Luke 20:41:9Luke.20.41.W9TAB
εἶναι
einai
“to be”
- Transliteration
- EI-nai
- Extended
- EI-neh
- IPA
- /ˈei.nai/
Meaning by language
- English
- to be
Greek · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Epsilon | e — as in met (short) | |
| Iota | i — as in machine | |
| Nu | n — as in new | |
| Alpha | ah — as in father | |
| Iota | i — as in machine |
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The word
Word in context
- word
EI-nai
- sentence
EI-pen de pros au-TOUS PÔS LE-gou-sin ton khri-STON EI-nai DAU-id hy-ON
Exegesis
The object clause is formed by tòn christòn {τὸν χριστὸν | tòn khri-stòn} ‘the Christ’ with the infinitive einai {εἶναι | eî-nai} ‘to be’ plus the predicate accusative Dauid huion {Δαυὶδ υἱόν | Da-uìd hu-ión} ‘David’s son.’ This infinitival construction functions as an indirect statement, reporting what “they say” about the Messiah’s identity. Greek places the infinitive and its predicate after the object noun, giving climactic focus to the messianic lineage from David. In translation, this is rendered as a natural English direct question while preserving the theological emphasis on the relationship between “the Christ” and “David’s son.” The question operates rhetorically, setting up Jesus’ subsequent argument that the Messiah is both David’s descendant and his Lord.
In context — Luke 20:41
But He said to them, “How do they say that the Christ is David’s son ?”
About this coordinate
Luke 20:41:9 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 9 of Luke 20:41, so the Greek word εἶναι (einai) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written Luke.20.41.W9, which extends further down to each syllable (Luke.20.41.W9.S1) and character.