Word Study for G2252 (ἤμην) | Strong's Concordance

ḗmēn /ay'-mane/ Ask about this word

Meaninga prolonged form of ἦν; I was

KJV usagebe, was. (Sometimes unexpressed).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ḗmēn — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word ḗmēn, represented by G2252, is a verb meaning I was. It appears 16 times in 16 verses and is used to express a past state of being from a first-person perspective. Though a simple grammatical form, it is used to anchor significant statements about identity, past conditions, and the nature of one's mission, particularly in the words of Jesus and the Apostle Paul.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G2252 is used to establish a past reality that carries present-day implications. Jesus uses it to identify with humanity's most vulnerable states, declaring, "I was a stranger G3581, and ye took me in" Matthew 25:35 and "I was in prison G5438, and ye came unto me" Matthew 25:36. Jesus also uses it to refer to his specific time on earth with his disciples, stating, "While I was with them in the world, I kept them" John 17:12. Paul employs the term to contrast his past spiritual immaturity with his present state, writing, "When I was a child G3516, I spake as a child" 1 Corinthians 13:11. He also uses it in his testimony, recounting that at Stephen's martyrdom, "I also was standing by" Acts 22:20.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the states of being described by G2252:

G1096 gínomai (to cause to be... to become...): This word of transformation is often contrasted with the static past state of G2252. Paul illustrates this directly by saying, "When I was G2252 a child... but when I became G1096 a man, I put away childish things" 1 Corinthians 13:11.
G770 asthenéō (to be feeble): This describes a condition of weakness or sickness. It is one of the key states Jesus identifies with when He says, "I was sick G770, and ye visited me" Matthew 25:36.
G1401 doûlos (a slave... servant): This term signifies an identity of submission or service. Paul uses it with G2252 to declare his ultimate allegiance, stating that if he were still trying to please men, "I should not be G2252 the servant of Christ" Galatians 1:10.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G2252 is revealed in how it frames core Christian doctrines.

Christ's Identity with the Vulnerable: The most profound use of "I was" is in Jesus' teaching on judgment. By stating "I was an hungred" Matthew 25:35 and "I was sick" Matthew 25:43, He directly equates His own identity with the plight of the needy, making service to them a service to Him.
Spiritual Transformation: The phrase establishes a former state from which believers are transformed. Paul's statement, "When I was a child" G3516 1 Corinthians 13:11, provides a universal model for spiritual growth, contrasting a past self with a new identity in Christ.
The Historical Incarnation: When Jesus says, "I was with you" John 16:4, He emphasizes the specific, completed period of his physical, earthly ministry. This use of the past tense grounds the events of the gospel in a real, historical context.

Summary

In summary, G2252 is far more than a simple past-tense verb. It is a powerful tool for expressing profound theological truths. It defines past states to reveal Christ's solidarity with the suffering, to illustrate the nature of spiritual growth from a former life, and to affirm the historical reality of Jesus's time on earth. Through this simple phrase, "I was," Scripture connects personal history to divine purpose and eternal significance.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 144 occurrences, inflected in 9 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Plural 96×
Imperfect Middle Indicative 1st Singular 15×
Imperfect Active Indicative 2nd Plural 10×
Imperfect Active Indicative 1st Plural 8×
Imperfect Active Indicative 2nd Singular 6×
Imperfect Middle Indicative 1st Plural 5×
Imperfect Middle Indicative 2nd Singular 2×
2nd Aorist Middle Deponent Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Present Active Indicative 2nd Plural 1×

Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Middle: The subject acts on or for itself.
Middle Deponent: Middle in form but active in meaning.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.

Related Words

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 16 verses across 6 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Acts (6 verses); never once in the other 21.

Matthew

Mark

John

Acts

1 Corinthians

Galatians

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.