1P SG I came having come I came
G2064-48 Matthew 11:3 ἐρχόμενος erchomenos V PRS MID PTCP NOM M SG coming the one coming the one coming
G2064-36 Matthew 11:14 ἔρχεσθαι erchesthai V PRS MID INF to come to come or go to come
G2064-19 Matthew 11:18 ἦλθεν elthen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG came he/she/it came he came
G2064-19 Matthew 11:19 ἦλθεν elthen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG came he/she/it came he came
G2064-19 Matthew 12:9 ἦλθεν elthen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG he went he/she/it came he came
G2064-19 Matthew 12:42 ἦλθεν elthen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG she came he/she/it came she came
G2064-25 Matthew 12:44 ἐλθὸν elthon V AOR ACT PTCP NOM N SG when it comes having come having come
G2064-19 Matthew 13:4 ἦλθεν elthen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG came he/she/it came came
G2064-39 Matthew 13:19 ἔρχεται erchetai V PRS MID IND 3P SG comes comes comes
G2064-19 Matthew 13:25 ἦλθεν elthen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG came he/she/it came he came
G2064-18 Matthew 13:32 ἐλθεῖν elthein V AOR ACT INF come to come to come
G2064-19 Matthew 13:36 ἦλθεν elthen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG he went he/she/it came he came
G2064-25 Matthew 13:54 ἐλθὼν elthon V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M SG having come having come having come
G2064-27 Matthew 14:12 ἐλθόντες elthontes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL went having come having come
G2064-19 Matthew 14:25 ἦλθεν elthen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG he came he/she/it came he came
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