Divine Identity: ὑμεῖς (Strong’s G5210: hymeis) Reveals Community’s Call

Strong’s G5210: The nominative plural form of the second person personal pronoun (you/you all). Used prominently in the New Testament to emphasize the collective identity and responsibility of God’s people, particularly in statements of mission and identity.

U- Unveiling the Word

The pronoun ὑμεῖς carries special significance in New Testament discourse as it emphasizes the collective identity and agency of God’s people. As a nominative plural form, it appears when believers are identified as active subjects – being “salt of the earth,” “light of the world,” or “branches” in the vine. The early church recognized this grammatical form as highlighting the corporate nature of Christian identity and mission. Today, this pronoun continues to remind us that our Christian identity is both collective and active – we are together called to be and do what God has purposed for His church.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: ὑμεῖς, hymeis, /hoo-MACE/
• Detailed pronunciation: hoo (as in “who”) – MACE (as in “face”)
• Part of Speech: Personal Pronoun (Second Person Plural Nominative)

Etymology:

• From Proto-Indo-European *yū- (you)
• Related to Latin “vos” and Sanskrit “yūyam”
• Basic pronominal stem
• No prefixes or suffixes – fundamental grammatical element

D – Defining Meanings

• Primary meanings:

1. You (plural, subject)
2. You all (nominative case)
3. You people (as actors)
4. You yourselves

For compound words: Not applicable as this is a basic pronoun

Translation Options:

1. “You” – standard but misses plural aspect
2. “You all” – captures plurality
3. “You yourselves” – emphasizes agency

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ὑμᾶς (hymas) /hoo-MASS/ – you (accusative plural) See G5209
• ὑμῶν (hymon) /hoo-MONE/ – of you (genitive plural) See G5216
• ὑμῖν (hymin) /hoo-MIN/ – to you (dative plural) See G5213

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Pronoun Features:

• Person: Second
• Number: Plural
• Case: Nominative
• Gender: Common (no gender distinction)

Used as subject in sentences:
“You (ὑμεῖς) are the light”
“You (ὑμεῖς) shall be witnesses”
“You (ὑμεῖς) are My friends”

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes ὑμεῖς in contexts of identity and responsibility statements. Thayer’s notes its frequent use in direct address and commands. LSJ documents its consistent usage pattern from classical through Koine Greek. Vine’s highlights its importance in passages defining Christian identity and mission. Moulton and Milligan show its common usage in personal letters where writers emphasize collective responsibility. The lexicons collectively demonstrate how this pronoun serves to emphasize both plurality and agency in New Testament discourse.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Matthew 5:13: “[ὑμεῖς] You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?”

Additional References:
Matthew 5:14
John 8:47
John 15:5
Acts 1:8
1 Peter 2:9

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

The use of ὑμεῖς in the New Testament powerfully emphasizes the collective identity and responsibility of God’s people. When the Messiah says “You are the light of the world,” He addresses us corporately. The good news is that we are not alone in our calling – we are part of a community of believers whom God has equipped and empowered for His purposes. Our identity in the Messiah is both personal and communal, calling us to live and serve together.

D – Did You Know?

1. This form appears over 200 times in the New Testament
2. It’s especially prominent in the Sermon on the Mount
3. Ancient Greek emphasized plurality more than modern English

Strong’s G5210: The nominative plural form of the second person personal pronoun (you/you all). Used prominently in the New Testament to emphasize the collective identity and responsibility of God’s people, particularly in statements of mission and identity.

Part of speech: Personal Pronoun (Second Person Plural Nominative)

Tags: pronouns, identity, community, collective, mission, agency, responsibility, plural, church, unity, corporate worship, discipleship, calling, Christian identity, active faith​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​