Refiner Word Study ek (G1537)
G1537  ·  Greek  ·  Strong's Concordance
ἐκ
ek
748 occurrences in Scripture Greek

"ἐχ before vowels, with genitive, from, out of, a place, Mt. 2:15; 3:17; of, from, out of, denoting origin or source, Mt. 1:3; 21:19; of, from some material, Mt. 3:9; Rom. 9:21; of, from, among, partitively, Mt. 6:27; 21:31; Mk. 9:17; from, denoting cause, Rev. 8:11; 17:6; means o..."

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Definition and meaning

What does ek mean in Greek?

748
Occurrences in Scripture
G1537
Strong's number
Greek
Original language

ἐχ before vowels, with genitive, from, out of, a place, Mt. 2:15; 3:17; of, from, out of, denoting origin or source, Mt. 1:3; 21:19; of, from some material, Mt. 3:9; Rom. 9:21; of, from, among, partitively, Mt. 6:27; 21:31; Mk. 9:17; from, denoting cause, Rev. 8:11; 17:6; means or instrument, Mt. 12:33, 37; by, through, denoting the author or efficient cause, Mt. 1:18; Jn. 10:32; of, denoting the distinguishing mark of a class, Rom. 2:8; Gal. 3:7; of time, after, 2 Cor. 4:6; Rev. 17:11; from, after, since, Mt. 19:12; Lk. 8:27; for, with, denoting a rate of payment, price, Mt. 20:2; 27:7; at, denoting position, Mt. 20:21, 23; after passive verbs, by, of, from, marking the agent, Mt. 15:5; Mk. 7:11; forming with certain words a periphrasis for an adverb, Mt. 26:42, 44; Mk. 6:51; Lk. 23:8; put after words of freeing, Rom. 7:24; 2 Cor. 1:10; used partitively after verbs of eating, drinking, etc., Jn. 6:26; 1 Cor. 9:7

In the original Greek the word is written: ἐκ

Historical context

What was happening when this word was written?

Roman-Occupied Judea (c. 4 BC-AD 30)

Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.

The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.

Scripture references

Top 10 Bible verses with ek

These are the most notable occurrences of ek (G1537) across the King James Bible.

Matthew 1:3

And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;

Matthew 1:5

And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

Matthew 1:6

And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;

Matthew 1:16

And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Matthew 1:18

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 1:20

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 2:6

And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Matthew 2:15

And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Matthew 3:9

And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

Matthew 3:17

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

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Common questions

Frequently asked questions about ek

What does ek mean in Greek?

Strong's G1537 (ek) is a Greek word that means: ἐχ before vowels, with genitive, from, out of, a place, Mt. 2:15; 3:17; of, from, out of, denoting origin or source, Mt. 1:3; 21:19; of, from some material, Mt. 3:9; Rom. 9:21; of, from, among, partit... It appears 748 times in the King James Bible.

How many times does ek appear in the Bible?

The word ek (G1537) appears 748 times in the original Greek text.

What is Strong's number G1537?

Strong's G1537 is ek, a Greek word defined as: ἐχ before vowels, with genitive, from, out of, a place, Mt. 2:15; 3:17; of, from, out of, denoting origin or source, Mt. 1:3; 21:19; of, from some mat. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.

Is ek in the Old Testament or New Testament?

ek is a Greek word found in the New Testament.