Brief Overview of ἕτοιμος (Strong’s G2092: hetoimos)

Introduction

Understanding Greek words in Biblical studies allows readers to gain deeper insights into the scriptures’ original meanings and contexts. The Greek word ἕτοιμος (hetoimos) is significant because it carries the concept of being “ready” or “prepared,” which is frequently used in the New Testament to describe spiritual readiness, practical preparation, and immediacy of action. Its use highlights the importance of preparedness in both personal and communal spiritual life, offering a bridge between New Testament teachings and ancient Greek cultural values of being ready for action or service.

Key Information

The Greek Word: ἕτοιμος (hetoimos) [HEH-toy-mos]
Etymology: Derived from the Greek word ἑτοιμάζω (hetoimazō), meaning “to prepare” or “to make ready.”
Part of Speech: Adjective; follows the second declension pattern in masculine and feminine forms, and the first declension in neuter.
The F.O.G Word Choice: Coming Soon.

Primary Meanings

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Ready: In a state of being prepared for action or use.
Prepared: Having been made ready or in a suitable condition for some purpose or activity.
At Hand: Immediate and available, often implying urgency.

Similar Words: ἑτοιμασία (hetoimasia) [heh-toy-mah-SEE-ah], which means “preparation” or “readiness.” While ἕτοιμος (hetoimos) describes the state or quality of being ready, ἑτοιμασία emphasizes the process or act of preparing.

Further Insights: ἕτοιμος is an adjective that follows the standard Greek declension patterns, changing endings based on gender, number, and case. This word often appears in contexts emphasizing the necessity of being spiritually or physically prepared for an event, such as the return of Christ, a spiritual battle, or practical service.

Case	Masculine/Feminine Singular	Neuter Singular	Masculine/Feminine Plural	Neuter Plural
Nominative	ἕτοιμος / ἕτοιμη	ἕτοιμον	ἕτοιμοι / ἕτοιμαι	ἕτοιμα
Genitive	ἑτοίμου / ἑτοίμης	ἑτοίμου	ἑτοίμων	ἑτοίμων
Dative	ἑτοίμῳ / ἑτοίμῃ	ἑτοίμῳ	ἑτοίμοις	ἑτοίμοις
Accusative	ἕτοιμον / ἕτοιμην	ἕτοιμον	ἑτοίμους / ἑτοίμας	ἕτοιμα

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Lexicon Insights

BDAG: Describes ἕτοιμος as “ready, prepared, at hand,” used to signify a state of preparedness for various actions or states, often with spiritual or eschatological implications in the New Testament.

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Thayer’s: Defines ἕτοιμος as “ready, prepared,” particularly in contexts of spiritual readiness or the preparedness required for service or action, as seen in both the New Testament and Septuagint.

Vine’s Expository Dictionary: Focuses on the adjective’s use to denote immediate readiness, often used metaphorically to signify the urgency of spiritual and moral preparedness.

LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones): Notes the broader application of ἕτοιμος in classical Greek literature, where it often refers to readiness for battle, services, or events, highlighting its practical and everyday connotations.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Lists ἕτοιμος as “ready” or “prepared,” pointing out its frequent New Testament usage to denote a state of being spiritually or practically prepared.

Related Scripture References

Matthew 22:8: “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready (ἕτοιμος), but those who were invited were not worthy.'”
Luke 12:40: “You also must be ready (ἕτοιμος), for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
2 Timothy 4:6: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come (ἕτοιμος).”
1 Peter 1:5: “Who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready (ἕτοιμος) to be revealed in the last time.”
Revelation 19:7: “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready (ἕτοιμος).”

Classical Usage

Author	Name of Work	English text
Plato	Republic	“When the guardian class is ready (ἕτοιμος) and prepared, the city will be just.”
Herodotus	Histories	“The Spartans were always ready (ἕτοιμος) to fight, their spears and shields never far from their reach.”
Aristotle	Nicomachean Ethics	“Virtue, then, is a state of character concerned with choice, lying in a mean, that is, a mean relative to us, determined by reason and as the prudent man is ready (ἕτοιμος) to act.”

Septuagint Examples:

Author	Name of Work	English text
Psalms	Psalm 57:7 (LXX)	“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is ready (ἕτοιμος); I will sing and give praise.”
Isaiah	Isaiah 40:3 (LXX)	“Prepare (ἕτοιμος) the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
Proverbs	Proverbs 24:27 (LXX)	“Prepare (ἕτοιμος) your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.”

Summary of ἕτοιμος (G2092)

ἕτοιμος (hetoimos) is an adjective meaning “ready” or “prepared,” conveying a state of preparedness or immediacy. The term is employed throughout the New Testament to encourage spiritual readiness and to emphasize the urgency of being prepared for significant events such as the coming of Christ or spiritual challenges. In classical Greek literature and the Septuagint, it maintains this sense of readiness but also extends to practical, military, and philosophical contexts. Understanding ἕτοιμος enhances our grasp of Biblical teachings about preparedness and highlights its broader cultural implications in the ancient Greek world.

Did You Know?

Did you know that ἕτοιμος (hetoimos) was commonly used in military contexts in ancient Greece to describe soldiers ready for battle? This shows that the New Testament’s use of the term to denote spiritual readiness carries a weight of urgency and preparedness that was understood in both military and spiritual terms.