verb
epistemō
Greekἐπίσταμαι (epistamai)
Strong’sG1987
I know, understand
stem epist-14 times in the New Testamentin 6 of 27 books5 forms occur
Translated as
What it means
ἐπίσταμαι
(prob. an old mid, of ἐφίστημι, q.v.), [in LXX chiefly for יָדַע;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1987 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Forms in the New Testament
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| epistemōἐπίσταμαι | happening now · Ipresent middle indicative 1st person singular | know | 2× |
| epistetōἐπίσταται | happening now · he/she/itpresent middle indicative 3rd person singular | knows | 1× |
| epistevōἐπίστασθε | happening now · yepresent middle indicative 2nd person plural | know | 5× |
| epistelōἐπίστανται | happening now · theypresent middle indicative 3rd person plural | know | 2× |
| episterōtosἐπιστάμενος | happening now · subjectpresent middle participle nominative singular masculine | knew | 4× |
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, 10 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | epistemō2×ἐπίσταμαι | episteme | epistemi | epistema | epistemē | epistemelē |
| you 2nd person singular | epistesō | epistese | epistesi | epistesa | epistesē | episteselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epistetō1×ἐπίσταται | epistete | episteti | episteta | epistetē | epistetelē |
| we 1st person plural | epistenō | epistene | episteni | epistena | epistenē | epistenelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | epistevō5×ἐπίστασθε | episteve | epistevi | episteva | epistevē | epistevelē |
| they 3rd person plural | epistelō2×ἐπίστανται | epistele | episteli | epistela | epistelē | epistelelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | epistemeiō | epistemeia | epistemeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | episteseiō | episteseia | episteseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | episteteiō | episteteia | episteteiē |
| we 1st person plural | episteneiō | episteneia | episteneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | episteveiō | episteveia | episteveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | episteleiō | episteleia | episteleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | epistesōr | epistesar | epistesēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epistetōr | epistetar | epistetēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | epistevōr | epistevar | epistevēr |
| they 3rd person plural | epistelōr | epistelar | epistelēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | epistemoiō | epistemoia |
| you 2nd person singular | epistesoiō | epistesoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epistetoiō | epistetoia |
| we 1st person plural | epistenoiō | epistenoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | epistevoiō | epistevoia |
| they 3rd person plural | episteloiō | episteloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, no occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| acts on or for itself middle voice | episterō | episteri | epistera | episterē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 4 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| acts on or for itself middle voice | episterōtos4×ἐπιστάμενος | episteritos | episteratos | episterētos |
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
epist 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
14 occurrences, every one of them listed
epistemō“know”happening now · Ipresent middle indicative 1st person singular2×
Mark 14:68“understand”tos de arneta legarōtos; Oute oidamē oute epistemō sis tinem legasō, kai exerchata exō eis tem proauliem kai alektōros fōnata.But he denied it. “I do not know or even understand what you are talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, and the rooster crowed.
Acts 19:15“know”apokriniratem de tem pneumem tem ponērem legata autoi; Ton Iēsun gnōskamō kai ton Paulon epistemō, vis de tinois avō?But one day the evil spirit responded, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
epistetō“knows”happening now · he/she/itpresent middle indicative 3rd person singular1×
Acts 26:26“knows”epistetō gar peri houteiu tos basilevos, pros hon kai parrēsiazerōtos lalamō; lanthanarō gar auton houteiu ouk peithimō oudenem, ouk gar atō en gōnia prassirētem houtem.For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.
epistevō“know”happening now · yepresent middle indicative 2nd person plural5×
Acts 10:28“know”fēate tē pros autoin; Vis epistevō hōs athemitem atō anēro Ioudaio kollirō ē prosercherō allofulo; kami tos theos deiknuata mēdenon koinon ē akatharton legarō anthrōpon;He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.
Acts 15:7“know”pollau de zētēsiau gineratau anistanaratos Petros legata pros autoin; Anēroir adelfoir, vis epistevō hoti apo hēmeraiu archaiaiu en vi eklegeta tos theos dia teu stomeu mu akouara teim ethneim ton logon teu euangelieu kai pisteuara,After much discussion, Peter got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you that the Gentiles would hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.
Acts 19:25“know”hoin sunathroizaratos kai toin peri teim toiouteim ergatoin legata; Anēroir, epistevō hoti ek houtau tau ergasiau tas euporias ni atō,Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity.
Acts 20:18“know”hōs de paraginela pros auton legata autoi; Vis epistevō apo prōtau hēmerau apo hau epibainama eis tan Asian pōs meta vu ton panton chronon ginema,When they came to him, he said, “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia.
James 4:14“know”hotinois ouk epistevō tem tau aurion poias tas zōas vu; atmias gar avō tas pros oligem fainerōtas, epeita kai afanizirōtas;You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
epistelō“know”happening now · theypresent middle indicative 3rd person plural2×
Acts 22:19“know”kamis legama; Kurior, autois epistelō hoti mis eme fulakizarōtos kai derarōtos kata tain sunagōgain toin pisteuarōtoin epi sin;‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.
Jude 1:10“understand”houtois de hoseim men ouk oidalē blasfēmalō, hoseim de fusikōs hōs teim alogeim zōeim epistelō, en houtei ftheirilō.These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively.
episterōtos“knew”happening now · subjectpresent middle participle nominative singular masculine4×
Acts 18:25“knew”houtos ate katēchirētos tan hodan tou kuriou, kai zesarōtos te pneume lalate kai didaskate akribōs teim peri tou Iēsu, episterōtos monem tem baptismem Iōannou.He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and was fervent in spirit. He spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
Acts 24:10“know”Apokrinita tē tos Paulos neuaratou auto tou hēgemōnou legarō; Ek polleiu eteiu arōton sin kriton te ethne houte episterōtos euthumōs teim peri miautou apologemō,When the governor motioned for Paul to speak, he began his response: “Knowing that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense.
1 Timothy 6:4“understands”tufitē, mēdenem episterōtos, alla nosarōtos peri zētēsiain kai logomachiain, ek haiu ginetō fthonos, eras, blasfēmiais, huponoiais ponērais,he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and disputes about words, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions,
Hebrews 11:8“knowing”Pistia kalirōtos Abraam hupakouata exerchara eis topon hon mellate lambarō eis klēronomian, kai exerchata mē episterōtos pou erchetō.By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.