The Greek phrase ei de mē(ge) (εἰ δὲ μή[γε]) means 'but if not,' 'otherwise,' or 'or else.' It is a combination of the conditional ei ('if'), de ('but/and'), mē ('not'), and sometimes ge (intensifier). It appears in Matthew 6:1; 9:17; Luke 5:36–37; 10:6; 13:9; 14:32; Revelation 2:5, 2:16 — often in urgent warnings.
The phrase ei de mē frequently appears in contexts of urgent divine warning and call to repentance. In Revelation 2:5, Christ warns the church at Ephesus: 'Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.' In Revelation 2:16 the same warning goes to Pergamum. The parable of the barren fig tree (Luke 13:9) uses it: 'If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' Jesus' wineskin teaching (Luke 5:37) warns: put new wine in new wineskins, otherwise the skins burst. This phrase carries the logic of divine patience meeting human accountability — God's 'otherwise' is never cruel but always an urgent invitation to choose life.