ἐπί G1909
on, upon (surface); to, toward (direction); in, at (location); during (time); about, concerning; before (presence); against (hostility); by, on the basis of (ground)
One of the most versatile Greek prepositions, ἐπί governs genitive, dative, or accusative case and modulates accordingly. With genitive or dative, it primarily means 'on' or 'upon' a surface—a spatial sense dominating its 757 occurrences. With accusative, it shifts toward motion: 'to' or 'toward' a destination. But ἐπί stretches into temporal ('during the reign of'), causal ('on the basis of'), and relational realms ('concerning,' 'against,' 'before'). The preposition's semantic elasticity makes it a syntactic workhorse in Koine Greek, capable of expressing location, direction, time, reason, topic, and even hostility, all while maintaining its core spatial metaphor.
11. sense 11 — Sense unclear, glossed once as 'after' in Luke 15:4 (tras). The temporal 'after' use would be unexpected for ἐπί, suggesting either a specialized idiom or textual ambiguity. More evidence would be needed to confirm this as a stable sense. 1×
AR["وَرَاءَ"]·ben["উপরে"]·DE["auf"]·EN["after"]·FR["sur-"]·heb["אַחַר"]·HI["पीछे"]·ID["mencari"]·IT["su"]·jav["tumuju"]·KO["을-위해"]·PT["após"]·RU["за"]·ES["tras"]·SW["kumfuata"]·TR["-e"]·urd["پیچھے"]
▼ 11 more senses below
Senses
1. on, upon (spatial surface) — Core spatial sense: on a surface, upon something. The genitive or dative construction signals position on top of or supported by. Matthew 5:15 places a lamp 'on' a stand (sobre un candelero). Acts describes the Spirit descending 'upon' believers (sur eux). The cross-linguistic consistency (Spanish 'sobre,' French 'sur,' German 'auf') confirms this as the semantic anchor of ἐπί. 757×
AR["عَلى","عَلَى","عَلَي","عَلَيْهِ"]·ben["-তে","উপর","উপরে"]·DE["auf"]·EN["on-","to-","upon","upon-"]·FR["sur-"]·heb["עַל","עַל-","עָלֶיהָ","עָלָיו"]·HI["पर"]·ID["atas","atas-","di-atas","ke","ke-atas","pada"]·IT["su"]·jav["dhateng","kangge","wonten-ing"]·KO["-위에","~위에"]·PT["ao","na","nas","sobre"]·RU["к","на","на-","над"]·ES["sobre"]·SW["duniani","juu","juu-ya","juu-ya-","juu-yake","kwenye"]·TR["-e","-üzerinde","-üzerine"]·urd["-پر"]
2. to, toward (direction/motion) — Motion toward or onto a goal, typically with accusative case. Matthew 14:34 has the boat coming 'to' the land (a la tierra). Mark 5:21 shows Jesus crossing 'to' the other side. The directionality is clear: not static position, but movement culminating in arrival at or upon a destination. The accusative signals the goal-oriented trajectory. 48×
AR["إِلى","إِلَى","إِلَيْهَا"]·ben["-উপরে","-কাছে","-প্রতি","উপরে","কাছে","দিকে"]·DE["auf","auf-"]·EN["for","to","upon"]·FR["sur-"]·heb["אֶל","אֶל-","עַל-"]·HI["-की-ओर","-पर","आये","की-ओर","के-पास","पर"]·ID["ke","kepadanya"]·IT["su","su-"]·jav["dhateng","dhumateng"]·KO["-로","-앞에","-에","-에게","-위에","-으로","~에","에게","위에"]·PT["a","ao-","aos","para","para-","pelo","à","às-"]·RU["в-","к","к-","на","на-"]·ES["a","a-","al","ante","hacia","por","sobre"]·SW["-","katika","katika-","kuelekea","kwa-","kwake","kwenda-","kwenye","kwenye-"]·TR["-e","-üzerinde","-üzerine","üzerine"]·urd["-ال","-پر","-کی-طرف","-کے-پاس","طرف","پر","کے-پاس"]
Matt 14:34, Matt 21:19, Matt 22:5, Matt 22:9, Mark 5:21, Mark 6:53, Mark 11:13, Mark 15:22, Mark 16:2, Luke 1:16, Luke 1:17, Luke 6:35 (+36 more)
3. sense 3 — Sense uncertain but involving hostility or opposition. Matthew 12:26 warns that a kingdom divided 'against' itself cannot stand (contra sí misma). Matthew 24:7 predicts nation rising 'against' nation (contra nación). The glosses (English 'against,' Spanish 'contra,' French 'contre') cluster around adversarial meaning, though the grammatical construction varies. 39×
AR["على","عَلى","عَلَى","عَلَيْ","عَلَيْـ","عَلَيْهَا"]·ben["-বিরুদ্ধে","উপরে","বিরুদ্ধে"]·DE["auf","auf-"]·EN["against","against-"]·FR["sur-"]·heb["עֲלֵיהֶם","עַל","עַל-","עָלֶיהָ"]·HI["-के-पास","-के-विरुद्ध","-पर","अपने-आप-में","के-विरुद्ध","पर","बँट-गया-है"]·ID["melawan","terhadap"]·IT["su"]·jav["dhateng","nglawan","tumrap"]·KO["-에-대하여","~에-대하여","~에게","~을-대적하여","대하여","에","에-대하여","에-대해","위에"]·PT["contra","contra-"]·RU["на","на-","против"]·ES["contra","contra-","sobre"]·SW["dhidi","dhidi-ya","dhidi-ya-","juu-ya","juu-yake","juu-yao","taifa","ufalme"]·TR["-e","-e-karşı","üzerine"]·urd["-کے-خلاف","خلاف","پر","کے-خلاف"]
Matt 10:21, Matt 12:26, Matt 24:7, Matt 24:7, Matt 26:55, Matt 27:27, Mark 3:24, Mark 3:25, Mark 3:26, Mark 10:11, Mark 13:8, Mark 13:8 (+27 more)
4. in the time of, during (temporal) — Temporal use: 'in the time of,' 'during,' 'for a period of.' Mark 2:26 specifies 'in the time of' Abiathar the high priest (bajo Abiatar). Luke 4:27 mentions lepers 'in the time of' Elisha. Matthew 1:11 situates the Babylonian exile 'at the time of' the deportation. The temporal extension from spatial 'on' is a common prepositional pathway across languages. 14×
AR["عَلَى","عِنْدَ","في","في زَمَنِ","في-عَهدِ","فِي","فِي-عَهْدِ","ما","ما-دامَ","مُدَّةَ"]·ben["-উপর","-উপরে","-জন্য","-তে","উপরে","মধ্যে","যতক্ষণ"]·DE["auf","auf-"]·EN["at-","for","for-","in-the-time-of","in-time-of","on","upon"]·FR["sur-"]·heb["בְּ","בְּמֶשֶׁךְ","בִּימֵי","בַּ-","כָּל-עוֹד","לְ-","עַל","עַל-"]·HI["-कल","कई","को","जब-तक","तक","पर","प्रधान-याजक","में"]·ID["pada","pada-masa","pada-zaman","selama"]·IT["su","su-"]·jav["ing","jaman","kangge","nalika","salaminipun","wonten-ing"]·KO["-동안","-때에","-에","-의-때에","에","에-서"]·PT["durante","enquanto","no","no-tempo-de-","por"]·RU["в-течение","в-течение-","во-время","на","на-","пока","при","при-"]·ES["al","bajo","durante","durante-","en","en-cuanto","en-tiempo-de","por","sobre"]·SW["kesho-yake","kwa","kwa-","kwa-kadri","wakati","wakati-wa","wakati-wa-"]·TR["-boyunca","-da","-de","-sürece","-üzerinde","üzerine","üzerine-"]·urd["-تک","-میں","-پر","تک","زمانے-میں","میں","پر"]
Matt 1:11, Matt 9:15, Mark 2:26, Luke 3:2, Luke 4:27, Luke 10:35, Acts 4:5, Acts 11:28, Acts 13:31, Acts 16:18, Acts 17:2, Acts 19:10 (+2 more)
5. in, at (locative non-surface) — General locative sense: 'in,' 'at' a location, not specifically on a surface. Mark 1:45 has Jesus staying 'in' desolate places. Acts 10:34 declares 'in truth' (en verdad). The broader locative function overlaps with ἐν, though ἐπί retains a nuance of proximity or position at a point. 8×
amh["በ-"]·AR["بِـ","في","فِي"]·ben["-উপর","-মধ্যে","মধ্যে","সত্যিই","সত্যে"]·ces["Na"]·dan["Ved-"]·DE["In","auf","auf-"]·ell["Επ'"]·EN["In","In-","at-","in","in-"]·FR["sur-","À"]·guj["-પર"]·hat["Nan"]·hau["A"]·heb["ב-","בְּ","בְּ-","בֶּאֱמֶת","עַל"]·HI["-पर","-में","पर","परन्तु","में","सचमुच"]·hun["-ban"]·ID["Dengan","Dengan-sungguh","Pada","di","di-","pada"]·IT["Nell'","su","su-"]·jav["Saleresipun","Sayektos","Wonten-ing","ing","wonten-ing"]·JA["-において"]·KO["-에","-에서","에","에-","위-에","위에"]·mar["वर-"]·mya["-၌"]·nld["In"]·nor["I"]·pnb["اُتے"]·pol["W"]·PT["No","em","em-","nos","sobre"]·ron["La"]·RU["В-","Во-","По-","в","в-","по-"]·ES["En","en","en'","en-","por"]·SW["Katika","Kwa-","Kwa-kweli","katika","katika-"]·swe["I"]·tam["-இல்"]·tel["-లో"]·tgl["Sa"]·TH["ใน"]·TR["-da","-de","-üzerinde","Üzerine","üzerinde-"]·ukr["В"]·urd["-میں","-پر","میں","پر","پر-"]·VI["Vào"]·yor["Ní"]·yue["喺"]·ZH["在"]
6. on the basis of, by (ground/cause) — Basis, ground, or means: 'on the basis of,' 'by.' Matthew 4:4 quotes 'man shall not live by bread alone' (por pan solo)—the instrumental or causal ground. Matthew 19:9 allows divorce 'on the grounds of' sexual immorality. The metaphor: the foundation or platform upon which an action rests. 8×
AR["بِ-","بِسَبَبِ","عَلى","عَلَى"]·ben["-তে","উপরে","ছাড়া","বার"]·DE["auf","auf-"]·EN["by","on","on-","upon"]·FR["sur-"]·heb["עַד-","עַל","עַל-","עַל־"]·HI["-पर","तक","पर"]·ID["dengan","dengan-","karena","sampai"]·IT["su","su-"]·jav["awit-saking","dening","ngantos","saking"]·KO["-로","-로만","-에","-위에","~에-의해서","에-의해"]·PT["de","por","por-"]·RU["-народе","до-","за","на"]·ES["de","por"]·SW["kwa","kwa-mkate","mara","uasherati"]·TR["-ile","-için","-le","-üzerine"]·urd["-تک","-پر","پر","کے-ذریعے"]
7. sense 7 — Sense uncertain, glossed as 'for' or 'to' in purpose contexts. Matthew 26:50 asks 'for what purpose?' (para qué). Ephesians 2:10 speaks of good works 'for which' God prepared us. The purposive or benefactive nuance emerges in these passages, though the exact semantic profile remains unclear from glosses alone. 7×
AR["عَلى","لِ","لِ-","لِـ","لِـ-"]·ben["-এর-জন্য","-জন্য","-বিষয়ে","উপরে","জন্য","প্রতি"]·DE["auf","auf-"]·EN["for","for-","to"]·FR["sur-"]·heb["לְ-","עַל","עַל-"]·HI["के-लिए","के-लिये","जिसके-लिए","पर"]·ID["untuk"]·IT["su"]·jav["kagem","kangge"]·KO["-위하여","-을-위하여","~을-위하여","에-위하여","위-에","위하여"]·PT["para","sobre"]·RU["для-","на","на-"]·ES["para","sobre"]·SW["-","kwa","kwa-","kwa-ajili-ya","kwa-ajili-ya-hili"]·TR["-e-","-için","-üzerinde","için-","üzerine"]·urd["-کے-لیے","جِس-کے-لِیے","پر","کے-لیے"]
8. about, concerning (reference) — Reference or topic: 'about,' 'concerning.' Mark 6:52 notes the disciples' hardness of heart 'concerning' the loaves (sobre los panes). Acts 1:21 speaks of the time the Lord went in and out 'among' them. The topic-marking function extends the spatial metaphor: the subject matter upon which speech or thought dwells. 7×
AR["عَلى","عَلَى","عَنِ","عَنْ"]·ben["-বিষয়ে","আমাদের","উপরে","বিষয়ে","সম্বন্ধে"]·DE["auf","auf-"]·EN["about","among","concerning","concerning-"]·FR["sur-"]·heb["עַל","עַל-","עָלֵינוּ","עָלָיו"]·HI["-के-विषय-में","-पर","-प्रभु","के","विषय-में"]·ID["Tentang-","atas","tentang","tentang-"]·IT["su","su-"]·jav["bab","dhateng","wonten-ing-antawisipun"]·KO["-에-관하여","-에-대하여","에","에-관하여","위에"]·PT["acerca","entre","sobre"]·RU["на-","о","о-","среди-"]·ES["de","sobre","sobre'","sobre-"]·SW["juu-yake","kuhusu","kuhusu-","kumhusu","kwa"]·TR["-e","-üzerine","Rab","üzerinde","üzerine-"]·urd["-پر","بارے-میں","سے","پر","کے-بارے-میں"]
9. sense 9 — Sense unclear, glossed as 'inasmuch as' in Matthew 25:40, 45 and Romans 11:13. The conditional or extent meaning ('insofar as,' 'to the degree that') is attested, but the underlying logic of ἐπί in these constructions is ambiguous—possibly a Hebraism or idiomatic use. 3×
AR["بِمَا","بِمَا-أَنَّ"]·ben["উপরে","যতদূর"]·DE["auf","auf-"]·EN["inasmuch-as","inasmuch-as-"]·FR["sur-"]·heb["עַל-"]·HI["जहां-तक","जितना"]·ID["sejauh"]·IT["su","su-"]·jav["ing","sepinten"]·KO["~동안","~에게"]·PT["na-medida-em-","na-medida-em-que"]·RU["поскольку","я"]·ES["en-cuanto"]·SW["kwa-kadiri"]·TR["-e"]·urd["جب-تک","جہاں-تک"]
10. before, in the presence of — Proximity or presence before someone: 'before,' 'in the presence of.' Matthew 28:14 promises to speak 'before' the governor. Luke 21:12 warns of being brought 'before' kings. John 5:2 locates a pool 'by' the Sheep Gate. The sense of standing at or near a person, especially one in authority, invokes the spatial 'upon' as 'at the feet of' or 'before the face of.' 3×
AR["إِلى","عِندَ","عِنْدَ"]·ben["-কাছে","সামনে"]·DE["auf","auf-"]·EN["before","by-"]·FR["sur-"]·heb["אֶל","לְ-","עַל"]·HI["-पर","के-सामने","पर"]·ID["di","ke-hadapan","kepada"]·IT["su"]·jav["celak","déning","ing-ngajengipun"]·KO["-에","~위에","앞에"]·PT["diante-de"]·RU["к-","у-"]·ES["ante","junto-a"]·SW["karibu-na","kwa"]·TR["-e","-yanında","önüne"]·urd["سامنے-","پاس"]
12. sense 12 — Sense unclear, glossed once as 'from' in Luke 12:54 (desde). The ablative 'from' sense is atypical for ἐπί, which usually governs goal-oriented or static relations. This may reflect a rare construction or translation interpretation rather than a core sense. 1×
AR["مِنَ"]·ben["উপরে"]·DE["auf"]·EN["from"]·FR["sur-"]·heb["עַל"]·HI["से"]·ID["di"]·IT["su"]·jav["saking"]·KO["에서"]·RU["на"]·ES["desde"]·SW["upande-wa"]·TR["-den"]·urd["-میں"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐπί, Thess. (before τ) Refs 3rd c.BC+, to denote the being upon or supported upon a surface or point. __A WITH GEN.: __A.I of Place, __A.I.1 with Verbs of Rest, upon, Refs 8th c.BC+: without a Verb expressed, ἔγχεα ὄρθ᾽ ἐ. σαυρωτῆρος (i.e. σταθέντα) Refs; ἔκλαγξαν ὀϊστοὶ ἐπ᾽ ὤμων the arrows on his shoulders, Refs 5th c.BC+: also with Verbs of Motion, where the subject rests upon…