Lexical Definition

‎εἴγε‎ eíge (i'-gheh) if indeed/otherwise ^G:COND
from ‎εἰ‎ and ‎γέ‎

if (so be that, yet).

• if indeed, seeing that, unless, (with negative) otherwise

Abbott-Smith

εἰ, conjunctive particle, used in conditions and in indirect questions.

I. Conditional, if;
1. c. indic., expressing a general assumption;
(a) pres.: seq. indic, pres., Mt 11:14, Ro 8:25, al.; seq. imperat., Mk 4:23 9:22, Jo 15:18, I Co 7:9, al.; seq. fut. indic., Lk 16:31, Ro 8:11, al.; seq. pf. or aor., with negation in apodosis, Mt 12:26, Ro 4:14, al.; similarly, seq. impf., Lk 17:6, Jo 8:39; seq. quæst., Mt 6:23, Jo 5:47 7:23 8:46, I Pe 2:20;
(b) fut.: Mt 26:33, I Pe 2:20;
(c) pf.: Jo 11:12, Ro 6:5, al.;
(d) aor.: Lk 16:11 19:8, Jo 13:32, 18:23, Re 20:15, al.
2. Where the assumption is certain = ἐπεί: Mt 12:28, Jo 7:4, Ro 5:17, al.
3. Of an unfulfilled condition, c. indic, impf., aor. or plpf., seq. ἄν, c. imp. or aor. (v.s. ἄν, I, i).
4. C. indic., after verbs denoting wonder, etc., sometimes, but not always, coupled with an element of doubt: Mk 15:44, I Jo 3:13, al.
5. C. indic., as in LXX (Nu 14:3o, I Ki 14:45, al. = Heb. אִם), in oaths, with the formula of imprecation understood in a suppressed apodosis (WM, 627; Burton, §272): Mk 8:12, He 3:11 (LXX) 4:3 (LXX).
6. Rarely (cl.) c. optat., to express a merely possible condition: Ac 24:19 27:39, I Co 14:10 15:37, I Pe3:14, 17.
II. Interrogative, if, whether.
1. As in cl., in indir. questions after verbs of seeing, asking, knowing, saying, etc.: c. indic. pres., Mt 26:63, Mk 15:36, Ac 19:2, II Co 13:5, al.; fut., Mk 3:2, Ac 8:22, al.; aor., Mk 15:44, I Co 1:16, al.; c. subjc. aor. (M, Pr., 194), Phl 3:12.
2. As in LXX (= Heb. אִם and interrog. הֲ, Ge 17:17, al.; v. WM, 639 f.; Viteau, i, 22), in direct questions: Mk 8:23 (Tr., WH, txt.), Lk 13:23, 22:49, Ac 19:2, al.
III. With other particles.
1. εἰ ἄρα, εἴγε, εἰ δὲ μήγε, v.s. ἄρα, γε.
2. εἰ δὲ καί, but if also: Lk 11:18; but even if, I Co 4:7, II Co 4:3 11:16.
3. εἰ δὲ μή, but if not, but if otherwise: Mk 2:21, 22, Jo 14:2, Re 2:5, al.
4. εἰ καί, if even, if also, although: Mk 14:29, Lk 11:8, I Co 7:21, II Co 4:16, Phl 2:17, al.
5. καὶ εἰ, even if, v.s. καί
6. εἰ μή, if not, unless, except, but only: Mt 24:22, Mk 2:26 6:5, Jo 9:33, I Co 7:17 (only), Ga 1:19 (cf. ἐὰν μή, 2:16; v. Hort., Ja., xvi); ἐκτὸς εἰ μή, pleonastic (Bl., §65, 6), I Co 14:5 15:2, I Ti 5:19.
7. εἰ μήν = cl. ἦ μήν (M, Pr., 46), in oaths, surely (Ez 33:27, al.): He 6:14.
8. εἴ πως, if haply: Ac 27:12, Ro 1:10.
9. εἴτε . . . εἴτε, whether . . . or: Ro 12:6-8, I Co 3:22 13:8, al.

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

combination of: εἰ (εἰ+γέ)

Included with: εἴγε,

Doric dialect and Boeotian dialect γα, enclitic Particle, giving emphasis to the word or words which it follows.

__I with single words, at least, at any rate, but often only to be rendered by italics in writing, or emphasis in pronunciation: τὸ γὰρ.. σιδήρου εἴγε κράτος ἐστίν such is the power of iron, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; εἴ που πτωχῶν εἴγε θεοὶ.. εἰσίν if the poor have any gods to care for them,[εἴγε 4.366 ">Refs]; ὅ γ᾽ ἐνθάδε λεώς at any rate the people here, [εἴγε">Refs 5th c.BC+] not even two, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; οὔκουν φθόγγος εἴγε not the least sound, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.2 with Pronouns: with pronoun of 1st pers. [εἴγε, ἔμοιεἴγε (also ἔγωγα \_Laconian dialect\_, but ἐγώνγα, ἰώνγα \_Boeotian dialect\_): in 8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus frequently with \_Article\_ used as \_pronoun\_, see at {ὅ εἴγε}: with \_demonstrative\_ Pronouns, κεῖνός εἴγε, τοῦτό εἴγε, etc.: in Comedy texts coalescing with -ί final, αὑτηγί 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Acharnenses” 784 ">Refs 8th c.BC+]; τουτογί, ταυταγί, etc., [εἴγεταυθί “Th.” 646): after possess. Pronouns, ἐμόν εἴγε θυμόν 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 20.425, etc.: frequently after \_relative\_ Pronouns, ὅς εἴγε, οἵ εἴγε, etc., οἵ γέ σου καθύβρισαν 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 1364; ὅς γ᾽ ἐξέλυσας δασμόν [prev. author] “OT” 35, etc.">Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὅσον εἴγε χρῄζεις even as much as..,[Refs 5th c.BC+]: rarely with interrogative Pronouns, τίνα εἴγε.. εἶπας ;[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ποίου εἴγε τούτου πλήν γ᾽ Ὀδυσσέως ἐρεῖς ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.3 after Conjunctions, to emphasize the modification or condition introduced by the subjoined clause, πρίν εἴγε, before at least, sometimes repeated, οὐ μὲν.. ὀΐω πρίν γ᾽ ἀποπαύσεσθαι, πρίν εἴγε.. αἵματος ἆσαι Ἀρῆα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πρὶν ἄν εἴγε or πρίν γ᾽ ἄν, [εἴγε 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 84e; ὁπότε εἴγε 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Coloneus” 1699; ἐπεί εἴγε 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 1.3.9; ἐπειδή εἴγε 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 6.18; ὅπου εἴγε 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 2.3.11 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἴ εἴγε, ἐάν εἴγε, if that is to say, if really, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also simply to lay stress on the condition, κἄν εἴγε μὴ λέγω and if I do not.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἴπερ εἴγε if at any rate, [Refs 5th c.BC+], etc.; ὥστε εἴγε (variant{ὥς εἴγε}), with infinitive, so far at least as to.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὥς εἴγε or ὥσπερ εἴγε as at least, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—εἴγε may follow τε, when τε is closely attached to the preceding word, ὡς οἷόν τέ εἴγε μάλιστα [εἴγε [prev. author] “Plt.” 293d; οἵ τέ εἴγε [prev. author] “Grg.” 454e:—for its use in opposed or disjunctive clauses, see below 11.3. ">Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.4 after other Particles, καὶ μὴν.. εἴγε, οὐ μὴν.. εἴγε, with words intervening, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; after ἄν in apodosi, when preceded by οὐ or καί, [Refs]; ἄταρ.. εἴγε but yet, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; καίτοι εἴγε, see at {καί το; ἀλλά εἴγε} (without intervening words) is falsa lectio in [εἴγε), “R.” 331b (ἀλλά εἴγε ἕν codices, ἀλλὰ ἕν εἴγε 5th c.AD: Stobaeus, Joannes)">Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀλλά εἴγε δή uncertain in [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__I.5 when preceding other Particles, εἴγε commonly refers to the preceding word, while the Particle retains its own force: but sometimes modifies the sense of the following Particle, εἴγε μήν nevertheless, πάντως εἴγε μήν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Epic dialect and Ionic dialect εἴγε μέν [εἴγε μὲν δή 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Agamemnon” 661, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Trachiniae” 484; εἴγε μέντοι 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Theaetetus” 164a, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 2.3.9, etc.: εἴγε δή">Refs 8th c.BC+] frequently strengthens an assertion, [εἴγε δή 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Euthydemus” 275a (compare also 11.1)">Refs 5th c.BC+]; γέ τοι, implying that the assertion is the least that one can say, [εἴγε δήπου [prev. author] “Phd.” 94a, etc.">Refs 5th c.BC+]; γέ που at all events, any how, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; for εἴγε οὖν, see at {γοῦν}.
__II exercising an influence over the whole clause:
__II.1 epexegetic, namely, that is, Διός εἴγε διδόντος that is if God grant it, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; κλῦθι, Ποσείδαον.., εἰ ἐτεόν εἴγε σός εἰμι if indeed I am really thine, [εἴγε">Refs] any man—at least any wise man, [Refs]; frequently preceded by καί, usually with words intervening, ἦ μὴν κελεύσω κἀπιθωΰξω εἴγε πρός ay and besides that.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]; παρῆσάν τινες καὶ πολλοί εἴγε some, ay and a great many, [εἴγελοίως εἴγε [prev. author] “R.” 531a ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; frequently with the last term in an enumeration, ταύτῃ ἄρα.. πρακτέον καὶ γυμναστέον καὶ ἐδεστέον εἴγε καὶ ποτέον [εἴγε δή [prev. author] “Tht.” 156b; repeated, συνήγαγόν μοι καί εἴγε ἀργύριον καί εἴγε χρυσίον LXX.Eccl.2.8 ">LXX]; rarely without intervening words, καί εἴγε ὁ θάνατος διὰ τὴν μοίρην ἔλαχεν [εἴγε.. ἐκχεῶ NT.Acts.2.18: hence, ">NT+5th c.BC+]
__II.2 in dialogue, in answers where something is added to the statement of the previous speaker, as ἔπεμψέ τίς σοι.. κρέα; Answ. καλῶς εἴγε ποιῶν yes and quite right too, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κενὸν τόδ᾽ ἄγγος, ἢ στέεἴγει τι; Answ. σά γ᾽ ἔνδυτα.. yes indeed, your clothes, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὕτω γὰρ ἂν μάλιστα δηχθείη πόσις. Answ. σὺ δ᾽ ἂν γένοιο γ᾽ ἀθλιωτάτη γυνή yes truly, and you.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πάνυ εἴγε yes certainly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὕτω γέ πως yes somehowso, [Refs]; sometimes preceded by καί, καὶ οὐδέν γ᾽ ἄτοπον yes and no wonder, [Refs]; sometimes ironically, εὖ εἴγε κηδεύεις πόλιν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3 to heighten a contrast or opposition,
__II.3.a after conditional clauses, εἰ μὲν δὴ σύ γ᾽.., τῷ κε Ποσειδάων εἴγε.. if you do so, then at all events Poseidon will.., [Refs 8th c.BC+] {γέα}; ἐπεὶ πρὸς τοῦτο σιωπᾶν ἥδιόν σοι.. τόδε εἴγε εἰπέ at any rate tell me this, [εἴγε.. ἀλλ᾽ ἀέκοντας.. 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 4.120. ">Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3.b in disjunctive sentences to emphasize an alternative, ἤτοι κεῖνόν εἴγε.. δεῖ ἀπόλλυσθαι ἢ σέ.. [εἴγε ἢ ἐνθυμούμεθα ὀρθῶς τὰ πράγματα 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.40; πατὴρ δ᾽ ἐμός.. ζώει ὅ γ᾽ ἢ τέθνηκε 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 2.131, compare 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.504 ">Refs 8th c.BC+]: also in the second clause, εἰπέ μοι, ἠὲ ἑκὼν ὑποδάμνασαι ἤ σέ εἴγε λαοὶ ἐχθαίρουσι [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.4 in exclamations, etc., ὥς εἴγε μή ποτ᾽ ὤφελον λαβεῖν uncertain in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in oaths, οὔτοι μὰ τὴν Δήμητρά γ᾽ variant in [εἴγε 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Apologia Socratis” 20; καὶ νὴ Δία εἴγε 5th-6th c.BC: Aristophanes Comicus “Equites” 1350, 1st-2nd c.AD: Dio Chrysostomus Sophista 17.4, 2nd c.AD: Lucianus Sophista “Merc.Cond.” 28, 4th c.AD: Libanius Sophista “Orationes” 11.59, etc.: with words intervening, καὶ νὴ Δί᾽, ὦ ἄνδρες Ἀθηναῖοι, ἕτεροί εἴγε.. 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 13.16; νὴ Δία, ὦ Ἀθηναῖοι, ὥρα εἴγε ὑμῖν 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Historia Graeca (Hellenica)” 7.1.37 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; merely in strong assertions, τίς ἂν φιλέοντι μάχοιτ; ἄφρων δὴ κεῖνός γέ.. [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.5 implying concession, εἶμί εἴγε well then I will go (in apodosi), [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III εἴγε frequently repeated in protasis and apodosis, as πρίν εἴγε.., πρίν εἴγε, see[εἴγε.. τινὶ μείζονι, τῇ εἴγε παρούσῃ ἀτιμίᾳ 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 31.29 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; even in the same clause, οὐδέν γ᾽ ἄλλο πλήν εἴγε καρκίνους [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV POSITION: εἴγε normally follows the word which it limits; but is frequently placed immediately after the Article, as ὅ εἴγε πόλεμος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; or the preposition, κατά εἴγε τὸν σὸν λόγον [εἴγε ταῖς Θήβαις 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 1380; or δέ, νῦν δέ εἴγε 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Theaetetus” 144e ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ δέ εἴγε[Refs]; frequently in retorts, ἁμές ποκ᾽ ἦμες ἄλκιμοι νεανίαι. Answ. ἁμὲς δέ γ᾽ εἰμές [Refs]; οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι λέεἴγεις. Answ. ἡ γραῦς δέ εἴγε οἶδ᾽, ὡς ἐγῷμαι [Refs 4th c.BC+]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: LXX.Eccl.2.8 ☩ Acts.2.18}