Divine Reception: ὑμῖν (Strong’s G5213: hymin) Shows God’s Gift-Giving
Strong’s G5213: Dative plural form of second person personal pronoun, meaning “to/for you all.” Used extensively in Scripture when describing divine gifts, promises, and teachings given to God’s people collectively, emphasizing the communal reception of spiritual blessings.
U- Unveiling the Word
The pronoun ὑμῖν carries special significance in New Testament discourse as it emphasizes the collective reception of divine gifts and teachings. As a dative plural form, it appears when something is given or spoken to believers as a group – “peace be unto you,” “I say to you,” or “it is given to you.” Early church writers recognized this grammatical form as highlighting the corporate nature of divine communication and blessing. Today, this word continues to remind us that God’s promises and teachings are given not just to individuals but to His people as a community, emphasizing our shared reception of spiritual truth.
N – Necessary Information
- Greek Word: ὑμῖν, hymin, /hoo-MIN/
- Detailed pronunciation: hoo (as in “who”) – MIN (as in “min”)
- Part of Speech: Personal Pronoun (Second Person Plural Dative)
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Etymology:
- From Proto-Indo-European *yū- (you)
- Related to Latin “vobis” and Sanskrit “yūṣmabhyam”
- Basic pronominal stem
- Dative case ending -ῖν (-in)
D – Defining Meanings
- Primary meanings:
- To you (plural)
- For you (plural)
- In your case (plural)
- Among you
For compound words: Not applicable as this is a basic pronoun form
Translation Options:
- “To you” – standard but misses plural aspect
- “To you all” – captures plurality
- “For you all” – emphasizes benefactive aspect
E – Exploring Similar Words
- ὑμᾶς (hymas) /hoo-MASS/ – you (accusative plural) See G5209
- ὑμεῖς (hymeis) /hoo-MACE/ – you (nominative plural) See G5210
- ὑμῶν (hymon) /hoo-MONE/ – of you (genitive plural) See G5216
R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology
Pronoun Features:
- Person: Second
- Number: Plural
- Case: Dative
- Gender: Common (no gender distinction)
Used for indirect object or beneficiary:
“I give to you (ὑμῖν)”
“Peace be to you (ὑμῖν)”
“This is for you (ὑμῖν)”
S – Studying Lexicon Insights
BDAG emphasizes ὑμῖν in contexts of divine communication and blessing. Thayer’s notes its frequent use in promises and teachings. LSJ documents its consistent usage pattern from classical through Koine Greek. Vine’s highlights its importance in passages where divine gifts are bestowed. Moulton and Milligan show its common usage in letters when addressing multiple recipients. The lexicons collectively demonstrate how this dative form serves to emphasize the reception of divine communication and blessing in New Testament discourse.
T – Tracing the Scriptures
First appearance:
Matthew 3:7: “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said [ὑμῖν] unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
Additional References:
Matthew 5:18
John 14:27
John 16:33
Acts 13:26
1 Corinthians 1:3
A – Analyzing Classical Usage
Author: Work | Text |
---|---|
Plato: Apology | “I say [ὑμῖν] to you all, citizens of Athens” |
Demosthenes: Olynthiacs | “This I declare [ὑμῖν] to you as a people” |
Thucydides: History | “Peace shall be granted [ὑμῖν] to you collectively” |
N – Noteworthy Summary
The use of ὑμῖν in the New Testament emphasizes the collective reception of God’s gifts and teachings. When the Messiah says “Peace I give to you,” He addresses the church as a whole. The good news is that God’s promises and blessings are given to us as His community. This grammatical form reminds us that we receive His grace not merely as individuals but as members of His body, sharing in His gifts together.
D – Did You Know?
- This form appears over 500 times in the New Testament
- It’s especially common in the Beatitudes and other teachings
- Ancient Greek letters often used this form in blessing formulas
Strong’s G5213: Dative plural form of second person personal pronoun, meaning “to/for you all.” Used extensively in Scripture when describing divine gifts, promises, and teachings given to God’s people collectively, emphasizing the communal reception of spiritual blessings.
Part of speech: Personal Pronoun (Second Person Plural Dative)
Tags: recipients, divine gifts, promises, teachings, community, blessing, collective, church, communication, spiritual gifts, divine address, corporate worship, grace, shared blessings, unity
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