1696. emmenó
Lexical Summary
emmenó: To remain, to abide, to continue in

Original Word: ἐμμένω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: emmenó
Pronunciation: em-MEN-oh
Phonetic Spelling: (em-men'-o)
KJV: continue
NASB: continue, abide, stayed
Word Origin: [from G1722 (ἔν - among) and G3306 (μένω - abides)]

1. to stay in the same place
2. (figuratively) persevere

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
continue.

From en and meno; to stay in the same place, i.e. (figuratively) persevere -- continue.

see GREEK en

see GREEK meno

HELPS Word-studies

1696 emménō (from 1772 /énnomos, "in a sphere" and 3306 /ménō, "remain, abide with") – properly, remain in a condition, steadfastly abide.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from en and menó
Definition
to abide in, fig. to be true to, to persevere
NASB Translation
abide (1), continue (2), stayed (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 1696: ἐμμένω

ἐμμένω (Tdf. ἐνμένω, Acts 14:22; see ἐν, III. 3); 1 aorist ἐνεμεινα; from Aeschylus and Herodotus down; (Augustine,immaneo), to remain in, continue;

a. properly, in a place: ἐν τίνι, Acts 28:30 T Tr WH.

b. to persevere in anything, a state of mind, etc.; to hold fast, be true to, abide by, keep: τῇ πίστει, Acts 14:22 (νόμῳ, ὅρκοις, etc. in the Greek writings); ἐν τίνι (more rarely so in the classics, as ἐν ταῖς σπονδαις, Thucydides 4, 118; ἐν τῇ πίστει, Polybius 3, 70, 4): ἐν (so R G only) τοῖς γεγραμμένοις, Galatians 3:10 from Deuteronomy 27:26; ἐν τῇ διαθήκη, Hebrews 8:9 from Jeremiah 38:32 (). (Cf. Winer's Grammar, § 52, 4, 5.)

STRONGS NT 1696a: ἐμμέσῳἐμμέσῳ, equivalent to ἐν μέσῳ (see μέσος, 2): Revelation 1:13; Revelation 2:1; Revelation 4:6; Revelation 5:6; Revelation 22:2, in Tdf. edition 7; (see his Proleg., p. xlviii. (but nowhere in edition 8, see the Proleg., p. 76f); cf. WHs Appendix, p. 150; B. 8).

Topical Lexicon
Essence of ἐμμένω in Biblical Thought

The verb expresses steadfast continuance. It pictures a conscious choice to stay within a prescribed sphere—whether blessing, faith, covenant obligation, or physical location—rather than to depart.

New Testament Distribution

The Spirit guided four writers to employ the word in four distinct settings: Galatians 3:10, Acts 14:22, Hebrews 8:9, and Acts 28:30. Together they trace a line from law-keeping that fails, to faith that endures, to covenant faithlessness that grieves God, and finally to apostolic perseverance that advances the gospel.

Continuance and Covenant Justice (Galatians 3:10)

Paul cites Deuteronomy to expose the futility of self-reliance:

“Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the law.” (Galatians 3:10)

“Continue” (ἐμμένει) highlights the law’s unyielding standard—total, lifelong compliance. Because no sinner can remain flawlessly inside that standard, the verse prepares the reader for justification by faith in Christ alone (Galatians 3:11-14). The term thus underlines both divine justice and humanity’s need for grace.

Perseverance in Affliction (Acts 14:22)

Paul and Barnabas revisit fledgling congregations,

“strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith.” (Acts 14:22)

Here ἐμμένω frames Christian perseverance not as grim stoicism but as faith empowered by the gospel. Tribulations are not anomalies; they are predicted pathways into the kingdom. The word rebukes any notion that hardships nullify God’s favor; rather, believers abide because grace keeps them.

Covenant Failure and Divine Forbearance (Hebrews 8:9)

Regarding the Sinai covenant the writer records,

“they did not remain faithful to My covenant, and I turned away from them.” (Hebrews 8:9)

Israel’s history illustrates the opposite of ἐμμένω. By failing to stay inside God’s covenant parameters, the nation forfeited blessing and exposed the need for the promised new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). The contrast between human instability and divine initiative magnifies the sufficiency of Christ’s priesthood (Hebrews 8:6).

Missionary Residence and Open-Door Ministry (Acts 28:30)

“Paul stayed there two full years in his own rented house, welcoming all who came to visit him.” (Acts 28:30)

Luke closes Acts with ἐμμένω describing a literal stay. House arrest could have restricted proclamation; instead, it became a base for unhindered gospel witness (Acts 28:31). The word therefore models how remaining in God-appointed circumstances, even constrained ones, advances His purposes.

Theological Threads

1. Divine Standard: ἐμμένω reveals that God’s law is not negotiable (Galatians 3:10).
2. Human Inability: Hebrews 8:9 shows covenant breach when people fail to remain.
3. Grace-Empowered Continuance: Acts 14:22 affirms that gospel faith enables endurance.
4. Missional Constancy: Acts 28:30 illustrates steadfast ministry under providential limits.
5. Eschatological Assurance: Perseverance is both required and provided, guaranteeing entrance into the kingdom (Acts 14:22; cf. Revelation 14:12).

Pastoral Applications

• Preach the whole counsel of God so that hearers grasp both the impossibility of law-based righteousness and the necessity of abiding faith.
• Encourage believers facing trials that perseverance validates genuine conversion rather than earns salvation.
• Remind congregations that faithfulness in ordinary settings—homes, workplaces, even confinements—is strategic for gospel spread.
• Use covenant history to warn against drift and to exalt the sufficiency of the new covenant mediated by Christ.

Contemporary Challenges

In an age of transient commitments, ἐμμένω calls the church to doctrinal stability and relational fidelity. It rebukes consumer Christianity and summons believers to remain within scriptural boundaries, trusting that God’s grace will sustain them until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Forms and Transliterations
εμμείνασαι εμμείνη εμμενει εμμενεί εμμένει ἐμμένει εμμενειν εμμένειν ἐμμένειν εμμένοντες εμμενούσιν εμμολυνθήσεται έμμονός ενεμειναν ενέμειναν ἐνέμειναν ενεμείνατε Ενεμεινεν Ἐνέμεινεν emmenei emménei emmenein emménein enemeinan enémeinan Enemeinen Enémeinen
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Englishman's Concordance
Acts 14:22 V-PNA
GRK: μαθητῶν παρακαλοῦντες ἐμμένειν τῇ πίστει
NAS: encouraging them to continue in the faith,
KJV: [and] exhorting them to continue in the faith,
INT: disciples exhorting [them] to continue in the faith

Acts 28:30 V-AIA-3S
GRK: Ἐνέμεινεν δὲ διετίαν
NAS: And he stayed two full
INT: he abode moreover two years

Galatians 3:10 V-PIA-3S
GRK: ὃς οὐκ ἐμμένει πᾶσιν τοῖς
NAS: WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS
KJV: [is] every one that continueth not in
INT: who not does continue all things which

Hebrews 8:9 V-AIA-3P
GRK: αὐτοὶ οὐκ ἐνέμειναν ἐν τῇ
NAS: OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT,
KJV: because they continued not in
INT: they not did continue in the

Strong's Greek 1696
4 Occurrences


ἐμμένει — 1 Occ.
ἐμμένειν — 1 Occ.
ἐνέμειναν — 1 Occ.
Ἐνέμεινεν — 1 Occ.

1695
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