What does ἄπειμι (ápeimi) mean in the Bible?
G548 means to be absent or away from a place or people. Paul uses it when contrasting bodily absence with his involvement through a letter, apostolic concern, or being present in spirit.
Greek · G548
ἄπειμι
To be away
Reading a lexicon entry
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ἄπειμι G548
Pronunciation ápeimi
What does ἄπειμι (ápeimi) mean in the Bible?
G548 means to be absent or away from a place or people. Paul uses it when contrasting bodily absence with his involvement through a letter, apostolic concern, or being present in spirit.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἄπειμι (G548) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G548?
The BSB source-word alignment has 7 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include in my absence (2), am absent [ from you ] (1), I am absent from you (1), when absent (1), when away (1).
Where does ἄπειμι (ápeimi) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 1 Corinthians 5:3. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Corinthians (4), 1 Corinthians (1), Colossians (1), Philippians (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G548 means to be absent or away from a place or people. Paul uses it when contrasting bodily absence with his involvement through a letter, apostolic concern, or being present in spirit. First Corinthians 5:3 places absence inside a specific disciplinary judgment that the assembled church must carry out under Christ's authority. Second Corinthians 10 and 13 address accusations that Paul is bold from a distance and weak face to face, pressing for consistency between letters and an eventual visit.
Philippians 1:27 calls the church to gospel-worthy conduct whether Paul comes or remains absent. Colossians 2:5 expresses joy in the church's order and firm faith despite bodily absence. The verb describes location; it does not grant remote leaders omnipresence, unlimited jurisdiction, or exemption from accountable local processes.
How the Bible Uses It
The local Pauline witnesses expose about seven direct tokens, while the selected artifact reports about eight. The uses contrast bodily absence with letter-based instruction, future presence, church conduct, discipline, apostolic concern, and joy in another congregation's faith.
- 1Cor.5.3
Although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present.
The disciplinary sentence must be read through the gathered church, the Lord Jesus, the stated offense, and the redemptive aim in the following verses. Bodily absence is one circumstance, not the source of authority.
- 2Cor.10.1
Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.
The away-and-present contrast comes from a contested relationship and is introduced through the meekness and gentleness of Christ. It should not be used to praise aggressive communication at a distance.
- Col.2.5
For although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I delight to see your orderly condition and firm faith in Christ.
Paul's joy concerns their order and firm faith in Christ despite his bodily absence. Presence in spirit communicates relational and pastoral solidarity without erasing ordinary spatial absence.
Passage context
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It in my absence 2× 2 Corinthians 13:2, Philippians 1:27
am absent [ from you ] 1× 1 Corinthians 5:3
I am absent from you 1× Colossians 2:5
when absent 1× 2 Corinthians 10:11
when away 1× 2 Corinthians 10:1
while absent 1× 2 Corinthians 13:10
Show sample aligned rows
1 Corinthians 5:3 ἀπὼν to am absent [ from you ] Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 2 Corinthians 10:1 ἀπὼν to when away Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 2 Corinthians 10:11 ἀπόντες to when absent Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 2 Corinthians 13:2 ἀπὼν to in my absence Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 2 Corinthians 13:10 ἀπὼν to while absent Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Philippians 1:27 ἀπὼν to in my absence Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Colossians 2:5 ἄπειμι to I am absent from you Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row 1 Corinthians 5:3
Aligned rows 7
Books represented 4
1 Corinthians 1 2 Corinthians 4 Philippians 1 Colossians 1
Source forms
ἀπὼν 5x apōn 1 Corinthians 5:3, 2 Corinthians 10:1, 2 Corinthians 13:2, 2 Corinthians 13:10
ἄπειμι 1x apeimi Colossians 2:5
ἀπόντες 1x apontes 2 Corinthians 10:11
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 5x 1 Corinthians 5:3, 2 Corinthians 10:1, 2 Corinthians 13:2, 2 Corinthians 13:10
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular 1x Colossians 2:5
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 1x 2 Corinthians 10:11
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Read First Corinthians 5:3 through verses 4-5 so distant apostolic judgment does not erase the assembled church's responsibility.
- Read Paul's firm letters together with his promised presence, Christ's gentleness, witness requirements, restoration, and authority for building up.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that being present in spirit makes a pastor or apostle physically present, omniscient, or exempt from accountable procedures.
- Do not use G548 to excuse harsh distance communication that a leader would refuse to own consistently when face to face.
Passage contextPastoral applicationBook contexttheological_synthesis
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to be away
Strong's G548
Lexical occurrences 8 verses Greek text appearances 7 times Word forms 2 forms 8 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to be away
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
7 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
1 Corinthians 5:3 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἀπὼν apwn
I am absent
Read verse 2 Corinthians 10:1 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἀπὼν apwn
I am absent
Read verse 2 Corinthians 10:11 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine
ἀπόντες, apontev
I am absent
Read verse 2 Corinthians 13:2 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἀπὼν apwn
I am absent
Read verse 2 Corinthians 13:10 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἀπὼν apwn
I am absent
Read verse Philippians 1:27 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
ἀπών, apwn
I am absent
Read verse Colossians 2:5 Verb First Person Singular Present Active Indicative
ἄπειμι, apeimi
I am absent
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 8 Tenses Present, Imperfect Voices Active
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 6×
Present Active 1 Cor 5:3 · 2 Cor 10:1 · 2 Cor 13:2 · 2 Cor 13:10 · Phil 1:27 · 2 Cor 10:11 6×
Indicative states a fact or reality 2×
Imperfect Active Acts 17:10 1×
Present Active Col 2:5 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 7 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 7
Voice
active 7
Mood
participle 6 indicative 1
NT Occurrences
1 Corinthians 5:3 ἀπὼν present active participle participle 2 Corinthians 10:1 ἀπὼν present active participle participle 2 Corinthians 10:11 ἀπόντες present active participle participle 2 Corinthians 13:10 ἀπὼν present active participle participle 2 Corinthians 13:2 ἀπὼν present active participle participle Philippians 1:27 ἀπὼν present active participle participle Colossians 2:5 ἄπειμι present active indicative ongoing
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Origins
ἄπειμι is built from these roots:
For the Preacher and Teacher
G548 describes physical absence, not a mystical power that removes ordinary limits. In First Corinthians 5:3 Paul states judgment while away, but verses 4-5 locate action in the assembled church under the Lord Jesus. Second Corinthians 10-13 repeatedly contrasts letters from a distance with face-to-face presence and explains that apostolic authority aims to build up rather than destroy.
Philippians 1:27 calls believers to gospel-worthy steadfastness whether Paul comes or only hears about them. Colossians 2:5 expresses genuine joy and solidarity with a distant congregation's order and faith. These texts validate meaningful pastoral care across distance while preserving local responsibility, evidence, bodily presence, and accountability. Leaders should not invoke being "present in spirit" to claim secret knowledge or bypass a church's governed process.
Anchor passage
1Cor.5.3
Doctrinal connections
- First Corinthians 5:1-5 places Paul's bodily absence inside a named offense, his apostolic judgment, the assembled church, and the authority of the Lord Jesus.
- Second Corinthians 10:1-11 answers the contrast between face-to-face and distant communication through Christ's meekness, spiritual warfare, and consistency between letters and presence.
- Second Corinthians 13:1-10 joins Paul's possible absence to witnesses, prior warning, self-examination, restoration, and authority given for building up.
- Philippians 1:27-30 calls the church to one gospel-worthy manner of life whether Paul comes to see them or hears about them while away.
- Colossians 2:1-7 connects Paul's distant struggle and joy to encouragement, unity in love, knowledge of Christ, resistance to deception, and firm faith.
- First Corinthians 12:12-27 supplies a wider body framework for real mutual belonging without pretending every member occupies the same place or role.
G548 is a verb meaning to be absent or away. Participial forms often contrast with being present, and the subject remains spatially absent even where Paul says he is present in spirit. The selected artifact reports about eight occurrences, while the local Pauline witnesses expose about seven direct tokens; the witness difference remains qualified.
From Old to New Testament
Scripture values embodied gathering, delegated messengers, letters, prayer, and covenant solidarity across distance. Those themes illuminate Paul's pastoral practice, but G548 itself simply marks absence and cannot prove supernatural access to events or universal authority over distant communities.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain