verb
embainamō
Strong’sG1684
I embark
stem embain-17 times in the New Testamentin 5 of 27 books9 forms occur
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
To embark, get into a boat or ship, is the word's main sense in the Greek Bible, used repeatedly of Jesus and his disciples getting into a boat 124.
The word can also mean simply to step into a place, as of stepping into a pool of water 12 — though the one biblical instance of this sense is noted as omitted by some manuscripts 1.
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
ἐμ-βαίνω
[in LXX for עָלָה, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1684 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidem-ba'-hee-no
to walk on, i.e. embark (aboard a vessel), reach (a pool)
Fromfrom G1722 and the base of G939;
King Jamescome (get) into, enter (into), go (up) into, step in, take ship.
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
future -βήσομαι: perfect -βέβηκα; Epic dialect participle ἐμβεβᾰώς, -υῖα, Refs 8th c.BC+aorist 2 ἐνέβη; Epic dialect 3rd.pers. singular ἔμβη Refs 8th c.BC+:—step in, μή τις.. ἐμβήῃ let none step in (so as to interfere), Refs 5th c.BC+
2 go on, go quickly, ἔμβητον, says Antilochus to his horses, Refs 8th c.BC+advance! Refs 5th c.BC+
3 embark on a ship, ἐρέται δ᾽ ἐν ἑκάστη πεντήκοντα ἐμβέβασαν Refs 8th c.BC+; ἐς ἕτερον πλοῖον ἐ. (variant for{ἐσβ-}) Refs 5th c.BC+: absolutely, embark, Refs 5th c.BC+: generally, step into, mount, εἰς τὸ φορεῖον Refs 1st c.AD+: perfect, to be mounted on, ἵπποισι καὶ ἅρμασιν ἐμβεβαῶτα Refs 8th c.BC+
4 step upon, τῷ δ᾽ ἐγὼ ἐμβαίνων Refs 8th c.BC+; δαίμων ἐνέβη Περσῶν γενεᾷ trampled upon it, Refs 4th c.BC+: absolutely, tread on one's toes, Refs 4th c.BC+; compare βοῦς viii.
5 enter upon, ἐς τόνδε χρησμόν uncertain in Refs 5th c.BC+
5.b metaphorically, enter upon, embark in, μεγαλανορίαις Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς δεινοῖς ἐμβεβηκώς embarked, engaged in.., Refs 4th c.BC+; light upon, εἰς ἀρχήν τε καὶ τύπον τῆς δικαιοσύνης Refs 5th c.BC+: absolutely, enter upon office, Refs
6 rarely with genitive, step upon, νᾶος Refs 7th c.BC+
7 Poets, with accusative of the instrument of motion, ὄχοις.. ἐμβεβὼς πόδα Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐς ἄντλον ἐμβήσει (2nd pers. singular) πόδα Refs 5th c.BC+
8 to be fixed or fastened, κατά τι Refs 8th c.BC+; to be fixed in, εἰς ἐμπυελίδας Refs 2nd c.BC+
9 ={ἐμβατεύω}Refs 3rd c.BC+
II causal in aorist 1 ἐνέβησα, make to step in, put in, ἐν δὲ τὰ μῆλα.. ἐβήσαμεν Refs 8th c.BC+ plunge him into anxiety, Refs 5th c.BC+
III intransitive, step, march or dance, ὀρθῶς 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.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| embainataἐνέβη | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | got | 2× |
| embainanaἐνέβημεν | happened · weaorist active indicative 1st person plural | we embarked | 1× |
| embainalaἐνέβησαν | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | got | 2× |
| embainaraἐμβῆναι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | get | 2× |
| embainarōntouἐμβαίνοντος | happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive singular masculine | getting | 1× |
| embainarantosἐμβὰς | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine | got | 5× |
| embainarantonἐμβάντα | happened · objectaorist active participle accusative singular masculine | got | 2× |
| embainarantoἐμβάντι | happened · to, foraorist active participle dative singular masculine | got | 1× |
| embainarantoisἐμβάντες | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine | got | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 5 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | embainamō | embainame | embainami | embainama | embainamē | embainamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | embainasō | embainase | embainasi | embainasa | embainasē | embainaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | embainatō | embainate | embainati | embainata2×ἐνέβη | embainatē | embainatelē |
| we 1st person plural | embainanō | embainane | embainani | embainana1×ἐνέβημεν | embainanē | embainanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | embainavō | embainave | embainavi | embainava | embainavē | embainavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | embainalō | embainale | embainali | embainala2×ἐνέβησαν | embainalē | embainalelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | embainameiō | embainameia | embainameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | embainaseiō | embainaseia | embainaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | embainateiō | embainateia | embainateiē |
| we 1st person plural | embainaneiō | embainaneia | embainaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | embainaveiō | embainaveia | embainaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | embainaleiō | embainaleia | embainaleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | embainasōr | embainasar | embainasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | embainatōr | embainatar | embainatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | embainavōr | embainavar | embainavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | embainalōr | embainalar | embainalēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | embainamoiō | embainamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | embainasoiō | embainasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | embainatoiō | embainatoia |
| we 1st person plural | embainanoiō | embainanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | embainavoiō | embainavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | embainaloiō | embainaloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 2 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | embainarō | embainari | embainara2×ἐμβῆναι | embainarē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 10 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | embainarōntos1× | embainarintos | embainarantos9×ἐμβὰς | embainarēntos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
embain is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
17 occurrences, every one of them listed
embainata“got”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular2×
Matthew 15:39kai apoluarantos toin ochloin embainata eis tem ploiem, kai erchata eis …… Jesus had dismissed the crowds, He got into the boat and went to …
Luke 8:22… en hena taiu hēmeraiu kai autos embainata eis ploiem kai tois mathētois autou, …… side of the lake.” So He got into a boat with them and …
embainana“we embarked”happened · weaorist active indicative 1st person plural1×
Acts 21:6“we embarked”apaspazena allēloin, kai embainana eis tem ploiem, ekeinois de hupostrefala …… went aboard the ship, and they returned home.
embainala“got”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural2×
John 6:24… atō ekei oude tois mathētois autou, embainala autois eis teim ploiarieim kai erchala …… nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to …
John 21:3… kai nis sun si. exerchala kai embainala eis tem ploiem, kai en ekeina …… said. So they went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing …
embainara“get”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive2×
Matthew 14:22Kai eutheōs anankazata toin mathētoin embainara eis ploiem kai proagarō auton eis …Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on …
Mark 6:45Kai euthuos anankazata toin mathētoin autou embainara eis tem ploiem kai proagarō eis …Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on …
embainarōntou“getting”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive singular masculine1×
Mark 5:18kai embainarōntou autou eis tem ploiem parakalate auton …As He was getting into the boat, the man who …
embainarantos“got”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine5×
Matthew 9:1“getting”Kai embainarantos eis ploiem diaperata kai erchata eis …Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own …
Mark 8:10kai euthuos embainarantos eis tem ploiem meta toiu mathētoiu …He immediately got into the boat with His disciples …
Mark 8:13“getting into the boat”kai afiēkarantos autoin palin embainarantos aperchata eis tem peran.And He left them, got back into the boat, and crossed to the other side.
Luke 5:3embainarantos de eis henem teiu ploieiu, hem …Jesus got into the boat belonging to Simon …
Luke 8:37… hoti fobo mego sunechole; autos de embainarantos eis ploiem hupostrefata.… taken hold of them. So He got into the boat and started back.
embainaranton“got”happened · objectaorist active participle accusative singular masculine2×
Matthew 13:2… ochlois pollois, hōste auton eis ploiem embainaranton kathorō, kai pantos tos ochlos epi …… crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down …
Mark 4:1… ochlos pollotatos, hōste auton eis ploiem embainaranton kathorō en ta thalassa, kai pantos …… crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in …
embainaranto“got”happened · to, foraorist active participle dative singular masculine1×
Matthew 8:23Kai embainaranto auto eis ploiem akolouthala auto tois …When He got into the boat, His disciples followed …
embainarantois“got”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative plural masculine1×
John 6:17kai embainarantois eis ploiem archole peran tau thalassau …got into a boat, and started across …