Menu
G1437 ἐάν (eán)
Greek
CONDitional + KAI in crasis
‹ G1436 Greek Dictionary G1438 ›

Quick Definition

if

Strong's Definition

a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty

Derivation: from G1487 (εἰ) and G302 (ἄν);

KJV Usage: before, but, except, (and) if, (if) so, (what-, whither-)soever, though, when (-soever), whether (or), to whom, (who-)so(-ever)

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

ἐάν; I. a conditional particle (derived from εἰ ἄν), which makes reference to time and to experience, introducing something future, but not determining, before the event, whether it is certainly to take place; if, in case, (Latinsi; German wenn; im Fall, dass; falls; wofern); cf., among others, Hermann ad Viger., p. 832; Klotz ad Devar. ii. 2, p. 450ff; Winers Grammar, 291f (273f). It is connected: 1. with the subjunctive, according to the regular usage of the more ancient and elegant classic writers. a. with the subjunctive present: Mat_6:22 (ἐάν οὖν ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἁπλοῦς ἤ, if it be the case, as to which I do not know, that thine eye etc.); Mat_6:23; Mat_17:20; Luk_10:6; Joh_7:17; Joh_8:54 (R G L marginal reading); ; Act_5:38; Act_13:41; Rom_2:25; 1Co_9:16; Gal_5:2; 1Ti_1:8 (not Lachmann); Heb_13:23; 1Jn_1:9; 1Jn_2:3; 1Jn_2:15 etc. b. with the subjunctive aorist, corresponding to the Latin future perfect: Mat_4:9 (ἐάν προσκυνήσῃς μοι, if thou shalt have worshipped me); Mat_5:46; Mat_9:21; Mar_3:24; Mar_9:50 Luk_14:34; Luk_17:4; Luk_20:28; Joh_5:43; Joh_11:57; Rom_7:2; Rom_10:9; 1Co_7:8; 1Co_7:39; 1Co_8:10; 1Co_16:10 (ἐάν ἔλθῃ Τιμόθεος; for although he was already on his way to Corinth, yet some hindrance might still prevent his arriving); 2Co_9:4; Gal_6:1; Jas_2:2; 1Jn_5:16 (Lachmann present); Rev_3:20, and often; also in the oratio obliqua, where the better Greek writers use the optative: Joh_9:22; Joh_11:57; Act_9:2 (Winers Grammar, 294 (276); (cf. Buttmann, 224 (193))). The difference between the present and the aorist may be seen especially from the following passages: 2Ti_2:5 ἐάν δέ καί ἀθλῇ τίς, οὐ στεφανοῦται, ἐάν μή νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ, 1Co_14:23 ἐάν οὖν συνέλθῃ ἡ ἐκκλησία ... καί πάντες γλώσσαις λαλῶσιν, εἰσέλθωσι δέ ἰδιῶται ἤ ἀπ', 1Co_14:24 ἐάν δέ πάντες προφητεύωσιν, εἰσέλθῃ δέ τίς ἄπιστος, Mat_21:21 ἐάν ἔχητε πίστιν καί μή διακριθῆτε. Also εἰ ("quod per se nihil significat praeter conditionem," Klotz, the passage cited, p. 455) and ἐάν are distinguished in propositions subjoined the one to the other (Winer's Grammar, 296 (277f)): Joh_13:17 εἰ ταῦτα οἴδατε, μακάριοι ἐστε, ἐάν ποιῆτε αὐτά, Joh_3:12; 1Co_7:36; in statements antithetic, Act_5:38 f; or parallel, Mar_3:24-26. Finally, where one of the evangelists uses εἰ, another has ἐάν, but so that each particle retains its own force, inasmuch as one and the same thing is differently conceived of by the different minds: Mar_9:43 ἐάν σκανδαλίζῃ (σκανδαλίσῃ L marginal reading T WH text) ἡ χείρ σου, and Mar_9:47 ἐάν ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου σκανδαλίζῃ σε, i. e. if so be that, etc.; on the other hand, Matthew, in Mat_18:8 f and Mat_5:29 f concerning the same thing says εἰ. c. irregularly, but to be explained as an imitation of the Hebrew ΰΔν which is also a particle of time (cf. Gesenius, Thesaurus, under the word, 4), ἐάν with the subjunctive aorist is used of things which the speaker or writer thinks will certainly take place, where ὅταν, when, whenever, should have been used: ἐάν ὑψωθῶ, Joh_12:32; ἐάν πορευθῶ, Joh_14:3; ἐάν φανερωθῇ, 1Jn_2:28 (L T Tr WH, for ὅταν R G); 1Jn_3:2; ἐάν ἀκούσητε, Heb_3:7 from Psa_94:8 (); (ἐάν εἰσέλθῃς εἰς τόν νυμφῶνα, Tob_6:17 (16) (others, ὅταν); ἐάν ἀποθάνω, θάψον με, Tob_4:3, cf. Tob_4:4 ὅταν ἀποθάνῃ, θάψον αὐτήν; for ΰΔν when, Isa_24:13; Amo_7:2). d. sometimes when the particle is used with the subjunctive aorist the futurity of a thing is not so much affirmed as imagined, it being known to be something which never could happen: ἐάν εἴπῃ ὁ πούς, if the foot should say, or were to say, 1Co_12:15; ἐάν ἔλθω πρός ὑμᾶς γλώσσαις λαλῶν, 1Co_14:6. 2. by a somewhat negligent use, met with from the time of Aristotle on, ἐάν is connected also with the indicative (cf. Klotz, the passage cited, p. 468ff; Kühner, § 575 Anm. 5; Winers Grammar, 295 (277); Buttmann, 221f (191f); Tdf. Proleg., p. 124f; WHs Appendix, p. 171; Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word; Vincent and Dickson, Modern Greek, 2nd edition, Appendix, § 77); and a. with the future indicative, in meaning akin, as is well known, to the subjunctive: (ἐάν δύο συμφωνησουσιν, Mat_18:19 T Tr); ἐάν οὗτοι σιωπησουσι, Luk_19:40 L T Tr WH; ἐάν ... ὁδηγήσει, Act_8:31 T Tr WH (ἐάν βεβηλώσουσιν αὐτά, Lev_22:9); but also b. with the present indicative: ἐάν δανείζετε, Luk_6:34 L marginal reading Tr text; ἐάν στήκετε, 1Th_3:8 T Tr text WH; ἐάν τέ ἀποθνῄσκομεν, Rom_14:8 Lachmann with an preterite indicative, but one having the force of a present: ἐάν (Lachmann ἄν) οἴδαμεν, 1Jn_5:15 without variant. 3. ἐάν joined with other particles; a. ἐάν δέ καί, but if also, but even if, (A. V. but and if (retained by R. V. in 1 Cor.)); with the subjunctive: Mat_18:17; 1Co_7:11; 1Co_7:28; 2Ti_2:5. b. ἐάν καί: Gal_6:1. c. ἐάν μή, if not, unless, except; with the subjunctive present: Mat_10:13; Luk_13:3 (Lachmann text aorist); Act_15:1 (Rec.); 1Co_8:8; 1Co_9:16 (R G L marginal reading T WH marginal reading); Jas_2:17; 1Jn_3:21; with the subjunctive aorist: Mat_6:15; Mat_18:35; Mar_3:27; Joh_3:8; Joh_8:24; 1 Corinthians 14:6 f, 9 ; Rom_10:15; ( R L); 2Ti_2:5; Rev_2:5; Rev_2:22 (R L), and often. with the indicative present: ἐάν μή πιστεύετε, Joh_10:38 Tdf. In some passages, although the particles ἐάν μή retain their native force of unless, if not, yet, so far as the sense is concerned, one may translate them, but that, without: Mat_26:42 (the cup cannot pass by without my drinking. it); οὐ γάρ ἐστιν κρυπτόν, ἐάν μή φανερωθῇ (Treg.), there is nothing hid, but that it shall be made manifest (properly, nothing whatever is hid, except that it should be made manifest), Mar_4:22; οὐδείς ἐστιν, ὅς ἀφῆκεν οἰκίαν ... ἐάν μή λάβῃ, but that shall receive (properly, unless he shall receive ... it cannot be said that anyone has left), Mar_10:29-30 (cf. Buttmann, § 149, 6. On the supposed use of ἐάν μή (εἰ μή) as equivalent to ἀλλά, cf. Meyer on Mat_12:4; Gal_1:7; Gal_2:16; Fritzsche on Rom_14:14 at the end; Ellicott and Lightfoot on Galatians, at the passages cited. See εἰ, III. 8 c. β.) d. ἐάνπερ (L Tr separately, ἐάν περ) if only, if indeed: Heb_3:6 (where L brackets περ, and T Tr WH read ἐάν), ; ; it occurs neither in the Sept. nor in the O. T. Apocrypha; on its use in Greek writings cf. Klotz, the passage cited, p. 483f. e. ἐάν τέ ... ἐάν τέ,sive ...sive, whether ... or: Rom_14:8; (often in the Sept. for ΰΔν ... ΰΔν, as Exo_19:13; Lev_3:1; Deu_18:3). Cf. Klotz, the passage cited, p. 479f; Kühner, § 541; (Buttmann, 221 (191)). f. κἄν for καί ἐάν, see κἄν. II. The classic use of the conditional particle ἐάν also in the contracted form ἄν (see p. 34{b} above) seems to have led the biblical writers of both Testaments to connect ἐάν, with relative pronouns and adverbs instead of the potential particle ἄν, as ὅς ἐάν (so Tdf. in 12 places), ὁ ἐάν (so Tdf. uniformly), etc. (this use among secular writings is very doubtful, cf. Winers Grammar, p. 310 (291); Buttmann, 72 (63)): Mat_5:19; Mat_10:14 (R G); ; Mar_6:22; Luk_9:48 (WH ἄν); ; Act_7:7 (R G T); 1Co_6:18; Eph_6:8 (R G L text); 3Jn_1:5, etc.; ὅπου ἐάν, Mat_8:19; Mat_26:13; Mar_6:10 (L Tr ἄν). ὁσάκις ἐάν, Rev_11:6. οὗ ἐάν, 1Co_16:6 (1Ma_6:36). καθό ἐάν, 2Co_8:12 (Tdf. ἄν; ὅστις ἐάν, Gal_5:10 T Tr WH; ἥτις ἐάν, Act_3:23 Tdf. For many other examples see Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word, ἐάν, 3.) In many places the manuscripts vary between ἐάν and ἄν; cf. ἄν, II., p. 34; (and especially Tdf. Proleg., p. 96). STRONGS NT 1437a: ἐάνπερἐάνπερ, see ἐάν I. 3 d.

Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary

ἐάν ean 350x if, ἐὰν μή , except, unless; also equivalent to ἀλλά , Gal_2:16 . Ἐάν , in NT as in the later Greek, is substituted for ἄν after relative words, Mat_5:19 . Tends to be an indicator for the subjunctive mood. ἐάνπερ eanper 3x if it be that, if indeed, if at all events, Heb_3:6 ; Heb_3:14 ; Heb_6:3

Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon

ἐάν , contr . fr. εἰ ἄν , conditional particle, representing something as "under certain circumstances actual or liable to happen," but not so definitely expected as in the case of εἰ c . ind, (El., § 65, 4; cf. Joh_13:17 , 1Co_7:36 ), if haply, if; 1. c . subjc . ( cl .); (a) Pres .: Mat_6:22 , Luk_10:6 , Joh_7:17 , Rom_2:25-26 , al. ; (b) aor. ( = Lat. fut . pf .): Mat_4:9 ; Mat_16:26 ( cf. ptcp . in Luk_9:25 ; M , Pr., 230), Mar_3:24 , Luk_14:34 , Joh_5:43 , Rom_7:2 , al. ; = cl . εἰ , c . opt., Joh_9:22 ; Joh_11:57 , Act_9:2 ; as Heb . H518 = ὅταν , Joh_12:32 ; Joh_14:3 , 1Jn_2:28 ; 1Jn_3:2 , Heb_3:7 ( LXX ). 2. C . indic . (as in late writers, fr. Arist . on; v. WH , App ., 171; VD, MGr .2, App ., § 77; Deiss., BS , 201 f ., LAE , 155, 254; M , Pr., 168, 187; BI., § 65, 4); (a) fut .: Mat_18:19 T , Luk_19:40 , Act_7:7 ; (b) pres.: 1Th_3:8 ( v. Milligan , in l ). 3. With other particles: ἐ . καί (B1., § 65, 6), Gal_6:1 ; ἐ . μή ( M , Pr., 185, 187; B1., l.c .), c . subjc . Pres ., Mat_10:13 , 1Co_8:8 , Jas_2:17 , 1Jn_3:21 ; aor. , Mat_6:15 , Mar_3:27 , Joh_3:3 , Rom_10:15 , Gal_1:8 ; Gal_2:16 ( v. Lft ., Ellic ., in ll ); ἐ . τε . . . ἐ . τε ,, [in LXX for H518 . . . H518 , Exo_19:13 , al. ,] Rom_14:8 . 4. = cl . ἄν ( q.v. ), after relat. pronouns and adverbs ( Tdf., Pr. , 96; WH , App ., 173; M , Pr., 42 f .; Bl., § 26, 4; Mayser , 152 f .; Deiss., BS , 202 ff .): ὃς ἐ ., Mat_5:19 , Mar_6:22-23 Luk_17:33 , 1Co_6:18 , al. ; ὅπου ἐ ., Mat_8:19 ; ὁσάκις ἐ ., Rev_11:6 ; οὗ ἐ ., 1Co_16:6 ; καθὸ ἐ , 2Co_8:12 ; ὅστις ἐ ., Gal_5:10 .

Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT

ἐάν / ἐάνπερ [page 177] ἐάν The difference between ἐάν and εἰ is considerably lessened in Hellenistic Greek, with the result that the former is found fairly frequently with the ind. (as in Luk_19:40 , Act_8:31 , 1Th_3:8 , 1Jn_5:15 ), e.g. P Par 62 viii. 8 ( c. B.C. 170) ἐὰν δ᾽ ὑπερβόλιόν ἐνέστη , ib. 18 .10 (Imperial period?) ἐὰν μάχουσιν (or -οῦσιν ) μετ᾽ ἐσοῦ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου , P Tebt I. 58 .55 (B.C. 111) ἐὰν δεῖ σε συνπεσῖν τῶι Ἀνικήτωι σύνπεσαι , if you must meet Anicetus, meet him, P Amh II. 93 .24 (A.D. 181) ἐὰν φαίνεται μισθῶσαι , and P Oxy VIII. 1157 .15 (late iii/A.D.) ἐὰν δὲ ἦσαν . See further Deissmann BS p. 201 f. and Proleg. p. 168, where attention is also drawn to the ambiguous ἐὰν ἦν , which is normally to be read ἦ , cf. Moulton CR xv. pp. 38, 436. The following exx. of conditional ἐάν may be cited from P Ryl II. 153 .21 (A.D. 138 61) ὡς ἐὰν αὐτοὶ δο [κῶσι χορηγοῦντα ]ς , 154 .28 (A.D. 66) οἷα ἐὰν . . ἐγβῆι , 155 .21 (A.D. 138 61) ω̣[στε ἐὰν αἱρῆται , 163 .18 (A.D. 139) ὁπηνίκα ἐὰν αἱρῇ . See also s.v. ἄν . ἐάνπερ For this intensive particle which in Bibl. Greek is confined to Heb_3:14 (contrast v. 6), 6 .3 , cf. BGU IV. 1141 .80 (B.C. 14) διασαφήσουσιν οὓς ἀπέσταλκες , ἐάνπερ μὴ θ̣ελήσωσιν προσχαρίσασθαι συνδούλωι , P Fay 124 .9 (ii/A.D.) ἐάνπερ μὴ εὐ [γ ]νομωνῇς ( l. εὐγνωμονῇς ) τὰ πρὸς τὴν μητέρα , if so be you are unfair in your conduct towards your mother.

Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon

ἐάν [Etym: compounded of εἰ ἄν] [Etym: ἐα?ν contracts into ἤν and ἄν] "if haply", if, followed by subj. (whereas εἰ is foll. by ind. or opt.), epic εἴ κε, αἴ κε. in NTest. ἐάν is used just like the adverb ἄν after relative Pronouns and Conjunctions, as ὃς ἐάν "whosoever", ὅσος ἐάν, ὅστις ἐάν, ὅπου ἐάν, etc.

STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon

ἐάν, contr. fr. εἰ ἄν, conditional particle, representing something as "under certain circumstances actual or liable to happen," but not so definitely expected as in the case of εἰ with ind. (Bl., §65, 4; cf. Jhn.13:17, 1Co.7:36), if haply, if; __1. with subjc. (cl.); __(a) pres.: Mat.6:22, Luk.10:6, Jhn.7:17, Rom.2:25, 26 al.; { __(b) aor. (= Lat. fut. pf.): Mat.4:9 16:26 (cf. ptcp. in Luk.9:25; M, Pr., 230), Mrk.3:24, Luk.14:34, Jhn.5:43, Rom.7:2, al.; = cl. εἰ, with opt., Jhn.9:22 11:57, Act.9:2; as Heb. אִם = ὅταν, Jhn.12:32 14:3, I Jhn.2:28 3:2, Heb.3:7" (LXX) . __2. C. indic, (as in late writers, fr. Arist. on; see WH, App., 171; VD, MGr. 2, App., §77; Deiss., BS, 201f., LAE, 155, 254; M, Pr., 168, 187; Bl., §65, 4); __(a) fut.: Mat.18:19 T, Luk.19:40, Act.7:7; __(b) pres.: 1Th.3:8 (see Milligan, in l.). __3. With other particles: ἐ. καί (Bl., §65, 6), Gal.6:1; ἐ. μή (M, Pr., 185, 187; Bl., l.with), with subjc. pres., Mat.10:13, 1Co.8:8, Jas.2:17, 1Jn.3:21; aor., Mat.6:15, Mrk.3:27, Jhn.3:3, Rom.10:15, Gal.1:8 2:16 (see Lft., Ellic., in ll.); ἐ. τε . . . ἐ. τε, [in LXX for אִם . . . אִם, Est.19:13, al.,] Rom.14:8. __4. = cl. ἄν (which see) after relat. pronouns and adverbs (Tdf., Pr., 96; WH, App., 173; M, Pr., 42f.; Bl., §26, 4; Mayser, 152f.; Deiss., BS, 202ff.): ὃς ἐ., Mat.5:19, Mrk.6:22, 23 Luk.17:32, 1Co.6:18, al.; ὅπου ἐ., Mat.8:19; ὁσάκις ἐ., Rev.11:6; οὗ ἐ., 1Co.16:6; καθὸ ἐ., 2Co.8:12; ὅστις ἐ., Gal.5:10. (AS)

Bible Occurrences (311)

6:8
2:3

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate