Greek word · G1764

ἐνίστημι

enistēmi

be present

Intransitive: to stand in, to have come, to be present or at hand. The perfect participle often means 'present' as opposed to future, with overtones of something that has 'set in' or is impending: a crisis, a season, a war (BDAG s.v. ἐνίστημι).

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐν-ίστημι

[in LXX: 2 Kings 13:6 A (עֶמְדָּה), 3Ki.12:24, 1Es.5:47 Esther 9:6, Esther 3:13, 1; 4Ma.9.1-32 * ;]

to place in; in pf., plpf., 2 aor. and in mid., intrans.;

(a) to be at hand, impend, threaten: 2 Timothy 3:1;

(b) to be present: 2 Thessalonians 2:2 (but see Thayer, see word); pf. ptcp., present: 1 Corinthians 7:26, Galatians 1:4, Hebrews 9:9; pl., Romans 8:38, 1 Corinthians 3:22 (Cremer, 3O9).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Romans 8:38

Range of meaning

Intransitive: to stand in, to have come, to be present or at hand. The perfect participle often means 'present' as opposed to future, with overtones of something that has 'set in' or is impending: a crisis, a season, a war (BDAG s.v. ἐνίστημι).

Against the English

BSB/NIV 'the present' and KJV/ESV/NASB 'things present' are accurate but neutral. NLT's 'our fears for today' turns the phrase into a psychological state, an inner worry. Paul names outside realities and says nothing here about feelings.

Used elsewhere in the period

1 Cor 7:26 'the present distress'; Gal 1:4 'the present evil age'; 2 Thess 2:2 'the day of the Lord has come'; 1 Cor 3:22 'things present or things to come'. In the papyri it is common for the current year or season.

From the study of 2 Thessalonians 2:2

Range of meaning

In the perfect tense it means 'to have come on the scene', 'be present', 'be in progress'. Its participle is the standard Greek way to say 'present' as opposed to 'future'.

Against the English

The KJV's 'is at hand' (likewise Douay 'were at hand') suggests something about to happen. Modern versions say 'has come' (ESV, NASB, RSV), 'has already come' (BSB, NIV, WEB) or 'has already begun' (NLT), and these fit Greek usage.

How it drifted

The Latin Vulgate's 'quasi instet dies Domini' ('as if the day of the Lord were pressing upon us', i.e. imminent) shaped the older English tradition. In the 1600s 'at hand' could mean 'present' as well as 'near', but today readers hear only 'near'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Paul uses the same verb for the present as against the future: 'things present nor things to come' (Romans 8:38; 1 Corinthians 3:22), 'the present distress' (1 Corinthians 7:26), 'the present evil age' (Galatians 1:4), 'the present time' (Hebrews 9:9). Greek papyri regularly use 'the present year' (ho enestōs eniautos) for the year in progress. BDAG gives 'be present, have come' for the perfect forms.

From the study of 1 Corinthians 3:22

Range of meaning

To stand in or upon; to be present, to have arrived, to be at hand; used of events that have set in, such as a war or a time of distress.

Against the English

'Things present' (KJV, WEB, YLT) keeps the plural 'things'. 'The present' (BSB and others) turns it into an abstract slice of time. The Greek points to concrete realities and forces now in place.

Used elsewhere in the period

Galatians 1:4 has 'the present evil age' (tou aiōnos tou enestōtos). 1 Corinthians 7:26 has 'the present distress'. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 uses it of claims that 'the day of the Lord has come'. Romans 8:38 pairs it, as here, with mellonta.

Where it appears

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 8:38 ἐνεστῶτα things being present

    For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,

    Here: Literally 'things that have set in', i.e. what is already upon us. Paul uses the same word for 'the present distress' (1 Cor 7:26) and 'the present evil age' (Gal 1:4), so it carries a note of pressing circumstances, not just 'the current time'.

1 Corinthians · 2

  1. 1 Corinthians 3:22 ἐνεστῶτα things being present

    whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All of them belong to you,

    Here: A perfect participle, neuter plural: 'things that have come to stand here', meaning the realities now at hand. Paul uses the same verb for the 'present age' (Gal 1:4) and the 'present distress' (1 Cor 7:26).

  2. 1 Corinthians 7:26 ἐνεστῶσαν being present

    Because of the present crisis, I think it is good for a man to remain as he is.

    Here: A perfect participle, meaning a state that has arrived and is now in place: "the distress that has set in." Paul uses the same form for "things present" in Rom 8:38 and 1 Cor 3:22. A minority of translations render it "impending".

Galatians · 1

  1. Galatians 1:4 ἐνεστῶτος having come presently

    who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

    Here: Perfect participle, 'having set in, now here'. The old age is still around; the rescue has happened inside an age that has not yet ended.

2 Thessalonians · 1

  1. 2 Thessalonians 2:2 ἐνέστηκεν has been present

    not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come.

    Here: A perfect-tense form: a past arrival whose result still stands. 'Has set in', 'is now here'. The claim was that the Day had already begun, not just that it was near.

2 Timothy · 1

  1. 2 Timothy 3:1 ἐνστήσονται will be present

    But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come.

    Here: Future: "will set in," "will be upon you." The verb is about things arriving and settling in as present reality (its perfect form means "present," as in "the present age"). It hints that these times do not just pass by. They take hold.

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 9:9 ἐνεστηκότα, being present,

    It is an illustration for the present time, because the gifts and sacrifices being offered were unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper.

    Here: A perfect participle: 'having arrived and now being here'. Whose 'present' is meant (the old era or the writer's own day) is debated.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.