Greek · G1520

εἷς

One

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εἷς G1520
Pronunciation heîs

What does εἷς (heîs) mean in the Bible?

Heis is the Greek numeral “one,” inflected in forms that can identify one item, one person, uniqueness, singularity, or unity according to the noun and argument. It appears in ordinary counting, yet Scripture also uses it in confessional and ecclesial statements: the Lord is one, the Father and Son are one, there is one body and one Spirit, believers are one in Christ, and there is one God and one mediator.

Reader summary

Full entry for εἷς (G1520) · Open the biblical lexicon

Questions this entry answers

What does εἷς (heîs) mean in the Bible?

Heis is the Greek numeral “one,” inflected in forms that can identify one item, one person, uniqueness, singularity, or unity according to the noun and argument. It appears in ordinary counting, yet Scripture also uses it in confessional and ecclesial statements: the Lord is one, the Father and Son are one, there is one body and one Spirit, believers are.

How does the BSB render G1520?

The BSB source-word alignment has 345 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include one (192), a (16), . . . (11), a single (11), [the other] (7).

Where does εἷς (heîs) appear in Scripture?

The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 5:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (66), Mark (44), Luke (43), John (40).

Are there verse guides for εἷς (heîs)?

This entry includes 8 verse guides that explain exact original-language forms in context.

What This Word Actually Means

Heis is the Greek numeral “one,” inflected in forms that can identify one item, one person, uniqueness, singularity, or unity according to the noun and argument. It appears in ordinary counting, yet Scripture also uses it in confessional and ecclesial statements: the Lord is one, the Father and Son are one, there is one body and one Spirit, believers are one in Christ, and there is one God and one mediator.

The word marks oneness, but it does not tell readers by itself what kind of oneness is meant. Numerical identity, uniqueness, relational unity, and corporate union are not interchangeable. Faithful teaching names what is called one and lets the sentence define why. It must preserve the Bible’s monotheistic confession, Trinitarian witness, Christ’s unique mediation, and the real diversity that remains within the one body.

Sources