ἑαυτοῦ (heautou)
heautou
themself
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 305 verses
- Root
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Word Overview
The Greek word heautou is a reflexive pronoun that points back to the subject of a sentence, translating as himself, herself, itself, or themselves. It functions primarily for the third person, indicating that an action returns to the one performing it. This distinguishes it from personal pronouns like autos, which simply mean "he" or "she" without the reflexive emphasis. In everyday Greek and Scripture, it appears frequently to show ownership or self-directed action.
A notable feature of its usage is its flexibility across persons. While it usually refers to a third party, sources note instances where it stands in for first or second person subjects, such as in Matthew 23:31 or Romans 8:23. In the plural form, it can even serve as a reciprocal pronoun meaning "one another," as seen in Ephesians 5:19. This adaptability allows it to cover a wide range of self-referential contexts without needing separate words for every grammatical case.
The word carries significant weight in passages describing human nature and spiritual state. For example, Luke 15:17 records the prodigal son coming to his senses "to himself," marking a moment of internal realization before any external change occurs. Similarly, Matthew 3:9 uses it to warn against relying on ancestral lineage "from yourselves" rather than genuine faith. Its presence often highlights the individual’s direct relationship with their own actions or conscience.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word heautou points back to the self, reminding us that our actions and thoughts often return to shape who we are. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus calls his followers to deny themselves, a call to turn inward and examine our motives before turning outward in service. This reflexive focus is not about isolation but about aligning our inner life with God’s will.
We see this dynamic clearly in the prodigal son’s journey, where he comes to himself before seeking his father. It is a moment of honest self-assessment that opens the door to grace. When we face anxiety or confusion, as in Matthew 6:34, we are invited to let each day handle its own concerns rather than carrying burdens that do not belong to us.
Ultimately, this word invites us to live with integrity. Whether we are humbling ourselves like a child in Matthew 18:4 or resisting the urge to judge others as the scribes did in Matthew 9:3, the reflexive nature of our choices matters. We are called to be honest about our needs and to trust that God sees the heart.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 305 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- himself50×
- themselves39×
- Himself28×
- yourselves24×
- their own19×
- his own17×
- ourselves16×
- themselves;10×
- of himself7×
- itself7×
- yourselves.6×
- to yourselves6×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἑαυτὸν60×
- ἑαυτοὺς53×
- ἑαυτοῖς40×
- ἑαυτοῦ38×
- ἑαυτῶν32×
- ἑαυτῷ24×
- ἑαυτόν,7×
- ἑαυτοῦ,7×
- ἑαυτούς·7×
- ἑαυτὴν5×
- ἑαυτοῖς·5×
- ἑαυτῶν,4×
Key Verses
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Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
This verse uses the reflexive pronoun to define discipleship as a deliberate turning inward to deny one's own selfish desires.
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Matthew 6:34
Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.
Here the word personifies tomorrow, suggesting that each day carries its own weight and should not be conflated with today's struggles.
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Matthew 18:4
Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
The reflexive form highlights that true greatness in the Kingdom comes from a personal act of humility, mirroring a child's dependence.
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Matthew 9:3
Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man blasphemes.”
This occurrence shows the scribes turning their judgment inward onto themselves, revealing how internal thoughts can lead to spiritual blindness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does heautou mean in the New Testament?
How is heautou different from autos?
Why does Jesus talk about denying oneself?
Does this word appear in other forms?
Every Occurrence (305 verses across 25 books)
Matthew 31 verses
Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to…
Matthew 6:4so that your merciful deeds may be in secret, then your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Matthew 6:34Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.
Matthew 8:22But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Matthew 9:3Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man blasphemes.”
Matthew 9:21for she said within herself, “If I just touch his garment, I will be made well.”
Matthew 12:25Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every…
Matthew 12:26If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
Matthew 12:45Then he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The…
Matthew 13:21yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word,…
Matthew 14:15When evening had come, his disciples came to him, saying, “This place is deserted, and the hour is already late. Send…
Matthew 15:30Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they put them down…
Matthew 16:7They reasoned among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.”
Matthew 16:8Jesus, perceiving it, said, “Why do you reason among yourselves, you of little faith, because you have brought no bread?
Matthew 16:24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and…
Matthew 18:4Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 18:31So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was…
Matthew 19:12For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by…
Matthew 21:8A very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
Matthew 21:25The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?” They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say,…
Matthew 21:38But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and seize his…
Matthew 23:12Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Matthew 23:31Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.
Matthew 25:1“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Matthew 25:3Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them,
Matthew 25:4but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Matthew 25:7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Matthew 25:9But the wise answered, saying, ‘What if there isn’t enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for…
Matthew 26:11For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.
Matthew 27:35When they had crucified him, they divided his clothing among them, casting lots,
Matthew 27:42“He saved others, but he can’t save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we…