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1 Timothy 5:19 — Word Study

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N1904κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο τριῶν μαρτύρων.

BSAAgainstkata an elderpresbuteros [respected leader] an accusationkatēgoria [formal complaint, charge] not [under any circumstances, lest] do receiveparadechomai [welcome, receive with delight] unlessektos [outside of, unless] onlyei except uponepi [at the mouth, based on the word] twoduo [a pair] orē [as an alternative] threetreis [a small group] witnesses.martus [those who testify to what they have seen]

Word
Listen & take away1 Timothy 5
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 19 is in this chapter.
Say the word Each Greek word carries its transliteration (martus) — no per-word recordings of the Greek exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Timothy 5:19quick helps
In a sentencePaul instructs Timothy on how to handle accusations against church leaders.
Who is speakingThe Apostle Paul, addressing Timothy, a young church leader.
Where we areThis verse is part of Paul's guidance on church governance and discipline.
The hard wordκατηγορίαν
Take awayAccusations require careful handling and corroboration.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectδύο verbπαραδέχομαι The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the New Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the New Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — , the commonest word in the Greek New Testament, stands 19,867 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — 1 Timothy 5:19

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Instructions for Church Leadersgenerated

18For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”
19Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
20But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin.
21I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality.

1 Timothy 5:19 provides guidance on how accusations against elders should be approached. Paul emphasizes the importance of having multiple witnesses to support any claims made against a leader in the church. This instruction reflects a broader biblical principle found in Deuteronomy 19:15, where the necessity of two or three witnesses is also established for legal matters. The context underscores the need for integrity and careful consideration in church leadership.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1John 18:29So Pilate went out to them and asked, “What accusation are you bringing against this man?”
2Acts 24:2–13When Paul had been called in, Tertullus opened the prosecution: “Because of you, we have enjoyed a lasting peace, and your foresight has brought improvements to this nation.
3Acts 25:16I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.
4Titus 1:6An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, having children who are believers and who are not open to accusation of indiscretion or insubordination.
5Deuteronomy 17:6On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word κατηγορίαν, katēgoriagenerated

The word κατηγορία (katēgoria) is a noun that means 'accusation' or 'charge.' It is derived from the verb κατηγορέω, which means to accuse. In this verse, it refers specifically to a formal complaint made against an elder.

In the New Testament, κατηγορία appears in contexts where individuals are charged with wrongdoing, highlighting the serious nature of such claims. The parsing indicates it is a singular, feminine noun in the accusative case, functioning as the direct object of the verb.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.' This wording is echoed in several translations, including the KJV and ASV, which similarly emphasize the need for witnesses.

However, some translations differ in their choice of words. For example, the BBE states, 'Do not take as true any statement made against one in authority,' which broadens the implication of the accusation beyond formal charges.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main finite verb in this verse is παραδέχου, do receive, which governs the entire clause. The structure includes a negative particle μὴ and a prepositional phrase ἐκτὸς, indicating the conditions under which accusations may be accepted.

The phrase ἐπὶ τῶν δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων acts as a qualifier, specifying that the testimony must come from two or three witnesses. This structure emphasizes the importance of corroboration in handling accusations.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The word κατηγορία does not have a direct equivalent in the Septuagint, but the concept of requiring witnesses is rooted in the Old Testament law, as seen in Deuteronomy 19:15, which establishes the necessity of multiple witnesses for legal matters.

This principle carries over into the New Testament, reinforcing the idea that accusations, especially against leaders, must be substantiated to maintain order and integrity within the church.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Timothy 5:19 instructs that accusations against church elders should not be taken lightly. Paul emphasizes that such claims should only be considered if supported by the testimony of two or three witnesses, highlighting the importance of careful judgment in church leadership.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What should be done if an accusation is made against an elder?

An accusation against an elder should not be accepted without the testimony of two or three witnesses, ensuring that claims are substantiated.

Why is it important to have multiple witnesses?

Having multiple witnesses helps to prevent false accusations and ensures that claims are credible, maintaining the integrity of church leadership.

What is the role of an elder in the church?

An elder is typically a respected leader within the church, responsible for spiritual guidance and oversight of the congregation.

How does this verse relate to other biblical teachings?

This verse aligns with Old Testament teachings that require multiple witnesses for legal matters, emphasizing the importance of justice and truth in community life.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I ensure that I approach accusations with fairness and integrity in my own life?
  2. What steps can I take to support church leaders in their roles?
  3. In what ways can I encourage a culture of accountability within my community?
  4. How does the principle of requiring witnesses apply to other areas of life beyond the church?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early Church Fathers provide insights on handling accusations against elders, emphasizing the need for caution and due process.

CyprianTreatise XII Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews c. 200–258
In the first to Timothy: "Against an eider receive not all accusation."
Early Church Fathers on 1 Timothy 5 →
JeromeLETTERS 125.19 c. 347–420
When a man is advanced in years, you must not be too ready to believe evil of him. His past life is itself a defense, and so also is his rank as an elder.
Early Church Fathers on 1 Timothy 5 →
John ChrysostomHomily on 1 Timothy 15 c. 347–407
May we then receive an accusation against a younger man, or against any one at all without witnesses? Ought we not in all cases to come to our judgments with the greatest exactness? What then does he mean? Do not so, he means, with any,
Early Church Fathers on 1 Timothy 5 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Timothy 5:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Against an elder receive not an accusation,.... A charge of any crime: but before two or three witnesses; good sufficient ones, who are capable of well attesting the fact: a charge against a pastor

Read John Gill on 1 Timothy 5 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Against an elder - a presbyter of the church. But before two or three witnesses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Timothy 5 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Against an elder; whether an elder in years or in office, though the latter being the persons formerly spoken of, seen here principally intended. Recieve not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses; that is, not to proceed to any judicial inquiry upon it, . This was a law concerning all elders or younger persons, especially in capital causes, but the apostle willeth this to be more specially observed as to officers in the church, whose faithful discharge of their trusts usually more exposeth them to people’ s querulous tongues.

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Timothy 5 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Ver. 19. Receive not an accusation] If to be accused were sufficient to make a man guilty, no good minister should be innocent. Praedicare nihil aliud est quam derivare in se furorem totius mundi, saith Luther. Truth hath always a scratched face. Men hate him that reproveth in the gate. Every fool hath a bolt to shoot at a faithful preacher.

Read John Trapp on 1 Timothy 5 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.—By the “elder” here we must understand a presbyter—the ordained minister of the Church. St. Paul has been directing his son in the faith, and successor in the government of the chief Asian Church, carefully to watch for, and to reward by dignity and honour, the services of the more zealous and distinguished presbyters. He now tells him that the other matters, besides zeal and successful service among the Church’s professed officers, will come before him when he stands at the helm of the Church. Charges—owing, possibly, to jealousy, party feeling, suspected doctrinal error—will not unfrequently be brought…

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Timothy 5 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 19. Against an elder] Be very cautious of receiving evil reports against those whose business it is to preach to others, and correct their vices. Do not consider an elder as guilty of any alleged crime, unless it be proved by two or three witnesses. This the law of Moses required in respect to all. Among the Romans, a plebeian might be condemned on the deposition of one credible witness; but it required two to convict a senator. The reason of this difference is evident: those whose business it is to correct others will usually have many enemies; great caution, therefore, should be used in admitting accusations against such persons.

Read AdamClarke on 1 Timothy 5 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19. Against an elder] A continuation of Timothy’s official duties towards the presbyters, as is indicated by the context. The Mosaic precept here referred to is given in its most general terms, Deuteronomy 19:15, ‘One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin … at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.’ So the preposition rendered by A.V. here ‘before’ is more exactly given R.V. at the mouth of, the phrase being given thus in full, Matthew 18:16. Winer’s note, § 47, 9th ed. ‘by, with, on the testimony of … witnesses’ is more exact than the phrase in his text ‘before witnesses.’ The reason for being…

Read Cambridge on 1 Timothy 5 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Against an elder - The word “elder” here seems to be used in the sense in which it is in the previous verse as relating to “office,” and not in the sense of an aged man, as in 1 Timothy 5:1.

Read Albert Barnes on 1 Timothy 5 →

The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Don’t receive an accusation against an elder except at the word of two or three witnesses.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Do not accept an accusation against an elder unless it can be confirmed by two or three witnesses.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Against an elder receive not an accusation, except at the mouth of two or three witnesses.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Against an elder receive not an accusation, except at the mouth of two or three witnesses.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Against an Elder receiue none accusation, but vnder two or three witnesses.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Against an elder receive not an accusation unless where there are two or three witnesses.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Against an elder an accusation receive not, except upon two or three witnesses.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Do not receive an accusation against an elder, except on two or three witnesses.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Do not receive an accusation against an elder unless there are two or three witnesses.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Against a priest receive not an accusation, but under two or three witnesses.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Don't entertain any accusation against an elder unless two or three witnesses support it.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Do not take as true any statement made against one in authority, but only if two or three give witness to it.

Word by word, the decisions they made

κατηγορίανkatēgoria an accusation G2724 2 different renderings
an accusationASV BSB DBY DRA KJV LSV MSB NETB NWB RVA ULB WEB YLT
accusationFBV GNV
παραδέχουparadechomai do receive G3858 2 different renderings
receiveASV DBY DRA KJV LSV NWB RVA ULB WEB YLT
acceptNETB
ἐκτὸςektos unless G1622 2 different renderings
exceptASV BSB LSV MSB RVA WEB YLT
unlessDBY FBV NETB ULB
μαρτύρων.martus witnesses. G3144 2 different renderings
witnessesASV BSB DBY DRA FBV GNV KJV LSV MSB NETB NWB RVA ULB WEB YLT
witnessBBE

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the Nestle 1904 treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseclauseprepositional phrase · adverbialκατὰAgainstπρεσβυτέρουan elderobjectκατηγορίανan accusationadverbialμὴnotverbπαραδέχουdo receiveclauseἐκτὸςexceptclauseεἰifclauseadverbialμὴnotprepositional phrase · adverbialἐπὶuponnoun phrasenumeral phraseδύοtwoorτριῶνthreeμαρτύρωνwitnesses

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The earliest translations — Latin and Syriac

Every translation is an argument about meaning made by someone who had to commit to one. These two were made while the Greek was still a living language, and they are the oldest opinions we have about what this verse says.

Latin VulgateAD 382–405

Adversus presbyterum accusationem noli recipere, nisi sub duobus aut tribus testibus.

Jerome revised the Old Latin against the Greek from AD 382; the Latin west read this text for a thousand years.

Syriac Peshittaby AD 400

ܥܠ ܩܫܝܫܐ ܩܛܓܪܢܘܬܐ ܠܐ ܬܩܒܠ ܐܠܐ ܥܠ ܦܘܡ ܬܪܝܢ ܘܬܠܬܐ ܣܗܕܝܢ

The Bible of the Syriac-speaking church, in the language nearest to the Aramaic Jesus spoke.

Shown verse by verse rather than word by word: aligning a Greek word to its Latin or Syriac counterpart automatically would be guesswork, and a wrong alignment is worse than none.


The Greek editions compared — what the manuscripts actually say

Eight printed editions of the Greek New Testament, side by side. Where they agree the wording is settled; where a word is missing from an edition it is marked, so you can see the difference rather than take it on trust.

Nestle-Aland 28th edition2012 · Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft

κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο τριῶν μαρτύρων.

The standard critical text of the New Testament.

Nestle-Aland 27th edition1993 · Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft

κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο τριῶν μαρτύρων.

The previous edition, still widely cited.

SBL Greek New Testament2010 · Michael Holmes

κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο τριῶν μαρτύρων.

The Society of Biblical Literature edition, freely licensed.

Westcott–Hort1881 · Westcott and Hort

κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο τριῶν μαρτύρων.

The edition that turned scholarship toward the earliest manuscripts.

Tregelles1857–1879 · Samuel Prideaux Tregelles

κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο τριῶν μαρτύρων.

An independent critical text built from the oldest witnesses then known.

Tyndale House Greek NT2017 · Tyndale House, Cambridge

κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο τριῶν μαρτύρων.

A recent critical edition following documentary evidence closely.

Byzantine majority text2018 · Robinson–Pierpont

κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο τριῶν μαρτύρων.

The reading of the majority of surviving manuscripts.

Textus Receptus1550/1894 lineage

κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορίαν μὴ παραδέχου ἐκτὸς εἰ μὴ ἐπὶ δύο τριῶν μαρτύρων.

The printed tradition behind the King James Version.

Every witness on this verse all agree
Critical editions
Nestle-Aland 28th edition2012Nestle-Aland 27th edition1993SBL Greek New Testament2010Westcott–Hort1881Tregelles1857–1879Tyndale House Greek NT2017
Byzantine / Majority
Byzantine majority text2018
Received Text
Textus Receptus1550/1894

A witness that read differently would show its variant word here, marked.

Word by word, across the editions

Every edition agrees. All 8 printed editions — Nestle-Aland 28, Nestle-Aland 27, SBLGNT, Westcott-Hort, Tregelles, Tyndale House 2017, Textus Receptus (KJV), Byzantine majority — carry every word of this verse, in the same order, with no difference that any translator would render differently.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Greek New Testament — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

1 Timothy 5:19κατάAgainstAgainstκατάπρεσβύτεροςan elderan elderπρεσβύτεροςκατηγορίαan accusatian accusationκατηγορίαμήnotnotμήπαραδέχομαιdo receivedo receiveπαραδέχομαιἐκτόςunlessunlessἐκτόςεἰonlyonlyεἰμήexceptexceptμήἐπίuponuponἐπίδύοtwotwoδύοororτρεῖςthreethreeτρεῖςμάρτυςwitnesses.witnesses.μάρτυςοὐNeg.prt. nNeg.prt. no, noοὐκατήγοροςn.m. a pron.m. a prosecutκατήγοροςπαράPrep. fromPrep. from, in παράἐκPrep. fromPrep. from out,ἐκεἰ δὲ μήNeg.prt. bNeg.prt. but ifεἰ δὲ μήἤδηAdv now, aAdv now, alreadἤδηἤπερDisj.prt. Disj.prt. thanἤπερμήNeg.prt. nNeg.prt. not, lμήπότεIrg.prt. wIrg.prt. when, πότεφοβέωv. I fear,v. I fear, am tφοβέωτρεῖςAdj threeAdj threeτρεῖςὄναρn.indcl. an.indcl. a dreaὄναρτάξιςn.f. ordern.f. order, posτάξιςεἴκοσιIndec.num.Indec.num. twenεἴκοσιπαράδοσιςn.f. an inn.f. an instrucπαράδοσιςὑποτάσσωv. I placev. I place undeὑποτάσσωσῶμαn.n. body,n.n. body, flesσῶμαδυνατόςAdj powerfAdj powerful, aδυνατός
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in 1 Timothy 5:19

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Greek lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. Imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, the full Liddell-Scott-Jones, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate LSJ, Robinson and Packard on the Greek, Webster and Cawdrey on the English the translators were using. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

Against an elder an accusation not do receive unless only except upon two or three witnesses.
κατὰkata Against G2596 Preposition
473× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 1 Timothy as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
According to means following or matching something. In the Bible, it's used to talk about things happening in line with God's plan or will, like in Matthew 8:32 and Mark 5:13.
Tyndale gloss
according to
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

κατά (kata) is a preposition used with the genitive and accusative cases, primarily meaning 'down' or 'against.' It indicates direction, motion, or relation, appearing in various contexts such as 'down from' (e.g., Mt 8:32) and 'against' (e.g., Mk 9:40). The word also conveys meanings like 'throughout' and 'according to.' Lexicons note its frequent use in the New Testament, with some variations in application.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

κατά (bef. a vowel κατ’, καθ’; on the freq. neglect of elision, v. Tdf., Pr., 95; WH, App., 146a),

prep. c. gen., acc.,

down, downwards.

C. gen. (WM, § 47, k; Bl., § 42, 2).

C. gen. rei, in local sense;

down, down from: Mt 8:32, Mk 5:13, Lk 8:33, I Co 11:4;

throughout (late usage; Bl., § 42, 2): κ. ὅλης κ.τ.λ., Lk 4:14 23:5, Ac 9:31 10:37;

in a peculiar adjectival phrase: ἡ κ. βάθους πτωχεία, deep or extreme poverty, II Co 8:2.

C. gen. pers., usually in hostile sense;

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

κατά, [on its neglect of elision before a vowel see Tf. Proleg. p. 95; cf. W. § 5, 1a.; B.10; WH. App. p. 1405], a preposition denoting motion or diffusion or direction from the higher to the lower; as in class. Grk., joined with the gen. and the acc. I. With the Genitive (W. § 47, k. p. 381 (357); [B. § 147, 20]); 1. prop. a. down from, down: κατὰ κατά 8 τοῦ κρημνοῦ, Mt. viii. 32; ΜΚ. v.13; Lk. viii. 33; κατέχεεν κατὰ τῆς κεφαλῆς (so that it flowed down from his head [οἷς W. 381 (357) note]; but it is more correct here to omit κατά with LT Tr WH; see καταχέω), Mk. xiv. 3; hence κατὰ κεφαλῆς (a veil hanging down from his head) ἔχων, 1 Co. xi. 4 ([Δ. V. having his head covered] cf. καταπέτασμα [or rather κάλυμμα (q. v.), but 566 ἔχω I. 1b.]). Ὁ. down upon (down into) anything: Acts xxvii. 14 [W. 381 (357) note!; ef. B.D. Am. ed. s. ν. Crete]; trop. 7 κατὰ βάθους πτωχεία reaching down…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

κατά, the favourite preposition of Polybius, by whom it is often used in place of ἐν, eis, and περί (Krebs Pra. p. 4), is also found with considerable variety of application in the NT, where it occurs 73 times c. gen., and 391 times c. acc. (cf. Proleg. p. 105). Brugmann (Awrze Vergletchende Grammazk, p. 479) considers that the earliest use of the word was “‘along ” something, so as to remain in connexion and contact with the object, and from this most of the senses found in the NT can be derived. I. (1) Turning to the construction c. gen. we find that the meaning ‘‘along” has passed into ‘‘down,” a usage not found in ΜΟΥ, in such passages as P Petr II. 18(26)!° (B.c. a ἐπιπεσὼν ἔτυπτεν [ad]t[o]v κατὰ τοῦ τραχήλου, Chest. τοῦ πνοήν: ἐξ Mt 8%, r Cor 114, 2 Cor 8%. (2) This in turn becomes ‘‘ against,” as in Mt τοῦδ, Mk 14°5, e.g. P Eleph 115 (B.c. 311-0) (= Se/ections, p. 4) ὅπου ἂν…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

κατά (kata) — according to.

κατά [κᾰτᾰ],

poetry καταί accusative to [Refs 2nd c.AD+]: preposition with genitive or accusative:— downwards.

__A WITH GEN.,

__A.I denoting motion from above, down from, βῆ δὲ κατ᾽ Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων, κατ᾽ Ἰδαίων ὀρέων, βαλέειν κ. πέτρης, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; καθ᾽ ἵππων ἀΐξαντε[Refs 5th c.BC+] — for κατ᾽ ἄκρης see.{ἄκρα}: Μοῖσα κ. στόματος Χέε νέκταρ [Refs 3rd c.BC+]

__A.II denoting downward motion,

__A.II.1 down upon or over, κ. Χθονὸς ὄμματα πήξας [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of the dying, κατὰ.. ὀφθαλμῶν κέχυτ᾽ ἀχλύς a cloud settled upon the eyes, [Refs]; φᾶρος κὰκ κεφαλῆς εἴρυσσε down over.. , [Refs 8th c.BC+]; [κόπρος] κ. σπείους κέχυτο.. πολλή [Refs]; ὕδωρ κ. Χειρός, see at {Χεί; μύρον κ. τῆς κεφαλῆς καταχέαντες} [Refs…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

κατά

kata

a primary particle; (prepositionally) down (in place or time), in

varied relations (according to the case (genitive, dative or

accusative) with which it is joined):--about, according as (to),

after, against, (when they were) X alone, among, and, X apart, (even,

like) as (concerning, pertaining to touching), X aside, at, before,

beyond, by, to the charge of, (charita-)bly, concerning, + covered,

(dai-)ly, down, every, (+ far more) exceeding, X more excellent, for,

from ... to, godly, in(-asmuch, divers, every, -to, respect of), ...

by, after the manner of, + by any means, beyond (out of) measure, X

mightily, more, X natural, of (up-)on (X part), out (of every), over

against, (+ your) X own, + particularly, so, through(-oughout,

-oughout every), thus, (un-)to(-gether, -ward), X uttermost,

where(-by), with. In composition it retains many of these

Read the full entry →
Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

κατά

Prep.

down from, against, according to, throughout, during

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

κατά kata 473x

down from, Mt. 8:32; down upon, upon, Mk. 14:3; Acts 27:14; down into; κατὰ βάθους, profound, deepest, 2 Cor. 8:2; down over, throughout a space, Lk. 4:14; 23:5; concerning, in cases of pointed allegation, 1 Cor. 15:15; against, Mt. 12:30; by, in oaths, Mt. 26:63; with an acc. of place, in the quarter of, about, near, at, Lk. 10;32; Acts 2:10; throughout, Read the full entry →

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
preposition — its sense depends on the case of the word it governs.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

PREP PREPosition

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

a-genst' (kata; enantion; pros): Preposition expressing contrast. When used of direction, equivalent to "toward" (Mt 10:35; 12:14, etc.); when of position, meaning "opposite," "facing," "in front of" (1Ki 7:5; Ge 15:10, Ro 8:31); when of action, "opposed to" (Mt 5:11; 26:59; 1Co 4:6); "in resistance to" (Heb 12:4); "provision for" (Greek eis, literally, "unto, toward" (1Ti 6:19)). Sometimes also applied to what breaks an established order as "customs" (

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
45%according to
according to45% · 215×against12% · 57×in9% · 42×every5% · 24×by5% · 23×on3% · 13×other renderings15% · 72×other renderings7% · 34×

480 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 48 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial86%object5%predicate5%subject3%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 473 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
καίand, even, also,πᾶςall, the whole, ἄνθρωποςa man, one of th
αὐτός
ποιέωI do, makeγυνήa woman, wife, mλαλέωI speak, say
καίand, even, also, nam
ἑκατόνIndecμέγαςσύ
οὐNeg
καίand, even, also,ἀλλάbut, exceptἔρχομαιI come, go
ἐγώ
μετάσυλλαμβάνωI seize, appreheγίνομαιI come into bein
κατάAgainst473×
what comes after →
Article the
νόμοςa law, the Mosaiἔργονwork, labor, actαὐτός
σάρξflesh, body
περιπατέωI walk, conduct ζάωI liveοὐNeg
ἴδιοςone’s own, private,
λέγωI say, speakκαίand, even, also,δέbut, on the othe
ἡμέραa day
ἐνεἰμίI am, existκαίand, even, also,
αὐτός
ὅπωςhow, in order thκαίand, even, also,λέγωI say, speak

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceκατά · 473× in the New Testament
Acts Romans Luke Hebrews Matthew 2 Corinthians 1 Corinthians Ephesians Mark Galatians Colossians Philippians

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament26 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria Ignatius of Antioch Clement of Rome The Shepherd of Hermas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 3c. AD 40

ἡ δ’ ἀρχή, καθάπερ ἔφην, ἐστὶ θαυμασιωτάτη κοσμοποιίαν περιέχουσα, ὡς καὶ τοῦ κόσμου τῷ νόμῳ καὶ τοῦ νόμου τῷ κόσμῳ συνᾴδοντος καὶ τοῦ νομίμου ἀνδρὸς εὐθὺς ὄντος κοσμοπολίτου πρὸς τὸ βούλημα τῆς φύσεως τὰς πράξεις ἀπευθύνοντος, καθ’ ἣν καὶ ὁ σύμπας…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.7c. AD 75–95

ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ μείζων ἦν ἡ τοῦδε τοῦ λόγου περιβολή, κατʼ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον χωρίσας ταῖς ἰδίαις ἀρχαῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ τέλει τὴν γραφὴν συνεμέτρησα·

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.2c. AD 100

Μεγάλων μὲν ὄντων καὶ πλουσίων τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιωμάτων εἰς ὑμᾶς, ὑπέρ τι καὶ καθ̓ ὑπερβολὴν ὑπερευφραίνομαι ἐπὶ τοῖς μακαρίοις καὶ ἐνδόξοις ὑμῶν πνεύμασιν: οὕτως ἔμφυτον τῆς δωρεᾶς πνευματικῆς χάριν εἰλήφατε.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD 2nd c. BC 6th c. AD 3rd c. BC
P.Stras. 2 89Pathyris100 BC

ἐπρίατο Πετεαρσεμθεὺς Πανοβχούνιος ὡς ἐτῶν μ χαλκοῦ τάλαντα δύο . προπωλητὴς καὶ βεβαιωτὴς τῶν κατὰ τὴν ὠνὴν ταύτην πάντων Πετεαρσεμθεὺς ὁ ἀποδόμενος, ὃν ἐδέξατο Πετεαρσεμθεὺς ὁ πριάμενος. Ἑρμίας ὁ

P.Grenf. 2 35Pathyris99 BC

ἐπρίατο Πακοῖβις Πατοῦτος ὡς ἐτῶν λ χαλκοῦ δραχμῶν τρισχιλίων . προπωληταὶ καὶ βεβαιωταὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ὠνὴν ταύτην πάντων Νεχούτης καὶ ὁ σὺν αὐτῷ οἱ ἀποδόμενοι, ὃν ἐδέξατο Πακοῖβις

BGU 3 1000Pathyris99 BC

μελίχρως τετανὸς μακροπρόσωπος εὐθύριν χαλκοῦ δραχμὰς δισχιλίας καὶ διακοσίας . προπωλητὴς καὶ βεβαιωτὴς τῶν κατὰ τὴν ὠνὴν ταύτην πάντων Πανοβχοῦνις ὁ ἀποδόμενος, ὃν ἐδέξατο Εὔνους ὁ πριάμενος. Ἑρμίας ὁ

Against an elder an accusation not do receive unless only except upon two or three witnesses.
πρεσβυτέρουpresbuteros an elder G4245 Adjective · genitive · singular · masculine
66× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Timothy than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
An elder is an older person, often a respected leader in the community, like those mentioned in Matthew 15:2 and 1 Timothy 5:1-2.
Amplified meaning
respected leader
Tyndale gloss
elder: Elder
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word πρεσβύτερος (i.e., *presbuteros*) means 'elder' or 'older' and is derived from the comparative form of πρέσβυς (elderly). It refers to someone advanced in age, often used to denote religious leaders or officials in both Jewish and Christian contexts. In the New Testament, it appears frequently, particularly in relation to church leadership, such as in Acts 14:23 and 1 Timothy 5:1.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

πρέσβυς, -εως, ὁ, poët. form of πρεσβύτης (q.v.),

[in LXX (= πρεσβευτής, an ambassador): Nu 21:20 (21), al. (מַלְאָךְ), Is 13:8 57:9 (צִיר), I Mac 9:70, al.;]

an old man. Compar., πρεσβύτερος, -α, -ον, [in LXX chiefly for זָקֵן;]

of age, elder: ὁ νἱὸς ὁ π., Lk 15:25; as subst., opp. to νεανίσκοι, Ac 2:17; to νεώτερος, I Ti 5:1, 2; of the religious leaders of the past, Mt 15:2, Mk 7:3, 5, He 11:2 (= οἱ…

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

πρεσβύτερος, -a, -ov, (compar. of πρέσβυς), [fr. Hom. down ], elder ; used 1. of age; a. where two persons are spoken of, the elder: ὁ vids ὁ mpeoB. (Ael. v. ἢ. 9,42), Lk. xv. 25. b. univ. advanced in life, an elder, a senior: opp. to νεανίσκοι, Acts 11. 17; opp. to νεώτερος, 1 Tim. v. 1 sq., (Gen. xviii. 11 sq.; Sap. vill. 10; Sir. vi. 34 (33); vii. 14; 2 Mace. viii. 30). οἱ πρεσβύrepo, [A.V. the elders], forefathers, Heb. xi. 2; παράδοσις (q-V-) τῶν mpeoB., received from the fathers, Mt. xv. 2; Mk. vii. 3, 5. 2. a term of rank or office; as such borne by, a. among the Jews, a. members of the great council or Sanhedrin (because in early times the rulers of the people, judges, ete., were selected from the elderly men): Mt. xvi. 21; xxvi. 47, 57, 59 Rec.; XXVii. 3, 12, 20,41; xxviii.12; Mk. viii. 31; xi. 27; xiv. 43,53; xv. 1; Lk. ix. 22; xx. 1; xxii. 52; Jn. viii. 9; Acts iv. 5,23; vi.…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

πρεσβύτερος. (1) For πρεσβύτερος in the literal sense of the “elder ”’ of two, as in Lk 1535, cf. P Oxy VII. τοῦτ (B.c. 22) of an elder brother, and 74. VIII. 1109? (A.D. 160-1) of an elder son. The fem. occurs in BGU II. 6654.2! (i/a.p.) ἡ mpeoBurépa, Predsigke 1428’ AvovBias πρεσβυτέρα Μέστου, and a curious double comparative in P Lond 177} (A.b. 40-1) (=II. p. 169) 4 πρεσβυτερωτέρα Hp ὧν] ἀδελφή. (2) The use of πρεσβύτερος in 1 Tim κ᾽ to denote an “elder,” a ‘‘senior,’’ as opposed to νεώτερος, may be illustrated from P Par 66% 23 (Ptol./Rom.) where πρεσβύτεροι καὶ ἀδύνατοι Kal νεώτεροι are employed as guardians in connexion with the work on canals and dykes: cf. further from the inscrr. Priene 117° (i/B.C.) ἀεί πΊοτε μὲν πρεσBuré[pous τιμῶν ὡς yovet|s, τοὺς δὲ καθήλικας ὡς ἀδελφούς, τοὺς δὲ [νεωτέρους ὡς παῖδας, and Latyschev I. 22°" (iii/a.D.) τοῖς μὲν ἡλικιώταις προσφερόμενος ὡς…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

πρεσβύτερος (presbuteros) — elder: Elder.

Related to: πρεσβῠτέριον

or πρεσβῠ-εῖον, τό, council of elders, presbytery, [NT]

II. honour or privilege of an elder, [LXX+2nd c.AD+]

πρεσβύτερος (presbuteros) — elder: old.

Related to: πρεσβῠτέριον

or πρεσβῠ-εῖον, τό, council of elders, presbytery, [NT]

II. honour or privilege of an elder, [LXX+2nd c.AD+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

πρεσβύτερος

presbuteros

comparative of presbus (elderly); older; as noun, a senior; specially,

an Israelite Sanhedrist (also figuratively, member of the celestial

council) or Christian "presbyter":-- elder(-est), old.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

πρεσβύτερος, α, ον

Adj

elder

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

πρεσβύτερος presbyteros 66x

elder, senior; older, more advanced in years, Lk. 15:25; Jn. 8:9; Acts 2:17; an elder in respect of age, person advanced in years, 1 Tim. 5:1, 2; pl. spc. ancients, ancestors, fathers, Mt. 15:2; Heb. 11:2; as an appellation of dignity, an elder, local dignitary, Lk. 7:3; an elder, member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, Mt. 16:21; 21:23; 26:3, 47, 57, 59; an elder or presbyter of the Christian church, Read the full entry →

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj-GSM-C — Adjective · genitive · singular · masculine
genitive — of, from, belonging to.
Agrees with anything else marked singular masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

A-GSM-C Part of Speech: Adjective Case: Genitive Number: Singular Gender: Masculine Degree: Comparative

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

see ELDER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT; ELDER IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Elder

A name frequently used in the Old Testament as denoting a person clothed with authority, and entitled to respect and reverence (Gen. 50:7). It also denoted a political office (Num. 22:7). The “elders of Israel” held a rank among the people indicative of authority. Moses opened his commission to them (Ex. 3:16). They attended Moses on all important occasions. Seventy of them attended on him at the giving of the law (Ex. 24:1). Seventy also were selected from the whole number to bear with Moses the burden of the people (Num. 11:16, 17). The “elder” is the keystone of the social and political fabric wherever the…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term elder, or old man as the Hebrew literally imports, was one of extensive use, as an official title, among the Hebrews and the surrounding nations, because the heads of tribes and the leading people who had acquired influence were naturally the older people of the nation. It had reference to various offices. (Genesis 24:2; 50:7; 2 Samuel 12:17; Ezekiel 27:9) As betokening a political office, it applied not only to the Hebrews, but also to the Egyptians, (Genesis 50:7) the Moabites and the Midianites. (Numbers 22:7) The earliest notice of the elders acting in concert as a political body is at the time of the…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ IN THE MOSAIC SYSTEM

→ (Equivalent to the title senator, in present use)

Elders, with delegated powers, were authorized to act for their constituency De 1:13,15

See GOVERNMENT, MOSAIC

→ IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH Ac 11:29,30; 14:23; 15:1-35; 16:4,5; 20:17,28-32; 21:18; 1Ti 4:14; 5:17-19; Tit 1:5-9; Heb 11:2; Jas 5:14,15; 1Pe 5:1-5; 2Jo 1:1; 3Jo 1:1

→ APOCALYPTIC VISION OF Re 4:4,10; 5:5,6,8,11,14; 7:11,13; 11:16; 14:3; 19:4

See DEACON

Also see CHURCH, GOVERNMENT OF

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
87%elders
elders87% · 58×elder9% · 6×other renderings4% · 3×

67 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 5 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
subject42%adverbial36%object17%indirect object3%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 66 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
καίand, even, also,παράδοσιςan instruction, ἀπό
καίand, even, also, nam
ἀρχιερεύςhigh priest, chiἀπόστολοςan apostle, a meγραμματεύςa scribe, town-c
τέσσαρεςfour
εἴκοσιIndec
αὐτός
πρός
ἐκκλησίαan assembly, congreg
κατά
πρεσβύτεροςan elder66×
what comes after →
Article the
λαόςa people, the crἸουδαῖοςJewishἐκκλησίαan assembly, con
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theἀρχιερεύςhigh priest, chiγραμματεύςa scribe, town-c
λέγωI say, speak
ἐγώἀνάθεμαa curse, a curse
ὡςas, like as, how, wh
ἐπίμήτηρa motherἐγώ
πίπτωI fall, fall under
ἐνώπιονbefore the face καίand, even, also,

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceπρεσβύτερος · 66× in the New Testament
Acts Matthew Revelation Mark Luke 1 Timothy 1 Peter 2 John 3 John Hebrews James John
Across the New Testament13 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 91 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Philo of Alexandria Josephus Clement of Rome The Shepherd of Hermas Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 16c. AD 40

προλαβὼν γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ἅτε θεὸς ὅτι μίμημα καλὸν οὐκ ἄν ποτε γένοιτο δίχα καλοῦ παραδείγματος οὐδέ τι τῶν αἰσθητῶν ἀνυπαίτιον, ὃ μὴ πρὸς ἀρχέτυπον καὶ νοητὴν ἰδέαν ἀπεικονίσθη, βουληθεὶς τὸν ὁρατὸν κόσμον τουτονὶ δημιουργῆσαι προεξετύπου τὸν νοητόν,…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.205c. AD 75–95

γίνονται δὲ παῖδες ὑπὸ μὲν τῆς πρεσβυτέρας Μώαβος·

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 13.5c. AD 100

καὶ προσήγαγεν Ἐφραὶμ καὶ Μανασσῆ, τὸν Μανασσῆ θέλων ἵνα εὐλογηθῇ, ὅτι πρεσβύτερος ἦν: ὁ γὰρ Ἰωσὴφ προσήγαγεν εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν χεῖρα τοῦ πατρὸς Ἰακώβ.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 6th c. AD 7th c. AD 3rd c. AD 1st c. AD
P.Adl. 7Pathyris105 BC

ὡς ἐτῶν νη μέση μελίχρως μακροπρόσωπος εὐθύριν ὑπόσκνιφος, μετὰ κυρίου τοῦ ἑαυτῆς ἀδελφοῦ Παοῦτος πρεσβυτέρου Πατοῦτος τοῦ Φαγώνιος Πέρσου ὡς ἐτῶν λε μέσου μελιχρόου ὑποκλαστοῦ μακροπροσώπου εὐθυρίνου ἀσήμου, ἀπὸ

P.Grenf. 2 32Pathyris102 BC

μέρους ἐν τῇ ἀπὸ νότου ταινίᾳ σφραγῖδος ἄρουραν μίαν, ἧς γείτονες νότου γῆ Καλίβιος πρεσβυτέρας, βορρᾶ γῆ Χεσθώτου τοῦ Μελιπαῖτος, ἀπηλιώτου γῆ Ἁρσιήσιος τοῦ Ζμῖνος, λιβὸς περίχωμα, ἢ οἳ

P.Lips. 1 2Pathyris100 BC

Τιτῶς Πατοῦτος Περσίνη ὡς ἐτῶν ξ μέση μελίχρως μακροπρόσωπος εὐθύριν μετὰ κυρίου τοῦ ἑαυτῆς πρεσβυτέρου υἱοῦ Ψεννήσιος τοῦ Ἁρσιήσιος Πέρσου τῆς ἐπιγονῆς ὡς ἐτῶν ν μέσου μελάνχρωτος ὑποκλάστου ἀναφαλάντου

Against an elder an accusation not do receive unless only except upon two or three witnesses.
κατηγορίανkatēgoria an accusation G2724 Noun · accusative · singular · feminine
3× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Timothy than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
An accusation is a formal complaint against someone, like in John 18:29 where the Jewish leaders bring accusations against Jesus.
Amplified meaning
formal complaint, charge
Tyndale gloss
accusation
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word κατηγορία (kategoria) means 'accusation' or 'charge.' It is derived from κατήγορος and is used in various contexts, including legal and logical discussions. In the New Testament, it appears in references to accusations against individuals, such as in John 18:29 and 1 Timothy 5:19. The lexicons do not present significant disagreements on its meaning.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

* κατηγορία, -ας, ἡ

(< κατήγορος),

an accusation, charge: c. gen. pers., Jo 18:29; seq. κατά, c. id., I Ti 5:19; c. gen. rei, Tit 1:6.†

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

κατηγορία, -ας, 7, (κατήγορος), [fr. Hdt. down], aceusation, charge: w. gen. of the pers. accused, Lk. vi. 7 RG LTrmrg.; [Jn. xviii. 29 T WH]; κατά τινος, Jn. xviii. 29[RGL Tr]; 1 Tim. v.19; w. gen. of the crime, Tit. rh (pe

Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

κατηγορία. P Oxy II. 2371 7 (Α.0. 186) τότ᾽ ἐὰν θαρρῇ τοῖς τῆς κατηγορίας ἐλέγχοις, τὸν μείζονα ἀγῶνα ε[ἰ]σελεύσεται, “if Part IV. , κατισχυω he has confidence in the proofs of his accusation, he shall enter upon the more serious law-suit ” (Edd.), Michel 45842 (c. B.C. 165) πολλὰς καὶ ψευδεῖς κατηγορίας πο[ιησαμένων τινῶν.

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

κατηγορία (katēgoria) — accusation.

κατηγορ-ία,

Ionic dialect -ιη, ἡ, accusation, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to αἰτία (expostulation), [Refs 5th c.BC+]; opposed to ἀπολογία [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κ. ἐγένοντο πολλαὶ τῶν Ἀθηναίων charges were made against.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰ.. ἐπὶ τοῖς πεπραγμένοις κατηγορίας ἔχω I am liable to accusation, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

II. in Logic, predication, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; especially affirmative predication, opposed to στέρησις, [Refs]

II.2. predicate, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

II.3. more frequently, category, head of predicables, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

κατηγορία

kategoria

from 2725; a complaint ("category"), i.e. criminal charge:--accusation

(X -ed).

see GREEK for 2725

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

κατηγορία, ας, ἡ

n.f.

a charge, accusation

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

κατηγορία katēgoria 3x

an accusation, crimination, Jn. 18:29; 1 Tim. 5:19; Tit. 1:6*

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

κατηγορία κατηγορία, ἡ, an accusation, charge, Hdt., Thuc., etc.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-ASF — Noun · accusative · singular · feminine
accusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked singular feminine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-ASF Part of Speech: Noun Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Feminine

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
100%accusation
accusation100% · 3×

3 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 1 different way. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
object67%predicate33%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 3 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
τίςIrg
φημίI say
πρεσβύτεροςelder
κατά
ἐν
μήNeg
κατηγορίαan accusation
what comes after →
φέρωI carry, bear, bring
Article the
μήNeg
παραδέχομαιI receive, accep
ἀσωτίαwantonness, profliga
Disj

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceκατηγορία · 3× in the New Testament
1 Timothy John Titus
Across the New Testament3 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria
Philo of AlexandriaOn Drunkenness 32c. AD 40

τούτων οὖν τῶν γονέων τίς ἱκανὸς ὑποστῆναι κατηγορίαν;

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.319c. AD 75–95

καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μηδὲν ἀδικεῖν αὐτὸς ἔλεγε, προσενεκάλει δὲ καὶ κατηγορίαν ἐποιεῖτο, ὅτι μητρὸς ὢν ἀδελφὸς τῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ συζεύξας αὐτῷ τὰς θυγατέρας ἐπιτάγμασιν ἐκτρυχώσειε χαλεποῖς, εἴκοσιν ἐτῶν ἀριθμὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς κατασχών.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 4th c. AD

λημματίσαι τῷ κυριακῷ λόγῳ ἢ ἀντιλέγοντα ἐπʼ ἐμὲ ἀποστεῖλαι περὶ τούτου καταστησόμενον πρὸς τὴν κατηγορίαν. ἐρρῶσθαί σε εὔχομαι ἔτους ζ Θὼθ λ … … … κη … ρ

P.Harr. 1 65OxyrhynchosAD 342

κυρίου μου διασημοτάτου ἡγεμόνος Αὐγουσταμνικῆς, Φλαουίου Ἰουλίου Αὐσονίου πρὸς τὸ ἐπ … ἵνα γένηται κατηγορία αὐτοῦ ν … … κασπου … ι αὐτὸν τη … αὐτοῦ ενφ

Against an elder an accusation not do receive unless only except upon two or three witnesses.
μὴ not G3361 Particle · negative
1,060× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Timothy than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Not is a word used to show that something is not true or is not happening, like in phrases that say 'lest' or 'God forbid', as seen in various parts of the New Testament.
Amplified meaning
under any circumstances, lest
Tyndale gloss
not
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

μή () is a Greek negative particle used to express subjective negation, often in conditional or hypothetical contexts. It contrasts with οὐ (ou), which indicates absolute denial. μή can function as an adverb meaning 'not' or as a conjunction meaning 'lest.' It appears in various grammatical constructions, including prohibitions and deliberative questions, and is referenced in verses like Matthew 5:29 and John 3:18.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

μή,

subjective negative particle,

used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic., μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין, אַיִן, אַל.]

As a neg. adv., not;

with ref. to thought or opinion: Jo 3:18, Tit 1:11, II Pe 1:9.

In delib. questions, c. subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mk 12:14, Ro 3:8.

In conditional and final sentences, after εἰ, ἐάν, ἄν, ἵνα, ὅπως: Mt 10:14,

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

μή, Sept. for Ox, |X, PN, ἃ particle of negation, which differs from οὐ (which is always an adverb) in that ov denies the thing itself (orto speak technically, denies simply, absolutely, categorically, directly, objectively). but μή denies the thought of the thing, or the thing according to the judgment, opinion, will, purpose, preference, of some one (hence, as we say technically, indirectly, hypothetically, subjectively). This distinction holds also of the compounds οὐδείς, μηδείς, οὐκέτι, μηκέτι, ete. But pris either an ad verb of negation, not (Lat. non, ne); or aconjunction, that... not, lest, (Lat. ne); or an interrogative particle, (Lat. num) [i. e. (generally) implying aneg. ans.; in indir. quest. whether nol (suggesting apprehension) ]. Cf. Herm. ad Vig. § 267 p- 802 sqq-; Matthiae § 608; Bitm. Gram. § 148 (cf. Alex. Bttm. N. T. Gr. p. 344 (296) sqq.); Kiihner ii. §§ 512 sq. p.…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

μή Grenf II. 384 (mid. 1.8.6.) καλῶς οὖ]ν ποιήσις μὴ ἀμελήσ[α]ς α[. . ἀγο]ράσαι. .. , P Oxy I. 3815 (a.p. 49--50) (= Selections, p. 53) τοῦ δὲ Σύρου μὴ βουλομένου ἐνμεῖναι τοῖς κεκριμένοις, “45 Syrus does not wish to abide by what has been decided,” 2d. II. 2755 (A.D. 66) (= Selections, p. 58) ἔγραψα ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ μὴ ἰδότος γράμματα, “1 wrote for him seeing that he was unlettered,” BGU I. 22° (a.p. 114) (= Selections, p. 74) TappovOios . . . τὸ παρὸν μὴ ἔχουσα κύριον, ‘ Tarmuthis at present without a guardian,’ and P Grenf II. 779 (iii/iv A.D.) (= Sedections, p. 120) θαυμάζω πάνυ [ὅτι] ἀλόγως ἀπέστητε μὴ ἄραντες [τὸ σ]ῶμα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ὑμῶν, “1 wonder exceedingly that you went off so unreasonably, without taking the body of your brother”; cf. P Tor 1. 1¥8-4 (νον 116) εἰ δὲ kal τις θείηι τὸ μὴ ὄν (cf. 1 Cor 1°8)—acc. and inf. follow, P Ryl II. 144°? (Α.Ὁ. 38) ἐπαγαγεῖν αἰτίας τοῦ μὴ ὄντος, ‘‘…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

μή (mē) — not.

μή,

Elean μά [ᾱ] [Refs 6th c.BC+]. (Cf. Sanskrit mā´, Armenian mi [from I.-[Refs 5th c.BC+] mē´], negative used in prohibitions):—not, the negative of the will and thought, as οὐ of fact and statement; μή rejects, οὐ denies; μή is relative, οὐ absolute; μή subjective, οὐ objective. (A few examples of μηδέ and μηδείς have been included.)

__A in INDEPENDENT sentences, used in expressions of will or wish, command, entreaty, warning,

__A.1 with present imperative, 2 person, μή μ᾽ ἐρέθιζε [Refs 8th c.BC+]: rarely with aorist imperative, μὴ.. ἔνθεο τιμῇ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; in Attic dialect, μὴ ψεῦσον, ὦ Ζεῦ, τῆς.. ἐλπίδος [Refs 8th c.BC+]perfect imperative [Refs 8th c.BC+] person when perfect = present, μὴ κεκράγετε [Refs 5th c.BC+]

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

μή

me

a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an

absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an

interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an

affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, +

lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not,

nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in

substantially the same relations. See also 3362, 3363, 3364, 3372,

3373, 3375, 3378.

see GREEK for 3756

see GREEK for 3362

see GREEK for 3363

see GREEK for 3364

see GREEK for 3372

see GREEK for 3373

see GREEK for 3375

see GREEK for 3378

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

μή

Neg.prt.

not, lest

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

μή mē 1x

a negative particle, can function as a conj, not, for the particulars of its usage, especially as distinguished from that of οὐ, consult a grammar; as a conj., lest, that not, Mt. 5:29, 30; 18:10; 24:6; Mk. 13:36; μή, or μήτι, or μήποτε, when prefixed to an interrogative clause, it expresses an intimation either of the reality of the matters respecting which the question is asked, Mt. 12:23; or the contrary, Jn. 4:12

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Particle-N — Particle · negative
particle — a small word colouring the clause; it does not decline.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

PRT-N PaRTicle, disjunctive particle Negative

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
71%not
not71% · 772×except9% · 95×unless5% · 58×surely not4% · 41×lest3% · 32×otherwise2% · 23×other renderings4% · 48×other renderings1% · 16×

1,085 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 23 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial84%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 1,060 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
οὐNeg
καίand, even, also,σύἐγώ
ἵναin order that, so th
αὐτόςσύπροσεύχομαιI pray, pray for
καίand, even, also, nam
ἐγώαὐτόςεἰμίI am, exist
εἰCond
αὐτόςυἱόςa son, descendenκαίand, even, also,
Article the
καίand, even, also,εἰςδιά
μήnot1060×
what comes after →
Article the
πατήρfather, Father, υἱόςa son, descendenσημεῖονa sign, miracle,
ἔχωI have, hold, posses
καίand, even, also,ποιμήνa shepherdβάθοςdepth, a depth,
εἰμίI am, exist
δίδωμιI offer, giveἐνμετά
τὶς
σύὑστερέωI am lacking, faγεννάωI beget, bring f
φοβέωI fear, am terrified
ἀπόArticle theμόνοςalone, but, only

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceμή · 1,060× in the New Testament
Luke Matthew John 1 Corinthians Romans Mark Acts Revelation 2 Corinthians Hebrews 1 Timothy Galatians

2 inflected forms — one of the commonest words in the New Testament. Full distribution →

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 1,321 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Against an elder an accusation not do receive unless only except upon two or three witnesses.
παραδέχουparadechomai do receive G3858 Verb · present · no voice stated · imperative · second person · singular
6× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Timothy than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
To welcome something or someone means to accept or receive it with delight, as seen in Mark 4:20 and Acts 15:4.
Amplified meaning
welcome, receive with delight
Tyndale gloss
to welcome
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

παραδέχομαι is built from the components meaning 'near' and 'to receive,' indicating a sense of welcoming or accepting. It covers a range of meanings including to receive, admit, or acknowledge, often in a personal context. In the New Testament, it appears in verses like Mark 4:20 and Acts 15:4, where it conveys the idea of accepting teachings or individuals.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

παρα-δέχομαι,

[in LXX: Ex 23:1 (נשׂא), Pr 3:12 (רצה), II Mac 4:22 R, III Mac 7:12*;]

to receive, admit;

of things: Mk 4:20, Ac 15:4 16:21 22:18, I Ti 5:19;

of persons: He 12:6(LXX).†

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

παρα-δέχομαι; fut. 3 pers. plur. παραδέξονται ; depon. mid., but in bibl. and eecles. Grk. w. 1 aor. pass. mapeδέχθην (Acts xv. 4 LT Tr WH; 2 Mace. iv. 22; [ef. B. 51 (44)]); 1. in class. Grk. fr. Hom. down, prop. to receive, take up, take upon one’s self. Hence 2. to admit i. 6. not to reject, to accept, receive: τὸν λόγον, Mk. iv. 20; ἔθη, Acts xvi. 21 ; τὴν μαρτυρίαν, Acts xxii. 18; κατηγορίαν, 1 Tim. v. 19, (τὰς δοκίμους δράχμας, Epict. diss. 1, 7, 6); τινά, of a son, to acknowledge as one’s own ΓΑ. V. receiveth], Heb. xii. 6 (after Prov. iii. 12, where for τῆν 1); of a delegate or messenger, to give due reception to, Acts xv.4 LT Tr WH. [CE. δέχομαι, fin.]

Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

παραδέχομαι, “receive,” ‘‘welcome,’’ with a personal object, as in Heb 125 LXX: BGU I. 27?° (iifiii a.D.) (= Selections, Ὁ. 101) παρεδέξατο ἡμᾶς ὁ τόπος ὡς 6 θεὸς ἤθελεν, P Oxy XIV. 16768 (ili/A.D.) ἥδιστά σε παραδεξόμεθα, and PSI III. 208° (iv/a.D.) Ἢ ρακλῆν παράδεξαι [κ]ατὰ τὸ ἔθος. Hence the meaning ‘‘approve,” ‘‘commend,”’ in Aristeas 190 τοῦτον St εὖ μάλα παραδεξάμενος.

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

παραδέχομαι (paradechomai) — to welcome.

παραδέχομαι,

Ionic dialect παραδέκομαι, future -ξομαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]:—receive from another, σῆμα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of children, receive by inheritance, σοφώτατα νοήματα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but μάχην π. take up and continue the battle, [Refs]; receive by way of rumour or tradition, π. φήμην [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of magistrates or others, receive articles entered in an inventory, etc., [Refs 3rd c.BC+], etc.; of pupils, receive lessons from a master, τοὺς μετὰ πόνου.. παραδεχομένους [Refs 1st c.AD+]

__b take over an office or function, [Refs 1st c.BC+]

2. with infinitive, π. τινὶ πράττειν τι take upon oneself or engage to another to do a thing, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

παραδέχομαι

paradechomai

from 3844 and 1209; to accept near, i.e. admit or (by implication)

delight in:--receive.

see GREEK for 3844

see GREEK for 1209

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

παραδέχομαι

v.

I receive, accept, acknowledge

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

παραδέχομαι paradechomai 6x

to accept, receive, met. to receive, admit, yield assent to, Mk. 4:20; Acts 15:4; 16:21; 22:18; 1 Tim. 5:19; in NT to receive or embrace with favor, approve, love, Heb. 12:6*

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

παραδέχομαι ionic -δέκομαι fut. ξομαι perf. -δέδεγμαι Dep.

to receive from another, Il., Xen., etc.:—of children, to receive as inheritance, succeed to, τὴν ἀρχήν Hdt.; so, τὴν μάχην π. to take up and continue the battle, id. Hdt.

c. inf., π. τινι πράττειν τι to take upon oneself, engage to do a thing, Lat. recipere se facturum, Dem.

to admit, Plat.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-PNM-2S — Verb · present · no voice stated · imperative · second person · singular
present no voice stated imperative — an action in progress.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-PNM-2S Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Present Voice: middle or passive depoNent Mood: iMperative Person: second Number: Singular

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
17%they were received
they were received17% · 1×accept17% · 1×they will receive17% · 1×do receive17% · 1×he receives17% · 1×receive17% · 1×

6 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 6 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
verb100%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 6 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
καίand, even, also, nam
λόγοςa word, speech,
ἹεροσόλυμαJerusalem
εἰς
ἐγώ
ἔξεστι(ν)it is permitted,
οὐNeg
διότιon this account,
μήNeg
κατηγορίαa charge, accusa
παραδέχομαιdo receive
what comes after →
καίand, even, also, nam
καρποφορέωI bear fruit
ἀπό
Article the
οὐδέNeg
ποιέωI do, make
σύ
μαρτυρίαwitness, evidenc
ἐκτόςwithout, outside, ex
εἰCond

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceπαραδέχομαι · 6× in the New Testament
Acts 1 Timothy Hebrews Mark
Across the New Testament4 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Philo of Alexandria Josephus Clement of Rome Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaThat the Worse Attacks the Better 13c. AD 40

Τοῦτον, ὦ διάνοια, τὸν τρόπον ἐὰν ἐρευνᾷς τοὺς ἱεροφαντηθέντας λόγους μὲν θεοῦ, νόμους δὲ ἀνθρώπων θεοφιλῶν, οὐδὲν ταπεινὸν οὐδ’ ἀνάξιον τοῦ μεγέθους αὐτῶν ἀναγκασθήσῃ παραδέχεσθαι.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 14.52c. AD 75–95

κελεύοντος δὲ Πομπηίου παραδιδόναι τὰ ἐρύματα καὶ τοῖς φρουράρχοις ἐπιστέλλειν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ χειρί, παραδέχεσθαι δὲ ἄλλως ἀπείρητο, πείθεται μέν, δυσανασχετῶν δʼ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ ἐν παρασκευῇ τοῦ πολεμεῖν ἐγίνετο.

Clement of RomeFirst Clement 56.4c. AD 96

ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ κύριος παιδεύει, μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱὸν ὃν παραδέχεται.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. BC 3rd c. BC 2nd c. AD 1st c. BC 3rd c. AD
BGU 4 1119Alexandria7 BC–6 BC

Λέοντα ἐνόχους εἶναι τοῖς αὐτοῖς βλάβεσι … … … … … συνχώρησιν ἐφʼ ὧι παραδέξονται τῶι Ἀπολλωνίωι τῶν γενομένων καρπῶν τὴν συντίμησιν. ἔτους κε Καίσαρος … … δι

P.Oxy. 3 492OxyrhynchosAD 130

ἄλλων καθʼ ὁνδηποτοῦν τρόπον παντοίων πάντων, οὐκ ἐξόντος τοῖς αὐτοῖς κληρονόμοις μου τῷ καθόλου παραδέχεσθαι εἰς τὴν δηλουμένην μου οἰκίαν τὸν τοῦ ἑτέρου αὐτῶν Θέωνος πατέρα Θέωνα Θέωνος τοῦ

P.Oxy. 50 3588OxyrhynchitesAD 157

ὁ Πατᾶς ἐδήλωσε κατεσκευάσθαι παρʼ αὐτῷ ἕως Μεσορὴ ιγ κοῦφα ἀριθμῷ Ζρξε, εἰς ἃ παραδέχεται, ὡς τῶν χιλίων πίσσης ταλάντων γ, τάλαντα κα καὶ μναῖ κζ, ὡς λοιπογραφεῖσθαι παρʼ

Against an elder an accusation not do receive unless only except upon two or three witnesses.
ἐκτὸςektos unless G1622 Adverb
8× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Timothy than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Outside or except means something is on the outside or not included, as seen in many Bible verses. It is about something being apart or excluded from something else.
Amplified meaning
outside of, unless
Tyndale gloss
outside/except
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἐκτός (i.e., *ektos*) means 'outside' or 'except.' It functions as a preposition with the genitive case and can denote physical location, exclusion, or being beyond something. In the New Testament, it appears in contexts such as being outside the body (2 Corinthians 12:2) or excepting certain things (Acts 26:22). The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἕκτος, -η, -ον

the sixth: Mt 20:5, al

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

ἐκτός, adv., (opp. to ἐντός, q. v-), outside, beyond; a. τὸ ἐκτός, the outside, exterior, with possess. gen., Mt. xxiii. On the pleonastic ae, επι 26 (cf. τὸ ἔξωθεν τοῦ ποτηρίου, 25). phrase ἐκτὸς εἰ μή, see εἰ, IIT. 8 ἃ. a prep. [ef. W. § 54,6], and is foll. by the gen. [so even in Hom.}]; a. outside of: ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματος out of the body, i. e. freed from it, 2 Co. xii. 2 sq. (in vs. 3 L T Tr WH read χωρίς for ἐκτός) : εἶναι ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώμ. [ A. V. without the body i. 6.1, does not pertain to the body, 1 Co. vi. 18. β. beyond, besides, except: Acts xxvi. 22 (where the constr. is οὐδὲν λέγων ἐκτὸς τούτων, ἅτε of. . « ἐλάλησαν ete. [cf. B. 287 (246) ; W. 158 (149) sq-]); 1 Co. xv. 27. (Sept. for 335 foll. by 112, Judg. viii. 26; qadp, 1K. x. 13; 2 Chr. ix. 12; xvii. 19.)* b. It has the force of |…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ἐκτός is found in the substantival phrase τὸ ἐκτός, as in Mt 2338, in P Tebt 11. 316% (a.p. 99) οἰκῶ δὲ ἐν τῷ ἐκτὸς τὴ (/. THs) ξυληρᾶ (Ὁ /.—4s), “on the outskirts of the wood-market (?),”’ Cf. P Oxy X.12588 (A.D. 45) where the writer declares that he will appear before the strategus—évra ékr[d]s ἱεροῦ βω[μοῦ ktX., ‘unprotected by any temple, altar,” etc., 76. 129512 (ii/iln A.D.) δέο οὖν, μὴ ἀνάπειθε αὐτὸν τοῦ ἐκτός pov ε[ἴ]ναι,

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἐκτός (ektos) — outside/except.

ἐκτός

(ἐχθός, [Refs 5th c.BC+], adverb, (ἐκ) without, outside, opposed to ἐντός:

1. as preposition with genitive, which may either precede or follow, ἐ. κλισίης [Refs 8th c.BC+]; out of, far from, καπνοῦ καὶ κύματος ἐ. [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐ. ἔχειν πόδα (i.e. τῶν καλῶν) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐ. τῶν ἐλαῶν beyond the olives, i. e. out of the course. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Geometry texts, beyond, τοῦ Α σημείου [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; also ἐ. ἀτασθαλίης outside of, free from.., [Refs 6th c.BC+]; ἐ. στρατειῶν exempt from.., [Refs]; ἐ. ἑωυτῆς beside herself, out of her wits, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐ. ἐλπίδος beyond hope, [Refs]; δοκημάτων ἐ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἐκτός

ektos

from 1537; the exterior; figuratively (as a preposition) aside from,

besides:--but, except(-ed), other than, out of, outside, unless,

without.

see GREEK for 1537

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἐκτός

Adv

without, outside, except, the outside, apart from

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἐκτός ἐκ outside, opp. to ἐντός:

as prep. with gen. outside, out of, far from, c. gen., Hom.: outside of, free from, Hdt., attic; ἐκτὸς ἐλπίδος beyond hope, Lat. praeter spem, Soph.

of Time, beyond, Hdt.

except, ἐκτὸς ὀλίγων Xen.

absol., τὰ ἐκτός external things, Eur.

with Verbs of motion, ῥίπτειν ἐκτός to throw out, Soph., etc.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
adverb — it qualifies the verb, and never changes form.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

ADV ADVerb or adverb and particle combined

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
25%outside
outside25% · 2×unless25% · 2×other13% · 1×except13% · 1×excepted13% · 1×out of13% · 1×

8 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 6 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial50%subject13%predicate13%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 8 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
καίand, even, also,
οὐδείςno one, none, nothin
μέγας
ἄνθρωποςa man, one of the hu
ποιέωI do, make
γλῶσσαthe tongue, a langua
λαλέωI speak, say
κατέχωI hold fast, bind, r
εἰCond
ἐκτόςunless
what comes after →
Article the
σῶμαbody, fleshὑποτάσσωI place under, s
εἰCond
μήNeg
αὐτός
καθαρόςclean, pure, uns
λέγωI say, speak
ὅς

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceἐκτός · 8× in the New Testament
1 Corinthians 1 Timothy 2 Corinthians Acts Matthew
Across the New Testament5 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 10 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Philo of Alexandria Josephus Ignatius of Antioch The Shepherd of Hermas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 20c. AD 40

καθάπερ οὖν ἡ ἐν τῷ ἀρχιτεκτονικῷ προδιατυπωθεῖσα πόλις χώραν ἐκτὸς οὐκ εἶχεν, ἀλλ’ ἐνεσφράγιστο τῇ τοῦ τεχνίτου ψυχῇ, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον οὐδ’ ὁ ἐκ τῶν ἰδεῶν κόσμος ἄλλον ἂν ἔχοι τόπον ἢ τὸν θεῖον λόγον τὸν ταῦτα διακοσμήσαντα·

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 3.117c. AD 75–95

λεπίδες δʼ αὐτοῖς ἦσαν ἐπικεχαλκευμέναι πανταχόθεν χρυσαῖ διά τε τῶν ἔνδοθεν καὶ τῶν ἐκτὸς μερῶν.

The Shepherd of HermasThe Shepherd of Hermas 22.3.3c. AD 140

δείξω σοι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ἐὰν δέ τι ἀγαθὸν ποιήσῃς ἐκτὸς τῆς ἐντολῆς τοῦ θεοῦ, σεαυτῷ περιποιήσῃ δόξαν περισσοτέραν καὶ ἔσῃ ἐνδοξότερος παρὰ τῷ θεῷ οὗ ἔμελλες εἶναι.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
6th c. AD 2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD 4th c. AD 5th c. AD
P.Mich. 5 263Tebtynis (Arsinoites)AD 35–AD 36

Πολέμωνος μερίδος τοῦ Ἀρσινοείτου νομοῦ. ὁμολογεῖ Ψενκῆβκις Ψύφεως, ὡς ἐτῶν λα, οὐλὴ χειρὶ δεξιᾷ ἐκτός, Πνεβτύνι Ψύφεως, ὡς ἐτῶν με, οὐλὴ δακτύλῳ πρώτῳ χειρὸς ἀριστερᾶς πεπρακέναι αὐτῷ τὴν ὑπάρχουσαν

P.Mich. 5 315ArsinoitesAD 43–AD 45

ὡς ἐτῶν μ, οὐλαὶ μήλοις ἀμφοτέροις, Τενούφι Ὀρσεῦτος ὡς ἐτῶν μγ, οὐλὴ χειρὶ ἀριστερᾷ ἐκτός, καὶ Κρονίωνι Λαβήσιος ὡς ἐτῶν κθ, οὐλὴ ῥινὶ ὑπὸ μεσόφρυον, κλῆρον κατοικικὸν ἀρουρῶν β

P.Mich. 5 322 aTebtynis (Arsinoites)AD 46

καὶ Ψύφι καὶ Ψενκήβκι τὴν ὑπάρχουσαν τῷ αὐτῷ Ψύφι τῷ καὶ Ἁρποχρατίωνι ἐντὸς τοῦ ἐκτὸς περιβόλου τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἱεροῦ ἀπὸ λιβὸς τοῦ ἐντὸς τῆς πύλης δρόμου χορτοθήκην λεγομένην πρότερον

Against an elder an accusation not do receive unless only except upon two or three witnesses.
εἰei only G1487 Conditional particle
501× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Timothy than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means 'if' and is used to express conditions or questions. It appears in many Bible verses, such as Matthew 11:14 and Romans 8:25, introducing a condition or hypothesis.
Tyndale gloss
if
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word εἰ, transliterated as ei, is a primary conditional particle meaning 'if' or 'whether.' It is used in various contexts, including conditions, indirect questions, and expressions of wishes. In the New Testament, it appears frequently, often followed by different verb tenses to indicate various conditions. The lexicons do not present significant disagreement on its usage.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

εἰ,

conjunctive particle, used in conditions and in indirect questions.

Conditional, if;

c. indic., expressing a general assumption;

pres.: seq. indic, pres., Mt 11:14, Ro 8:25, al.; seq. imperat., Mk 4:23 9:22, Jo 15:18, I Co 7:9, al.; seq. fut. indic., Lk 16:31, Ro 8:11, al.; seq. pf. or aor., with negation in apodosis, Mt 12:26, Ro 4:14, al.; similarly, seq. impf., Lk 17:6, Jo 8:39; seq. quæst.,

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

εἰ 109 εἰ WH, s0 Trin Mt. xii. 41; Ὀζείας L T Tr WH; Πειλᾶτος T WH; Σεμεείν T Tr WH; Ταβειθά WH; Χερουβείν 1, T Tr WH (-βίμ RG); Χοραζείν T Tr WH; ἀφείδεια L; εἰδέα T Tr WH; ἐπαρχεία T WH; ἐπιπόθεια WH; ἡλεί T ; πανοικεί TWH; ῥαββεί T WH; ῥαββουνεί WH; σαβαχθανεί Tr WH; ταλειθά WH; τάχειον WH; τραπεζείτης T WH.| el, is first a conditional particle, ἐγ (Lat. si) ; secondly, an interrogative particle, whether, (Lat. an, num, ne). I. εἰ CoNDITIONAL (on the difference between it and ἐάν, see ἐάν, I. 1 b.) is connected, according to the variety of conditions, with various tenses and moods; viz. ἘΣ with the Indicative of all tenses, when anything is simply and generally assumed to be, or to be done, or to have been done, or to be about to be, (W. § 41 b., 2; ef. 42, 2; [Β. 220(190)]). a. withthe Ind. Present; a. foll. in the apodosis by the ind. pres.: Mt. xix. 10 (εἰ οὕτως ἐστὶν ἡ αἰτία...…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ΕἸ , J ἐκπλησσω γὰρ τὸ ἀγαθὸν τοῦ ἀστέρος καὶ εἰς τὸ ἐναντίον ἐκπίπτει. See also Michel 827 A (mid. 11,8.0.) τό τε νόμισμα τὸ ἐκπεπτωκὸς ἀριθμῶι, of coins that have fallen out of use. The verb is not infrequent with reference to crops that “fall to be included”’ in the produce of a particular year, eg. BGU II. 5915" (A.p. 56-7) βουλόμεθα μισθώσασθαι τοὺς ἐκπεπτωκότας εἰς τὸ τρίτον ἔτος Νέρωνος. . . φοινεικίνους καρπούς, P Fay ο115 (A.p. 99) ἐϊλαϊκοὺς καρποὺς ἐκπεππτωκότας (/. ἐκπεπτωκ --Ἰ εἰς τὸ ἐνεστὸ(ς) τρίτον ἔτος. Cf. P Hib I. γ810 (B.c. 244--3) a letter requesting that two persons should be released from some public service—81a τὸ μὴ ἐκπεσίεῖν αὐτοῖς τὸ viv λειτουργῆσαι, ‘because it is not at present their turn to serve,’’ where the editors point out that éxmec[et]v, which has been corrected in the papyrus, is practically equivalent to προσπέσηι in 1.4 of the same document. For the…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

εἰ (ei) — if.

εἰ,

Attic dialect-Ionic dialect and [Refs 4th c.AD+] ἤ [Refs] in Epic dialect:— Particle used interjectionally with imperative and to express a wish, but usually either in conditions, if, or in indirect questions, whether. In the former use its regular negative is μ; in the latter, οὐ.

__A INTERJECTIONALLY, in [Refs 8th c.BC+], come now! with imperative, εἰ δὲ.. ἄκουσον [Refs 8th c.BC+]

__A.2 in wishes, with optative, ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τις.. καλέσειεν [Refs]; so later, εἴ μοι ξυνείη μοῖρα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of unattained wishes, in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; later with past tenses of indicative, εἰ γάρ μ᾽ ὑπὸ γῆν.. ἧκεν [Refs 4th c.BC+]; εἰ γὰρ τοσαύτην δύναμιν εἶχον ὥστε.. [Refs 8th c.BC+]infinitive (compare the use of infinitive in commands), αἰ γὰρ τοῖος ἐὼν.. ἐμὸς γαμβρὸς καλέεσθαι…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

εἰ

ei

a primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that,

etc.:--forasmuch as, if, that, (al-)though, whether. Often used in

connection or composition with other particles, especially as in 1489,

1490, 1499, 1508, 1509, 1512, 1513, 1536, 1537. See also 1437.

see GREEK for 1489

see GREEK for 1490

see GREEK for 1499

see GREEK for 1508

see GREEK for 1509

see GREEK for 1512

see GREEK for 1513

see GREEK for 1536

see GREEK for 1537

see GREEK for 1437

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

εἰ

Cond.

if

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

εἰ ei 502x

if, Mt. 4:3, 6; 12:7; Acts 27:39, freq.; since, Acts 4:9; whether, Mk. 9:23; Acts 17:11; that, in certain expressions, Acts 26:8, 23; Heb. 7:15; by a suppression of the apodosis of a sentence, εἰ serves to express a wish; O if! O that! Lk. 19:42; 22:42; also a strong negation, Mk. 8:12; Heb. 3:11; 4:3; εἰ καί, if even, though, although, Read the full entry →

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
COND — Conditional particle
conditional particle — it marks the clause as a condition.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

COND CONDitional particle or conjunction

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
74%if
if74% · 388×only17% · 89×whether3% · 14×lest3% · 14×other renderings3% · 17×

522 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 12 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial7%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 501 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
αὐτός
λέγωI say, speakδίδωμιI offer, giveἐπερωτάωI interrogate, q
καίand, even, also, nam
αὐτόςἄρτοςbread, a loaf, fδίδωμιI offer, give
ὅτιthat, since, because
ΒηθσαϊδάPropγινώσκωI come to know, σύ
σύ
ἐνλέγωI say, speakἐπερωτάωI interrogate, q
λέγωI say, speak
καίand, even, also,αὐτόςἐγώ
εἰonly501×
what comes after →
δέbut, on the other ha
τὶςArticle theεἰ δὲ μήNeg
μήNeg
Article theἐνεἷςone
τὶς
θέλωI will, wish, deδοκέωI think, seem, aἔχωI have, hold, po
γάρfor
Article theπιστεύωI believe, have διά
Article the
θεόςGod, a godΣατανᾶςan adversary, Saδεξιόςon the right han

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceεἰ · 501× in the New Testament
1 Corinthians Matthew Luke John Romans 2 Corinthians Acts Mark Galatians Hebrews Revelation 1 Peter

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament25 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 307 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Against an elder an accusation not do receive unless only except upon two or three witnesses.
μὴ except G3361 Particle · negative
1,060× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Timothy than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Not is a word used to show that something is not true or is not happening, like in phrases that say 'lest' or 'God forbid', as seen in various parts of the New Testament.
Tyndale gloss
not
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

μή () is a Greek negative particle used to express subjective negation, often in conditional or hypothetical contexts. It contrasts with οὐ (ou), which indicates absolute denial. μή can function as an adverb meaning 'not' or as a conjunction meaning 'lest.' It appears in various grammatical constructions, including prohibitions and deliberative questions, and is referenced in verses like Matthew 5:29 and John 3:18.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

μή,

subjective negative particle,

used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic., μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין, אַיִן, אַל.]

As a neg. adv., not;

with ref. to thought or opinion: Jo 3:18, Tit 1:11, II Pe 1:9.

In delib. questions, c. subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mk 12:14, Ro 3:8.

In conditional and final sentences, after εἰ, ἐάν, ἄν, ἵνα, ὅπως: Mt 10:14,

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

μή, Sept. for Ox, |X, PN, ἃ particle of negation, which differs from οὐ (which is always an adverb) in that ov denies the thing itself (orto speak technically, denies simply, absolutely, categorically, directly, objectively). but μή denies the thought of the thing, or the thing according to the judgment, opinion, will, purpose, preference, of some one (hence, as we say technically, indirectly, hypothetically, subjectively). This distinction holds also of the compounds οὐδείς, μηδείς, οὐκέτι, μηκέτι, ete. But pris either an ad verb of negation, not (Lat. non, ne); or aconjunction, that... not, lest, (Lat. ne); or an interrogative particle, (Lat. num) [i. e. (generally) implying aneg. ans.; in indir. quest. whether nol (suggesting apprehension) ]. Cf. Herm. ad Vig. § 267 p- 802 sqq-; Matthiae § 608; Bitm. Gram. § 148 (cf. Alex. Bttm. N. T. Gr. p. 344 (296) sqq.); Kiihner ii. §§ 512 sq. p.…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

μή Grenf II. 384 (mid. 1.8.6.) καλῶς οὖ]ν ποιήσις μὴ ἀμελήσ[α]ς α[. . ἀγο]ράσαι. .. , P Oxy I. 3815 (a.p. 49--50) (= Selections, p. 53) τοῦ δὲ Σύρου μὴ βουλομένου ἐνμεῖναι τοῖς κεκριμένοις, “45 Syrus does not wish to abide by what has been decided,” 2d. II. 2755 (A.D. 66) (= Selections, p. 58) ἔγραψα ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ μὴ ἰδότος γράμματα, “1 wrote for him seeing that he was unlettered,” BGU I. 22° (a.p. 114) (= Selections, p. 74) TappovOios . . . τὸ παρὸν μὴ ἔχουσα κύριον, ‘ Tarmuthis at present without a guardian,’ and P Grenf II. 779 (iii/iv A.D.) (= Sedections, p. 120) θαυμάζω πάνυ [ὅτι] ἀλόγως ἀπέστητε μὴ ἄραντες [τὸ σ]ῶμα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ὑμῶν, “1 wonder exceedingly that you went off so unreasonably, without taking the body of your brother”; cf. P Tor 1. 1¥8-4 (νον 116) εἰ δὲ kal τις θείηι τὸ μὴ ὄν (cf. 1 Cor 1°8)—acc. and inf. follow, P Ryl II. 144°? (Α.Ὁ. 38) ἐπαγαγεῖν αἰτίας τοῦ μὴ ὄντος, ‘‘…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

μή (mē) — not.

μή,

Elean μά [ᾱ] [Refs 6th c.BC+]. (Cf. Sanskrit mā´, Armenian mi [from I.-[Refs 5th c.BC+] mē´], negative used in prohibitions):—not, the negative of the will and thought, as οὐ of fact and statement; μή rejects, οὐ denies; μή is relative, οὐ absolute; μή subjective, οὐ objective. (A few examples of μηδέ and μηδείς have been included.)

__A in INDEPENDENT sentences, used in expressions of will or wish, command, entreaty, warning,

__A.1 with present imperative, 2 person, μή μ᾽ ἐρέθιζε [Refs 8th c.BC+]: rarely with aorist imperative, μὴ.. ἔνθεο τιμῇ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; in Attic dialect, μὴ ψεῦσον, ὦ Ζεῦ, τῆς.. ἐλπίδος [Refs 8th c.BC+]perfect imperative [Refs 8th c.BC+] person when perfect = present, μὴ κεκράγετε [Refs 5th c.BC+]

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

μή

me

a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an

absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an

interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an

affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, +

lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not,

nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in

substantially the same relations. See also 3362, 3363, 3364, 3372,

3373, 3375, 3378.

see GREEK for 3756

see GREEK for 3362

see GREEK for 3363

see GREEK for 3364

see GREEK for 3372

see GREEK for 3373

see GREEK for 3375

see GREEK for 3378

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

μή

Neg.prt.

not, lest

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

μή mē 1x

a negative particle, can function as a conj, not, for the particulars of its usage, especially as distinguished from that of οὐ, consult a grammar; as a conj., lest, that not, Mt. 5:29, 30; 18:10; 24:6; Mk. 13:36; μή, or μήτι, or μήποτε, when prefixed to an interrogative clause, it expresses an intimation either of the reality of the matters respecting which the question is asked, Mt. 12:23; or the contrary, Jn. 4:12

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Particle-N — Particle · negative
particle — a small word colouring the clause; it does not decline.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

PRT-N PaRTicle, disjunctive particle Negative

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
71%not
not71% · 772×except9% · 95×unless5% · 58×surely not4% · 41×lest3% · 32×otherwise2% · 23×other renderings4% · 48×other renderings1% · 16×

1,085 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 23 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial84%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 1,060 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
οὐNeg
καίand, even, also,σύἐγώ
ἵναin order that, so th
αὐτόςσύπροσεύχομαιI pray, pray for
καίand, even, also, nam
ἐγώαὐτόςεἰμίI am, exist
εἰCond
αὐτόςυἱόςa son, descendenκαίand, even, also,
Article the
καίand, even, also,εἰςδιά
μήexcept1060×
what comes after →
Article the
πατήρfather, Father, υἱόςa son, descendenσημεῖονa sign, miracle,
ἔχωI have, hold, posses
καίand, even, also,ποιμήνa shepherdβάθοςdepth, a depth,
εἰμίI am, exist
δίδωμιI offer, giveἐνμετά
τὶς
σύὑστερέωI am lacking, faγεννάωI beget, bring f
φοβέωI fear, am terrified
ἀπόArticle theμόνοςalone, but, only

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceμή · 1,060× in the New Testament
Luke Matthew John 1 Corinthians Romans Mark Acts Revelation 2 Corinthians Hebrews 1 Timothy Galatians

2 inflected forms — one of the commonest words in the New Testament. Full distribution →

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 1,321 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Against an elder an accusation not do receive unless only except upon two or three witnesses.
ἐπὶepi upon G1909 Preposition
886× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 1 Timothy as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
A preposition meaning upon, to, or against, often used to show location or direction, like in Matthew 6:10 where Jesus teaches us to pray for God's will to be done on earth. It can also indicate a sense of time or order.
Amplified meaning
at the mouth, based on the word
Tyndale gloss
upon/to/against
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἐπί (epi) is a preposition that indicates a relationship of superposition, often translated as 'on,' 'upon,' or 'over.' It can govern the genitive, dative, or accusative cases, covering meanings related to place, time, authority, and various figurative uses. In the New Testament, it frequently appears with the accusative case, especially in contexts of motion or direction, such as in Matthew 14:28.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἐπί (before a smooth breathing ἐπ’, before a rough breathing ἐφ’),

prep. c. gen., dat., acc. (acc. most freq. in NT),

with primary sense of superposition, on, upon.

C. gen.,

of place, answering the question, where?

of the place on which, on, upon: ἐπὶ (τ.) γῆς, Mt 6:10, 19, al.; τ. κεφαλῆς, I Co 11:10; τ. νεφελῶν, Mt 24:30, al.; like ἐν, in constr. praegn. after verbs of motion: βάλλειν, Mk 4:26; σπείρειν, ib. 31; ἔρχεσθαι, He 6:7, al.; fig., ἐπ’ ἀληθείας (MM, s.v. ἀ.); of the subject of thought or speech, Ga 3:16; of power or authority, over, πάντων,

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

ἐπί, [before a rough breathing ἐφ᾽ (occasionally in Mss. én’; see 6. g. Ps. exly. (exlvi.) 3), and also in some instances before a smooth breathing (as ἐφ᾽ ἐλπίδι, Acts ii. 26 L; Ro. viii. 20 (21) Tdf.); 566 ἀφεῖδον. It neglects elision before proper names beginning with a vowel (exe. Αἴγυπτον Acts vii. 10, 18) and (at least in Tdf.’s txt.) before some other words, see the Proleg. p. 94 sq.; cf. W. §5,1a.; B. p. 10], a preposition [fr. the Skr. local prefix dpi; Curtius $335], joined to the gen., the dat., and the ace. ; its primary signification is upon (Lat. super; [cf. W. 374 (350) note). A. with the Genitive [cf. W. § 47, g.; B. 336 (289)]; I. of Place; and 1. of the place on which; a. upon the surface of (Lat. in or super with the abl., Germ. auf with the dat.); after verbs of abiding, remaining, standing, going, coming, etc.; of doing anything: ἐπὶ κλίνης, Mt. ix. 2; Lk. xvii. 34…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ἐπὶ ξένης εἶναι, and P Giss I. 2115 μένε ἐπὶ ἑαυτοῦ, “stay at home.” The sense of ‘‘near,’’ “‘in the vicinity of”’ appears in P Ryl II. 127° (A.D. 29) κοιμωμένον μον ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας: cf. Ac 5°% and see Jn 6᾽", 211 ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης, where the rendering ‘“‘ near the sea,’ or, as we should say, “fon the shore,” is to be preferred (cf. Abbott /ok. Gr. p- 261). In P Lond 11688 (a.p. 18) (= III. p. 136) ἐν τοῖς ἀπὸ A(Bos μέρεσι ἐπὶ ταῖς οὔσαις γειτνίαις, ἐπί is almost = ἐν." The local force still underlies the meaning of such a phrase as ἐπ᾿ ἀληθείας (cf. Mk 1214) in the census paper P Oxy II. 255}5 (A.D. 48) (= Selections, p. 47), where it is stated that the return is ‘“‘sound”’ and rests “on a true basis "᾿-ἐ]ξ [ὑ]γιοῦς kal ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας. Cf. also P Lille I. 264 (iii/B.c.) τὴν δὲ λοιπὴν γ[ῆν ἑτο]ιμάζω, εἰ μὴ ἀκολουθεῖς ἅπαντα καθὼς ἐπὶ τῆς διαγραφῆς τ[ο]ῦ [εἰς τὸ] τε ἔτος σπόρου μεμισθῶσϑαι…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἐπί (epi) — upon/to/against.

ἐπί,

Thess. (before τ) [Refs 3rd c.BC+], to denote the being upon or supported upon a surface or point.

__A WITH GEN.:

__A.I of Place,

__A.I.1 with Verbs of Rest, upon, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: without a Verb expressed, ἔγχεα ὄρθ᾽ ἐ. σαυρωτῆρος (i.e. σταθέντα) [Refs]; ἔκλαγξαν ὀϊστοὶ ἐπ᾽ ὤμων the arrows on his shoulders, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: also with Verbs of Motion, where the subject rests upon something, as on a chariot, a horse, a ship, φεύγωμεν ἐφ᾽ ἵππων on our chariot, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τὴν κλεῖδα περιφέρειν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ to carry the key about on his person, [Refs 5th c.BC+] walk on tiptoe, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of places, upon, if the place is an actual support, [Refs]; ἐ. τοῦ εὐωνύμον on the left, ἐ. τῶν πλευρῶν on the flanks, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but most frequently, in, rarely in [Refs 8th c.BC+] in the country. [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐπ᾽ οἰκήματος κατίσαι…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἐπί

epi

a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time,

place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive

case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on,

etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon,

etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as

(touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a

place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf

of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward),

with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon,

etc. (literally or figuratively).

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἐπί

Prep.

on, to, against, on the basis of, at

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἐπί epi 890x

(1) with the gen., upon, on, Mt. 4:6; 9:2; 27:19; in, of locality, Mk. 8:4; near upon, by, at, Mt. 21:19; Jn. 21:1; upon, over, of authority, Mt. 2:22; Acts 8:27; in the presence of, especially in a judicial sense, 2 Cor. 7:14; Acts 25:9; in the case of, in respect of, Jn. 6:2; Gal. 3:16; in the time of, at the time of, Read the full entry →

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἐπί

on, upon with gen., dat., and acc.

prep. with gen., dat., and acc.: Radic. signf. upon.

WITH GEN.:

of Place,

with Verbs of Rest, upon or on, κεῖσθαι ἐπὶ χθονός Il.; ἐφ᾽ ἵππου on horse-back, etc.; ἐπὶ γῆς upon earth, Soph.; ἐπ᾽ ἀγροῦ in the country, Od.; also at or near, ἐπὶ Λήμνου off Lemnos, Hdt., etc.:—with Verbs of motion, the sense is pregnant, ἐπ᾽ ἠπείροιο ἔρυσσαν drew the ship upon the land and left it there, Il., etc.; ἀναβῆναι ἐπὶ τῶν πύργων Xen.

not strictly of Place, μένειν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς to remain in the command, id. Xen.; ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων engaged in business, Dem.: —of ships, ὁρμεῖν ἐπ᾽ ἀγκύρας to ride at (i. e. in dependence on an) anchor, Hdt.

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
preposition — its sense depends on the case of the word it governs.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

PREP PREPosition

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
28%upon
upon28% · 258×on22% · 203×to8% · 77×in7% · 62×over7% · 59×at6% · 57×against4% · 38×for4% · 37×other renderings13% · 116×

907 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 46 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial91%predicate6%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 886 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
καίand, even, also, nam
οὐρανόςthe sky, the heaαὐτόςλευκόςwhite, bright
αὐτός
δέbut, on the otheφιάληa shallow and flκεφαλήthe head
κάθημαιI sit, am seated
Article theκαίand, even, also,γυνήa woman, wife, m
πίπτωI fall, fall under
δέbut, on the otheκαίand, even, also,Article the
ἔρχομαιI come, go
ὁδόςa way, road, jouγάρforκαίand, even, also,
ἐπίupon886×
what comes after →
Article the
γῆthe earth, soil,κεφαλήthe headθρόνοςa throne, seat
αὐτός
καίand, even, also,Article theὅτιthat, since, bec
πᾶςall, the whole, ever
Article theὅςκαίand, even, also,
σύ
καίand, even, also,Article theπᾶςall, the whole,
ἐγώ
καίand, even, also,Article theὅς

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceἐπί · 886× in the New Testament
Acts Luke Revelation Matthew Mark John Romans Hebrews 2 Corinthians 1 Corinthians Ephesians 1 Peter

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament26 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria The Shepherd of Hermas Clement of Rome The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 29c. AD 40

εἶθ’ ὕδατος ἀσώματον οὐσίαν καὶ πνεύματος καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἑβδόμου φωτός, ὃ πάλιν ἀσώματον ἦν καὶ νοητὸν ἡλίου παράδειγμα καὶ πάντων ὅσα φωσφόρα ἄστρα κατὰ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἔμελλε συνίστασθαι.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.argc. AD 75–95

ὡς Ἅβραμος ἐπὶ τοὺς Ἀσσυρίους ἐκστρατεύσας ἐνίκησε καὶ τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους τῶν Σοδομιτῶν ἔσωσε καὶ τὴν λείαν ἣν ἔλαβον ἀφείλετο.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.2c. AD 100

Μεγάλων μὲν ὄντων καὶ πλουσίων τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιωμάτων εἰς ὑμᾶς, ὑπέρ τι καὶ καθ̓ ὑπερβολὴν ὑπερευφραίνομαι ἐπὶ τοῖς μακαρίοις καὶ ἐνδόξοις ὑμῶν πνεύμασιν: οὕτως ἔμφυτον τῆς δωρεᾶς πνευματικῆς χάριν εἰλήφατε.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD 2nd c. BC 1st c. AD 4th c. AD
P.Stras. 2 89Pathyris100 BC

ἣν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐωνήσατο παρὰ Πανοβχούνιος τοῦ Τοτόηους ἐν τῷ ιε ἔτει Παῦνι γ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀρχείου, μιᾶς μὲν ἐν τῷ ἀπὸ λιβὸς πεδίωι, γείτονες· νότου γῆ Πατοῦτος τοῦ

P.Lond. 3 p. 18 no. 678Krokodilopolis (Pathyrites)100 BC–99 BC

καὶ ἱερειῶν καὶ κανηφόρου τῶν ὄντων καὶ οὐσῶν μηνὸς Χοιὰκ … ἐν Κροκοδίλων πόλει ἐπὶ Πανίσκου ἀγορανόμου τῆς ἄνω τοπαρχίας τοῦ Παθυρίτου. ἀπέδοτο Πετεσοῦχος Σχώτου ἱερεὺς Σούχου καὶ Ἀφροδίτης

P.Grenf. 2 35Pathyris99 BC

ἐδέξατο Πακοῖβις ὁ πριάμενος. Ἑρμίας ὁ παρὰ Πανίσκου κεχρημάτικα. ἔτους ιϛ Τῦβι λ. τέτακται ἐπὶ τὴν ἐν Κροκοδίλων πόλει τράπεζαν ἐφʼ ἧς Παγκράτης δεκάτης ἐνκυκλίου διʼ Ἀπολλωνίου τελώνου Πακοῖβις

Against an elder an accusation not do receive unless only except upon two or three witnesses.
δύοduo two G1417 Adjective · nominative
133× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 1 Timothy as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Means two in number, used in Matthew 19:6 and Mark 10:8 to describe a married couple, and in Luke 10:1 to describe sending disciples out two by two.
Amplified meaning
a pair
Tyndale gloss
two
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

δύο is a numeral meaning 'two,' used in various contexts throughout the New Testament, such as in Matthew 19:6 and Mark 10:8. It can appear with plural nouns and in phrases like 'two and two' or 'into two parts.' The word is indeclinable in most uses, although it has forms in the genitive and dative cases. Some entries note its usage in both classical and Hellenistic Greek.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

δύο, numeral, indecl. exc. in dat., δυσί, δυσίν (Attic δυοῖν),

two: Mt 19:6, Mk 10:8, Jo 2:6, al.; with pl. noun, Mt 9:27 10:10, al.; οἱ, τῶν, τοὺς δ., Mt 19:5 20:24, Mk 10:8, Eph 2:15, al.; δ. ἐξ, Lk 24:13; distrib., ἀνὰ, κατὰ δ., two and two, two apiece: Lk 10:1 (WH, ἀνὰ δ. [δύο]), Jo 2:6, I Co 14:27; δύο δύο (= ἀνὰ δ., as LXX, Ge 6:19

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

δύο, genit. indecl. δύο (as in Epic, and occasionally in Hadt., Thue., Xen., Polyb., al. for δυοῖν, more common in Attic [see Rutherford, New Phryn. p. 289 sq.]); dat. δυσί, δυσίν, ([-σί in Mt. vi. 24; Lk. xvi. 13; Acts xxi. 33 (Tr -civ),-oivin Mt. xxii. 40; Mk. xvi.12; Lk. xii.52(RG -ai); Acts xii. 6 (R GL-oi) ; Heb. x. 28; Rev. xi.3 (RG -ai) ; cf. Tdf. Proleg. p.98; WH. App. p. 147]—a form not found in the older and better writ., met with in Hippocr., Aristot., Theophr., frequent fr. Polyb. on, for the Attic δυοῖν); ace. δύο (cf. Lob. ad Phryn. p. 210; Brim. Ausf. Spr. i. p. 276 sq.; W. § 9, 2 b.; Passow i. p. 729); two: absol., οὐκ ἔτι εἰσὶ δύο, ἀλλὰ σὰρξ μία, Mt. xix. 6; Mk. x. 8; δύο ἣ τρεῖς, Mt. xviii. 20; 1 Co. xiv. 29; τρεῖς ἐπὶ δυσὶ x. δύο ἐπὶ τρισί, Lk. xii. 52; ava and κατὰ δύο, two by two [W. 898 (372); 401 (374); B. 30 (26)], Lk. ix.3 [WH om. Tr br. ἀνά]; x. 1 [WH ava δύο […

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

δύο. The disappearance of the dual flexion of δύο is in line with the whole tendency of Hellenistic: see Pro/eg. p. 77 ff. The gen. and dat. δυοῖν appears occasionally in a document where the writer desires to make broad his Attic phylacteries : thus P Giss I. 99! (B.C. 80) ἐΐν στή[λαι]ν δυοῖν [ἔμπροσθεν ἱδρυμέ[ν]αιν τοῦ [v Jed, P Strass I. 5238 (A.D. 151) ἀρουρῶν δυοῖν ἡμίσους τρίτου (or was this Bvetv?), P Oxy VIII. 1119” | (A.D. 254) δυοῖν θάτερον. The literary Hellenistic δυεῖν

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

δύο (duo) — two.

δύο [ῠ],

also δύω in Epic dialect, Eleg. and late, [Refs 5th c.BC+], nor in Attic dialect Prose or Inscrr.: Laconian dialect accusative δύε [Refs]: genitive and dative δυοῖν [Refs 5th c.BC+]-]; later Attic dialect also δυεῖν (especially in feminine genitive) found in codices of [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Boeotian dialect δουῖν [Refs 6th c.BC+], etc.: early Attic dialect Inscrr. have δυοῖν [Refs]; Ionic dialect genitive δυῶν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δυῶν also Doric dialect, [Refs]— Used indeclinable, like{ἄμφω}, by [Refs 8th c.BC+] and Attic dialect, δύο νεῶν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; with dual, δύο μναῖν uncertain reading [Refs]; but not in Trag. and rare in Comedy texts, ἔτεσιν δύο [Refs 4th c.BC+]: not in Attic dialect Inscrr. before the Roman period, [Refs 8th c.BC+] are sometimes joined with plural Nouns, δύο δ᾽ ἄνδρες [Refs]; also in Trag., δύο κριούς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in Attic…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

δύο

duo

a primary numeral; "two":--both, twain, two.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

δύο

Adj. & Indec.num.

two

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

δύο dyo 135x

two, Mt. 6:24; 21:38, 31, et al. freq.; οἱ δύο, both, Jn. 20:4; δύο ἠ τρεῖς, two or three, some, a few, Mt. 18:20; from the Hebrew, δύο δύο, two and two, Mk. 6:7, i.q. ἀνὰ δύο, Lk. 10:1, and κατὰ δύο, 1 Cor. 14:27

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

δύο

du/onumeraldu/wnumeral duoi=nnumeral duw=nnumeral duoi=sinumeral dusi/numeral can be indecl., like ἄμφω, by Hom., τῶν δύο μοιράων, δύω κανόνεσσι Il.; so in Hdt. and attic Prose; but declined in Trag. two, Il., etc.;—in Poets δύο or δύω may be joined with pl. Nouns, δύο δ᾽ ἄνδρες id. Il.:— εἰς δύο two and two, Xen.; σὺν δύο two together, Il., Hdt.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj-NUI — Adjective · nominative
nominative — the one doing it — the subject.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

A-NUI Indeclinable NUmeral (Adjective)

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

too.

See NUMBER.

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
99%two
two99% · 135×other renderings1% · 1×

136 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 2 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
object38%subject32%adverbial23%predicate7%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 133 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
καίand, even, also,εἰμίI am, existοὗτος
εἰμίI am, exist
γάρforοὐκέτιNegτότεthen
Disj
χωλόςlame, deprived oχείρa handεἰσέρχομαιI go in, come in
ἀποστέλλωI send forth, send,
αὐτόςἐλαίαan olive treeἸησοῦςJesus
αὐτός
μαθητήςa learner, disciμετάὑπαντάωI meet
δύοtwo133×
what comes after →
Article the
μαθητήςa learner, disciδέbut, on the otheἀκούωI hear, listen
ἰχθύςa fish
ἀναβλέπωI look up, recovμερίζωI divide, part,
Disj
τρεῖςthreeArticle the
εἰς
σάρξflesh, bodyArticle the
ἡμέραa day
Article theκαίand, even, also,ἐξέρχομαιI go out, come o

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceδύο · 133× in the New Testament
Matthew Luke Mark Acts John Revelation 1 Corinthians Ephesians Galatians Hebrews 1 Timothy 2 Corinthians

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament13 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 320 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria The Shepherd of Hermas The Epistle of Barnabas Clement of Rome
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 48c. AD 40

οὓς ἅπαντας ἡ τετρὰς ἔχει περιλαβοῦσα, τὸν μὲν ἐπίτριτον ἐν τῷ τέσσαρα πρὸς τρία, τὸν δ’ ἡμιόλιον ἐν τῷ τρία πρὸς δύο, τὸν δὲ διπλάσιον ἐν τῷ δύο πρὸς ἓν ἢ τέσσαρα πρὸς δύο, τὸν δὲ τετραπλάσιον ἐν τῷ τέσσαρα πρὸς

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.4c. AD 75–95

τούτων δὴ τῶν προειρημένων αἰτιῶν αἱ τελευταῖαι δύο κἀμοὶ συμβεβήκασι·

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 4.8c. AD 100

Μωϋσῆ Μωϋσῆ, κατάβηθι τὸ τάχος, ὅτι ἠνόμησεν ὁ λαός σου, οὓς ἐξήγαγες ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ συνῆκεν Μωϋσῆς καὶ ἔριψεν τὰς δύο πλάκας ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ: καὶ συνετρίβη αὐτῶν ἡ διαθήκη, ἵνα ἡ τοῦ ἠγαπημένου Ἰησοῦ ἐγκατασφραγισθῇ εἰς τὴν καρδίαν ἡμῶν…

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD 1st c. AD 4th c. AD 6th c. AD
P.Grenf. 2 33Pathyris101 BC

μίσθωσιν ἀπὸ τοῦ προκειμένου ἔτους οὗ καὶ συμπεπεῖσθαι αὐτῷ τῆς συγχωρηθείσης τιμῆς χαλκοῦ ταλάντων δύο δραχμῶν τρισχιλίων τριακοσίων · καὶ μὴ ἐπελεύσεσθαι μήτʼ αὐτὸν Ψενενοῦπιν ἐπὶ τὸν Ἁρσιῆσιν μήτʼ

P.Stras. 2 89Pathyris100 BC

οἳ ἂν ὦσι γείτονες πάντων πάντοθεν. ἐπρίατο Πετεαρσεμθεὺς Πανοβχούνιος ὡς ἐτῶν μ χαλκοῦ τάλαντα δύο . προπωλητὴς καὶ βεβαιωτὴς τῶν κατὰ τὴν ὠνὴν ταύτην πάντων Πετεαρσεμθεὺς ὁ ἀποδόμενος, ὃν

P.Adl. 20Poinkoris (Diopolites)99 BC

τοῦ Διοπολίτου ἐπὶ … τοῦ παρὰ … ἀγορανόμου. ἀπέδοτο Ὧρος Ἑρμίου ὡς ἐτῶν δέκα δύο μετὰ προσπωλουμένης τῆς Ὥρου συγγενοῦς Ἀρσινόης τῆς Βελλέους ὡς ἐτῶν κβ μέσης μελιχρόου στρογγυλοπροσώπου

Against an elder an accusation not do receive unless only except upon two or three witnesses.
ē or G2228 Particle
343× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 1 Timothy as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Or is a word used to show a choice between two things, like in Matthew 5:17 where it's either obey God's law or not. It's also used to compare things, like in Romans 1:21 where it's one thing or another.
Amplified meaning
as an alternative
Tyndale gloss
or
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word (ē) is a particle used to indicate distinction, functioning as a disjunctive 'or' and a comparative 'than.' It appears frequently in the New Testament, often in phrases like 'either...or' and in disjunctive questions. Notably, it can also express comparisons after comparative terms, such as in Matthew 10:15. The entries do not show any significant disagreement.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἤ, disjunctive and comparative particle (Bl., §36, 12; 77, 11);

disjunctive, or;

between single words: Mt 5:17, Mk 6:56, Lk 2:24, Jo 6:19, Ro 1:21, al.;

before a sentence expressing a variation, denial or refutation of a previous statement, freq. in interrog. form: Mt 7:4, 9, Mk 12:14, Lk 13:4, Ro 3:29 6:3 9:21, I Co 6:9, 16 9:6, II Co 11:7; ἢ . . . ἤ…

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Χριστοῦ (NVWT ΒΗ Targ. Jonath. ad ᾿ς lili. 10), the kingdom of the Messiah, which will be founded by God through the Messiah and over which the Messiah will preside as God’s vicegerent; ἡ Bac. τῶν οὐρανῶν, only in Matthew, but very frequently [some 33 times], the kingdom of heaven, i. e. the kingdom which is of heavenly or divine origin and nature (in rabbin. writ. nown mao is the rule of God, the theocracy viewed universally, not the Messianic kingdom); sometimes simply ἡ βασιλεία : Mt. iv. 23, ete.; Jas. ii. 5; once ἡ Bac. τοῦ Δαυείδ, because it was supposed the Messiah would be one of David’s descendants and a king very like David, Mk. xi. 10; once also ἡ Bac. τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ, Eph. ν. 5. Relying principally on the prophecies of Daniel — who had declared it to be the purpose of God that, after four vast and mighty kingdoms had succeeded one another and the last of…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ἢ μή. The general distinction between οὐ and μή is that οὐ is objective, dealing only with facts, while μή is sudjectize, involving will and thought. But in late Greek μή has encroached very largely upon οὐ, with the result that in the NT οὐ is almost entirely confined to the indicative, while μή monopolizes the other moods (but see I. 5). A few exx. of some of the many uses of μή will make this clear. I. Μή negatives (1) the conjunctive (a) after ἐάν (4v)—P Oxy II. 294%? (A.D. 22) (= Selections, p. 36), where certain men are confined to prison, ἐὰν μή τι πίσωσι τὸν ἀρχιστάτορα δο[ῦν]αι etk(= ἱκ)ανόν, ‘* unless indeed they shall persuade the chief usher to give security,’’ BGU II. 5301” \i/a.D.) (= Selections, p. 61) alav (/. ἐὰν) μὴ ἔλθῃς, κινδυνεύω ἐκστῆvat od ἔχω [κλή]ρου, “if you do not come I run the risk of losing the lot (of land) which I possess ”—a father writes to Selections…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἤ (ē) — or.

ἤ,

Epic dialect also ἠέ (in signification [Refs 4th c.BC+], conjunction with two chief senses, Disj. (or) and comparative (than).

__A DISJUNCTIVE, or, ἐγὼ.. ἢ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; θεόσυτος ἢ βρότειος ἢ κεκραμένη [Refs 4th c.BC+]

__A.2 ἢ.. ἤ either.. or, ἢ νῦν δηθύνοντ᾽ ἢ ὕστερον αὖτις ἰόντα [Refs 8th c.BC+], etc.; so ἢ.. ἤτοι.. [Refs 5th c.BC+] is emphasized, later no distinction is implied, [NT+2nd c.BC+]; ἤ repeated any number of times, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι ἢ τεὸν ἢ Αἴαντος ἰὼν γέρας ἢ Ὀδυσῆος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἤ is probably wrongly accented in codices of [Refs 8th c.BC+] adverb [Refs 4th c.BC+]

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

e

a primary particle of distinction between two connected terms;

disjunctive, or; comparative, than:--and, but (either), (n-)either,

except it be, (n-)or (else), rather, save, than, that, what, yea.

Often used in connection with other particles. Compare especially

2235, 2260, 2273.

see GREEK for 2235

see GREEK for 2260

see GREEK for 2273

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

Disj.prt.

or, than

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἤ ē 343x

can function as a conj (298x), either, or, Mt. 6:24; after comparatives, and ἄλλος, ἕτερος, expressed or implied, than, Mt. 10:15; 18:8; Acts 17:21; 24:21; intensive after ἀλλά and πρίν, Lk. 12:51; Mt. 1:18; it also serves to point an interrogation, Rom. 3:29

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Particle — Particle
particle — a small word colouring the clause; it does not decline.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

PRT PaRTicle, disjunctive particle

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

or: The word is used once for either (1Sa 26:10), and is still in poetic use in this sense; as in, "Without or wave or wind" (Coleridge); "Or the bakke or some bone he breketh in his dzouthe" (Piers Plowman (B), VII, 93; compare Merchant of Venice, III, ii, 65). It is also used with "ever" for before (Ps 90:2; Ecclesiasticus 18:19), which the American Standard Revised Version substitutes in Ec 12:6 (compare 12:1,2); So 6:12; Da 6:24.

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
84%or
or84% · 304×than13% · 47×other renderings4% · 13×

364 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 9 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial20%object18%subject12%predicate7%verb4%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 343 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
σύ
πρόςχείρa handἁμαρτίαa sin
πατήρfather, Father, ance
Article theκακολογέωI speak evil of,Disj
εἰμίI am, exist
οὐρανόςthe sky, the heaἀνεκτόςendurable, tolerθεόςGod, a god
αὐτός
πατήρfather, Father, υἱόςa son, descendenβοῦςan ox
ἀδελφόςa brother
DisjArticle theἐάνCond
or343×
what comes after →
Article the
μήτηρa motherπόλιςa cityδύο
τίςIrg
πίνωI drink, imbibeεἰμίI am, existλαλέωI speak, say
οὐNeg
οἶδαI know, rememberἀναγινώσκωI readδίδωμιI offer, give
ἐν
φυλακήa watching, guarτίςIrgποῖοςIrg
καίand, even, also, nam
ἰχθύςa fishαἰτέωI ask, request, πρός

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordance · 343× in the New Testament
Matthew 1 Corinthians Luke Acts Mark Romans 2 Corinthians John 1 Peter Galatians James Ephesians

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament24 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 457 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Against an elder an accusation not do receive unless only except upon two or three witnesses.
τριῶνtreis three G5140 Adjective · genitive · plural · masculine
67× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 1 Timothy as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
The Greek word for three, used in passages like Matthew 12:40 and Mark 10:34 to describe a specific number of days or items. It is also used in the name of a place called Three Taverns in Acts 28:15.
Amplified meaning
a small group
Tyndale gloss
Three
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word τρεῖς (transliterated as treis) means 'three' and is a primary numeral. It appears in various contexts throughout the New Testament, such as in Matthew and Mark. The word has different forms, including τρία and τά, and has been used since ancient times, often associated with symbolic meanings in various cultures.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

τρεῖς, οἱ, αἱ, τρία, τά

three: Mt 12:40, al.; μετὰ τ. ἡμέρας = τῇ τρίτῃ ἡ., Mk 10:34, al. (cf. Field, Notes, 11 ff.)

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

τρεῖς, of, ai, τρία, τά, three: Mt. xii. 40; Mk. viii. 2; Lk. i. 56; Jn. ii. 19, and often. [From Hom. down.] Tpels TaBepvar, see ταβέρναι.

Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

τρεῖς In its only occurrence in the NT (Heb 41%) τετραχηλισμένα can only mean ‘‘laid open,” ‘‘ exposed,” “open” (Vg aferta; Hesych. πεφανερωμένα), but the origin of the metaphor is very doubtful. Moffatt (7CC Hed ad /.) suggests ‘‘ the practice of exposing an offender's face by pushing his head back,” Souter (Zex. s.v.), with greater probability, prefers “‘the bending back of the head in sacrifice so as to expose theneck,’’ like the Homeric aveptw (ZZ. 1. 459). The verb is found in Teles (ed. Hense) pp. 10%, 509: see also Philo de Cherud. 78 (ed. Cohn) πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπιτρέχουσι καὶ τραχηλίζουσι δεινοῖς ὑποβεβλημένος, and the compd. ἐκτραχηλίζω in 20. Leg. Alleg. ili. 109, Quod det. pot. 19.

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

τρεῖς (treis) — Three.

τρεῖς, οἱ, αἱ, τρία, τά:

genitive τριῶν: dative τρισί, also τριοῖσι [Refs 6th c.BC+]; Aeolic dialect τρίσσι [Refs] (written τρες [Refs]: Doric dialect nominative τρέες [Refs]; τρῖς [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τρῖς [Refs 6th c.BC+]:—three, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τρία ἔπεα three words, proverbial in [Refs 5th c.BC+]—for from the earliest times three was a sacred and lucky number, especially with the Pythagoreans (compare τριάς), [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰ καὶ τῶν τριῶν ἓν οἴσομαι[Refs] —διὰ τριῶν ἀπόλλυμαι I am thrice, i. e. utterly, undone, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ διὰ τριῶν ἀγωγή the 'trivium', [Refs 6th c.AD+]by threes, [Refs 5th c.BC+] stem tr[icaron]-, fuller form trey-, nominative tréy-es (Sanskrit tráyas, Latin tres), whence τρέες, contraction τρῆς and τρεῖς (written τρες [Refs]; accusative tri-ns (Gothic prins, Sanskrit tr[imacracute]n), whence τρῖς and…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

τρεῖς

treis

tria tree'-ah

a primary (plural) number; "three":--three.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

τρεῖς, τρία

Adj

three

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

τρεῖς treis 68x

three, Mt. 12:40. The frequency count does not include its occurrence in the name Τριῶν ταβερνῶν in Acts 28:15 (G5553)

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

τρεῖς Lat. tres, tria, three, Hom., etc.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj-GPM — Adjective · genitive · plural · masculine
genitive — of, from, belonging to.
Agrees with anything else marked plural masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

A-GPM Part of Speech: Adjective Case: Genitive Number: Plural Gender: Masculine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(shalosh; treis).

See NUMBER.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The phrase "three days and three nights," Mt 12:40, was equivalent in Hebrew to the English "three days;" the Jews employing the expression "a day and a night" to denote our "day" of twentyfour hours. Nor did "three days," 1Sa 30:13, literally "this third day," according to their usage, necessarily include the whole of three days, but a part of three days, a continuous period including one whole day of twenty-four hours, and a portion of the day preceding it and the day following it. Compare Ge 7:12,17 1Sa 30:12-13.

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
97%three
three97% · 69×third3% · 2×

71 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 2 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial72%subject21%object6%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 67 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
ἡμέραa day
ἤδηnow, alreadyμετάεἰμίI am, exist
Disj
δύομάρτυςa witness
μετά
καίand, even, also,ζάωI liveἀποκτείνωI put to death,
Article the
οὗτοςἀγάπηloveκαίand, even, also,
καίand, even, also, nam
ἡμέραa dayἈππίου ΦόρονForum, Marketμάρτυςa witness
τρεῖςthree67×
what comes after →
ἡμέραa day
καίand, even, also,ἐγείρωI wake, arouse, ἀνίστημιI raise up, set
καίand, even, also, nam
ἀπόμήν (II)a monthὑποστρέφωI turn back, ret
νύξthe night, night-tim
οὕτωthus, so, in thi
ἕωςuntil, as far as
ὅς
προσμένωI remain, persist in
ἐγώ

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceτρεῖς · 67× in the New Testament
Acts Matthew Revelation Luke Mark John 1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Timothy 2 Corinthians Galatians Hebrews
Across the New Testament13 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 168 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria The Epistle of Barnabas The Shepherd of Hermas The Didache
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 48c. AD 40

οὓς ἅπαντας ἡ τετρὰς ἔχει περιλαβοῦσα, τὸν μὲν ἐπίτριτον ἐν τῷ τέσσαρα πρὸς τρία, τὸν δ’ ἡμιόλιον ἐν τῷ τρία πρὸς δύο, τὸν δὲ διπλάσιον ἐν τῷ δύο πρὸς ἓν ἢ τέσσαρα πρὸς δύο, τὸν δὲ τετραπλάσιον ἐν τῷ τέσσαρα πρὸς

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.109c. AD 75–95

Οἱ δὲ Νώχου παῖδες τρεῖς ὄντες Σημᾶς καὶ Ἰαφθᾶς καὶ Χαμᾶς ἔτεσιν ἑκατὸν ἔμπροσθεν τῆς ἐπομβρίας γεγονότες, πρῶτοι κατελθόντες ἀπὸ τῶν ὀρῶν εἰς τὰ πεδία τὴν ἐν τούτοις οἴκησιν ἐποιήσαντο, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους σφόδρα δεδιότας διὰ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν τὰ πεδία…

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.6c. AD 100

Τρία οὖν δόγματά ἐστιν κυρίου: ζωῆς ἐλπίς, ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλος πίστεως ἡμῶν: καὶ δικαιοσύνη, κρίσεως ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλος: ἀγάπη εὐφροσύνης καὶ ἀγαλλιάσεως ἔργων δικαιοσύνης μαρτυρία.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD 6th c. AD 1st c. AD 4th c. AD
P.Adl. 14Pathyris101 BC

τῆς ὑπαρχούσης αὐτῷ γῆς ἠπείρου σιτοφόρου τῆς οὔσης ἐν τῷ περὶ Παθύρειν πεδίωι ἀρουρῶν τριῶν τῶν ἐν ἀρούραις ἑπτὰ καὶ τοῦ προσόντος χαλάσματος ἐν σφραγῖσι δυσίν , ὧν γείτονες

P.Adl. 16Pathyris100 BC

αὐτῷ γῆν ἤπειρον σιτοφόρον ἀδιαίρετον τὴν οὖσαν ἐν τῷ ἀπο βορρᾶ πεδίωι Παθύρεως σφραγίδων τριῶν , ἣν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐωνήσατο παρὰ Πα-νᾶτος τοῦ Πατῆτος, μιᾶς μὲν γείτονες νότου γῆ

P.Adl. 17Krokodilopolis (Pathyrites)100 BC

ὧν παρὰ νότου ἐπὶ βορρᾶν σχοινίου ἑνὸς τετάρτου , ἀπηλιώτου ἐπὶ λίβα σχοινίων ἑξακοσίων τριῶν . γείτονες νότου γῆ Ἑρμίου τοῦ Σ … … … ος, βορρᾶ γῆ Σχώτου

Against an elder an accusation not do receive unless only except upon two or three witnesses.
μαρτύρων.martus witnesses. G3144 Noun · genitive · plural · masculine
35× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Timothy than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means a witness, someone who sees or experiences something and can testify to it. In the Bible, it appears in Matthew 18:16 and Acts 10:41. It can also refer to a martyr.
Amplified meaning
those who testify to what they have seen
Tyndale gloss
witness
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word μάρτυς (lemma: martus) means 'witness' and can refer to both judicial and general contexts. It appears in various New Testament passages, often in relation to witnessing for Christ or God, and has evolved to also signify a 'martyr.' The term is derived from a combination of meanings related to witnessing and testimony.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

μάρτυς

(Æolic μάρτυρ), -υρος, ὁ (also ἡ),

[in LXX for עֵד;]

a witness: Ac 10:41, I Ti 6:12, II Ti 2:2, He 12:1 (Westc., in l.); in forensic sense, Mt 18:16 26:65, Mk 14:63, Ac 6:13 7:58, II Co 13:1, I Ti 5:19, He 10:28; c. gen. obj., Lk 24:48,

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

μάρτυς (Acolic μάρτυρ, a form not found in the N. T.; [etymologically one who is mindful, heeds; prob. allied with Lat. memor, ef. Vanitek p. 1201; Curtius § 466]), τυρος, acc. -upa, 6; plur. μάρτυρες, dat. plur. μάρτυσι; Sept. for 137; [Hes., Simon., Theogn., al.]; @ witness (one who avers, or can aver, what he himself has seen or heard or knows by any other means) ; a. ina legal sense: Mt. xviii. 16; xxvi. 65; Mk. xiv. 63; Acts vi. 13; vii. 58; 2 Co. xiii. 1; 1 Tim. v. 19; Heb. x. 28. b. in an historical sense: Acts x. 41; 1 Tim. vi. 12; [2 Tim. ii. 2]; one who is a spectator of anything, 6. g. of a contest, Heb. xii. 1; w. a gen. of the obj., Lk. xxiv. 48; Acts i. 22; ii. 325 ili. 15; v.32 G@LT Tr WH; x. 39; εἰς μαρτ. τῶν λαληθησομένων, who testifies for one’, Actsi.8 LT Tr WH; xiii. 31; w a gen. of the possessor and of the obj., Acts v. 32 Ree. ; μάρτυρα εἶναί τινι, to be a witness…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

μάρτυς. The plur. μάρτυρες is naturally very common, introducing the names of ‘‘ witnesses” to any contract or legal document, e.g. P Eleph 115 (B.c. 311-0) (= Se/ectrons, p. 4), P Hib I. 8919 (B.c. 239), P Magd 12° (B.c. 217) with the editor’s note, P Grenf I. 27ii.7 (B.c. 109), P Ryl 11. 15345 (A.D. 138-61). Other exx. of the word are P Lille I. 29'-31 (iii/B.c.) ἐναντίον μὴ ἔλασσον ἢ δύο μαρτύρων (cf. Mt 181°), P Par 4610 (8.6. 153) (= Witkowski,? p. 86) σὲ αὐτὸν μάρτυρα ἐπισπάσῳ, P Ryl 11. 160(a)® (A.D. 14-37) ἔπιτε[τάχα]μεν Tots μάρτυσι γράφειν, “we have instructed the witnesses to sign,’’ P Oxy X. 1298!° (iv/a.D.) σὲ yap μόνον ἔχω μάρτυρα, and the Christian 26. VIII. 11621 (iv/a.p,) *Epp(avovt))A papt(vs?), ““ Emmanuel is my witness.” For God as witness, see P Gen I. 545 (iv/A.D.) μάρτυρός ἐστιν ὁ [θ]εὸς ὅτι οὐ διὰ AF[p] Ha μάχομε, ἀλλὰ μάχομε διὰ σέ. Inthe important calendar of…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

μάρτυς (martus) — witness.

μάρτῠς, ὁ, ἡ,

Cretan dialect, Epid. μαῖτυς [Refs], Cretan dialect also μαίτυρς [Refs] see ii; genitive μάρτῠρος, accusative -ῠρα [Refs 8th c.BC+], formed from μάρτυρ (which see), except accusative μάρτῠν [Refs 4th c.BC+]; dative plural μάρτῠσι (but μάρτυρσι probably in [Refs 6th c.BC+]:—witness (not in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μάρτυρας παρέχεσθαι produce witnesses, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μάρτυρα παράγεσθαι, μάρτυρας ἐπάγεσθαι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τί δεῖται μάρτυρο; [Refs]

II. martyr, [NT]

III. Astrology texts, in aspect, μάρτυρες ἀλλήλων [Refs 4th c.AD+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

μάρτυς

martus

of uncertain affinity; a witness (literally (judicially) or

figuratively (genitive case)); by analogy, a "martyr":-- martyr,

record, witness.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

μάρτυς, υρος, ὁ

n.m.

a witness

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

μάρτυς martys 35x

(1) a judicial witness, deponent, Mt. 18:16; Heb. 10:28; (2) generally, a witness to a circumstance, Lk. 24:48; Acts 10:41; in NT a witness, a testifier, of a doctrine, Rev. 1:5; 3:14; 11:3; (3) a martyr, Acts 22:20; Rev. 2:13

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

μάρτυς a witness, Hes., Theogn.; μάρτυρα θέσθαι τινά Eur.; μ. θεοὺς ποιεῖσθαι Thuc.; μάρτυρι χρῆσθαί τινι Arist.; μάρτυρας παρέχεσθαι to produce witnesses, Plat., etc.; so, μ. παριστάναι Xen.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-GPM — Noun · genitive · plural · masculine
genitive — of, from, belonging to.
Agrees with anything else marked plural masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-GPM Part of Speech: Noun Case: Genitive Number: Plural Gender: Masculine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Thompson Chain Reference topics

(1) Two or thee Required. See COURTS

(2) Disciples and Early Christians as

Lu 1:2; 24:48; Ac 1:22; 5:32; 10:39; 13:31; 1Pe 5:1; 2Pe 1:16

--SEE Witnessing, TESTIMONY, RELIGIOUS

& TESTIMONY, RELIGIOUS

Testimony, TESTIMONY, RELIGIOUS

--, Living. See TESTIMONY, RELIGIOUS

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
60%witnesses
witnesses60% · 21×witness31% · 11×witnesses?6% · 2×as witness3% · 1×

35 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 4 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
predicate40%adverbial29%object11%subject11%second object6%indirect object3%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 35 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
καίand, even, also,ΣτέφανοςStephenΧριστόςanointed, the Me
ἐγώ
εἰμίI am, existἀπόὅς
εἰμίI am, exist
ἐγώνῦνnow, already, atὅτιthat, since, bec
δύο
στόμαthe mouth, speecArticle the
ἔχωI have, hold, posses
χρείαneed, necessity,
μάρτυςwitnesses.35×
what comes after →
Article the
πιστόςtrustworthy, faiἀνάστασιςa rising again, ῥῆμαa thing spoken
εἰμίI am, exist
καίand, even, also,
οὗτος
παρατίθημιI set before, se
αὐτός
πρός
γάρfor
ἐγώ

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceμάρτυς · 35× in the New Testament
Acts Revelation 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Corinthians Hebrews Luke Matthew 1 Peter 2 Timothy Mark Philippians
Across the New Testament13 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 36 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Philo of Alexandria Josephus Clement of Rome Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaAllegorical Interpretation of Genesis 2.55c. AD 40

καὶ τὸν καλοῦντα παρεσιώπησεν, ἵνα συγκινηθεῖσα ἡ ψυχὴ σκέψηται, τίς ὁ μαρτυρῶν ταῖς φιλαρέτοις διανοίαις ἐστί.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.128c. AD 75–95

μάρτυς δέ μου τῷ λόγῳ μία τῶν ἐν Κύπρῳ πόλεων ἰσχύσασα τὴν προσηγορίαν φυλάξαι·

Clement of RomeFirst Clement 63.3c. AD 96

ἐπέμψαμεν δὲ ἄνδρας πιστοὺς καὶ σώφρονας ἀπὸ νεότητος ἀναστραφέντας ἕως γήρους ἀμέμπτως ἐν ἡμῖν, οἵτινες καὶ μάρτυρες ἔσονται μεταξὺ ὑμῶν καὶ ἡμῶν.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
3rd c. BC 6th c. AD 2nd c. BC 2nd c. AD 7th c. AD
P.Giss. 1 39Theben206 BC–181 BC

θεῶν Ἀδελφῶν καὶ θεῶν Εὐργετῶν καὶ θεῶν Φιλοπατόρων καὶ θεῶν Ἐπιφανῶν τῶν πέντε φυλῶν· μάρτυρες … … … πει … … ι … πρ … … των προγεγραμμεν

P. Grenf. 1 12Latopolis151 BC

συγγενῆ, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Ἐσθλάδου τοῦ Ἐσθλάδου. Ἀλλωι δὲ οὐθενὶ οὐθὲν καταλείπω οὐδε δίδωμι. Μαρτυρες … … … … δεξι … … μελίχρως τετανὸς … οὐλὴ … δεξι οἱ

δὲ ὁ διατιθέμενος Παχνοῦβις ὡς ἐτῶν ν εὐμεγέθης μελίχρως τετανὸς ἀναφάλανθος μακροπρόσωπος εὐθύριν οὐλή. μάρτυρες Ἑρμίας Ἀσκληπιάδου Πέρσης τῶν μισθοφόρων ἱππέων ὡς ἐτῶν κε εὐμεγέθης μελίχρως κλαστὸς μακροπρόσωπος εὐθύριν

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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