ESTUDIO DE LA PALABRA GRIEGA
Pronoun of the Second Person — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
σύ (G4771) is the Greek second-person personal pronoun, appearing in singular forms (σοῦ, σοί, σέ) and the plural ὑμεῖς, used over 2,300 times in the New Testament for 'you/thou.'
Significado de la palabra
σύ is the basic second-person personal pronoun in Greek. The nominative singular σύ means 'you' or 'thou,' while the oblique cases σοῦ (genitive, 'of you/your'), σοί (dative, 'to/for you'), and σέ (accusative, 'you' as object) cover the remaining grammatical functions. The plural form ὑμεῖς, with its corresponding oblique cases ὑμῶν, ὑμῖν, ὑμᾶς, refers to more than one addressee.
In the nominative, σύ is often used for emphasis or contrast rather than as a simple subject, since Greek verbs already indicate person. The lexicon notes examples such as John 1:30, John 4:10, Acts 4:7, and Ephesians 5:32, where the pronoun draws attention or contrasts the subject. It can also stand before a vocative (as in Matthew 2:6, Luke 1:76, John 17:5) or appear without emphasis as a rendering of a Hebrew phrase such as בְּנִי־אַתָּה ('you are my son') in Psalm 2:7, quoted in Acts 13:33.
The genitive forms (σοῦ and ὑμῶν) may be placed before their noun for emphasis, as seen in Luke 7:48 and Luke 12:30. The enclitic σοῦ, which normally loses its accent, can also precede its noun, for instance in Matthew 9:6.
Uso en las Escrituras
In the Gospels, σύ and its cases dominate direct speech because Jesus, narrators, and speakers constantly address individuals or crowds. Matthew's infancy and baptism narratives alone show the full range: σοῦ (Matthew 1:20; 3:14; 4:6), σύ (Matthew 2:5), σοί (Matthew 2:13), and the plural ὑμῖν/ὑμᾶς when John the Baptist addresses the crowds (Matthew 3:7, 3:9, 3:11).
Beyond the Gospels, the pronoun functions across the New Testament wherever authors address readers, congregations, or opponents. Paul's letters, the Acts narrative, and Revelation all rely on σύ and ὑμεῖς to mark who is being spoken to, warned, taught, or included in a promise. The sheer frequency of the word—over 2,300 occurrences in roughly 1,550 verses—reflects how essential direct address is to the New Testament's rhetorical style.
La palabra en detalle
- G4771 σύ is the 2nd-person pronoun. Singular: nom. σύ, gen. σοῦ, dat. σοί, acc. σέ. Plural: ὑμεῖς, ὑμῶν, ὑμῖν, ὑμᾶς. The oblique singular forms are enclitic (accentless) except after a preposition. The nominative is used for emphasis or contrast (e.g. John 1:30; Acts 4:7; Ephesians 5:32), before a vocative (Matthew 2:6; Luke 1:76), and as a translation of the Hebrew אַתָּה in phrases such as Psalm 2:7 quoted in Acts 13:33.
Versículos de ejemplo
- Matthew 1:20 The genitive σου ('your/of you') modifies 'son of David,' identifying Joseph by lineage as the angel addresses him in a dream.
- Matthew 3:7 The plural dative ὑμῖν ('to you') marks the Pharisees and Sadducees as a collective audience of John's rebuke, contrasting them with the singular address elsewhere.
- Matthew 3:11 Twice in one verse the plural ὑμᾶς ('you') appears as the object of John's baptism language, showing the pronoun's role in placing the audience inside the prophetic action.
- Matthew 4:6 The genitive σου appears three times in the tempter's address, layering 'you/your' over each phrase to personalize the test for Jesus as the singular Son of God.
Preguntas frecuentes
Why is σύ used even though Greek verbs already show the person?
Greek verbs encode the person, so a nominative pronoun is technically unnecessary. When σύ does appear, it is usually to emphasize or contrast the subject (John 1:30; Acts 4:7; Ephesians 5:32), or to translate a Hebrew clause where the pronoun is explicit, such as 'you are my son' (Acts 13:33).
What is the difference between σοῦ and ὑμῶν?
σοῦ is the genitive singular ('of you/your') used when one person is addressed or referenced, while ὑμῶν is the genitive plural ('of you all/your') used for groups. Both may be placed before their noun for emphasis, as in Luke 7:48 and Luke 12:30.
How many times does G4771 appear in the New Testament?
Across roughly 1,550 distinct verses, the forms of σύ (singular and plural, all cases) occur more than 2,300 times, making it one of the most frequent pronouns in the Greek New Testament.