δεῖ
dei
be necessary
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word "δεῖ" (dei) is a verb that means "be necessary." It is used 106 times in the Bible, indicating its importance in various contexts. In its most basic sense, "δεῖ" implies a requirement or obligation that must be fulfilled. "Δεῖ" is used in a range of situations, from describing physical needs, such as food and shelter, to emphasizing moral or spiritual necessities, like repentance and faith. Its usage suggests that something is essential or unavoidable, and it is often used in conjunction with other verbs to convey a sense of necessity or compulsion. The frequency and versatility of "δεῖ" in the Bible highlight its significance as a concept that underlies many aspects of human experience. It underscores the idea that certain things are essential for living a full and meaningful life, whether in a physical, moral, or spiritual sense.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
106 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
From that time, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.
Matthew 17:10His disciples asked him, saying, “Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
Matthew 18:33Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’
Matthew 23:23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.
Matthew 24:6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet.
Matthew 25:27You ought therefore to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest.
Matthew 26:35Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.” All of the disciples also said likewise.
Matthew 26:54How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must be so?”
Mark 8:31He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
Mark 9:11They asked him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
Mark 13:7“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be troubled. For those must happen, but the end is not yet.
Mark 13:10The Good News must first be preached to all the nations.
Mark 13:14But when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains,
Mark 14:31But he spoke all the more, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” They all said the same thing.
Luke 13:14The ruler of the synagogue, being indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the multitude, “There are six days in which men ought to work. Therefore come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day!”
Luke 2:49He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
Luke 4:43But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of God’s Kingdom to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent.”
Luke 9:22saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.”
Luke 11:42But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and God’s love. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.
Luke 12:12for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that same hour what you must say.”
Luke 13:16Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan had bound eighteen long years, be freed from this bondage on the Sabbath day?”
Luke 13:33Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, for it can’t be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.’
Luke 15:32But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ ”
Luke 17:25But first, he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
Luke 18:1He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up,
Luke 19:5When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”
Luke 21:9When you hear of wars and disturbances, don’t be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won’t come immediately.”
Luke 22:7The day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed.
Luke 22:37For I tell you that this which is written must still be fulfilled in me: ‘He was counted with transgressors.’ For that which concerns me has an end.”
Luke 24:7saying that the Son of Man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again?”
Luke 24:26Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?”
Luke 24:44He said to them, “This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled.”
Luke 24:46He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
John 3:7Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’
John 3:14As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
John 3:30He must increase, but I must decrease.
John 4:4He needed to pass through Samaria.
John 4:20Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”
John 4:24God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 9:4I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work.
John 10:16I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.
John 12:34The multitude answered him, “We have heard out of the law that the Christ remains forever. How do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up?’ Who is this Son of Man?”
John 20:9For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
Acts 1:16“Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus.
Acts 1:21“Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Acts 3:21whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God spoke long ago by the mouth of his holy prophets.
Acts 4:12There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”
Acts 5:29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
Acts 9:6But rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.”
Acts 9:16For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”