ἔρχομαι (erchomai)
erchomai
to come/go
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 603 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb erchomai is the standard New Testament word for coming or going, appearing in over 600 verses across the Gospels and other writings. It describes physical movement from one place to another, whether a traveler arriving at a house or a disciple returning from a journey. The sources note its frequent use with prepositions like "from" (apo) or "into" (eis), which clarify the direction of the movement in specific contexts.
A significant theological weight attaches to this word when it identifies Jesus as "the Coming One." In Matthew 11:3 and John 4:25, characters ask if he is the one who is coming, using a form that points to Messianic expectation. This usage extends to his future return, where early Christians looked for his reappearance as described in passages like Acts 1:11.
Its grammatical structure is distinct because the present and imperfect tenses rely on erchomai, while other time frames use related forms like eltho. This variation allows writers to shift focus between ongoing arrival and completed action. Translators typically render it simply as "come" or "go," preserving the straightforward nature of the original Greek without adding emotional nuance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word erchomai simply means to come or go. It appears over six hundred times in the New Testament, describing everything from a traveler arriving at a house to Jesus entering a village. This everyday language helps us understand that God is not distant. He moves toward people. When we read about Jesus coming to heal the sick or to teach by the sea, we see a God who initiates contact.
For your faith, this word offers comfort. It reminds you that the divine is actively present in history and in your life. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus says he did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it. This shows his purpose was restorative, not destructive. You can trust that when God comes into your situation, he brings wholeness rather than chaos.
Looking forward, this word also points to hope. Christians believe Jesus will come again to make all things new. This promise anchors our daily lives. Whether you are facing a difficult season or celebrating a joy, the truth remains that God is coming. He is present with you now and will be with you forever.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 603 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- having come75×
- came56×
- coming42×
- comes31×
- to come30×
- is coming24×
- they came21×
- may come14×
- they come12×
- I am coming12×
- He comes12×
- has come11×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἦλθεν84×
- ἔρχεται64×
- ἦλθον57×
- ἐλθὼν48×
- ἔλθῃ27×
- ἐλθεῖν26×
- ἐλθόντες21×
- ἐρχόμενος19×
- ἔρχονται17×
- ἐρχόμενον17×
- ἔρχομαι13×
- ἔρχεται,10×
Key Verses
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Matthew 5:17
“Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Jesus uses this word to define his mission as fulfilling rather than abolishing the Law, showing his intent is restoration.
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Matthew 2:11
They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The wise men come into the house to worship the child, demonstrating that coming to Jesus involves humble reverence and gift-giving.
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Matthew 3:16
Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.
The Spirit comes upon Jesus at his baptism, marking the beginning of his public ministry with divine empowerment.
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Matthew 6:10
Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
In the Lord's Prayer, believers ask for God's Kingdom to come, aligning their desires with divine rule and peace on earth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does erchomai mean in the Bible?
Why is this word important for understanding Jesus?
How is erchomai different from other words for movement?
Every Occurrence (603 verses across 24 books)
Matthew 113 verses
“Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:8He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me…
Matthew 2:9They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until…
Matthew 2:11They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening…
Matthew 2:23and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets that he…
Matthew 3:7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers,…
Matthew 3:11“I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not…
Matthew 3:14But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”
Matthew 3:16Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the…
Matthew 4:13Leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
Matthew 5:17“Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Matthew 5:24leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer…
Matthew 6:10Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 7:15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
Matthew 7:25The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded…
Matthew 7:27The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great.”
Matthew 8:7Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
Matthew 8:9For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and tell…
Matthew 8:14When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever.
Matthew 8:28When he came to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes, two people possessed by demons met him there,…
Matthew 8:29Behold, they cried out, saying, “What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us…
Matthew 9:1He entered into a boat and crossed over, and came into his own city.
Matthew 9:10As he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.
Matthew 9:13But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but…
Matthew 9:15Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will…
Matthew 9:18While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but…
Matthew 9:23When Jesus came into the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd in noisy disorder,
Matthew 9:28When he had come into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do…
Matthew 10:13If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you.
Matthew 10:23But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone…
Matthew 10:34“Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.
Matthew 10:35For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against…
Matthew 11:3and said to him, “Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?”
Matthew 11:14If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.
Matthew 11:18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’
Matthew 11:19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax…
Matthew 12:9He departed from there and went into their synagogue.
Matthew 12:42The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the…
Matthew 12:44Then he says, ‘I will return into my house from which I came;’ and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and…
Matthew 13:4As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them.
Matthew 13:19When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away that which…
Matthew 13:25but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also among the wheat, and went away.
Matthew 13:32which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that…
Matthew 13:36Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the…
Matthew 13:54Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this…
Matthew 14:12His disciples came, took the body, and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
Matthew 14:25In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.
Matthew 14:28Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters.”
Matthew 14:29He said, “Come!” Peter stepped down from the boat and walked on the waters to come to Jesus.
Matthew 14:33Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”
Matthew 14:34When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.
Matthew 15:25But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.”
Matthew 15:29Jesus departed from there and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up on the mountain and sat there.
Matthew 15:39Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala.
Matthew 16:5The disciples came to the other side and had forgotten to take bread.
Matthew 16:13Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the…
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 16:27For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will give to everyone according to…
Matthew 16:28Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death until they see the Son of Man…
Matthew 17:10His disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
Matthew 17:11Jesus answered them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things;
Matthew 17:12but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to.…
Matthew 17:14When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him and saying,
Matthew 17:24When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins came to Peter, and said, “Doesn’t your teacher…
Matthew 17:25He said, “Yes.” When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the…
Matthew 18:7“Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person…
Matthew 18:11For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.
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 19:1When Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee and came into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan.
Matthew 19:14But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to…
Matthew 20:9“When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius.
Matthew 20:10When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius.
Matthew 20:28even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 21:1When they came near to Jerusalem and came to Bethsphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,
Matthew 21:5“Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a…
Matthew 21:9The multitudes who went in front of him, and those who followed, kept shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed…
Matthew 21:19Seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves. He said to it, “Let there be no fruit…
Matthew 21:23When he had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and…
Matthew 21:32For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him; but the tax collectors and the…
Matthew 21:40When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?”
Matthew 22:3and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.
Matthew 23:35that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of…
Matthew 23:39For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Matthew 24:5For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray.
Matthew 24:30and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will…
Matthew 24:39and they didn’t know until the flood came and took them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Matthew 24:42Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes.
Matthew 24:43But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have…
Matthew 24:44Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.
Matthew 24:46Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes.
Matthew 24:48But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’
Matthew 25:6But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’
Matthew 25:10While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and…
Matthew 25:11Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’
Matthew 25:13Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Matthew 25:19“Now after a long time the lord of those servants came, and settled accounts with them.
Matthew 25:27You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own…
Matthew 25:31“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his…
Matthew 25:36I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me.’
Matthew 25:39When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’
Matthew 26:36Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go there and…
Matthew 26:40He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What, couldn’t you watch with me for one hour?
Matthew 26:43He came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
Matthew 26:45Then he came to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and…
Matthew 26:47While he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and…
Matthew 26:64Jesus said to him, “You have said so. Nevertheless, I tell you, after this you will see the Son of Man sitting at the…
Matthew 27:33When they came to a place called “Golgotha”, that is to say, “The place of a skull,”
Matthew 27:49The rest said, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
Matthew 27:57When evening had come, a rich man from Arimathaea named Joseph, who himself was also Jesus’ disciple, came.
Matthew 27:64Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come at night and steal…
Matthew 28:1Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see…
Matthew 28:11Now while they were going, behold, some of the guards came into the city and told the chief priests all the things that…
Matthew 28:13saying, “Say that his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept.