verb
epithumamō
Greekἐπιθυμέω (epithumeō)
Strong’sG1937
I long for, covet, lust after
stem epithum-16 times in the New Testamentin 11 of 27 books12 forms occur
Translated as
What it means
ἐπιθυμέω, -ῶ
(< θυμός), [in LXX chiefly for אָוָה pi., hithp.; also for חָמַד, etc.;]
SYN.: ὀρέγω (cf. Field, Notes, 204), θέλω (DCG. i, 453a)
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1937 — 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| epithumatōἐπιθυμεῖ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | desires | 2× |
| epithumanōἐπιθυμοῦμεν | happening now · wepresent active indicative 1st person plural | desire | 1× |
| epithumavōἐπιθυμεῖτε | happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural | desire | 1× |
| epithumalōἐπιθυμοῦσιν | happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural | long | 1× |
| epithumateἐπεθύμει | was happening · he/she/itimperfect active indicative 3rd person singular | longing | 1× |
| epithumasiἐπιθυμήσεις | will happen · youfuture active indicative 2nd person singular | covet | 2× |
| epithumaviἐπιθυμήσετε | will happen · yefuture active indicative 2nd person plural | long | 1× |
| epithumaliἐπιθυμήσουσιν | will happen · theyfuture active indicative 3rd person plural | long | 1× |
| epithumamaἐπεθύμησα | happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular | desired | 2× |
| epithumalaἐπεθύμησαν | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | longed | 2× |
| epithumaraἐπιθυμῆσαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | lust | 1× |
| epithumarōtosἐπιθυμῶν | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine | longing | 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, 14 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | epithumamō | epithumame | epithumami | epithumama2×ἐπεθύμησα | epithumamē | epithumamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | epithumasō | epithumase | epithumasi2×ἐπιθυμήσεις | epithumasa | epithumasē | epithumaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epithumatō2×ἐπιθυμεῖ | epithumate1×ἐπεθύμει | epithumati | epithumata | epithumatē | epithumatelē |
| we 1st person plural | epithumanō1×ἐπιθυμοῦμεν | epithumane | epithumani | epithumana | epithumanē | epithumanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | epithumavō1×ἐπιθυμεῖτε | epithumave | epithumavi1×ἐπιθυμήσετε | epithumava | epithumavē | epithumavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | epithumalō1×ἐπιθυμοῦσιν | epithumale | epithumali1×ἐπιθυμήσουσιν | epithumala2×ἐπεθύμησαν | epithumalē | epithumalelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | epithumameiō | epithumameia | epithumameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | epithumaseiō | epithumaseia | epithumaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epithumateiō | epithumateia | epithumateiē |
| we 1st person plural | epithumaneiō | epithumaneia | epithumaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | epithumaveiō | epithumaveia | epithumaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | epithumaleiō | epithumaleia | epithumaleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | epithumasōr | epithumasar | epithumasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epithumatōr | epithumatar | epithumatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | epithumavōr | epithumavar | epithumavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | epithumalōr | epithumalar | epithumalēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | epithumamoiō | epithumamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | epithumasoiō | epithumasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | epithumatoiō | epithumatoia |
| we 1st person plural | epithumanoiō | epithumanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | epithumavoiō | epithumavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | epithumaloiō | epithumaloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | epithumarō | epithumari | epithumara1×ἐπιθυμῆσαι | epithumarē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | epithumarōtos1×ἐπιθυμῶν | epithumaritos | epithumaratos | epithumarētos |
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
epithum 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
16 occurrences, every one of them listed
epithumatō“desires”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular2×
Galatians 5:17“desires”tas gar sarxas epithumatō kata teu pneumeu, tem de pneumem kata tau sarxau, houteim gar allēlei antikeietō, hina mē heim ean thelaveiō houteim poiaveiō.For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.
1 Timothy 3:1“desires”Pistos tos logos; ei tinos episkopau oregetō, kaleu ergeu epithumatō.This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble task.
epithumanō“desire”happening now · wepresent active indicative 1st person plural1×
Hebrews 6:11“desire”epithumanō de hekaston vu tan autan endeiknuerō spoudan pros tan plēroforian tau elpiau achri teleu,We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.
epithumavō“desire”happening now · yepresent active indicative 2nd person plural1×
James 4:2“desire”epithumavō, kai ouk echavō; foneuavō kai zēlavō, kai ouk dunevō epitunchanara; machevō kai polemavō. ouk echavō dia tem mē aiterō vin;You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.
epithumalō“long”happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural1×
1 Peter 1:12“long”hoi apokaluptita hoti ouk heautoi vi de diakonale auteim, heim nun anangellita vi dia toiu euangelizeratoiu vin pneume hagie apostelirate apo ouranou, eis heim epithumalō angelois parakuptara.It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
epithumate“longing”was happening · he/she/itimperfect active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Luke 15:16“longing”kai epithumate gemizara tan koilian autou apo teiu keratieiu heiu esthiale tois choirois, kai oudenos dōate auto.He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing.
epithumasi“covet”will happen · youfuture active indicative 2nd person singular2×
Romans 7:7“covet”Tinem oun legani? tos nomos hamartas? mē ginetoia; alla tan hamartan ouk gnōskama ei mē dia nomou, tan tē gar epithumian ouk oidamelē ei mē tos nomos legate; Ouk epithumasi;What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin if not for the law. For I would not have been aware of coveting if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”
Romans 13:9“covet”tem gar; Ouk moicheuasi, Ouk foneuasi, Ouk kleptasi, Ouk epithumasi, kai ei tinas heteras entolas, en to logo houto anakefalaiitō, en to; Agapasi ton plēsion su hōs siauton.The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
epithumavi“long”will happen · yefuture active indicative 2nd person plural1×
Luke 17:22“long”Legata de pros toin mathētoin; Ercheli hēmerais hote epithumavi henan taiu hēmeraiu tou huiou tou anthrōpou horara kai ouk horevi.Then He said to the disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
epithumali“long”will happen · theyfuture active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Revelation 9:6“long”kai en tai hēmerai ekeinai zētali tois anthrōpois ton thanaton kai ouk mē heuriskali auton, kai epithumali apothnēskara kai feugatō tos thanatos apo autoiu.In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, but death will escape them.
epithumama“desired”happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular2×
Luke 22:15“desired”kai legata pros autoin; Epithumia epithumama houtem tem pascha esthiara meta vu pro teu min paschara;And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering.
Acts 20:33“coveted”argurieu ē chrusieu ē himatismou oudenou epithumama;I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.
epithumala“longed”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural2×
Matthew 13:17“longed”amēn gar legamō vi hoti pollois profētois kai dikaiois epithumala horara heim blepavō kai ouk horala, kai akouara heim akouavō kai ouk akouala.For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
1 Corinthians 10:6“desired”Houteim de tupois nu ginila, eis tem mē arō nin epithumētoin kakeiu, kathōs kakeinois epithumala.These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.
epithumara“lust”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive1×
Matthew 5:28“lust”mis de legamō vi hoti pantos tos bleparōtos gunaikan pros tem epithumara autan ēdē moicheuata autan en ta kardia autou.But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
epithumarōtos“longing”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine1×
Luke 16:21“longing”kai epithumarōtos chortazira apo teiu piptarōteiu apo tau trapezau tou plousiou; alla kai tois kuōnois ercherōtois epileichale teim helkeim autou.and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.