Preposition – εἰς ‘to, towards’

ObjectivesLearning objectives

The morphology, syntax, and semantics of the preposition εἰς ‘to, towards’

VocabularyVocabulary

Greek	Gloss	Part of speech	Paradigm
ἡ οἰκία, -ας	the household	noun	B.a.α.ii
ἡ βασιλεία, -ας	the kingdom	noun	B.a.α.ii
τὸ τάλαντον, -ου	the talent	noun	B.a.β.ii
ὁ Φαρισαῖος, -ου	the Pharisee	noun	B.a.β.i
ἡ ἐξουσία, -ας	the authority	noun	B.a.α.ii
ὧδε	here	adverb

MorphologyMorphology: Preposition – εἰς + accusative

εἰς is a proclitic (see Phonology A: for proclitic rules).

SyntaxSyntax: Preposition – εἰς + accusative

We have seen that the genitive case is associated with movement away from something (4.4.3.2), and the accusative case is associated with movement towards something (2.4.3). Because εἰς often means ‘to’ or ‘towards’, it takes the accusative case like πρός.

SemanticsSemantics: Preposition – εἰς + acc

We said that πρός is typically used for movement towards a person and not a location (2.4.3.2). The preposition εἰς, on the other hand, is typically used for movement towards a location, as shown in (60).

Example 60Movement towards location

Jesus came εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν Πέτρου [to the household of Peter] (Matt 8:14)

This is a very typical function of εἰς. However, even when we have a location after εἰς, it does not always mean movement towards something:

Example 61Static location

Καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν [And in the house] … the disciples again asked him about this (Mark 10:10)

Because the action of ‘asking’ does not involve any motion, there is no motion towards something in Mark 10:10. This demonstrates that the preposition εἰς does not itself contribute the idea of motion. It is the verb that gives the sense of movement, just as we saw with πρός which also had similar stative uses. In this sense, both εἰς and πρός have some overlap with ἐν, which marks a static location.

Besides its spatial functions, εἰς is also used to indicate length of time (62), entrance into a new state (63), the purpose for which something is done (64), and sometimes to introduce someone being spoken to (65). Various other verbs provide different nuances as well.

Example 62Length of time

I will say to myself, ‘Self, you have many good things stored up εἰς [for] many years’ (Luke 12:19)

Example 63Entrance into a new state

I am ready … to go εἰς [to] death (Luke 22:33)

Example 64Purpose

For this is my blood of the covenant … εἰς [for] the forgiveness of sins (Matt 26:28)

Example 65Addressee in verb of speaking

These things I speak εἰς τὸν κόσμον [to the world] (John 8:26)

End of Chapter 7Take the Chapter 7 exam9 questions covering all 4 lessons in this chapter

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