adverb
ekei
Strong’sG1563
there, yonder, thither
stem ekei-95 times in the New Testamentin 10 of 27 booksnever changes form
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
ἐκεῖ means "there," "in that place" — referring to a location distinct from the speaker's own, as opposed to "here." 1234
It also functions as an equivalent of "thither," "to that place" — used with verbs of motion to indicate movement toward a location rather than simply its position. 1234
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
ἐκεῖ
adv.,[in LXX chiefly for שָׁם;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1563 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidek-i'
there; by extension, thither
Fromof uncertain affinity;
King Jamesthere, thither(-ward), (to) yonder (place).
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
(not in Refs 8th c.BC+, Aeolic dialect κῆ Refs 7th c.BC+: Doric dialect τηνεῖ (which see):— adverb there, in that place, opposed to ἐνθάδε, Refs 5th c.BC+; τἀκεῖ what is or happens there, events there, LXX+5th c.BC+
2 frequently as euphemistic for ἐν Ἅιδου, in another world, κἀκεῖ δικάζει τἀμπλακήματα Ζεὺς ἄλλος Refs 5th c.BC+; οἱ ἐ. euphemistic for the dead, Refs 5th c.BC+
3 Philos., in the intelligible world, Refs 3rd c.AD+
II with Verbs of motion, for ἐκεῖσε, thither, ἐ. πλέομεν Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐ. ἀπικέσθαι variant in Refs 5th c.BC+
III rarely, of Time, then, Refs 5th c.BC+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
95 occurrences, every one of them listed
ekei94×
Matthew 2:13… kai fugasōr eis Aiguptan, kai asōr ekei heōs an legameia si; mellatō gar …… mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod …
Matthew 2:15“there”kai ate ekei heōs tau teleutau Hērōdou; hina plēriteia …… he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the …
Matthew 2:22… anti tou patrou autou Hērōdou fobita ekei aperchara; chrēmatizirantos de kata onarem anachōrata …… Herod, he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a …
Matthew 5:24afiēkasar ekei tem dōrem su emprosthen teu thusiastērieu …leave your gift there before the altar. First go and …
Matthew 6:21hopou gar atō tos thēsauros su, ekei eti kai tas kardias su.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 8:12“in that place”… ekbalili eis tem skotem tem exōterem; ekei eti tos klauthmos kai tos brugmos …… will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 12:45… pneumeim ponērotereim heauteu, kai eisercharanteim katoikatō ekei; kai genotō teim eschateim tou anthrōpou …… and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that …
Matthew 13:42“in that place”… autoin eis tan kaminosan teu pureu; ekei eti tos klauthmos kai tos brugmos …… will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:50“in that place”… autoin eis tan kaminosan teu pureu; ekei eti tos klauthmos kai tos brugmos …and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:58kai ouk poiata ekei dunamiain pollain dia tan apistian autoiu.… He did not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief.
Matthew 14:23… proseuchera. opsēau de generantau monos ate ekei.… pray. When evening came, He was there alone,
Matthew 15:29… kai anabainarantos eis tem orem kathote ekei.Moving on from there, Jesus went along the Sea of …
Matthew 17:20… legavi te ore houte; Metabainasar enthen ekei, kai metabaineti, kai oudenem adunatati vi.… this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will …
Matthew 18:20… treis sunagorēntois eis tem ēmem onomem, ekei amō en mese autoiu.… three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”
Matthew 19:2… auto ochlois pollois, kai therapeuata autoin ekei.… followed Him, and He healed them there.
Matthew 21:17“there”… tau polau eis Bēthanian, kai aulizita ekei.… out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night.
Matthew 22:11“there”… tos basilevos theasera toin anakeiorōntoin horata ekei anthrōpon ouk enduorēnton endumem gamou;But when the king came in to see the guests, he spotted a man who was not dressed in wedding clothes.
Matthew 22:13“in that place”… auton eis tem skotem tem exōterem; ekei eti tos klauthmos kai tos brugmos …… and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Matthew 24:28hopou ean ateiō tem ptōmem, ekei sunagili tois aetois.Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
Matthew 24:51“in that place”… merem autou meta toiu hupokritoiu tithati; ekei eti tos klauthmos kai tos brugmos …… pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.[’’]
Matthew 25:30“in that place”… ekbalavar eis tem skotem tem exōterem; ekei eti tos klauthmos kai tos brugmos …And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Matthew 26:36… mathētoi; Kathizavar autou heōs hou apercharantos ekei proseuchemeia.… them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
Matthew 26:71… horata auton allosas kai legatō toi ekei; Houtos ate meta Iēsu tou Nazōraiou;… him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of …
Matthew 27:36kai kathorōntois tērale auton ekei.… down, they kept watch over Him there.
Matthew 27:47tinois de toiu ekei stēarēntoiu akouarantois legale hoti Ēliaon fōnatō …When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He is …
Matthew 27:55Ale de ekei gunaikais pollais apo makrothen theōrarōntais, hotinais …And many women were there, watching from a distance. They had …
Matthew 27:61ate de ekei Mariam tas Magdalēnas kai tas allosas …… and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
Matthew 28:7… idou proagatō vin eis tan Galilaian, ekei auton horevi; idou legama vi.… going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ See, I …
Mark 1:38… eis tain echorōntain kōmopoliain, hina kai ekei kērussameia, eis houtem gar exerchama.… neighboring towns so I can preach there as well, for that is why …
Mark 2:6ale de tinois toiu grammatevoiu ekei kathorōntois kai dialogizorōntois en tai kardiai …… some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking in their hearts,
Mark 3:1… eiserchata palin eis sunagōgan, kai ate ekei anthrōpos xēranorēntan echarōntos tan cheiran.… man with a withered hand was there.
Mark 5:11ate de ekei pros te ore agelas choiroiu megas …There on the nearby hillside a large …
Mark 6:5kai ouk dunote ekei poiara oudenan dunamian, ei mē oligoi …… He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on …
Mark 6:10… autoi; Hopou ean eiserchaveia eis oikian, ekei menavōr heōs an exerchaveia ekeithen.… When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area.
Mark 6:33“there”… pezē apo pantaiu taiu polaiu suntrechala ekei kai proerchala autoin.… and recognized them. They ran together on foot from all the towns and arrived …
Mark 11:5kai tinois toiu ekei stēarēntoiu legale autoi; Tinem poiavō luarōntois …and some who were standing there asked, “Why are you untying the …
Mark 13:21… legateia; Ide hōde tos christos, Ide ekei, mē pisteuavōr;… Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.
Mark 14:15… deikati anagaiem megem strōnnuorēntem hetoimem; kai ekei hetoimazavar ni.… and ready. Make preparations for us there.”
Mark 16:7… hoti Proagatō vin eis tan Galilaian; ekei auton horevi, kathōs legata vi.… going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as …
Luke 2:6geneta de en te arō autoin ekei pimplēila tais hēmerais teu tiktara autan,While they were there, the time came for her Child …
Luke 6:6… sunagōgan kai didaskarō; kai ate anthrōpos ekei kai tas cheiras autou tas dexas …… was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.
Luke 8:32Ate de ekei agelas choiroiu hikanoiu boskorōntas en te …There on the hillside a large herd …
Luke 9:4kai eis han an oikian eiserchaveia, ekei menavōr kai ekeithen exerchovōr.Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that area.
Luke 10:6kai ean ateiō ekei huios eirēnau, epanapauiti epi auton tas …If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him …
Luke 11:26… ponērotereim heauteu hepta, kai eisercharanteim katoikatō ekei, kai genotō teim eschateim tou anthrōpou …… and they go in and dwell there. And the final plight of that …
Luke 12:18… apothēkain kai megoterain oikodomami, kai sunagami ekei panton ton siton kai teim agatheim …… and will build bigger ones, and there I will store up all my …
Luke 12:34hopou gar atō tos thēsauros vu, ekei kai tas kardias vu eti.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke 13:28“in that place”ekei eti tos klauthmos kai tos brugmos …There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth …
Luke 15:13“there”… huios apodēmata eis chōran makran, kai ekei diaskorpizata tan ousian autou zōarōntos asōtōs.… the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.
Luke 17:23kai legali vi; Idou ekei; Idou hōde; mē aperchaveia mēde diōkaveia.People will tell you, ‘Look, there He is!’ or ‘Look, here He …
Luke 17:37… de legata autoi; Hopou tem sōmem, ekei kai tois aetois episunagili.… answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”
Luke 21:2“there”horata de tinan chēran penichran balarōntan ekei lepteim duo,and He saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.
Luke 22:12kakeinos vi deikati anagaiem megem strōnnuorēntem; ekei hetoimazavar.… upper room, already furnished. Make preparations there.”
Luke 23:33… epi ton topon ton kalorōnton Kraniem, ekei staurala auton kai toin kakourgoin, hon …… called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on …
John 2:1… kai ate tas mētēras tou Iēsu ekei;… Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,
John 2:6ale de ekei lithinais hudriais hex kata ton katharismon …… stone water jars had been set there for the Jewish rites of purification …
John 2:12… adelfois kai tois mathētois autou, kai ekei menala ouk pollain hēmerain.… and His disciples, and they stayed there a few days.
John 3:22“there”… autou eis tan Ioudaian gēan, kai ekei diatribate meta autoiu kai baptizate.… Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them and baptized.
John 3:23… teu Saleim, hoti hudeim polleim ate ekei, kai paragenole kai baptizole;… Salim, because the water was plentiful there, and people kept coming to be …
John 4:6ate de ekei pēgas tou Iakōb. tos oun Iēsus …Since Jacob’s well was there, Jesus, weary from His journey, sat …
John 4:40“there”… auton menara para autoi; kai menata ekei duo hēmerain.… they asked Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days.
John 5:5ate de tinos anthrōpos ekei triakonta oktō eteim echarōntos en ta …One man there had been an invalid for thirty-eight …
John 6:3“there”… de eis tem orem Iēsus, kai ekei kathote meta toiu mathētoiu autou.Then Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down with His disciples.
John 6:22… horala hoti ploiariem allosem ouk ate ekei ei mē henem, kai hoti ouk …… that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not boarded …
John 6:24… tos ochlos hoti Iēsus ouk atō ekei oude tois mathētois autou, embainala autois …… neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and …
John 10:40… Iōannos tem prōtem baptizarōntos, kai menata ekei.… first been baptizing, and He stayed there.
John 10:42“there”kai pollois pisteuala eis auton ekei.And many in that place believed in Jesus.
John 11:8… lithazara tois Ioudaiois, kai palin hupagasō ekei?… You, and You are going back there?”
John 11:15… vin, hina pisteuaveia, hoti ouk ome ekei; alla aganeiō pros auton.… I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But …
John 11:31… hupagatō eis tem mnēmeiem hina klaiateia ekei.… going to the tomb to mourn there.
John 12:2poiala oun auto deipnem ekei, kai tas Marthas diakonate, tos de …… they hosted a dinner for Jesus there. Martha served, and Lazarus was among …
John 12:9… ochlos pollos ek toiu Ioudaioiu hoti ekei atō, kai erchala ouk dia ton …… of Jews learned that Jesus was there. And they came not only because …
John 12:26“there”… mi akolouthatōr, kai hopou amō mis ekei kai tos diakonos tos ēmos eti; …… he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well …
John 18:2… ton topon, hoti pollakis sunagita Iēsus ekei meta toiu mathētoiu autou.… place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples.
John 18:3“there”… kai ek toiu Farisaioiu hupēretoin erchotō ekei meta fanoiu kai lampadaiu kai hopleiu.… soldiers and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. They arrived at the garden carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.
John 19:42ekei oun dia tan paraskevan toiu Ioudaioiu, …… tomb was nearby, they placed Jesus there.
Acts 9:33heuriskata de ekei anthrōpon tinon onome Aineon ek eteiu …There he found a man named Aeneas …
Acts 16:1“there”… Lustran. kai idou mathētos tinos ate ekei onome Timotheos, huios gunaikau Ioudaiau pistau, …… then to Lystra, where he found a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman and a …
Acts 17:14“there”… tos tē Silos kai tos Timotheos ekei.… the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in …
Acts 19:21… legarantos hoti Meta tem genera min ekei datō min kai Rōman horara.… and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome …
Acts 25:9“there”… Paulo legata; Thelasō eis Hierosolumeim anabainarantos ekei peri houteiu krinira epi mu?… a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me on these charges?”
Acts 25:14hōs de polloterain hēmerain diatribale ekei, tos Fēstos to basilevo anatitheta teim …… out Paul’s case before the king: “There is a certain man whom Felix …
Romans 9:26“there”… legita autoi; Ouk laos mu vis, ekei kalili huiois theou zōarōntou.… it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”
Romans 15:24“there”… theasera vin kai hupo vu propempira ekei ean vu prōtem apo mereu empimplēimeia… hope to see you on my way to Spain. And after I have enjoyed your company for a while, you can equip …
Titus 3:12… spoudazasar erchara pros min eis Nikopolian, ekei gar krinamē paracheimazara.… because I have decided to winter there.
Hebrews 7:8“in that case”… hōde men dekatain apothnēskarōntois anthrōpois labalō, ekei de marturorōntos hoti zōatō.… the Levites, mortal men collect the tenth; but in the case of Melchizedek, it is affirmed that he lives on.
James 2:3“there”… ptōcho legaveia; Sis stēasar ē kathosōr ekei hupo tem hupopodiem mu,… honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,”
James 3:16hopou gar zēlos kai eritheias, ekei akatastasias kai pantem faulem pragmem.… where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil …
James 4:13… eis hōdan tan polan kai poiani ekei eniauton kai emporeueni kai kerdainani;… or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a …
Revelation 2:14“there”… echamō kata su oligeim, hoti echasō ekei kratarōntoin tan didachan Balaam, hos didaskate …But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to …
Revelation 12:6“there”… fugata eis tan erēman, hopou echatō ekei topon hetoimazorēnton apo tou theou, hina …… the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her …
Revelation 12:6“there”… topon hetoimazorēnton apo tou theou, hina ekei trefaleiō autan hēmerain chilioi diakosioi hexēkonta.… wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished for 1,260 days.
Revelation 12:14“there”… eis ton topon autau, hopou trefotō ekei kairon kai kairoin kai hēmisuem kairou …… the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.
Revelation 21:25… kleiileia hēmerau, nuktas gar ouk eti ekei,… because there will be no night there.
Ekei1×
Luke 17:21oude legali; Idou hōde ē; Ekei; idou gar tas basileias tou theou …… say, ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’ For you see, the …