verb
exestinamō
Strong’sG1832
it is permitted, lawful, possible
stem exestin-31 times in the New Testamentin 7 of 27 books2 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
ἔξεστι(ν) means it is permitted, it is lawful, it is possible 1234 — an impersonal verb used to say that something may be done. It regularly takes an infinitive to describe the action in question ("it is permitted to..."), and can specify the person concerned either with a dative or an accusative ("it is permitted for him/them to...") 13. The related form ἐξόν functions the same way, standing for "it being permitted/possible" 123.
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
ἔξ-εστι
(< εἰμί),
impers. verb.,G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1832 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidex'-es-tee
so also ἐξόν neuter present participle of the same (with or without some form of G1510 expressed); impersonally, it is right (through the figurative idea of being out in public)
Fromthird person singular present indicative of a compound of G1537 and G1510;
King Jamesbe lawful, let, X may(-est).
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
imperative ἐξέστω, subjunctive ἐξῇ, infinitive ἐξεῖναι, participle ἐξόν: imperfect ἐξῆν: future ἐξέσται, optative ἐξέσοιτο Refs 5th c.BC+participle ἐξεσόμενον (see. below): impersonal (see. ἔξειμι B):—it is allowed, is possible, with infinitive, Refs 5th c.BC+: with dative person et infinitive,Refs 5th c.BC+'licet esse beatis', Refs 4th c.BC+: with accusative instead of second dative, ἔ. ὑμῖν φίλους γενέσθαι Refs 5th c.BC+: with accusative person et infinitive, Refs 5th c.BC+participle absolutely, ἐξεόν τοι.. ἕτερα ποιέειν since it was possible for thee to.., 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| exestinatōἔξεστιν | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | lawful | 28× |
| exestinarōntemἐξὸν | happening now · subjectpresent active participle direct singular neuter | may | 3× |
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, 28 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | exestinamō | exestiname | exestinami | exestinama | exestinamē | exestinamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | exestinasō | exestinase | exestinasi | exestinasa | exestinasē | exestinaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | exestinatō28×ἔξεστιν | exestinate | exestinati | exestinata | exestinatē | exestinatelē |
| we 1st person plural | exestinanō | exestinane | exestinani | exestinana | exestinanē | exestinanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | exestinavō | exestinave | exestinavi | exestinava | exestinavē | exestinavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | exestinalō | exestinale | exestinali | exestinala | exestinalē | exestinalelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | exestinameiō | exestinameia | exestinameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | exestinaseiō | exestinaseia | exestinaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | exestinateiō | exestinateia | exestinateiē |
| we 1st person plural | exestinaneiō | exestinaneia | exestinaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | exestinaveiō | exestinaveia | exestinaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | exestinaleiō | exestinaleia | exestinaleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | exestinasōr | exestinasar | exestinasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | exestinatōr | exestinatar | exestinatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | exestinavōr | exestinavar | exestinavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | exestinalōr | exestinalar | exestinalēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | exestinamoiō | exestinamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | exestinasoiō | exestinasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | exestinatoiō | exestinatoia |
| we 1st person plural | exestinanoiō | exestinanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | exestinavoiō | exestinavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | exestinaloiō | exestinaloia |
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 | exestinarō | exestinari | exestinara | exestinarē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 3 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | exestinarōntos3× | exestinarintos | exestinarantos | exestinarēntos |
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
exestin 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.
31 occurrences, every one of them listed
exestinatō“lawful”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular28×
Matthew 12:2“lawful”… tois mathētois su poialō hem ouk exestinatō poiarō en sabbate.… Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
Matthew 12:10… xēran. kai eperōtala auton legarōntois; Ei exestinatō tei sabbatei therapeuarō? hina katēgoraleia autou.… Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”
Matthew 12:12pose oun diaferatō anthrōpos probateu. hōste exestinatō tei sabbatei kalōs poiarō.… than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”
Matthew 14:4legate gar auto tos Iōannos; Ouk exestinatō si echarō autan;… been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Matthew 19:3… Farisaiois peirazarōntois auton kai legarōntois; Ei exestinatō anthrōpo apoluara tan gunaikan autou kata …… tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his …
Matthew 20:15ouk exestinatō mi hem thelamō poiara en tei …Do I not have the right to do as I please with …
Matthew 22:17legasar oun ni tinem si dokatō; exestinatō dōara kēnson Kaisaro ē ou?… us what You think: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or …
Matthew 27:6“lawful”… archierevois labarantois teim argurieim legala; Ouk exestinatō balara auteim eis ton korbanon, epei …The chief priests picked up the pieces of silver and said, “It is unlawful to put this into the treasury, since it is …
Mark 2:24“lawful”… tinem poialō tei sabbatei hem ouk exestinatō?… Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
Mark 2:26… artoin tau prothesiau esthiata, hoin ouk exestinatō esthiara ei mē toin hierevoin, kai …… ate the consecrated bread, which was lawful only for the priests. And he …
Mark 3:4kai legatō autoi; Exestinatō tei sabbatei agathopoiara ē kakopoiara, psuchan …And He asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good …
Mark 6:18… tos Iōannos to Hērōdo hoti Ouk exestinatō si echarō tan gunaikan tou adelfou …… been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s …
Mark 10:2Kai eperōtale auton ei exestinatō andro gunaikan apoluara, peirazarōntois auton.… came to test Him. “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his …
Mark 12:14… alētheiau tan hodan tou theou didaskasō; exestinatō dōara kēnson Kaisaro ē ou? dōaneia …… accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or …
Luke 6:2“lawful”… Farisaioiu legala; Tinem poiavō hem ouk exestinatō tei sabbatei?… of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
Luke 6:4… dōata toi meta autou, hoin ouk exestinatō esthiara ei mē monoin toin hierevoin?… his companions, and ate what is lawful only for the priests to eat.”
Luke 6:9… Iēsus pros autoin; Eperōtamō vin, ei exestinatō te sabbate agathopoiara ē kakopoiara, psuchan …… them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good …
Luke 14:3… pros toin nomikoin kai Farisaioin legarōntos; Exestinatō te sabbate therapeuara ē ou?… law and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or …
Luke 20:22exestinatō nin Kaisaro foron dōara ē ou?Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to …
John 5:10“lawful”… to therapeuorēnto; Sabbatem atō, kai ouk exestinatō si airara ton krabatton.… said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath! It is unlawful for you to carry your mat.”
John 18:31… legala auto tois Ioudaiois; Ni ouk exestinatō apoktenara oudenon;… Pilate told them. “We are not permitted to execute anyone,” the Jews replied.
Acts 16:21“lawful”kai katangelalō etheim heim ouk exestinatō ni paradechorō oude poiarō Rōmaioi arōntoi.by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”
Acts 21:37… tos Paulos legatō to chiliarcho; Ei exestinatō mi legara tinem pros sin? tos …… the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do …
Acts 22:25… Paulos; Ei anthrōpon Rōmaion kai akatakriton exestinatō vi mastizarō?… the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman …
1 Corinthians 6:12“lawful”Panteim mi exestinatō; alla ouk panteim sumferatō. panteim mi …… permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I …
1 Corinthians 6:12“lawful”… alla ouk panteim sumferatō. panteim mi exestinatō; alla ouk mis exousiazimi hupo tineu.… for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.
1 Corinthians 10:23“lawful”Panteim exestinatō; alla ouk panteim sumferatō. panteim exestinatō; …… is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is …
1 Corinthians 10:23“lawful”… exestinatō; alla ouk panteim sumferatō. panteim exestinatō; alla ouk panteim oikodomatō.… is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is …
exestinarōntem“may”happening now · subjectpresent active participle direct singular neuter3×
Matthew 12:4… artoin tau prothesiau esthiala, hem ouk exestinarōntem ate auto esthiara oude toi meta …… the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for them to eat, but only …
Acts 2:29“may”Androir adelfoir, exestinarōntem legara meta parrēsiau pros vin peri …Brothers, I can tell you with confidence that the …
2 Corinthians 12:4… kai akouata arrēteim rēmeim heim ouk exestinarōntem anthrōpo lalara.… inexpressible, things that man is not permitted to tell.