verb
keiomō
Strong’sG2749
I lie, recline, am laid
stem kei-24 times in the New Testamentin 10 of 27 books11 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
κεῖμαι means to lie or be laid down, describing the physical position of a person or thing. 124 It is used of an infant lying in a place, of a dead body laid out, and of objects such as a lampstand, water jars, a burial cloth, or a stone set or lying somewhere; it can also describe a city or building as measured out or standing in a given form. 1 More broadly it covers being outstretched, laid up, or set in place. 2
The word is also used metaphorically to mean laid down, appointed, or set for a purpose or condition. 12 It describes a law as laid down for a certain class of people, a person or thing as appointed or destined for something, or, figuratively, the whole world as lying under the power of evil. 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
κεῖμαι,
[in LXX: Je 24:1 (יעד hoph.), al.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2749 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidki'-mahee
to lie outstretched (literally or figuratively)
Frommiddle voice of a primary verb;
King Jamesbe (appointed, laid up, made, set), lay, lie.
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
Refs 8th c.BC+, Ionic dialect κέᾰται Refs 8th c.BC+; imperative κεῖσο, κείσθω, Refs 8th c.BC+; subjunctive 3rd.pers. singular κέηται Refs 8th c.BC+; optative 3rd.pers. singular κέοιτο Refs 5th c.BC+; infinitive κεῖσθαι Refs 8th c.BC+; participle κεί μενος Refs 8th c.BC+: imperfect ἐκείμην Refs 8th c.BC+, Epic dialect κείμην Refs; Epic dialect 3rd.pers. singular κέσκετο Refs; Ionic dialect 3rd.pers. plural ἐκέατο Refs 5th c.BC+, Epic dialect κέατο Refs 8th c.BC+: future κείσομαι Refs 8th c.BC+, Doric dialect κεισεῦμαι Refs 3rd c.BC+. (Cf. Sanskrit śéte (={κεῖται}), also śáyate 'lie', Gr. κοίτη, κοιμάομαι, perhaps Latin cunae, etc.):—to be laid (used as passive to τίθημι): hence, lie, lie outstretched, used by Refs 8th c.BC+ mostly with Preps., πυρὴν.. ᾗ ἔνι κεῖται Πάτροκλος Refs 8th c.BC+; but ὁ δ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἐννέα κεῖτο πέλεθρα lay stretched over.., Refs 8th c.BC+; later κεῖσθαι εἰς.., in pregnant sense, εἰς ἀνάγκην κείμεθ᾽ Refs 5th c.BC+; also ἐπὶ τὴν ὁδὸν κ. to be strewn upon the path, Refs 3rd c.BC+, plan, opposed to elevation, Refs 5th c.BC+
2 lie down to rest, repose, Refs 8th c.BC+; lie, remain, κεῖτο γὰρ ἐν νήεσσι.. Ἀχιλλεύς Refs 8th c.BC+; lie still, λασίην ὑπὸ γαστέρ᾽ ἐλυσθεὶς κείμην, of Odysseus under the ram's belly, Refs 8th c.BC+ a sleeping evil, Refs 5th c.BC+
3 lie sick or wounded, ἐν νήσῳ κεῖτο, of Philoctetes, Refs 8th c.BC+; lie in misery, ἐοικότι κεῖται ὀλέθρῳ Refs 5th c.BC+; κειμένῳ ἐπεμπηδᾶν to kick him when he's down, Refs 5th c.BC+
4 lie dead, Refs 8th c.BC+: rare in Prose, χίλιοι.. νεκροὶ κείμενοι Refs 5th c.BC+
4.b frequently also in epitaphs, lie buried, τῇδε κείμεθα Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐν τάφῳ, ἐν Ἅιδου, παρ᾽ Ἅιδῃ, Refs 5th c.BC+; also in Prose, τὸν χῶρον ἐν τῷ κέοιτο Ὀρέστης Refs 5th c.BC+; κ.ὑπό τινων to be buried by.., Refs 1st c.AD+
5 frequently of a corpse, lie unburied, Refs 8th c.BC+; also κεῖτ᾽ ἀπόθεστος.. ἐν πολλῇ κόπρῳ lay uncared for, of the old hound of Odysseus, Refs 8th c.BC+; of places, lie in ruins, δόμοι.. χαμαιπετεῖς ἔκεισθ᾽ ἀεί Refs 5th c.BC+
6 of wrestlers, have a fall, Refs 5th c.BC+
II of places, to be situated, lie, νῆσος ἀπόπροθεν εἰν ἁλὶ κεῖται Refs 8th c.BC+, etc.; ἐν τῇ [γῇ] κείμενά ἐστι τὰ Σοῦσα (for κεῖται) Refs 5th c.BC+; κ. πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον, πρὸς ἄρκτον, Refs
II.2 of things, lie or be in a place, ὅθι οἱ φίλα δέμνι᾽ ἔκειτο Refs 8th c.BC+; ἕλε δίφρον κείμενον placed there, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.3 fit, of shoes, Refs 3rd c.BC+
II.4 κεῖσθαι, posture, attitude, as a category, Refs 4th c.BC+
III to be laid up, in store, of goods, property, etc., δόμοις ἐν κτήματα κεῖται Refs 8th c.BC+; βασιλῆϊ δὲ κεῖται ἄγαλμα is reserved.., Refs; μνῆμα ξείνοιο.. κέσκετ᾽ ἐνὶ μεγάροισι was left lying.., Refs 8th c.BC+; of things dedicated to a god, κ. ἐν θησαυρῷ Refs 7th c.BC+; of money, κείμενα deposits, Refs 5th c.BC+; πολλὰ χρήματα ἐπὶ τῇ τούτου τραπέζῃ κεῖταί μοι at his bank, Refs 5th c.BC+; τἀργύριόν σοι κείσεται the caution-money shall be deposited, Refs 5th c.BC+; δραχ μὴν ὑπόθες.—Answ. κεῖται πάλαι Refs 4th c.BC+ shall be placed to her credit, Refs 5th c.BC+
IV to be placed in position, τῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ τοίχου.. κειμένων κιόνων Refs
IV.2 to be set up, ordained, ἄεθλα κεῖτ᾽ ἐν ἀγῶνι Refs 8th c.BC+
IV.3 of laws, κεῖται νόμος the law is laid down, Refs 5th c.BC+; οἱ νόμοι οἱ κείμενοι the established laws, Refs 5th c.BC+; αἱ κείμεναι ὑπὸ τῶν ὑπατικῶν γνῶμαι the votes given by.., Refs 1st c.BC+; οὐκέτι κ. ἡ διαθήκη no longer holds, Refs 4th c.BC+; so of philosophical arguments, hold good, κατά τινων Refs 5th c.BC+
IV.4 to be laid down in argument, posited, assumed, τοῦτο ἡμῖν οὕτω κείσθω Refs 5th c.BC+let it be assumed, Refs; τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς κείμενον the assumption, Refs(plural); τὰ περὶ τὴν διάνοιαν ἐν τοῖς περὶ ῥητορικῆς κ. Refs
IV.5 of names, οὔνομα κεῖται the name is given, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς κείμενον [ὄνομα] Refs 4th c.BC+; κεῖσθαι without ὄνομα, Refs 5th c.BC+; κείμενα ὀόματα established terms, Refs 4th c.BC+
IV.6 metaphorically, πάντα δεινὰ κἀπικινδύνως βροτοῖς κεῖται, παθεῖν μὲν εὖ, παθεῖν δὲ θάτερα danger is set before men, that they may.., Refs 5th c.BC+
V metaphorically, of continuing conditions, ἐνὶ φρεσὶ πένθος ἔκειτο lay heavy, Refs 8th c.BC+; εὔστομα κείσθω remain unspoken, Refs 5th c.BC+; νεῖκος ἔκειτό τισι there was an enduring feud, Refs 5th c.BC+; Ἑλλήνων κείσομαι ἐν στόματι my name shall be a household word, Refs 6th c.BC+; μὴ κινεῖν (i.e. κακὸν) εὖ κείμενον 'let sleeping dogs lie', Refs 5th c.BC+
V.2 ταῦτα θεῶν ἐν γούνασι κεῖται, i.e. these things are yet in the power of the gods, to give or not, Refs 8th c.BC+
V.3 κεῖσθαι ἔν τινι to rest entirely or be dependent on him, ἐν ἀγαθοῖσι κ. πολίων κυβερνάσιες Refs 5th c.BC+: also with simple dative, Λεωφίλῳ πάντα κεῖται Refs 7th c.BC+; of things, depend upon, τὸ πανηγυρικὸν ἐν μελέτῃ καὶ τριβῇ κ. Refs 5th c.BC+
V.4 in Medicine texts, to be left to settle, of urine, Refs 5th c.BC+
V.4.b φάρυγξ οὐ φλεγμαίνουσα, κειμένη δέRefs
V.5 Grammars, of words and phrases, to be found, occur, παρὰ τῷ ποιητῃ Refs 1st c.BC+; ποῦ κεῖτα; Refs 2nd c.AD+, compare Κειτούκειτο; κ. ἀντί τινος to be used instead of.., Refs 1st c.BC+; τὸ κείμενον the received text, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| keiomōκεῖμαι | happening now · Ipresent middle or passive indicative 1st person singular | put | 1× |
| keiotōκεῖται | happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular | laid | 7× |
| keionōκείμεθα | happening now · wepresent middle or passive indicative 1st person plural | destined | 1× |
| keioteἔκειτο | was happening · he/she/itimperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular | lay | 4× |
| keiorōntosκείμενος | happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine | laid | 1× |
| keiorōntasκειμένη | happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular feminine | set | 1× |
| keiorōntonκείμενον | happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle accusative singular masculine | laid | 1× |
| keiorōntanκειμένην | happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle accusative singular feminine | laid | 1× |
| keiorōntemκείμενον | happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle direct singular neuter | lying | 3× |
| keiorōntaisκείμεναι | happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative plural feminine | set | 1× |
| keiorōnteimκείμενα | happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle direct plural neuter | lying | 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 54, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 13 occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | keiomō1×κεῖμαι | keiome | keiomē | keiomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | keiosō | keiose | keiosē | keioselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | keiotō7×κεῖται | keiote4×ἔκειτο | keiotē | keiotelē |
| we 1st person plural | keionō1×κείμεθα | keione | keionē | keionelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | keiovō | keiove | keiovē | keiovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | keiolō | keiole | keiolē | keiolelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | keiomeiō | keiomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | keioseiō | keioseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | keioteiō | keioteiē |
| we 1st person plural | keioneiō | keioneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | keioveiō | keioveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | keioleiō | keioleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | keiosōr | keiosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | keiotōr | keiotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | keiovōr | keiovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | keiolōr | keiolēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | keiomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | keiosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | keiotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | keionoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | keiovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | keioloiō |
The “to …” form — infinitive, no occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | keiorō | keiorē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 11 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | keiorōntos11×κείμενος | keiorēntos |
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
kei 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.
24 occurrences, every one of them listed
keiomō“put”happening now · Ipresent middle or passive indicative 1st person singular1×
Philippians 1:16“put”… oidarēntois hoti eis apologian teu euangelieu keiomō,… in love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
keiotō“laid”happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular7×
Matthew 3:10“laid”… axinas pros tan rizan teiu dendreiu keiotō; pantem oun dendrem mē poiarōntem karpon …… lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be …
Luke 2:34“destined”… Mariam tan mētēran autou; Idou houtos keiotō eis ptōsian kai anastasian polloiu en …… said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and …
Luke 3:9“laid”… axinas pros tan rizan teiu dendreiu keiotō; pantem oun dendrem mē poiarōntem karpon …The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be …
2 Corinthians 3:15“lies”… Mōusos kalummem epi tan kardian autoiu keiotō;… day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
1 Timothy 1:9“laid down”horarēntos houtem, hoti dikaio nomos ouk keiotō, anomoi de kai anupotaktoi, aseboi kai …We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for …
1 John 5:19“lies”… tos kosmos holos en to ponēro keiotō.… and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.
Revelation 21:16“laid out”kai tas polas tetragōnas keiotō, kai tem mēkem autau hosem tem …The city lies foursquare, with its width the same as its length. And he measured the city with the rod, and all its …
keionō“destined”happening now · wepresent middle or passive indicative 1st person plural1×
1 Thessalonians 3:3… autois gar oidavē hoti eis houtem keionō;… For you know that we are destined for this.
keiote“lay”was happening · he/she/itimperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular4×
Matthew 28:6… legata; deute horavar ton topon hopou keiote;… Come, see the place where He lay.
John 19:29“standing”skevem keiote oxeu mestem; spongon oun meston teu …A jar of sour wine was sitting there. So they soaked a sponge in the wine, put …
John 20:12“lying”… kai henon pros toi podoi, hopou keiote tem sōmem tou Iēsu.… white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.
Revelation 4:2“set”… genema en pneume; kai idou thronos keiote en to ourano, kai epi ton …… once I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne standing in heaven, with someone seated on it.
keiorōntos“laid”happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine1×
Luke 23:53… laxeute hou ouk ate oudenos oupō keiorōntos.… where no one had yet been laid.
keiorōntas“set”happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular feminine1×
Matthew 5:14“set”… ouk dunotō polas kruptira epanō oreu keiorōntas;… world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
keiorōnton“laid”happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle accusative singular masculine1×
1 Corinthians 3:11… alloson oudenos dunotō tithara para ton keiorōnton, hos atō Iēsus Christos;… foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
keiorōntan“laid”happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle accusative singular feminine1×
John 21:9“laid”… apobainala eis tan gēan blepalō anthrakian keiorōntan kai opsariem epikeiorōntem kai arton.… landed, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it, and some bread.
keiorōntem“lying”happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle direct singular neuter3×
Luke 2:12… tem sēmem, heuriskavi brefem sparganorēntem kai keiorōntem en fatna.… baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:16… kai ton Iōsēf kai tem brefem keiorōntem en ta fatna;… Joseph and the Baby, who was lying in the manger.
John 20:7… kefalau autou, ouk meta teiu othonieiu keiorōntem alla chōris entulissorēntem eis henon topon;… around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths.
keiorōntais“set”happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative plural feminine1×
John 2:6… hex kata ton katharismon toiu Ioudaioiu keiorōntais, chōrarōntais ana metrētoin duo ē treis.… six stone water jars had been set there for the Jewish rites of …
keiorōnteim“lying”happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle direct plural neuter3×
Luke 12:19… psucha mu; Psuchar, echasō polleim agatheim keiorōnteim eis eteim polleim; anapauosōr, esthiasar, pinasar, …… You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy …
John 20:5kai parakuptarantos blepatō keiorōnteim teim othonieim, ouk mentoi eiserchata.… looked in at the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go …
John 20:6… tem mnēmeiem; kai theōratō teim othonieim keiorōnteim,… tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.