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“ἦν… ἐκεῖ”: The Imperfect Tense of Presence in John 2:1

Καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ γάμος ἐγένετο ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ ἦν ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐκεῖ. (John 2:1)

And on the third day, a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

The Mother Was There

The clause καὶ ἦν ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐκεῖ appears understated, yet its grammatical structure offers insightful narrative and theological signals. The use of ἦν {ēn}, the imperfect tense of εἰμί, and the adverb ἐκεῖ {ekeī}, meaning “there,” produces a sense of continued, established presence.

This clause is not just background information—it’s a scene-setting device that positions Jesus’ mother at the center of what is about to unfold.… Learn Koine Greek

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