Greek word · G2080

ἔσω

esō

in/inner/inwardly

Literally 'the inside human': the person as seen from within, the seat of thought, will and desire, as opposed to the visible, bodily, outward person.

Appears 9 times in 9 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἔσω Ion, and old Att.. form of εἴσω

(εἰς),

adv., [in LXX for etc. ;]

1. prop., after verbs of motion (to) within, into: Matthew 26:58, Mark 14:54; with genitive, Mark 15:16.

2. As frequently in cl. (= cl. ἔνδον), after verbs of rest, within: John 20:26, Acts 5:23; οἱ ἔ. (opposite to οἱ ἔξω), 1 Corinthians 5:12; ὁ ἔ. ἄνθρωπος, Romans 7:22, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Ephesians 3:16.†

(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 Ephesians 3:16

Range of meaning

Literally 'the inside human': the person as seen from within, the seat of thought, will and desire, as opposed to the visible, bodily, outward person.

Against the English

KJV's 'inner man' is accurate, but ἄνθρωπος means a human being, not a male. 'Inner being' (BSB, NIV, ESV) and 'inner person' (WEB) are sound. 'Inner self' risks a modern psychological sense.

How it drifted

Modern readers may hear 'inner man' either as a separate spiritual component (a 'spirit-man' distinct from soul and body) or as the 'inner self' of therapy and self-discovery. Paul uses it as a plain description of a person's inner life.

Used elsewhere in the period

In Paul: Romans 7:22 ('I delight in God's law in the inner human,' tied to 'my mind' in 7:23, 25) and 2 Corinthians 4:16 ('our outer human is wasting away, yet our inner is being renewed day by day'). The phrase also had Greek philosophical currency: Plato, Republic 9.589a, speaks of ὁ ἐντὸς ἄνθρωπος, 'the human within'. Hellenistic writers such as Philo used similar language.

From the study of Romans 7:22

Range of meaning

"The inner human": the hidden side of a person that thinks, judges, wills and relates to God, as opposed to the visible, bodily side. Paul uses it three times: here, 2 Cor 4:16 ("our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day"), and Eph 3:16 (strengthened by the Spirit "in the inner being").

Against the English

"Inner being" (BSB, NIV, ESV), "inward man" (KJV, YLT), "inward person" (WEB), "with all my heart" (NLT). Modern readers may hear their emotional core or "true self". Some hear a separate spirit that does not sin. In this passage Paul identifies the inner human with the mind (nous, 7:23, 25): the part that sees and approves what is good.

How it drifted

Modern psychology and the language of the "authentic self" have taught readers to hear "inner" as feelings and private identity. Some popular teaching divides the person into spirit, soul and body and treats the "inner man" as the reborn spirit. Paul's own parallels point to the reasoning, God-facing self, not to emotions or a separate part.

Used elsewhere in the period

The expression comes from Greek philosophy. Plato (Republic 9.589a) speaks of "the human within" (ho entos anthrōpos), meaning reason, which should rule the person's lower drives. Philo, a Jewish writer of Paul's day, speaks of "the human within us", meaning the mind (e.g., On Planting 42; The Worse Attacks the Better 23). The later philosopher Plotinus uses almost Paul's wording (ho eisō anthrōpos). Paul takes up a phrase his Greek-speaking readers would recognize.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 26:58 ἔσω within

    But Peter followed Him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. And he went in and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.

    Here: 'Inside', which stresses that he is now within the walls of the compound. In v.69 the same courtyard is called 'outside', meaning outside the room where Jesus is being tried. The courtyard is inside the property but outside the hearing.

Mark · 2

  1. Mark 14:54 ἔσω within

    Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the officers and warmed himself by the fire.

    Here: Together with heōs and eis it stresses that Peter got all the way inside the high priest's property. 'Right into' (BSB) captures it. Peter took a real risk.

  2. Mark 15:16 ἔσω into

    Then the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called the whole company together.

John · 1

  1. John 20:26 ἔσω inside

    Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

    Here: 'Indoors', inside a house or room. The building is not named. Some translations add 'in the house' as an interpretation.

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 5:23 ἔσω inside

    “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards posted at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 7:22 ἔσω inward

    For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.

    Here: "Inner, within." An adverb used here as an adjective. It sets the hidden, thinking side of the self against the "members" (the body's limbs and organs) of verse 23.

1 Corinthians · 1

  1. 1 Corinthians 5:12 ἔσω within

    What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 4:16 ἔσω inner

    Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day.

    Here: 'Inner'. This is the side of the person that cannot be seen (4:18), where the Spirit is at work transforming 'from glory to glory' (3:18).

Ephesians · 1

  1. Ephesians 3:16 ἔσω inner

    I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,

    Here: An adverb used as an adjective: 'the inside' human being, as opposed to the visible, outward one.

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