Lexical Summary emou: of me, my Original Word: ἐμοῦ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance me, mine, my. A prolonged form of mochthos; of me -- me, mine, my. see GREEK mochthos HELPS Word-studies 1700 emoú – of me (i.e. "mine, my"); "the emphatic form of 3450 /moú (S. Zodhiates, Dict), i.e. the marked (emphatic) way of saying "mine" (note the prefixed epsilon, "e"). 1700 /emoú ("mine, my") then is an "emphasized possessive" (F. Blass, 168), used in place of the unemphatic form, 3450 /moú ("mine, my"). ["As it belongs (pertains) to Me" stresses how Jesus is the God-man, incarnating from eternity.] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originemph. form of mou, see egó NASB Translation mine (1). Topical Lexicon Scope and Definition ἐμοῦ is the emphatic genitive singular of ἐγώ, meaning “of me” or “my,” conveying personal ownership, relationship, or authorship. Though catalogued separately by Strong as 1700, modern databases list its occurrences under the root pronoun and therefore record no independent count. The form nevertheless pervades the New Testament, especially in the words of Jesus and in apostolic testimony. Emphatic Genitive and Its Force Where the enclitic form μου may express possession in a neutral sense, ἐμοῦ adds rhetorical weight. By fronting personal involvement, it underlines intimacy (“my Father”), exclusive claim (“my disciples”), or direct source (“from me”). The emphatic force invites hearers to consider not merely an object owned or an action performed but the very person who stands behind the statement. Divine Self-Disclosure in the Gospels Jesus frequently employs ἐμοῦ when revealing His unique relationship to the Father and His authority over salvation: • John 6:40 – “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life.” These declarations unite Christ’s person and work. The emphatic pronoun guards the distinction between Christ and all created messengers while affirming His co-equality with the Father. Covenant and Possession Language When the Lord speaks of His people or His commands, ἐμοῦ frames a covenantal relationship: • John 10:27 – “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” Covenant fidelity is defined not by abstract law but by belonging to the covenant-Maker Himself. The flock is “mine,” the command is “mine,” the love is “mine.” Through ἐμοῦ the believer is drawn into a living bond with the Shepherd. Call to Discipleship Jesus connects discipleship to self-denial and identification with Him: • Luke 9:23 – “If anyone desires to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Here ἐμοῦ (or its cognate forms) intensifies the personal dimension. Discipleship is not adherence to a philosophy but attachment to the Person who issues the command. Apostolic Proclamation Paul employs the emphatic genitive to emphasize the divine origin of the message entrusted to him: • Galatians 1:11–12 – “I certify to you, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not according to man. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, it came by revelation from Jesus Christ.” Though Paul speaks of “my gospel” (Romans 2:16; 16:25) he insists that its source is Christ, not human invention. The pronoun thus underlines stewardship rather than ownership. Prayer and Worship Believers address God with forms of ἐμοῦ that confess dependence and intimacy: • Luke 1:47 – “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Such prayers remind the church that worship is relational; the covenant God is personally possessed and personally possessing. Septuagint Background The Greek Old Testament paves the way for New Testament usage. Yahweh’s covenant refrain, “I will be their God, and they will be My people” (Jeremiah 31:33 LXX), foreshadows the fuller revelation in Christ. The emphatic genitive underscores divine initiative in redemption and ownership, themes the New Testament amplifies. Doctrinal Observations 1. Christology: ἐμοῦ safeguards the personal, incarnate character of revelation, countering any tendency to depersonalize truth. Practical Ministry Applications • Preaching should highlight the Person behind every imperative of Scripture, encouraging hearers to respond to Christ Himself. In sum, ἐμοῦ serves as a grammatical yet profoundly theological bridge between the divine “I” and redeemed humanity. It reminds the reader that every promise, command, and hope in Scripture is anchored in the living God who says, “You are Mine” (Isaiah 43:1) and who invites us to reply, “My Lord and my God.” Forms and Transliterations εμπαίγματα εμπαιγμάτωνLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ἐνέμεινεν — 1 Occ.Ἑμμὼρ — 1 Occ. ἐμὰ — 9 Occ. ἐμὰς — 1 Occ. ἐμὴ — 18 Occ. ἐμὴν — 13 Occ. ἐμῆς — 2 Occ. ἐμῷ — 3 Occ. ἐμῶν — 1 Occ. ἐμοὶ — 3 Occ. ἐμὸν — 11 Occ. ἐμὸς — 6 Occ. ἐμοῦ — 4 Occ. ἐμοὺς — 3 Occ. ἐμπαιγμῶν — 1 Occ. ἐμπαιγμονῇ — 1 Occ. ἐμπαιχθήσεται — 1 Occ. ἐμπαῖξαι — 1 Occ. ἐμπαίξας — 1 Occ. ἐμπαίξουσιν — 1 Occ. |