Lexical Summary heautou: himself, herself, itself, themselves Original Word: ἑαυτοῦ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance alone, herself, himself, itself, own From a reflexive pronoun otherwise obsolete and the genitive case (dative case or accusative case) of autos; him- (her-, it-, them-, also (in conjunction with the personal pronoun of the other persons) my-, thy-, our-, your-) self (selves), etc. -- alone, her (own, -self), (he) himself, his (own), itself, one (to) another, our (thine) own(-selves), + that she had, their (own, own selves), (of) them(-selves), they, thyself, you, your (own, own conceits, own selves, -selves). see GREEK autos HELPS Word-studies 1438 heautoú (reflexive pronoun of the 3rd person) – 1438 /heautoú ("himself, herself, itself," etc.) is the 3rd person reflexive (singular, plural) form which also functions as the reflexive for 1st and 2nd person (A-S). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom a prim. pronoun he (him, her) and gen. (dat. or acc.) of autos Definition of himself, herself, itself NASB Translation aside* (1), conscious* (1), each other (2), herself (4), himself (91), itself (12), mind (1), none* (1), one another (13), oneself (1), ourselves (19), own (48), own estimation (2), own initiative (3), own persons (1), own...himself (1), senses (1), themselves (44), venture* (1), within* (1), yourselves (32). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1438: ἑαυτοῦἑαυτοῦ, ἑαυτῆς, ἑαυτοῦ, etc. or (contracted) αὑτοῦ, αὑτῆς, αὑτοῦ (see p. 87); plural ἑαυτῶν; dative ἑαυτοῖς, ἑαυταῖς, ἑαυτοῖς, etc.; reflexive pronoun of the 3rd person. It is used: 1. of the 3rd person singular and plural, to denote that the agent and the person acted on are the same; as, σῴζειν ἑαυτόν, Matthew 27:42; Mark 15:31; Luke 23:35; ὑψοῦν ἑαυτόν, Matthew 23:12, etc. ἑαυτῷ, ἑαυτόν are also often added to middle verbs: διεμερίσαντο ἑαυτοῖς, John 19:24 (Xenophon, mem. 1, 6, 13 ποιεῖσθαι ἑαυτῷ φίλον); cf. Winers Grammar, § 38, 6; (Buttmann, § 135., 6). Of the phrases into which this pronoun enters we notice the following: ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ, see ἀπό, II. 2 d. aa.; δἰ ἑαυτοῦ, of itself, i. e. in its own nature, Romans 14:14 (Tr L text read αὐτοῦ); ἐν ἑαυτῷ, see in διαλογίζεσθαι, λέγειν, εἰπεῖν. Αἰς ἑαυτόν ἔρχεσθαι, to come to oneself, to a better mind, Luke 15:17 (Diodorus 13, 95). Καθ' ἑαυτόν, by oneself, alone: Acts 28:16; James 2:17. Παῥ ἑαυτῷ, by him, i. e. at his home, 1 Corinthians 16:2 (Xenophon, mem. 3, 13, 3). Πρός ἑαυτόν, to himself i. e. to his home, Luke 24:12 (R G; T omits, WH (but with αὑτόν) reject, L Tr (but the latter with αὐτόν) brackets, the verse); John 20:10 (T Tr αὐτόν (see αὑτοῦ)); with (cf. our to) himself, i. e. in his own mind, προσεύχεσθαι, Luke 18:11 (Tdf. omits) (2 Macc. 11:13); in the genitive, joined with a noun, it has the force of a possessive pronoun, as τούς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς: Matthew 8:22; Luke 9:60. 2. It serves as reflexive also to the 1st and 2nd person, as often in classic Greek, when no ambiguity is thereby occasioned; thus, ἐν ἑαυτοῖς equivalent to ἐν ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς, Romans 8:23; ἑαυτούς equivalent to ἡμᾶς αὐτούς, 1 Corinthians 11:31; ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ equivalent to ἀπό σεαυτοῦ (read by L Tr WH), John 18:34; ἑαυτόν equivalent to σεαυτόν (read by L T Tr WH), Romans 13:9; ἑαυτοῖς for ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς, Matthew 23:31, etc.; cf. Matthiae, § 489 II.; Winers Grammar, § 22, 5; (Buttmann, § 127, 15). 3. It is used frequently in the plural for the reciprocal pronoun ἀλλήλων, ἀλλήλοις, ἀλλήλους, reciprocally, mutually, one another: Matthew 16:7; Matthew 21:38; Mark 10:26 (Tr marginal reading WH αὐτόν); Strong’s Greek 1438 marks the action, condition, or possession as returning upon the grammatical subject. Whether translated “himself,” “herself,” “itself,” “your own,” or “themselves,” the pronoun highlights personal responsibility, deliberate choice, and inward consequence. Across the New Testament its reflexive force frequently sharpens doctrine (Christ giving Himself), intensifies exhortation (believers denying themselves), and exposes danger (self-deception). Old Testament Roots and Hellenistic Usage While Hebrew expresses reflexive ideas with verbal stems, the Septuagint often employs 1438 to render phrases such as “his own soul” (e.g., Genesis 37:21). Koine writers inherited this idiom, using 1438 both for simple reflexive reference and for theological emphasis. In the Gospels and Acts it often translates Semitic self-idioms (“speaking to himself,” Luke 12:17); in the Epistles it sharpens apostolic appeals to personal accountability. Christological Significance: the Son Giving Himself The richest theological weight falls on verses where Jesus consciously acts upon Himself. Here 1438 underscores that the atonement was voluntary and personal; redemption flows from the Lord’s self-initiated sacrifice, not external compulsion. Soteriological Implications: Substitution and Sacrifice Paul ties salvation to Christ’s self-offering (Galatians 1:4; 1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 9:14). Because the pronoun locates the act within Christ’s own agency, doctrines of penal substitution and definite atonement find grammatical support. Redemption is not merely something done to Christ but something Christ did with regard to Himself for sinners. Ethical and Discipleship Themes: Self-Denial and Humility The same reflexive term grounds discipleship. Believers are called to redirect natural self-interest toward Christ-centered service. The grammar makes plain that the decision is personal; no one can outsource self-denial. Ecclesiological Applications: the Body Building Itself Up Reflexive language describes healthy church life. Mutual ministry begins with responsible self-care and ends with corporate edification; 1438 ties the two together. Pastoral and Personal Ministry: Self-Examination and Care The reflexive pronoun fuels pastoral counsel: Spiritual disciplines are presented as personal obligations empowered by grace. Warning Passages: Self-Deception and Self-Condemnation Scripture warns that the same inward focus can turn destructive. 1438 exposes the peril of autonomous self-trust divorced from divine revelation. Contrast with Non-Reflexive Pronouns Where 1438 appears, the writer could often have used the simple pronoun αὐτός. Choosing the reflexive intensifies personal involvement: in Mark 8:34 denying ἑαυτόν is more forceful than merely “denying him.” Similarly, Christ “cannot deny Himself” (2 Timothy 2:13) speaks to His immutable character, not mere refusal toward another. Historical Reception in Christian Thought The early Fathers highlighted Christ’s self-giving (Irenaeus, Athanasius). Reformers stressed 1438 in sola gratia arguments: Christ offered Himself once for all (Hebrews 7:27) apart from human merit. Contemporary expositors continue to trace discipleship, stewardship, and ecclesial health back to reflexive responsibility. Ministry Significance Today 1. Gospel Proclamation: Emphasize Christ’s voluntary sacrifice. Doxological Reflection The reflexive pronoun ultimately points beyond human self-interest to the self-giving love of God in Christ. As believers heed the call to deny themselves, examine themselves, and keep themselves in His love, they echo the Savior who “loved us and gave Himself for us” (Galatians 2:20). Englishman's Concordance Matthew 3:9 RefPro-DM3PGRK: λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς Πατέρα ἔχομεν NAS: that you can say to yourselves, We have KJV: within yourselves, We have INT: to say within yourselves [For] father we have Matthew 6:34 RefPro-GF3S Matthew 8:22 RefPro-GM3P Matthew 9:3 RefPro-DM3P Matthew 9:21 RefPro-DF3S Matthew 12:25 RefPro-GF3S Matthew 12:25 RefPro-GF3S Matthew 12:26 RefPro-AM3S Matthew 12:45 RefPro-GM3S Matthew 12:45 RefPro-GM3S Matthew 13:21 RefPro-DM3S Matthew 14:15 RefPro-DM3P Matthew 15:30 RefPro-GM3P Matthew 16:7 RefPro-DM3P Matthew 16:8 RefPro-DM3P Matthew 16:24 RefPro-AM3S Matthew 18:4 RefPro-AM3S Matthew 18:31 RefPro-GM3P Matthew 19:12 RefPro-AM3P Matthew 21:8 RefPro-GM3P Matthew 21:25 RefPro-DM3P Matthew 21:38 RefPro-DM3P Matthew 23:12 RefPro-AM3S Matthew 23:12 RefPro-AM3S Matthew 23:31 RefPro-DM3P Strong's Greek 1438 |
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