particle
nai
Strong’sG3483
yes, certainly, even so
stem nai-33 times in the New Testamentin 10 of 27 booksnever changes form
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
ναί is a particle of strong affirmation, meaning yes, certainly, verily, even so 1234. It is used to answer a question directly 13, to give assent to something already said 1, to confirm a previous statement 1, and in solemn declarations 1. It can also be doubled for emphasis (as opposed to a doubled negative) 1. Strong's notes that it conveys strong affirmation and can be rendered "surely" or "truth" as well as "yes" and "yea" 2.
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
ναί,
particle of affirmation,G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3483 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidnahee
yes
Froma primary particle of strong affirmation;
King Jameseven so, surely, truth, verily, yea, yes.
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
adverb, used to express strong affirmation, yea, verily, in Refs 8th c.BC+ yea thee, Refs 5th c.BC+
2 frequently in oaths, ν. μά yea by.., see at {μ; ν}. alone, ν. τὰν Κόραν Refs 5th c.BC+; ν. πρὸς θεῶν ἀρήξατ᾽ Refs 5th c.BC+
II in answers, yes, τοῦτ᾽ ἐτήτυμο; Answ. ν. NT+5th c.BC+
II.2 ν. followed by ἀλλά, etc., to mark a qualified assent, yes, but.., Refs 4th c.BC+; ν., κατὰ σχολήν γε ἴσως· οὐ μήν.. 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.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
33 occurrences, every one of them listed
Nai18×
Matthew 9:28… hoti dunomō houtem poiara? legalō auto; Nai, kurior.… able to do this?” He asked. “Yes, Lord,” they answered.
Matthew 13:51Suniēkava houteim panteim? legalō auto; Nai.Have you understood all these things?” “Yes,” they answered.
Matthew 15:27tas de legata; Nai, kurior, kai gar teim kunarieim esthiatō …“Yes, Lord,” she said, “even the dogs …
Matthew 17:25legatō; Nai. kai ercharanton eis tan oikian profthanata …“Yes,” he answered. When Peter entered the …
Matthew 21:16… legalō? tos de Iēsus legatō autoi; Nai. oudepote anagnōskava hoti Ek stomeu nēpioiu …… these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read …
John 11:27legatō auto; Nai, kurior; mis pisteuamē hoti sis asō …“Yes, Lord,” she answered, “I believe that …
John 21:15… agapasō min polloterem houtoiu? legatō auto; Nai, kurior, sis oidasē hoti filamō sin. …… you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I …
John 21:16… Simōnor Iōannou, agapasō min? legatō auto; Nai, kurior, sis oidasē hoti filamō sin. …… of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I …
Acts 5:8… tem chōriem apodōeva? tas de legata; Nai, tosouteu.… your husband got for the land?” “Yes,” she answered, “that is the price.”
Acts 22:27… sis Rōmaios asō? tos de fēate; Nai.… me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered.
2 Corinthians 1:17… bouleuomō, hina ateiō para mi tem Nai nai kai tem Ou ou?… human standards, so as to say “Yes, yes” and also “No, no”?
2 Corinthians 1:18… nu tos pros vin ouk atō Nai kai Ou.… our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”
2 Corinthians 1:19… kai Silouanou kai Timotheou, ouk geneta Nai kai Ou, alla Nai en auto …… and Silvanus and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in Him it …
2 Corinthians 1:19… ouk geneta Nai kai Ou, alla Nai en auto genatē;… in Him it has always been “Yes.”
2 Corinthians 1:20… gar epangeliais theou, en auto tem Nai; dio kai dia autou tem Amēn …… all the promises of God are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him …
James 5:12… tinon horkon; atōr de vu tem Nai nai kai tem Ou ou, hina …… oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that …
Revelation 16:7kai akouama teu thusiastērieu legarōnteu; Nai, kurior, tos theor, tos pantokratoror, alēthinais …And I heard the altar reply: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just …
Revelation 22:20Legatō tos marturarōntos houteim; Nai; erchomō tachu. Amēn; erchosōr, kurior Iēsur.… who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come …
nai15×
Matthew 5:37atōr de tos logos vu nai nai, ou ou; tem de perissem …Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more …
Matthew 5:37atōr de tos logos vu nai nai, ou ou; tem de perissem houteiu …Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No …
Matthew 11:9alla tinem exerchava? profēton horara? nai, legamō vi, kai perissoteron profētou.… go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than …
Matthew 11:26nai, tos patror, hoti houtōs eudokias geneta …Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in …
Luke 7:26alla tinem exerchava horara? profēton? nai, legamō vi, kai perissoteron profētou.… go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than …
Luke 10:21… kai sunetoiu, kai apokaluptasa auteim nēpioi; nai, tos patror, hoti houtōs eudokias geneta …… and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in …
Luke 11:51… metaxu teu thusiastērieu kai tou oikou; nai, legamō vi, ekzētiti apo tau geneau …… between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it …
Luke 12:5… echarōnton exousian embalara eis tan geennan; nai, legamō vi, houton fobivar.… authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him!
Romans 3:29… tos theos monem? ouchi kai ethneiu? nai kai ethneiu,… not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,
2 Corinthians 1:17… hina ateiō para mi tem Nai nai kai tem Ou ou?… standards, so as to say “Yes, yes” and also “No, no”?
Philippians 4:3nai erōtamō kai sin, gnēsior suzugor, sullabosōr …Yes, and I ask you, my true …
Philemon 1:20nai, adelfor, mis su oninemoia en kurio; …Yes, brother, let me have some benefit …
James 5:12… horkon; atōr de vu tem Nai nai kai tem Ou ou, hina mē …… any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no …
Revelation 1:7“even so”… auton pantais tais fulais tau gēau. nai, amēn.… Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
Revelation 14:13… tois en kurio apothnēskarōntois apo arti. nai, legatō tem pneumem, hina anapauili ek …… the Lord from this moment on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest …