verb
epipothamō
Greekἐπιποθέω (epipotheō)
Strong’sG1971
I long for, strain after, desire greatly
stem epipoth-9 times in the New Testamentin 7 of 27 books6 forms occur
Translated as
What it means
ἐπι-ποθέω, -ῶ
[in LXX for יָאַב, אָרַג, כָּסַף hi., etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1971 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidep-ee-poth-eh'-o
to dote upon, i.e. intensely crave possession (lawfully or wrongfully)
Fromfrom G1909 and potheo (to yearn);
King James(earnestly) desire (greatly), (greatly) long (after), lust.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Forms in the New Testament
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| epipothamōἐπιποθῶ | happening now · Ipresent active indicative 1st person singular | long | 2× |
| epipothatōἐπιποθεῖ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | yearns | 1× |
| epipothavarἐπιποθήσατε | happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural | long for | 1× |
| epipotharōtosἐπιποθῶν | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine | long | 2× |
| epipotharōtoisἐπιποθοῦντες | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine | long | 2× |
| epipotharōtoiuἐπιποθούντων | happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine | long for | 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, 3 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | epipothamō2×ἐπιποθῶ | epipothame | epipothami | epipothama | epipothamē | epipothamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | epipothasō | epipothase | epipothasi | epipothasa | epipothasē | epipothaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epipothatō1×ἐπιποθεῖ | epipothate | epipothati | epipothata | epipothatē | epipothatelē |
| we 1st person plural | epipothanō | epipothane | epipothani | epipothana | epipothanē | epipothanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | epipothavō | epipothave | epipothavi | epipothava | epipothavē | epipothavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | epipothalō | epipothale | epipothali | epipothala | epipothalē | epipothalelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | epipothameiō | epipothameia | epipothameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | epipothaseiō | epipothaseia | epipothaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epipothateiō | epipothateia | epipothateiē |
| we 1st person plural | epipothaneiō | epipothaneia | epipothaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | epipothaveiō | epipothaveia | epipothaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | epipothaleiō | epipothaleia | epipothaleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, 1 occurrence
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | epipothasōr | epipothasar | epipothasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epipothatōr | epipothatar | epipothatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | epipothavōr | epipothavar1×ἐπιποθήσατε | epipothavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | epipothalōr | epipothalar | epipothalēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | epipothamoiō | epipothamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | epipothasoiō | epipothasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epipothatoiō | epipothatoia |
| we 1st person plural | epipothanoiō | epipothanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | epipothavoiō | epipothavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | epipothaloiō | epipothaloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, no occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | epipotharō | epipothari | epipothara | epipotharē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 5 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | epipotharōtos5×ἐπιποθῶν | epipotharitos | epipotharatos | epipotharētos |
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
epipoth 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
9 occurrences, every one of them listed
epipothamō“long”happening now · Ipresent active indicative 1st person singular2×
Romans 1:11“long”epipothamō gar horara vin, hina tinem metadōameia charismem vi pneumatikem eis tem stērizira vin,For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you,
Philippians 1:8“long for”marturos gar mu tos theos, hōs epipothamō pantoin vin en splanchnei Christou Iēsu.God is my witness how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
epipothatō“yearns”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular1×
James 4:5“yearns”ē dokavō hoti kenōs tas grafas legatō; Pros fthonon epipothatō tem pneumem hem katoikizata en ni?Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to dwell in us yearns with envy?
epipothavar“long for”happened · yeaorist active imperative 2nd person plural1×
1 Peter 2:2“long for”hōs artigennēteim brefeim tem logikem adolem galem epipothavar, hina en aute auxaniveia eis sōtērēan,Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
epipotharōtos“long”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine2×
Philippians 2:26“longing for”epeidē epipotharōtos ate pantoin vin, kai adēmonarōtos dioti akouava hoti asthenata.For he has been longing for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.
2 Timothy 1:4“long”epipotharōtos sin horara, mimnēskerētos su teiu dakrueiu, hina charau plērimeiaRecalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.
epipotharōtois“long”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine2×
2 Corinthians 5:2“longing”kai gar en houte stenazanō, tem oikētēriem nu tem ek ouranou ependuera epipotharōtois,For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,
1 Thessalonians 3:6“long”Arti de ercharatou Timotheou pros nin apo vu kai euangelizeratou ni tan pistian kai tan agapan vu, kai hoti echavō mneian nu agathan pantote epipotharōtois nin horara kathaper kai nis vin,But just now, Timothy has returned from his visit with the good news about your faith, your love, and the fond memories you have preserved, longing to see us just as we long to see you.
epipotharōtoiu“long for”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine1×
2 Corinthians 9:14“long for”kai autoiu deēsia huper vu epipotharōtoiu vin dia tan huperballarōtan charian tou theou epi vi.And their prayers for you will express their affection for you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.