Original Word: εἰ μήτι
Part of Speech: Conjunction
Transliteration: ei méti
Pronunciation: ay MAY-tee
Phonetic Spelling: (i may tee)
KJV: except
NASB: except
Word Origin: [from G1508 (εἰ μή - except) and the neuter of G5100 (τίς - some)]

1. if not somewhat

except.

From ei me and the neuter of tis; if not somewhat -- except.

see GREEK ei me

see GREEK tis

Word Origin
from ei and méti
Definition
if not somewhat
NASB Translation
except (1).

Essential Sense and Function

εἰ μήτι is a two–particle construction that combines the conditional εἰ (“if”) with the exceptive μήτι (“unless perhaps,” “except that”) to introduce a possibility that is regarded as doubtful, restricted, or hypothetical. The turn of phrase belongs to the family of Greek conditional particles that nuance a statement by allowing for a narrowly defined exception. In classical and later Koine usage it most often follows a negative assertion (“this cannot be…”) and then opens a window for the only imaginable alternative (“…unless perhaps…”).

Absence from the Canonical Text

Although εἰ μήτι does not appear as a discrete form in the Greek New Testament, an understanding of its force is still important for exegesis because:

1. Related constructions (εἰ μή, εἰ μή τι, εἰ μήτις) do occur, and their logic is identical.
2. Septuagintal and contemporaneous Greek literature use the form frequently enough that first-century readers were sensitive to its nuance.
3. English translations sometimes render various Greek exceptive clauses with the same English words (“unless,” “except,” “if perhaps”), so familiarity with the particle guards against imposing a softer or harsher sense than the text intends.

Illustrative Parallels in Scripture

Luke 14:26—“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother… yes, even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.”

The clause “does not hate… even his own life” is, in Greek, an εἰ μή construction highlighting the single exception to true discipleship. εἰ μήτι, had it been chosen, would have sharpened the thought even further: “unless perhaps…,” underscoring the unlikelihood of genuine discipleship without radical allegiance to Christ.

John 3:3—“Truly, truly, I tell you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Here εἰ μή τις is employed. The narrower εἰ μήτι would carry the same excluding weight but with an added shade of skepticism that any exception could ever materialize. The point remains: the new birth is absolutely necessary.

Acts 27:31—“Unless these men remain on the ship, you cannot be saved.”

Paul’s warning uses ἐὰν μή; εἰ μήτι would have carried an identical logical demand. Either way, God’s promised deliverance is contingent upon obedience to His revealed condition, illustrating how divine sovereignty and human responsibility intertwine.

Septuagint Usage

In the Septuagint the construction appears, for example, in Job 41:4 [41:3 LXX] where the Lord challenges Job concerning Leviathan: “Will he speak to you soft words?—unless perhaps you bind him with a covenant.” The particle underlines the rhetorical impossibility of such a covenant, accentuating the creature’s untamable nature and, by extension, God’s incomparable power.

Theological Significance

1. Exclusivity of Divine Provision

The formula often seals an utter dependence on God’s appointed means. “Unless perhaps” sets the conditions so stringently that only the provision God Himself supplies can fulfill them (cf. John 6:44).

2. Assurance through Negated Possibility

By positing an alternative that is practically impossible, εἰ μήτι underscores certainty. When Scripture states, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1), the theology of grace is magnified—human effort is vain apart from divine initiative.

3. Sound Reason and Faith

The particle’s cautious “perhaps” reflects biblical calls to test all things (1 Thessalonians 5:21) while maintaining robust confidence in God’s truth. Healthy doctrine neither naïvely dismisses exceptions nor grants them unwarranted probability.

Pastoral and Homiletical Application

• Guarding Against Presumption

Ministers can employ the logic behind εἰ μήτι to warn congregations against assuming salvific realities without meeting God’s conditions of repentance and faith (Luke 13:3).

• Encouraging Earnest Self-Examination

Paul exhorts believers, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5). The very possibility clause implied by εἰ μήτι presses Christians to earnest scrutiny under Scripture.

• Teaching Logical Clarity

Sound exposition benefits from pointing out the difference between universal statements and those narrowed by “unless perhaps.” Such precision combats both legalism (by showing the sole grounds for acceptance) and antinomianism (by exposing false assumptions of grace).

Historical Notes

Early Church commentators, drawing from classical rhetoric, recognized the particle’s value in polemics. Origen, in Contra Celsum, counters skeptical arguments with conditional retorts structured much like εἰ μήτι, demonstrating its apologetic utility. Medieval scholastics later transferred the concept into Latin (nisi forte) to uphold doctrinal exactness in debates over sacramental efficacy.

Relationship to Cognate Forms

• εἰ μή (“except”) – broader, often factual exception.
• ἐὰν μή (“unless”) – future contingency.
• εἰ μή τι / εἰ μή τις – adds an indefinite pronoun, specifying “unless anyone/anything.”

εἰ μήτι stands at the precise intersection of these, marking an exception that is theoretically conceivable yet practically doubtful.

Implications for Translation Philosophy

Because the expression blends conditionality with skepticism, a wooden “unless” may miss the flavor. Renderings such as “unless perhaps,” “if indeed…,” or “except in the unlikely case that” often serve better in English. Translators must weigh readability against the need to retain the text’s rhetorical force.

Conclusion

Though εἰ μήτι is absent from the printed New Testament text, its logic permeates Scripture’s conditional statements. Mastery of the particle enriches exegesis, guards doctrinal fidelity, and sharpens pastoral proclamation by highlighting the exclusive, non-negotiable pathways God ordains for salvation, obedience, and blessing.

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