γίγνομαι G1096
To become, happen, come into being, or exist; spanning transformation, event occurrence, arrival, birth, and states of being
One of the most versatile verbs in the Greek New Testament, ginomai covers a vast semantic territory from becoming and happening to being born and simply existing. In narrative it signals pivotal transitions ('and it came to pass'), while in prayer it voices the deepest petitions ('let it be done'). Paul commandeers its optative form me genoito as his signature exclamation of horrified rejection. Across Arabic, Korean, and Swahili, translators must reach for entirely different roots depending on the sense, revealing just how much semantic work this single Greek verb performs.
3. come, arrive, appear — Physical or temporal arrival into a place or situation. Where sense 1 transforms and sense 2 reports events, this sense moves a person or thing into view. Arabic ja'a 'to come' and Swahili -kuja confirm spatial movement. Mark uses this for John appearing in the wilderness (Mark 1:4) and evening coming (Mark 1:32). 28×
AR["جاءَ","جَاءَ","حَدَثَ","صارَ","صارَتِ","صارَتْ","صَارَ","صَارَتْ","كَانَ","يَكُنْ"]·ben["হইল","হল","হলে"]·DE["werden","wird"]·EN["came","came-to-pass","coming","has-come","having-come","he-was","to-come"]·FR["devenir"]·heb["בִּהְיוֹת","הָיְתָה","הָיָה","נָפְלָה"]·HI["अअय","आई","शाम","हुआ","हुई","हो-गई-थी","होकर","होना"]·ID["Adalah","datang","datanglah","ketika-tiba","menjadi","telah-datang","terjadi","terjadi,","terjadilah","tiba"]·IT["divenire"]·jav["Dados","ana","dados","dados,","dumados","kelampahan,","nalika-dados","sampun-dumados,","sampun-rawuh","wonten"]·KO["되기-를","되니","되니,","되었다","일어났다"]·PT["Esteve","aconteceu","apareceu","veio","veio,","vir"]·RU["Был","наставшего","наставшей","наставшему","настала","наступил","нашёл","пришло","раздался","сделалась","сделалось","сделался","стал","стало","статься","явился"]·ES["Estuvo","aconteció","llegando","llegó","venir","vino"]·SW["Akawa","akawa","ikaja","ikasema","ikawa","ilikuja","ilipofika","ilipokuwa","likaja","lilikuja","ukaja","ulifika","umekuja","zilipopita"]·TR["bakmak","geldi","oldu","olunca"]·urd["آئی","آیا","رہا","ہوئی","ہوا","ہوتے-ہوئے","ہُوا"]
Mark 1:4, Mark 1:11, Mark 1:32, Mark 4:35, Mark 6:2, Mark 6:21, Mark 6:35, Mark 6:47, Mark 9:7, Mark 9:7, Luke 3:22, Luke 9:34 (+16 more)
▼ 7 more senses below
Senses
1. become, change state — The primary transformative sense: to undergo a change of state, to become something one was not before. Arabic sara and Korean doeda both denote change-of-state transitions. This covers the majority of occurrences (421x) including formulaic 'and it came to pass' narrative pivots (Matt 1:22; Matt 7:28) and statements of transformation like 'the Word became flesh.' 421×
AR["حَدَثَ","حَدَثَتْ","صارَ","صارَتْ","صَارَ","صَارَتْ","كانَ","كَانَ"]·ben["ঘটল","ঘটল,","হয়েছে","হল"]·DE["werden","wird"]·EN["arose","became","came","happened","has-been","has-happened","he-became","it-happened","it-was"]·FR["devenir"]·heb["הָיְתָה","הָיָה","יְהִי","נִהְיְתָה","נִהְיָה"]·HI["उठा","नाम","हुअ","हुआ","हुइ","हुई","हो-गया"]·ID["ia-menjadi","menjadi","telah-terjadi","terjadi","terjadi,","terjadilah"]·IT["divenire"]·jav["dados","dumados","kalampahan,","kedadosan","kelakon","kelampahan","nalika","sampun-dumados,","wonten"]·KO["되었다","되었으니","이루어졌다","일어났다","있었다"]·PT["aconteceu","aconteceu,","foi","houve","tornou-se"]·RU["было","произошло","раздался","сделалась","случилось","случилось,","стал","стало"]·ES["fue","ha-habido","ha-sucedido","hubo","llegó-a-ser","quedó","sucedió"]·SW["akawa","ika-tokea,","ikatokea","ikawa","ili","ilikuwa","kichwa","likawa","limetokea","na"]·TR["oldu","olmuştu"]·urd["آیا","ہو-گیا","ہوئی","ہوا","ہُوا"]
Matt 1:22, Matt 7:28, Matt 8:24, Matt 9:10, Matt 11:1, Matt 11:26, Matt 13:53, Matt 19:1, Matt 21:4, Matt 21:42, Matt 21:42, Matt 25:6 (+38 more)
2. happen, occur, take place — Denotes an event taking place or occurring, without implying personal transformation. Arabic hadatha 'it happened' and Korean ireonada 'to arise/occur' mark this as event-occurrence rather than state-change. Frequently introduces temporal clauses in the Gospels (Matt 8:16; Matt 14:15) and Acts narrative transitions. 158×
AR["حَدَثَ","حَدَثَتْ","صارَ","صَارَ","كَانَ","وَ-حَدَثَ"]·ben["ঘটল","হল"]·DE["werden","wird"]·EN["Arose","Happened","It-came-to-pass","It-happened","happened","it-came-to-pass"]·FR["devenir"]·heb["הָיְתָה","הָיָה","וְהָיָה"]·HI["हुआ"]·ID["Terjadi","Terjadilah","Terjaditah"]·IT["divenire"]·jav["Dados","Dumados","Kelampahan","Wonten","kalampahan"]·KO["되었다","생겼다","일어났는데","일어났다"]·PT["Aconteceu","Houve","Surgiu","aconteceram"]·RU["Было","Сделалось-","Сделался","Случилось","Стал"]·ES["Aconteció","Llegó-a-haber","Sucedieron","Sucedió","Surgió","sucedió"]·SW["Ikatokea","Ikawa","yalitokea"]·TR["Oldu","oldu"]·urd["ہوا","ہُوا"]
Matt 8:16, Matt 14:6, Matt 14:15, Matt 14:23, Matt 16:2, Matt 20:8, Matt 24:6, Matt 26:20, Matt 26:54, Matt 27:1, Matt 27:57, Mark 13:7 (+38 more)
4. let it be, may it be done — Jussive or imperatival wish: 'let it be done,' 'may it happen.' Arabic li-yakun and Korean doera express the volitional dimension. Central to the Lord's Prayer (Matt 6:10 'your will be done') and Jesus's healing declarations (Matt 8:13; Matt 15:28), this sense carries the weight of divine petition and authoritative command. 22×
AR["لِتَصِرْ","لِتَكُنْ","لِـيَصيرْ","لِيَصِرْ","لِيَكُن","لِيَكُنْ","يَصِيرَ","يَكُونَ","يَكُونُ"]·ben["হউক","হওক","হওক,","হয়","হোক","হোক।"]·DE["werden","wird"]·EN["Let-be-done","happens","he-may-be","it-happen","it-happens","let-be-done","let-become","let-him-become","let-it-be","let-it-be-done","may-it-be"]·FR["devenir"]·heb["יְהִי","יִהְיֶה","יֵעָשֶׂה","תְּהִי"]·HI["-घर","बने","वह-हो","हो","हो-जाए।"]·ID["Biarlah-menjadi","Jadilah","biarlah-menjadi","hendaklah-terjadi.","ia-menjadi","jadilah","terjadi","terjadi.","terjadilah"]·IT["divenire"]·jav["Kadados","Kalampahana","Sumangga-dados","dados.","dadosa","dadosa,","kalampahanana","katetepana","katindakna","kedadosan","kedadosana.","keladosa.","mugi-kelampahana","mugia-kalampahan","piyambakipun-dados","punika-kalampahan,","sami-dadosa"]·KO["되게-하라","되게-하소서","되기를-원합니다","되도록","되라","되소서","이루어지소서","이루어지이다","일어나면"]·PT["Torne-se","acontecer","aconteceça","faça-se","façam-se.","seja-feita","seja-feita.","seja-feito","torne-se"]·RU["Да-будет","был","да-будет","да-будет.","произойдёт","пусть-будет","пусть-станет","случилось","случилось."]·ES["Hágase","Sea-hecha","esté","háganse","hágase","llegue-a-ser","sea","sea-hecha","sea-hecho","suceda"]·SW["Mapenzi","Na-iwe","awe","awe-mpumbavu,","ifanyike","kikutokee","litokee","na-awe","na-ifanyike","na-itendeke","na-iwe","na-yafanyike","na-yatendeke","tokee"]·TR["olmasın","olsun","olursa","yapılsın"]·urd["بنے","ہو","ہو-جائے"]
Matt 6:10, Matt 8:13, Matt 9:29, Matt 15:28, Matt 26:42, Mark 13:18, Luke 1:38, Luke 11:2, Luke 22:26, Luke 22:42, John 5:14, John 13:19 (+10 more)
5. may it never be! — Paul's emphatic negative optative me genoito: 'May it never be!' — a formula of absolute rejection appearing 16 times, mostly in Romans and Galatians. Arabic hasha and Korean geureol su eopda convey the same horrified dismissal. This idiomatic usage (Rom 3:4, 6, 31; Gal 2:17) functions almost as an interjection, rhetorically shutting down false conclusions. 16×
AR["-","حَاشَا","فَليَكُن","ليَكُن","يَكونْ","يَكُنْ"]·ben["এটা-হোক!","হোক","হোক!","হোক-না"]·DE["werden","wird"]·EN["let-there-be","may-it-be"]·FR["devenir"]·heb["וְחָלִילָה","חָלִילָה","יְהִי","יִהְיֶה"]·HI["नहि-हो!","नहीं","हो"]·ID["Sekali-kali-jangan!","ada","jadilah","sampai","tidak","tidak!"]·IT["divenire"]·jav["dados!","dumados","kadadosan","kadadosan!","kelakon!","mboten-babar-pisan!","ngantos-dados!"]·KO["그럴-수-없다","그럴-수-없도다","그럴-수-없도다!","되지-말지어다","되지-어다","맺지-마라"]·PT["aconteca","aconteceça","haja,","seja","seja!"]·RU["-будет","-ведь","будет","да-будет","да-будет!","да-будет,","да-не-будет","но"]·ES["haya","sea","sea!"]·SW["hasha!","isiwe","isiwe-hivyo","iwe","milele","we"]·TR["hayır","olmasın"]·urd["نہ-ہو","نہیں","نہیں!","نہیں-ہو","ہرگز-نہیں","ہو"]
6. be, exist, find oneself — Simple existence or static being without transformation: to be present, to find oneself in a state or location. Arabic kana 'to be' and Korean itda 'to exist' distinguish this from dynamic becoming. Appears in locative contexts like 'being in Bethany' (Matt 26:6) and statements of simple presence (Mark 9:33). 13×
AR["أَنْ-أَكُونَ","كَائِنًا","كَائِنِينَ","كَانَ","كُنتَ","كُنْتُ","يَصيرُ","يَكُونَ"]·ben["আমি-ছিলাম","আমি-হলাম","ছিলাম","থাকতে","থাকলে","থাকাদের","হওয়া","হয়।","হয়েছিলাম","হলাম","হলে"]·DE["werden","wird"]·EN["I-was","being","came","happens","having-been","may-happen","to-be","was","you-were"]·FR["devenir"]·heb["בִהְיוֹתוֹ","הֱיוֹתִי","הָיִיתִי","הָיִיתָ","הָיָה","הָיוּ","תִּהְיֶינָה"]·HI["था","मैं-हो-गया","रहा","रहे-थे-जो","हुआ","हों","होकर","होते-हुए","होने-के"]·ID["Aku-menjadi","aku-adalah","aku-berada","berada","engkau-adalah","terjadi.","yang-pernah"]·IT["divenire"]·jav["dadi.","dados","dipun-tindakaken","ingkang-sampun-wonten","kawula-dados","kula-dados,","panjenengan,","sampun-wonten","wonten"]·KO["내가-지냈는지","되게","되어서","되었다","되었으면","일어난다","있던-자들에게","있었다","있을-때"]·PT["acontece.","estando","estive","estive,","fiquei","foste","tendo-estado","ter-estado"]·RU["Был","бывшего","бывшим","был","быть","оказавшись","получается","происходили","стал","я-был,"]·ES["estando","estar","estuve","fuiste","habiendo-estado","llegué-a-estar","se-hace","se-hagan"]·SW["Nilikuwa","akiwa","alipokuwa","kufanywa","kuwa","nilikuwa","nilivyokuwa","ulikuwa","unakuwa.","waliokuwa"]·TR["-de","olanlara","oldum","oldun","olmak","olunca","olur.","çok"]·urd["تھا","رہا","ٹھہرا","ہو-کر","ہوا","ہوتا-ہے","ہوتے-ہُوئے","ہونے-والوں","ہونے-کا","ہوں"]
Matt 26:6, Mark 2:21, Mark 9:33, Mark 16:10, Luke 19:17, Acts 19:21, Acts 20:18, 1 Cor 2:3, 1 Cor 16:2, Rev 1:9, Rev 1:10, Rev 1:18 (+1 more)
7. be made, be done — Passive resultative sense: to be made, manufactured, or brought about by an external agent. Arabic suni'a 'it was made' and Korean mandeurejida confirm passive creation. Seen in 'the Sabbath was made for man' (Mark 2:27) and references to miraculous works being done (Acts 19:26). 8×
AR["المَخلوقينَ","الْمَصْنُوعَةُ","تَجْري","صَائِرَةً","صَارَتْ","صُنِعَ","قَدْ-تَمَّ","لَمَّا-صَارَتِ"]·ben["তৈরি","সৃষ্ট","হইতে","হচ্ছিল","হচ্ছে","হয়েছিল,","হয়েছে"]·DE["werden","wird"]·EN["arising","being-made","happening","has-been-done","having-been-made","made","was-made"]·FR["devenir"]·heb["הַנַּעֲשִׂים","נִבְרְאוּ","נִבְרָא","נִהְיֵתָה","נַעֲשִׂים","נַעֲשֵׂית","נַעֲשָׂה","נַעֲשׂוֹת"]·HI["बनाए-हुए","बनाया-गया","बने-हैं","हो-गया-है","होती-थी","होतेहुए"]·ID["dibuat","diciptakan.","dijadikan,","dilakukan","menjadi","sudah-terjadi"]·IT["divenire"]·jav["dados","digawe,","dipun-damel","kang-kadamel.","kelampahan?","sampun-dados"]·KO["되는","되었습니다","된.","만들어진","생겼다","이루어지는","이루어지니","일어나는?"]·PT["feitos","feitos.","foi-feito","foi-feito,"]·RU["делаемые.","сделано","совершаемая","совершающиеся","создана","сотворённых.","ставшей","ставших"]·ES["fue-hecho","hecha","hechos","llegando","se-ha-hecho","surgiendo"]·SW["ikawa,","ikifanywa","imefanyika","inayofanyika","inayotengenezwa","ulipokuwa","waliofanywa","yanayotokea"]·TR["gerçekleşen","oldu,","oluşan","oluşunca","yapılan","yapılanlar","yapıldı","yaratılmış"]·urd["بنائے-گئے-ہیں۔","بنایا-گیا","بنے-ہوئے","ہو-گیا","ہوتی-ہوئی","ہوتے-ہوئے","ہوتے-ہیں"]
8. be born, come into existence — To be born, to come into existence through origination. Arabic mawludan 'born' and Korean nada 'to be born' specifically mark natal beginning. Central to Christological statements: John 1:6 ('there was a man sent from God'), John 8:58 ('before Abraham was, I am'), and Paul's 'born of a woman' (Gal 4:4). 5×
AR["أَن-يَكون","الصائرِ","كَانَ","مَولودًا"]·ben["জন্মগ্রহণ-করেছিলেন","জন্মানো","হওয়ার","হলেন"]·DE["werden"]·EN["Came-to-be","having-become","having-been-born","to-become"]·FR["devenir"]·heb["הָיָה","נוֹלַד","נוֹלָד"]·HI["उत्पन्न-हुए","जनम-लिय","हुआ"]·ID["Datanglah","ada","dilahirkan"]·IT["divenire"]·jav["Dados","dados,","ingkang-miyos","miyos"]·KO["나신","되기-전에","되신","있었다"]·PT["Surgiu","existir","nascido"]·RU["Стал","родившегося","родившемся","стать"]·ES["Llegó-a-ser","fuera","llegado-a-ser","nacido"]·SW["Alikuja","aliyezaliwa","kuzaliwa"]·TR["Geldi","doğan","olmadan","olmuş"]·urd["پیدا-ہوا","ہوا","ہونے-سے"]
Related Senses
H1961 1. be, exist, was (Qal copular/existential) (3505×)G1510 1. copulative, linking predication (2095×)G1510 2. participial, being (circumstantial/attributive) (157×)H3426 1. there is, there are (existence) (129×)G1510 3. infinitival, to be (128×)G1510 4. subjunctive/imperative, may be / let be (83×)H1934 1. to be, exist (65×)H1961 2. become, come to be (Qal inchoative) (55×)G5225 1. to be, to exist (45×)H0194 1. (45×)H0383 1. there is/are, to exist (Aramaic existential particle) (19×)G2673 1. abolish, bring to an end (16×)G1510 5. existential, there is/exists (15×)G5225 2. possessions, property, goods (14×)H7136a 1. happen, occur, befall (12×)H7122 2. to befall, happen to (10×)H3426 2. copulative with pronoun suffix (8×)H4745 1. happening, fate, lot (7×)G1762 1. (6×)G2673 2. nullify, invalidate (5×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
γίγνομαι, Ionic dialect and after Refs 4th c.BC+ γίνομαι [ῑ], (Attic dialect Inscrr. have γιγν- in fifth and fourth cententury,Refs; Thess. γίνυμαι Refs; Boeotian dialect γίνιουμαι Refsfuture γενήσομαι: aorist ἐγενόμην (ἐγενάμην LXX (προ-) Decrees Byzantine cited in Refs 4th c.BC+, Ionic dialect 2nd pers. singular γένευ Refs 8th c.BC+, 3rd.pers. singular γενέσκετο Refs 8th c.BC+; Epic dialect…