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2 Corinthians 4:1 — Word Study

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N1904Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχοντες τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην καθὼς ἠλεήθημεν, οὐκ ἐγκακοῦμεν,

BSABecause ofdia thisohutos havingechō <the>ho ministrydiakonia [service, work of helping others] thisohutos even askathōs [in His loving kindness and compassion] we received mercy,eleeō [showing pity and forgiveness] notou we lose heart,ekkakeō [completely, become discouraged, faint]

Word
Listen & take away2 Corinthians 4
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 1 opens the chapter.
Greek ↓ Download MP3 Nestle 1904 — the very text on this page — read by Andy Martin in Erasmian pronunciation.
Say the word Each Greek word carries its transliteration (ekkakeō) — no per-word recordings of the Greek exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Corinthians 4:1quick helps
In a sentencePaul explains that because of God's mercy, he and his companions have received a ministry that encourages them not to become discouraged.
Who is speakingThe Apostle Paul, addressing the Corinthians, speaks on behalf of himself and his fellow workers.
Where we areThis verse is part of a passage where Paul discusses the nature of his ministry and the challenges faced.
The hard wordδιακονίαν
Take awayGod's mercy empowers believers in their service, helping them to remain steadfast.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectἔχω verbἔχω 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 — 2 Corinthians 4:1

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 — Paul's Ministry and Perseverancegenerated

1Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart.
2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

2 Corinthians 4:1 emphasizes the significance of the ministry given to Paul and his companions through God's mercy. This ministry is not only a calling but also a source of strength that prevents them from losing heart, even amidst challenges. Paul contrasts the integrity of their ministry with deceitful practices, highlighting their commitment to truth and transparency in their service to God and others.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
12 Corinthians 3:6–12And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
22 Corinthians 5:18All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
3Ephesians 3:7–8I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace, given me through the working of His power.
41 Corinthians 7:25Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
51 Timothy 1:13I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.

The Key Word διακονίαν, diakoniagenerated

The Greek word διακονία (i.e., diakonia) refers to the act of serving or ministering, specifically in a religious context. It encompasses various forms of service, including the duties of a deacon or minister. The parsing indicates that it is a feminine noun in the accusative case, suggesting it is the direct object of the verb.

In this verse, it signifies the ministry entrusted to Paul and his companions, emphasizing their role in serving others through the gospel. The term reflects the active and ongoing nature of their work, which is motivated by God's mercy.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart.' Other translations, such as the KJV and ASV, use 'we faint not,' while the YLT states, 'we do not faint.'

Where they differ is in the rendering of the Greek word ἔχοντες. The BSB and MSB use 'has,' while the ASV and KJV opt for 'we have.' Similarly, the translations vary on ἐγκακοῦμεν, with 'we lose heart' in the BSB and 'faint' in the ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main finite verb in this verse is ἔχοντες, having, which governs the overall structure. The phrase 'having this ministry' serves as the subject, while the rest of the sentence elaborates on the implications of their ministry and the response to it.

The sentence is built around the main clause, with the participial phrase 'having this ministry' indicating the reason for their steadfastness, followed by the result 'we do not lose heart.' This structure highlights the connection between their calling and their perseverance.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The term διακονία does not have a direct equivalent in the Septuagint, but it is related to the Hebrew concept of service found in various contexts. It reflects the idea of serving others, which is central to both the Old and New Testament understandings of ministry.

While the specific usage of διακονία may not appear in the Septuagint, the underlying principle of serving as a form of worship and duty is consistent throughout the biblical narrative.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Corinthians 4:1 reminds us that because God has shown mercy by giving us a ministry, we should not become discouraged. Paul emphasizes the importance of this ministry and encourages perseverance in the face of challenges.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of the ministry mentioned in this verse?

The ministry refers to the work of spreading the gospel and serving others, which is a calling given by God through His mercy.

How does God's mercy impact our ability to serve?

God's mercy empowers believers to serve faithfully, providing strength and encouragement to continue despite difficulties.

What does it mean to 'lose heart' in this context?

To 'lose heart' means to become discouraged or to give up hope in the face of challenges, which Paul urges believers not to do.

How can we apply this verse in our lives today?

We can apply this verse by recognizing the importance of God's mercy in our lives and remaining steadfast in our service to others, even when faced with challenges.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I seen God's mercy in my life, and how does it encourage me to serve others?
  2. What are some challenges I face in my ministry or service, and how can I overcome them?
  3. How can I remind myself and others not to lose heart in difficult times?
  4. What specific actions can I take to serve others more effectively in my community?

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

Early church Fathers comment on this verse to highlight the role of God's mercy in Paul’s perseverance and ministry.

TertullianOn Modesty c. 155–220
For what kind (of hypothesis) is it, that the very moment after making a largess of restoration to the privileges of ecclesiastical peace to an incestuous fornicator,
Early Church Fathers on 2 Corinthians 4 →
John ChrysostomHomily 8 on 2 Corinthians c. 347–407
Seeing he had uttered great things and had set himself and all the faithful before Moses, aware of the height and greatness of what he had said, observe how he moderates his tone again.
Early Church Fathers on 2 Corinthians 4 →
AmbrosiasterCOMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES fl. c. 366–384
Paul attributes his perseverance not to human merit but to the mercy of God, which first cleanses a person, then makes him righteous, adopts him as a son of God and endows him with a glory like the glory of God’s own Son.
Early Church Fathers on 2 Corinthians 4 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Corinthians 4:1 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Therefore seeing we have this ministry,.... The apostle having largely insisted on the difference between the law and the Gospel, the ministration of the one and of the other, proceeds to give an

Read John Gill on 2 Corinthians 4 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; The human vessel is frail, that God may have the glory; yet, though frail, faith and the hope of future glory sustain

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Corinthians 4 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

2 CHAPTER 4 ,2 Paul declareth his unwearied zeal and integrity in preaching the gospel, so that if any see not the truth of it, it must be owing to their corrupt hearts, not to want of clear light. The weakness and sufferings he was exposed to redounded to the praise of God’ s power. That which animated him in undergoing them for the church’ s sake, was the assurance of a more exceeding and eternal reward. It is the opinion of Beza, that the traducers of this great apostle took advantage from his great trials and afflictions, by reason of them, to conclude him no such man as he was by some represented; and that the apostle upon that takes advantage to magnify his office. God (saith he)…

Read Matthew Poole on 2 Corinthians 4 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; Ver. 1. As we have received mercy] Since we have so freely been called to the ministry of mere mercy, we show forth therein all sedulity and sincerity. When I was born, said that French king, thousand others were born besides myself. Now what have I done to God more than they, that I should be a king, and not they Tamerlane having overcome Bajazet, asked him whether ever he had given God thanks for making him so great an emperor; who confessed ingenuously he never thought of it. To whom Tamerlane replied, that it was no wonder so ungrateful a man should be made a spectacle of misery. For you, saith he, being…

Read John Trapp on 2 Corinthians 4 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

IV. (1) Therefore seeing we have this ministry.—The ministry referred to is that of which such great things have just been said: the ministry of the new covenant, of the Spirit, of righteousness, of glory (2 Corinthians 3:6; 2 Corinthians 3:8-9). Two thoughts rise up in the Apostle’s mind in immediate association with this: (1) His own utter unworthiness of it, which finds expression in “as we have received mercy” (comp. 1 Timothy 1:12); and (2) the manifold trials and difficulties in the midst of which it had to be accomplished. The very fact that he has been called to such a work is, however, a source of strength. He cannot faint or show cowardice in discharging it.

Read Charles John Ellicott on 2 Corinthians 4 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

CHAPTER IV. St. Paul shows the integrity with which he had preached the Gospel of Christ, 1, 2. And that, if it was unprofitable to any who had heard it, it was because their unbelieving hearts were blinded, 3, 4. How he preached, and how he was qualified for the work, 5-7. The troubles and difficulties he met with in his labours, and the hope and consolations by which he was supported, 8-15. And the prospect he had of eternal blessedness, 16-18. NOTES ON CHAP. IV. Verse 1. Seeing we have this ministry] The Gospel, of which he gave that noble account which we read in the preceding chapter. We faint not] We meet with many tribulations, but are supported in and through all by the grace of the…

Read AdamClarke on 2 Corinthians 4 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Ch. 2 Corinthians 4:1-15. Entrusted with so glorious a mission, the Ministers of the Gospel shrink from neither danger nor difficulty1. Therefore] The connection between this and what precedes is sufficiently obvious. Sustained by so great and glorious a mission, the Apostles of Christ are daunted by no trials.as we have received mercy] St Paul not only bears in mind the glory of his commission, but the mercy, of which he never fails to feel himself undeserving (1 Corinthians 15:9; Ephesians 3:8; 1 Timothy 1:12-16). Thus there is a double reason for not sinking under the burden of his ministry.we faint not] It is to be noted that in both these Epistles the Apostle now uses the singular and…

Read Cambridge on 2 Corinthians 4 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Therefore - Διὰτοῦτο Dia touto. On account of this. That is, because the light of the gospel is so clear; because it reveals so glorious truths, and all obscurity is taken away, and we are

Read Albert Barnes on 2 Corinthians 4 →

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

Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don’t faint.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, we do not become discouraged.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not:

RVARevised Version, American1894

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not:

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Therefore, seeing that we haue this ministerie, as we haue receiued mercy, we faint not:

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Therefore, having this ministry, as we have had mercy shewn us, we faint not.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Because of this, having this ministration, according as we did receive kindness, we do not faint,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Because of this, having this ministry, according as we received kindness, we do not faint,

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Therefore, because we have this ministry, and just as we have received mercy, we do not become discouraged.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Therefore, seeing we have this ministration, according as we have obtained mercy, we faint not;

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

So then, since God in his mercy has given us this new way of relating to him, we don't give up.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

For this reason, because we have been made servants of this new order, through the mercy given to us, we are strong:

Word by word, the decisions they made

ἔχοντεςechō having G2192 3 different renderings
we haveASV BBE DBY DRA KJV NETB NWB RVA ULB WEB
hasBSB FBV MSB
havingLSV YLT
ἐγκακοῦμεν,ekkakeō we lose heart, G1573 3 different renderings
faintASV DBY DRA GNV KJV LSV NWB RVA WEB YLT
lose heartBSB MSB
become discouragedNETB ULB

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 · adverbialΔιὰBecause ofτοῦτοthisclauseverbἔχοντεςhavingnoun phrase · objectnoun phraseτὴνtheδιακονίανministryταύτηνthisclauseκαθὼςasclauseverbἠλεήθημενwe received mercyclauseοὐκnotclauseverbἐγκακοῦμενwe lose heartἀλλὰButclauseverbἀπειπάμεθαwe have renouncednoun phrase · objectτὰthenoun phraseκρυπτὰhidden thingsnoun phraseτῆς-αἰσχύνηςof shameclause · adverbialμὴnotclauseclauseverbπεριπατοῦντεςwalkingprepositional phrase · adverbialἐνinπανουργίᾳcraftinessμηδὲnorclauseverbδολοῦντεςfalsifyingnoun phrase · objectτὸνthenoun phraseλόγονwordnoun phraseτοῦ-Θεοῦof Godἀλλὰbutclausenoun phrase · adverbialτῇ-noun phraseφανερώσειby manifestationnoun phraseτῆςof theἀληθείαςtruthverbσυνιστάνοντεςcommendingobjectἑαυτοὺςourselvesprepositional phrase · adverbialπρὸςtonoun phraseπᾶσανeverynoun phraseσυνείδησινconscienceἀνθρώπωνof menprepositional phrase · adverbialἐνώπιονbeforenoun phraseτοῦ-ΘεοῦGod

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

Ideo habentes administrationem, juxta quod misericordiam consecuti sumus, non deficimus,

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

ܡܛܠ ܗܢܐ ܠܐ ܡܐܢܐ ܠܢ ܒܬܫܡܫܬܐ ܗܕܐ ܕܐܚܝܕܝܢܢ ܐܝܟ ܪܚܡܐ ܕܗܘܘ ܥܠܝܢ

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

Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχοντες τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην καθὼς ἠλεήθημεν, οὐκ ἐγκακοῦμεν,

The standard critical text of the New Testament.

Nestle-Aland 27th edition1993 · Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft

Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχοντες τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην καθὼς ἠλεήθημεν, οὐκ ἐγκακοῦμεν,

The previous edition, still widely cited.

SBL Greek New Testament2010 · Michael Holmes

Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχοντες τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην καθὼς ἠλεήθημεν, οὐκ ἐγκακοῦμεν,

The Society of Biblical Literature edition, freely licensed.

Westcott–Hort1881 · Westcott and Hort

Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχοντες τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην καθὼς ἠλεήθημεν, οὐκ ἐγκακοῦμεν,

The edition that turned scholarship toward the earliest manuscripts.

Tregelles1857–1879 · Samuel Prideaux Tregelles

Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχοντες τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην καθὼς ἠλεήθημεν, οὐκ ἐγκακοῦμεν,

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

Tyndale House Greek NT2017 · Tyndale House, Cambridge

Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχοντες τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην καθὼς ἠλεήθημεν, οὐκ ἐγκακοῦμεν,

A recent critical edition following documentary evidence closely.

Byzantine majority text2018 · Robinson–Pierpont

Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχοντες τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην καθὼς ἠλεήθημεν, οὐκ ἐγκακοῦμεν,

The reading of the majority of surviving manuscripts.

Textus Receptus1550/1894 lineage

Διὰ τοῦτο ἔχοντες τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην καθὼς ἠλεήθημεν, οὐκ ἐγκακοῦμεν,

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.

2 Corinthians 4:1διάBecause ofBecause ofδιάοὗτοςthisthisοὗτοςἔχωhavinghavingἔχω<the><the>διακονίαministryministryδιακονίαοὗτοςthisthisοὗτοςκαθώςeven aseven asκαθώςἐλεέωwe receivedwe received merἐλεέωοὐnotnotοὐἐγκακέωwe lose heawe lose heart,ἐγκακέωδιάκονοςn.f. & n.mn.f. & n.m. a wδιάκονοςκατάPrep. downPrep. down fromκατάἔλεοςn.m. & n.nn.m. & n.n. pitἔλεοςμήNeg.prt. nNeg.prt. not, lμήἐκPrep. fromPrep. from out,ἐκγενεάn.f. a genn.f. a generatiγενεάἄρχωνn.m. a ruln.m. a ruler, pἄρχωναἰτίαn.f. a caun.f. a cause, rαἰτίαδιέρχομαιv. I pass v. I pass throuδιέρχομαιχρείαn.f. need,n.f. need, neceχρείακακῶςAdv badly,Adv badly, evilκακῶςδοξάζωv. I gloriv. I glorify, hδοξάζωπρολέγωv. I forewv. I forewarnπρολέγωγράφωv. I writev. I writeγράφωΔαυίδProp.n. DaProp.n. DavidΔαυίδἔξεστι(ν)v. it is pv. it is permitἔξεστι(ν)μόνοςAdv alone,Adv alone, but,μόνοςδιόCj. wherefCj. whereforeδιό
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 2 Corinthians 4:1

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.

Because of this having <the> ministry this even as we received mercy, not we lose heart,
Διὰdia Because of G1223 Preposition
667× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 2 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Means through or because of, like in Matthew 2:12 where the wise men left by another route. It shows cause or occasion, as in 1 Corinthians 3:15, being saved through fire. It can also describe a state or condition, like in Romans.
Tyndale gloss
through/because of
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

διά (dia) is a preposition meaning 'through' and can govern both the genitive and accusative cases. It covers a range of uses, including indicating motion through space or time, causation, and means or instrumentality. In the New Testament, it appears in various contexts, such as in Matthew 2:12 and Romans 8:25. The lexicons do not present significant disagreement regarding its meanings.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

διά (before a vowel δ’, exc. Ro 8:10, II Co 5:7, and in pr. names; Tdf., Pr., 94),

prep. c. gen., acc, as in cl.;

c. gen., through;

of Place, after verbs of motion or action: Mt 2:12 12:43, Mk 2:23, Lk 4:30, Jo 4:4, II Co 11:33, al.; σώζεσθαι (διας-) δ. πυρός, ὕδατος, I Co 3:15, I Pe 3:20; βλέπειν δ. ἐσόπτρου, I Co 13:12; metaph., of a state or condition:

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

διὰ παντός [so L WH Tr (exc. Mk. ν. 5; Lk. xxiv. 53)], or written together διαπαντός [so GT (exe. in Mt.) ; ef. W. 46 (45); Lipsius, Gram. Unters. p. 125], continually, always: Mt. xviii. 10; Mk. ν. 5; Lk. xxiv. 53; Acts ii. 25 (fr. Ps. xv. (xvi.) 8); x. 2; xxiv. 16; Ro. xi. 10 (fr. Ps. Ixviii. (Lxix.) 24); 2 Th. iii. 16; Heb. ix. 6; xiii. 15, (often in Grk. writ.). b. of the time within which a thing is done: διὰ τῆς νυκτός (1, Τ Tr WH διὰ νυκτός), by night, Acts ν. 19; xvi. 9; xvii. 10; xxiii. 31, (Palaeph. 1,10); δύ ἡμερῶν τεσσαράκοντα, repeatedly within the space of forty days, Acts i. 3;— (denying this use of the prep., C. F. A. Fritzsche in Fritzschiorum Opusce. p. 164 sq. would refer these instances to the use noted under a. [see Win., Ellic., Mey. u. s.]). 2. of time elapsed, and which has, so to say, been passed through: Gal. ii. 1 [ef. W. 380 (356)]; δὲ ἡμερῶν, (some) days…

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

διά (A.D. 58) ἀπεσχηκυῖαι [παρὰ τοῦ ᾿Αντ]ιφάνους διὰ χειρὸς [ἐϊξ οἴκου ὃ καὶ ἐπε[ίσθη]σαν κεφάλαιον, ‘have received from Antiphanes from hand to hand in cash the sum which they severally consented to accept ” (Edd.). Among other stereotyped phrases may be mentioned διὰ παντός, common in papyri as in Bibl. Greek in place of the obsolescent ἀεί : thus P Lond 42° (B.c. 168) (=I. p. 30, Selections Ὁ. 9) σοῦ διὰ παντὸς μνείαν ποιούμενοι, LGU IV. 1078* (A.p. 39) Σαραπίων Σαραπιάδι τῇ ἀδελφῇ πλεῖστα χαίρειν καὶ διὰ παντὸς ὑγιαίνειν. A rather different temporal use appears in διὰ νυκτός, “by night’ (Ac 519 etc.), as P Ryl II. 1381 (A.D. 34) κατέλαβα τοῦτον διὰ νυκτὸς ἡλμένον ἐξ ὑπερβατῶν els τὠιὸ τῆς οὐσίας ἐποίκιον Δρομήως λεγώμενου (7. ε. -όμενον), “ΕἼ detected him when under cover of night he had sprung into the farmstead” (Edd.): it is hard to imagine Fritzsche (see Grimm) arguing that here…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

διά (dia) — through/because of.

διά,

poetry διαί (Aeolic dialect ζά, which see), preposition governing genitive and accusative — Rad. sense, through; never anastrophic [Prop. δῐᾰ: but [Refs 8th c.BC+] uses ῑ at the beginning of a line, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: also ᾱ, for the sake of meter, frequently in [Refs 8th c.BC+] uses διαί in Lyric poetry, [Refs]

__A WITH GEN.

__A.I of Place or Space:

__A.I.1 of motion in a line, from one end to the other, right through, in [Refs 8th c.BC+] frequently of the effect of weapons, διὰ μὲν ἀσπίδος ἦλθε.. ἔγχος καὶ διὰ θώρηκος.. [Refs 8th c.BC+] out through the Scaean gate, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; δι᾽ ἠέρος αἰθέρ᾽ ἵκανεν quite through the lower air even to the ether, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; διὰ Τρώων πέτετο straight through them,[Refs 5th c.BC+]: also in Compos. with πρό and ἐκ, see at {διαπρό},{διέκ}: in adverbial phrases, διὰ πασῶν (i.e.…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

διά

dia

a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very

wide applications, local, causal, or occasional):--after, always,

among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) ...

fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that,

thereby, therefore, X though, through(-out), to, wherefore, with

(-in). In composition it retains the same general importance.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

διά

Prep.

through, on account of

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

διά dia 667x

(1) gen., through, used of place or medium, Mt. 7:13; Lk. 6:1; 2 Cor. 11:33; through, of time, during, in the course of, Heb. 2:15; Acts 5:19; through, of immediate agency, causation, instrumentality, by means of, by, Jn. 1:3; Acts 3:18; of means or manner, through, by, with, Lk. 8:4; 2 Cor. 5:7; 8:8; of state or condition, in a state of, Rom.…

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Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

διά through c. gen. through, by means of c. acc.

through.

WITH GEN.:

of Place or Space:

of motion in a line, through, right through, διὰ μὲν ἀσπίδος ἦλθε ἔγχος Il.; δι᾽ ἠέρος αἰθέρ᾽ ἵκανεν quite through the lower air even to the ether, id. Il.; διὰ πάντων ἐλθεῖν to go through all in succession, Xen.

of motion through a space, but not in a line, all through, over, διὰ πεδίοιο Il.; δι᾽ ἄστεος Od.

of Intervals of Space, διὰ δέκα ἐπάλξεων at every 10th battlement, Thuc.; διὰ πέντε σταδίων at a distance of 5 stades, Hdt.

of Time:

throughout, during, διὰ παντὸς τοῦ χρόνου Hdt.; δι᾽ ἡμέρης all day long, id. Hdt.; διὰ παντός continually, Aesch.; δι᾽ ὀλίγου for a short time, Thuc.

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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

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
57%through
through57% · 391×because of22% · 153×on account of10% · 67×for2% · 14×the sake of2% · 14×other renderings6% · 44×

683 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 21 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
adverbial96%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 667 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
θεόςGod, a godπᾶςall, the whole, καυματίζωI burn, scorch
αὐτός
λέγωI say, speakμαθητήςa learner, disciἐνώπιονbefore the face
θεόςGod, a god
Article theδέbut, on the otheσοφόςwise
σύ
ἐνπρόςδίδωμιI offer, give
ἐγώ
καίand, even, also,εἶπονI say, speakἐνώπιονbefore the face
διάBecause of667×
what comes after →
Article the
λόγοςa word, speech, ὄνομαname, character,προφήτηςa prophet, poet
οὗτος
λέγωI say, speakArticle theκαίand, even, also,
ὅς
Article theαἰτίαa cause, reason,καίand, even, also,
αὐτός
Article theγίνομαιI come into beinκαίand, even, also,
τίςIrg
οὐNegArticle theμετά

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

Concordanceδιά · 667× in the New Testament
Romans Acts John Matthew Hebrews 2 Corinthians 1 Corinthians Luke Mark Ephesians Galatians 1 Peter

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

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

Counted over the 663 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 Clement of Rome Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 5c. AD 40

οὐ μὴν διὰ τοῦθ’ ἡσυχαστέον, ἀλλ’ ἕνεκα τοῦ θεοφιλοῦς καὶ ὑπὲρ δύναμιν ἐπιτολμητέον λέγειν, οἴκοθεν μὲν οὐδέν, ὀλίγα δ’ ἀντὶ πολλῶν, ἐφ’ ἃ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην διάνοιαν φθάνειν εἰκὸς ἔρωτι καὶ πόθῳ σοφίας κατεσχημένην.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.4c. AD 75–95

τὸν μὲν γὰρ πρὸς τοὺς Ῥωμαίους πόλεμον ἡμῖν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις γενόμενον καὶ τὰς ἐν αὐτῷ πράξεις καὶ τὸ τέλος οἷον ἀπέβη πείρᾳ μαθὼν ἐβιάσθην ἐκδιηγήσασθαι διὰ τοὺς ἐν τῷ γράφειν λυμαινομένους τὴν ἀλήθειαν,

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.7c. AD 100

ἐγνώρισεν γὰρ ἡμῖν ὁ δεσπότης διὰ τῶν προφητῶν τὰ παρεληλυθότα καὶ τὰ ἐνεστῶτα, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων δοὺς ἀπαρχὰς ἡμῖν γεύσεως, ὧν τὰ καθ̓ ἕκαστα βλέποντες ἐνεργούμενα, καθὼς ἐλάλησεν, ὀφείλομεν πλουσιώτερον καὶ ὑψηλότερον προσάγειν τῷ φόβῳ αὐτοῦ.

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 4th c. AD 1st c. AD
P.Adl. 12Pathyris102 BC

ἀρουρῶν ἑπτὰ ἀρούρας τρεῖς · γείτονες μιᾶς μὲν νότου γῆ Πατήφιος, βορρᾶ γῆ Πακοίβιος διὰ τῶν Φίβιος υἱῶν, ἀπηλιώτου ὁδὸς βασιλική, λιβὸς γῆ Ψεμμώνθου τοῦ Πανεχάτου καὶ τῶν μετόχων,

P.Adl. 14Pathyris101 BC

ἐν σφραγῖσι δυσίν , ὧν γείτονες μιᾶς μὲν νότου γῆ Πατήφιος, βορρᾶ γῆ Πακοίβιος διὰ τῶν Φίβιος υἱῶν, ἀπηλιώτου ὁδὸς βασιλική, λιβὸς γῆ Ψεμμώνθου τοῦ Πανεχάτου καὶ τῶν μετόχων,

P.Amh. 2 51Pathyris89 BC

ἀπὸ ἀπηλιώτου μέρει Παθύρεως οἰκίαν ᾠκοδομημένην καὶ δεδοκωμένην καὶ τεθυρωμένην ἧς αἱ γειτνίαι δεδήλωνται διὰ τῆς ὠνῆς.

Because of this having <the> ministry this even as we received mercy, not we lose heart,
τοῦτοohutos this G3778 Demonstrative pronoun · accusative · singular · neuter
1,388× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 2 Corinthians as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This refers to a specific person or thing, like when Jesus says 'this is my body' in Matthew 26:26 and Mark 14:22.
Tyndale gloss
this/he/she/it
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word οὗτος (i.e., *houtos*) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'this one.' It is used to refer to something nearby or recently mentioned, often with a connotation of contempt in certain contexts. In the New Testament, it appears in various forms, such as in Matthew 3:17 and John 1:15, and can also serve to emphasize or clarify a subject.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, gen., τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου,

[in LXX chiefly for זֶה, זֹאת;]

demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille),

this;

as subst., this one, he;

absol.: Mt 3:17, Mk 9:7, Lk 7:44, 45, Jo 1:15, Ac 2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mt 13:55, 56, Mk 6:2, 3, Jo 6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mk 1:38, Ro 14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jo 5:1), Jo 2:12 11:7, al.;

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

οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, demonstrative pron. [ef. Curtius p. 543], Hebr. 71, ΠΝ, this; used I. absolutely. 1. a. this one, visibly present here: Mt. iii. 17; xvii.5; Mk. ix. 7; Lk. vii. 44 sq.; ix. 35; 2 Pet.i.17. Mt.ix.3; xxi. 38; Mk. xiv. 69; Lk. 11. 34; xxiii. 2; Jn. i. 15, 30; vii. 25; ix. 8 54. 19; xviii. 21,50; xxi. 21; Actsii. 15; iv. 10; ix. 21; according to the nature and character of the person or thing mentioned, it is used with a suggestion —either of contempt, as Mt. xiii. 55 sq.; Mk. vi. 2 sq.: Lk. v. 21; vii. 39,49; Jn. vi. 42,52; vii. 15; or of admiration, Mt. xxi. 11; Actsix.21; οἵ, Wahl, Clavis apocryphor. V. T. p- 370% b. it refers to a subject immediately preceding, the one just named: Lk. i. 32; ii. 37 [RGL]; Jn. i. 2; vi. 71; 2 Tim. iii. 6,8, ete.; at the beginning of a narrative about one already mentioned, Mt. iii. 3; Lk. xvi. 1; Jn. i. 41 (42); ili. 2; xii. 21; xxi.…

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

οὗτος. A few of the prepositional phrases with this common demonstrative pron. may be illustrated διὰ τοῦτο, ‘on this account,” cf. P Ryl IT. 845 (a.p. 146) τὴν ἄνεσιν τὴν διὰ τοῦτο γενομένην τῶν ὑπαρχόντων, “the ensuing remission “ OUT@S, O’.TO@ of the lands’ (Edd.): ἐκ τούτου, ‘for this reason,’’ Jn 6° cf. 26. 81°4 (c, A.D, 104) ἐκ τούτου δὲ [φανεῖρόν ἐστιν [καὶ] μηδένα χρῇζειν, “‘it is evident from this that nobody wants it’’ (Edd.), BGU 11. 423!7 (ason to his father—ii/a.D.) (= Selections, p. 91) με ἐπαίδευσας καλῶς, Kal ἐκ τούτου ἐλπίζω ταχὺ προκόσί-- par τῶν θε[ῶ]ν θελόντων, “you have brought me up well, and for this reason I hope to be quickly promoted, if the gods will”: τούτου ἕνεκα, ‘‘ for this purpose,” cf. P Oxy I. 1138 (ii/a.p.) ἐὰν δ᾽ dpa μή, ; ἅμα τῷ vide μου ἐξέρχομαι τούτου ἕνεκα, “otherwise I and my son will come for this purpose’’ (Edd.): ἐπὶ τούτων, ““upon this,” ‘in…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

οὗτος (ohutos) — this/he/she/it.

οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο,

genitive τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, etc.: the dual feminine never in Attic dialect, see ὁ, ἡ, τό, [near the start]:—demonstrative pronoun, this, common from [Refs 8th c.BC+]

__A ORIGIN and FORMS: οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο probably arose from a reduplication of the demonstrative ὁ, ἡ, τό with insertion of -υ- (= Sanskrit Particle u), e.g. ταῦτα from τα-υ-τα: Doric dialect genitive singular feminine τούτας [Refs 5th c.BC+], etc., the latter is uncertain in [Refs 5th c.BC+], as genitive singular neuter οὕτω [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; accusative singular feminine οὕταν [Refs 6th c.BC+] —In _Attic dialect_ οὗτος was frequently strengthened by the _demonstrative_ -ί, οὑτοσί, αὑτηί, τουτί, _genitive_ τουτουί, _dative_ τουτῳί, _accusative_ τουτονί; plural nominative οὑτοιί, neuter ταυτί, etc., this man here…

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Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο

Dem.pr.

this, he, she, it

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

οὗτος houtos 1x

this, this person or thing, Mt. 3:3, 9, 17; 8:9; 10:2; 24:34, et al. freq.; used by way of contempt, this fellow, Mt. 13:55; 27:47; αὐτὸ τοῦτο, this very thing, this same thing, 2 Cor. 2:3; 7:11; εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο, and elliptically, αὐτὸ τοῦτο, for this same purpose, on this account, Eph. 6:18, 22; 2 Pet. 1:5; καὶ οὗτος, and moreover, Lk. 7:12; 16:1; 20:30; καὶ τοῦτο, and that too, 1 Cor. 6:6, 8; tοῦτο μὲν ... τοῦτο δέ, partly ... partly, Heb.…

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Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

οὗτος demonstr. Pron. this, Lat. hic, to designate the nearer of two things, opp. to ἐκεῖνος, the more remote (cf. ὅδε), Hom., etc.

when, of two things, one precedes and the other follows, ὅδε generally refers to what follows, οὗτος to what precedes, Soph., etc.

so also, οὗτος is used emphat., generally in contempt, while ἐκεῖνος (like Lat. ille) denotes praise, ὁ πάντ᾽ ἄναλκις οὗτος, i. e. Aegisthus, id. Soph.; οὗτος ἀνήρ Plat.; τούτους τοὺς συκοφάντας id. Plat.

in attic law-language, οὗτος is commonly applied to the opponent, whether plaintiff or defendant, whereas in Lat. hic was the client, iste the opponent, Dem.

often much like an adv., in local sense (cf. ὅδε init.), τίς δ᾽ οὗτος κατὰ νῆας ἔρχεαι; who art thou here that comest . . ? Il.; often in attic, τίς οὑτοσί; who's this…

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Dem-ASN — Demonstrative pronoun · accusative · singular · neuter
accusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked singular neuter.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

D-ASN Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Neuter

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
55%this
this55% · 781×these things16% · 231×these14% · 196×he3% · 49×other renderings5% · 73×other renderings7% · 94×

1,424 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 49 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
subject36%object32%adverbial26%predicate4%indirect object2%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 1,388 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
αὐτόςδέbut, on the otheλέγωI say, speak
διά
καίand, even, also,αὐτόςεἰμίI am, exist
ἐν
καίand, even, also,γάρforοὔτεNeg
αὐτός
λέγωI say, speakεἰςγάρfor
ὅτιthat, since, because
λέγωI say, speakοἶδαI know, rememberγράφωI write
οὗτοςthis1388×
what comes after →
Article the
λόγοςa word, speech, θεόςGod, a godἄνθρωποςa man, one of th
εἰμίI am, exist
Article theκαίand, even, also,ὅς
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theκατακρίνωI condemnεἰμίI am, exist
δέbut, on the other ha
λέγωI say, speakεἰμίI am, existαὐτός
λέγωI say, speak
σύArticle theαὐτός

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

Concordanceοὗτος · 1,388× in the New Testament
John Acts Luke Matthew Mark 1 Corinthians Romans Revelation Hebrews 2 Corinthians 1 John 2 Peter

29 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 2,054 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 Clement of Rome The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 12c. AD 40

ἀλλ’ ὅ γε μέγας Μωυσῆς ἀλλοτριώτατον τοῦ ὁρατοῦ νομίσας εἶναι τὸ ἀγένητον — πᾶν γὰρ τὸ αἰσθητὸν ἐν γενέσει καὶ μεταβολαῖς οὐδέποτε κατὰ ταὐτὰ ὄν — τῷ μὲν ἀοράτῳ καὶ νοητῷ προσένειμεν ὡς ἀδελφὸν καὶ συγγενὲς ἀιδιότητα, τῷ δ’ αἰσθητῷ γένεσιν οἰκεῖον…

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

ὡς πύργος, ὃν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ἐφ' ὕβρει τοῦ θεοῦ ᾠκοδόμησαν, καὶ ὡς τὰς φωνὰς αὐτῶν μετέβαλε καὶ ὁ τόπος, ἐν ᾧ τοῦτο γέγονε, Βαβυλὼν ἐκλήθη.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.4c. AD 100

πεπεισμένος οὖν τοῦτο καὶ συνειδὼς ἐμαυτῷ, ὅτι ἐν ὑμῖν λαλήσας πολλὰ ἐπίσταμαι, ὅτι ἐμοὶ συνώδευσεν ἐν ὁδῷ δικαιοσύνης κύριος, καὶ πάντως ἀναγκάζομαι κἀγὼ εἰς τοῦτο, ἀγαπᾶν ὑμᾶς ὑπὲρ τὴν ψυχήν μου, ὅτι μεγάλη πίστις καὶ ἀγάπη ἐγκατοικεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν ἐπ’…

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 3rd c. AD 4th c. AD 3rd c. BC
P.Stras. 2 89Pathyris100 BC

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 παρὰ Πανίσκου κεχρημάτικα.

P.Grenf. 2 35Pathyris99 BC

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 ὁ πριάμενος. Ἑρμίας

BGU 3 1000Pathyris99 BC

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 παρὰ Πανίσκου κεχρημάτικα.

Because of this having <the> ministry this even as we received mercy, not we lose heart,
ἔχοντεςechō having G2192 Verb · present · active · participle · nominative · plural · masculine
709× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 2 Corinthians as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This Greek word means to have or hold something, like a possession or ability. It is used in many ways, such as having power or being with someone. The Bible uses it in Revelation 5:8 and 14:6.
Tyndale gloss
to have/be
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἔχω, transliterated as echō, means 'to have' or 'to hold' and is used in various contexts, including possession, ability, and condition. It appears frequently in the New Testament, often relating to physical possession or metaphorical concepts like keeping faith or emotions. Notably, it can also refer to being pregnant, as seen in Matthew 1:18. The entries do not show significant disagreement.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἔχω,

[in LXX for אָצֵל (ἐχόμενος), בַּעַל, יֵשׁ, etc., 59 words in all;]

(on the Aktionsart of the various tenses, v. M, Pr., 110, 145, 150, 183),

to have, as in cl., in various senses and constructions.

Trans.;

to have, hold, hold fast, etc.;

to hold, as, in the hand: Re 5:8 14:6, al.; ἐν τ. χειρί, Re 1:16 10:2, al.;

of arms and clothing, = φέρω, φορέω, to bear, wear: Mt 3:4 22:12, al.; so freq. pres. ptcp. (LS, s.v., A, I, 6; Bl., § 74, 2), Mk 11:13, Jo 18:10, Re 9:17, al.;

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

ἔχω ; fut. ἕξω ; impf. εἶχον, [1 pers. plur. εἴχαμεν, 2 Jn. ἔχω 266 5 T Tr WH], 8 pers. plur. εἶχαν (Mk. viii. 7 L T Tr WH; Rey. ix. 8 LT Tr WH; but ef. [ Soph. Lex., Intr. p. 38; Tdf. Proleg. p. 123; WH. App. p. 165]; B. 40 (35)) and εἴχοσαν (LT Tr WH in Jn. xv. 22, 24; but ef. Bitm. in Theol. Stud. u. Krit. 1858, pp. 485 sqq. 491; see his N. T. Gr. p. 43 (37); [Soph. Lex., Intr. p. 39; Τὰ Proleg. p. 124; WH. App. p. 165; ef. δολεόω ]) ; pres. mid. ptep. ἐχόμενος ; to have,—with 2 aor. act. ἔσχον; pf. ἔσχηκα; I. Transitively. have (hold) in the hand: τὶ ἐν τῇ χειρί, Rev. i. 16; vi. 5; x. 2; xvii. 4; and simply, Rev. v. 8; viii. 3, 6; xiv. 6, ete.; Heb. viii. 3. Ὁ. in the sense of wearing (Lat. gestare) ; of garments, arms and the like: τὸ ἔνδυμα, Mt. iii. 4; xxii. 12; κατὰ κεφαλῆς ἔχων, sc. τί, having a covering hanging down from the head, i.e. having the head covered [B. $130, 5; W. §…

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

ἔχω. It may be well to illustrate some of the less usual forms of this common verb. The future σχήσω (cf. Kithner-Blass Gr. 1. ii. p. 112 n.8) is restored by the editor in OGZS 751° (ii/ B.C.) ἐπεὶ θλιβέντες ἐμ πλείοσιν ἀσθενῶς [σχή]σετε. For the 2 aor. with 1 aor. termination (cf. Ac 757 D συνἐσχαν) see BGU 11. 4518 (i/ii A.D.) ἀναγκαίως ἔσχαμεν δ[ι7᾽ ἐπιστολῆς σε ἀσπάσεσθαι, and for ἔσχοσαν cf. OG/S 315°" (B.C. 164-159) ὑφοψίαν μοχθηράν, ἣν Kal περὶ Tod ἀδελφοῦ ἔσχοσαν. In 20. 2237 (iii/B.c.) we have αὐτοὶ ἀπολογισάμενοι περί τε τῆς εὐνοίας ἣν διὰ παντὸς εἰσχήκατε εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν οἰκίαν, and for similar forms see the editor's note ® to 2b. 323. For the trans. use of the verb see such passages as P Oxy IV. 743!® (B.c. 2) εἰ καὶ m[p]ds ἄλλους εἶχον πρᾶγμα, βοηθὸν αὐτοῦ γ[εἸνέσθαι διὰ ἣν ἔχομε(ν) πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς φιλίαν, BGU I. 228(a.p. 114) (= «ϑελδείζογις, p. 74), which illustrate 1 Cor…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἔχω (echō) — to have/be.

ἔχω,

__A2nd pers. singular ἔχεισθα conjecture in [Refs 7th c.BC+]; 2nd pers. singular subjunctive ἔχῃσθα [Refs 8th c.BC+]imperfect εἶχον, Epic dialect ἔχον [Refs 8th c.BC+], Ionic dialect and poetry ἔχεσκον [Refs 8th c.BC+]future ἕξω, Epic dialect infinitive ἑξέμεναι [Refs 3rd c.BC+] (of momentary action, especially in sense check, see below [Refs 4th c.BC+], not found in Attic dialect Inscrr. or [Refs]; 2nd pers. singular σχήσησθα [Refs]aorist 1 ἔσχης α falsa lectio in [Refs 3rd c.AD+]aorist 2 ἔσχον, imperative σχές [Refs 5th c.BC+] only in Oracle texts cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; subjunctive σχῶ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural σχοίησαν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; infinitive σχεῖν [Refs 8th c.BC+], Epic dialect σχέμεν [Refs] (in Alexandr. Gr. 3rd.pers. plural imperfect and aorist 2 εἴχοσαν [NT+3rd c.BC+], see at {Σχέθω}: perfect ἔσχηκα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Epic…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἔχω

echo

scheo skheh'-o; (used in certain tenses only)

a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally

or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability,

contiuity, relation, or condition):--be (able, X hold, possessed

with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count,

diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, +

lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, +

recover, + reign, + rest, + return, X sick, take for, + tremble, +

uncircumcised, use.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἔχω

v.

I have, hold, possess

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἔχω echō 708x

pluperfect., ἐσχήκειν, to hold, Rev. 1:16; to seize, possess a person, Mk. 16:8; to have, possess, Mt. 7:29, et al. freq.; to have, have ready, be furnished with, Mt. 5:23; Jn. 5:36; 6:68; to have as a matter of crimination, Mt. 5:23; Mk. 11:25; to have at command, Mt. 27:65; to have the power, be able, Mt. 18:25; Lk. 14:14; Read the full entry →

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-PAP-NPM — Verb · present · active · participle · nominative · plural · masculine
nominative — the one doing it — the subject.
Agrees with anything else marked plural masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-PAP-NPM Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Present Voice: Active Mood: Participle Case: Nominative Number: Plural Gender: Masculine

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
29%having
having29% · 211×has9% · 62×have8% · 58×you have7% · 52×i have5% · 36×we have5% · 35×he has3% · 24×had3% · 21×other renderings30% · 217×

716 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 97 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
verb99%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 709 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,ἄρτοςbread, a loaf, fἄνθρωποςa man, one of th
Article the
ἄγγελοςan angel, messenαὐτόςκαίand, even, also,
μήNeg
Article theδέbut, on the otheπρόβατονa sheep
ὅς
καίand, even, also,ἐνεἰμίI am, exist
χρείαneed, necessity, bus
οὐNegαὐτόςὅς
ἔχωhaving709×
what comes after →
Article the
ἑπτάIndecυἱόςa son, descendenδέbut, on the othe
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theοὐNegὅς
ἐν
Article theἑαυτοῦΧριστόςanointed, the Me
οὖςthe ear
ἀκούωI hear, listen
ἐξουσίαpower, authority, we
Article theἀλλάbut, exceptἐκβάλλωI throw, cast, p

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

Concordanceἔχω · 709× in the New Testament
Revelation John Luke Matthew Mark 1 Corinthians Acts Hebrews 1 John Romans 2 Corinthians 1 Timothy

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament27 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 Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 11c. AD 40

ἀπεριμάχητον δὲ δόγμα καὶ ἀνωφελὲς ἀναρχίαν ὡς ἐν πόλει κατασκευάζον τῷδε τῷ κόσμῳ τὸν ἔφορον ἢ βραβευτὴν ἢ δικαστὴν οὐκ ἔχοντι, ὑφ’ οὗ πάντ’ οἰκονομεῖσθαι καὶ πρυτανεύεσθαι θέμις.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.11c. AD 75–95

ὁ δὲ τῶν παρʼ ἡμῖν ἀρχιερέων οὐδενὸς ἀρετῇ δεύτερος Ἐλεάζαρος τῷ προειρημένῳ βασιλεῖ ταύτης ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς ὠφελείας οὐκ ἐφθόνησε πάντως ἀντειπὼν ἄν, εἰ μὴ πάτριον ἦν ἡμῖν τὸ μηδὲν ἔχειν τῶν καλῶν ἀπόρρητον.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.5c. AD 100

λογισάμενος οὖν τοῦτο, ὅτι ἐὰν μελήσῃ μοι περὶ ὑμῶν τοῦ μέρος τι μεταδοῦναι ἀφ̓ οὗ ἔλαβον, ὅτι ἔσται μοι τοιούτοις πνεύμασιν ὑπηρετήσαντι εἰς μισθόν, ἐσπούδασα κατὰ μικρὸν ὑμῖν πέμπειν, ἵνα μετὰ τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν τελείαν ἔχητε τὴν γνῶσιν.

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 3rd c. BC 6th c. AD 4th c. AD
P.Gen. 1 20Pathyris110 BC

ἔτους η Μεχεὶρ β, ἐπὶ Σώσου ἀγορανόμου. ὁμολογεῖ Ἁρκοννῆσις Φιγήριος Πέρσης τῶν μισθοφόρων ἱππέων ἔχειν παρὰ Ναομσήσιος τῆς Σπεμμίνιος εἰς λύτρα τετάρτης μερίδος γῆς ἠπείρου σιτοφόρου ἐν τῆι κάτω

P.Bad. 2 3Pathyris110 BC

Μεχεὶρ β ἐν Παθύρει ἐπὶ Σώσου ἀγορανόμου. ὁμολογεῖ Ἁρκοννῆσις Φιγήριος Πέρσης τῶν μισθοφόρων ἱππέων ἔχειν παρὰ Ναομσήσιος τῆς Σπεμμίνιος εἰς λύτρα τετάρτης μερίδος γῆς ἠπείρου σιτοφόρου ἐν τῇ κάτω

P.Adl. 4Ptolemais (Oberägypten)110 BC

Ψεμμῖνις … ου Ὥρωι Νεχούτου χαίρειν. ὁμολογῶ ἔχειν παρὰ σοῦ χαλκοῦ νομίσματος τάλαντα τρῖα ἄτοκα ?. ταῦτα δέ ἐστιν ἃ προσωφείλετό σοι

Because of this having <the> ministry this even as we received mercy, not we lose heart,
τὴνho <the> G3588 Article · accusative · singular · feminine
19,783× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 2 Corinthians as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
The Greek word for 'the' or 'this', used to point out a specific person or thing, like in Acts 17:28. It can also mean 'he', 'she', or 'it'.
Tyndale gloss
the/this/who
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The definite article — the commonest word in the Greek New Testament at 19,867 occurrences. Greek uses it more freely than English does and can drop it deliberately, so its presence and its absence both carry weight for a translator; but no single occurrence carries a message of its own. Here it simply gathers “the things” into one definite bundle.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ὁ, ἡ, τό,

the prepositive article (ἄρθρον προτακτικόν), originally a demonstr. pron. (so usually in Hom.), in general corresponding to the Eng. definite article.

As demonstr. pron.

As freq. in Hom., absol., he (she, it), his (etc.): Ac 17:28 (quoted from the poet Aratus).

Distributive, ὁ μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, the one . . . the other: I Co 7:7, Ga 4:22; pl., Ac 14:4, 17:32, Phl 1:16, al.; οἱ μὲν . . . ἄλλοι δέ, Mt 16:14, Jo 7:12; οἱ μεν̀ . . . ὁ δέ, He 7:21, 23.

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

ὁ 435 ὁ tives of quantity, ὅλος, πᾶς, πολύς, see each in its own place. d. What has been said concerning adjectives holds true also of all other limitations added to substantives, as ἡ κατ᾽ ἐκλογὴν πρόθεσις, Ro. ix. 11; ἡ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ διαθήκη, Ro. xi. 27; 6 λόγος 6 τοῦ σταυροῦ, 1 Co. i. 18; ἡ εἰς Χριστὸν πίστις, Col. ii. 5; on the other hand, ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν ἡ πρὸς τὸν θεόν, 1 Th. i. 8; τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους, 2 Co. viii. 4; see many other exx. of each usage in W. 131 (124) sqq.; [B. 91 (80) sqq.]. e. The noun has the article before it when a demonstrative pronoun (υὗτος, ἐκεῖνος) belonging to it either precedes or follows [W. § 18, 4; B. § 127, 29-31]; as, ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος, Jn. ix. 24 [οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρ. 1, Tr mrg. WH); Acts vi. 13; xxii. 26; ὁ λαὸς οὗτος, Mt. xv. 8; 6 vids σου οὗτος, Lk. xv. 30; plur. Lk. xxiv. 17, and numberless other exx.; οὗτος 6 ἄνθρωπος, Lk. xiv. 30; οὗτος ὁ…

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

ὃ, ἡ τό. (1) Apart from connexion with μέν or δέ (see below) the demonstrative use of the art. in the NT is confined to a poetical quotation Ac 1778, but it is not uncommon in the papyri, e.g. P Par 45® (B.C. 153) (= Witkowski®, p. 85) τὰ (for ἃ) πράσεις (Δ πράσσεις), P Oxy VIII. 1160! (iii/iv A.D.) Ta (for ἃ) σεσύλληχα (for συνείληχα) δὲ κέρμα {ταν τηρῶ αὐτὰ εἰς τὴν δίκην, “1 am keeping for the trial the money that I have collected” (Ed.). For the distributive Opéev.. - 6 8€, as in 1 Cor7’, cf. P Lond 535 (B.c. 161) (=I. p. 19, U.P.Z. i. p. 239) kal τὰ μὲν ἡμῶν ἐληφότων εἰς τὴν γινομένην ἡμῖν συντάξειν, τὰ δ᾽ ἔτι διὰ τὴν τῶν ὑποτεταγμένων {(.. ... > παρελκομένων. (2) The use of the art. as a relative, of which there is no trace in the NT, may again be illustrated by the following papyrus citations from ¢c. A.D. 346—P Lond 414® (= II. Ῥ. 292) γεινῴσκιν oe θέλω περὶ τοῦ βρεουίου…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ὁ (ho) — the/this/who.

ὁ,

ἡ, τό, is, when thus written,

__A demonstrative Pronoun.

__B in Attic dialect, definite or prepositive Article.

__C in Epic dialect, the so-called postpositive Article, = relative Pronoun, ὅς, ἥ, ὅ.—The nominative masculine and feminine singular and plural, ὁ, ἡ, οἱ, αἱ, have no accent in codices and most printed books, except when used as the relative; but ὁ, ἡ, οἱ, αἱ differ only in writing from ὃ, ἣ, οἳ, α; the nominative forms of the article are said by Hdn.Gr.1.474 to be oxytone, and by [Refs 2nd c.AD+] in Aeolic dialect accusative to [Refs 8th c.BC+] genitive and dative dual τοῖιν [Refs 8th c.BC+]— In Doric dialect and all other dialects except Attic dialect and Ionic dialect the feminine forms preserve the old ᾱ instead of changing it to η, hence Doric dialect etc. ἁ, τάν, τᾶ; the genitive plural τάων contracts in many dialects to τᾶ; the genitive…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

ὁ ἡ τό

ho

he hay, and the neuter

to to

in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be

supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one,

he, she, it, etc.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ὁ, ἡ, τό

Article

the

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ὁ ho 19x

the prepositive article, answering, to a considerable extent, to the English definite article; but, for the principle and facts of its usage, consult a grammar; ὁ μὲν ... ὁ δέ, the one ... the other, Phil. 1:16, 17; Heb. 7:5, 6, 20, 21, 23, 24; pl. some ... others, Mt. 13:23; 22:5, 6; ὁ δέ, but he, Mt. 4:4; 12:48; οἱ δέ, but others, Mt. 28:17; used, in a poetic quotation, for a personal pronoun, Acts 17:28

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ὁ the, that

ὁ, ἡ, τό, is

demonstr. Pronoun.

the definite Article.

in epic, the relative Pronoun, when it is written with the accent ὅ, ἥ, τό ῀ ὅς, ἥ, ὅ. Besides the common forms, note epic gen. sg. τοῖο for τοῦ; pl. nom. τοί, ταί; gen. fem. τάων [α^], dat. τοῖσι, τῇς and τῇσι; dual gen, and dat. τοῖιν:— in Trag. we find τοὶ μέν . . , τοὶ δέ . . , for οἱ μέν . . , οἱ δέ . . ; dat. pl. also τοῖσι, ταῖσι: the dual has commonly but one gender, τώ for τά, τοῖν for ταῖν.

DEMONSTR. PRONOUN:

joined with a Subst., not as the Art., but like Lat. ille, ὁ Τυδείδης Tydeus's famous son, Il.; Νέστωρ ὁ γέρων Nestor— that aged man, id. Il.; τιμῆς τῆς Πριάμου for honour, namely that of Priam, id. Il.

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

T-ASF Part of Speech: definite arTicle Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Feminine

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

THE, an adjective or definitive adjective.

1. This adjective is used as a definitive, that is, before nouns which are specific or understood; or it is used to limit their signification to a specific thing or things, or to describe them; as the laws of the twelve tables. the independent tribunals of justice in our country, are the security or private rights, and the best bulwark against arbitrary power. the sun is the source of light and heat.

This he calls the preaching of the cross.

2. the is also used rhetorically before a noun in the singular number, to denote a species by way of distinction; a single thing representing the whole. the fig tree putteth forth her green figs; the almond tree shall flourish; the grasshopper shall be a burden.

3. In poetry, the sometimes loses the final vowel before another vowel.

Th' adorning thee with so much art,

Is but a barb'rous skill.

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
64%the
the64% · 13160×<the>28% · 5846×those3% · 597×other renderings4% · 788×other renderings1% · 294×

20,685 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 83 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
subject34%adverbial32%object24%predicate5%indirect object4%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 19,783 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
αὐτόςεἰμίI am, existἐγώ
ἐν
καίand, even, also,αὐτόςArticle the
εἰς
αὐτόςεἰσέρχομαιI go in, come inἔρχομαιI come, go
αὐτός
λέγωI say, speakδέbut, on the otheπρός
εἰμίI am, exist
οὗτοςσύἐγώ
<the>19783×
what comes after →
θεόςGod, a god
Article theκαίand, even, also,ἐγώ
δέbut, on the other ha
λέγωI say, speakἸησοῦςJesusἀποκρίνομαιI answer, reply
ἸησοῦςJesus
λέγωI say, speakκαίand, even, also,Article the
κύριοςlord, Lord, master,
ἐγώἸησοῦςJesusArticle the
πατήρfather, Father, ance
ἐγώσύαὐτός

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 · 19,783× in the New Testament
Matthew Acts Luke John Revelation Mark Romans 1 Corinthians Hebrews 2 Corinthians Ephesians 1 John

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

Across the New Testament27 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 1c. AD 40

Τῶν ἄλλων νομοθετῶν οἱ μὲν ἀκαλλώπιστα καὶ γυμνὰ τὰ νομισθέντα παρ’ αὐτοῖς εἶναι δίκαια διετάξαντο, οἱ δὲ πολὺν ὄγκον τοῖς νοήμασι προσπεριβαλόντες ἐξετύφωσαν τὰ πλήθη μυθικοῖς πλάσμασι τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐπικρύψαντες.

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

τοῦ κόσμου σύστασις καὶ διάταξις τῶν στοιχείων.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.1c. AD 100

Χαίρετε, υἱοὶ καὶ θυγατέρες, ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς, ἐν εἰρήνῃ.

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 3rd c. BC 6th c. AD
P.Stras. 2 89Pathyris100 BC

r βασιλεύοντος Πτολεμαίου τοῦ ἐπικαλουμένου Ἀλεξάνδρου καὶ Βερενίκης τῆς ἀδελφῆς θεῶν Φιλομητόρων ἔτους ιε, ἐφʼ ἱερέων καὶ ἱερειῶν

P.Adl. 11Pathyris99 BC

ιζ Θῶυθ κη ἀπέδοτο Πετεσοῦχος Φίβιος καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τὸ ὕπαρχον αὐτοῖς ἥμισυ περιστερῶνος τοῦ ὄντος ἐν τῶι ἀπὸ βορρᾶ μέρει Παθύρεως χαλκοῦ Γ. ἐπρίατο Ὧρος Νεχούτου.

P.Grenf. 2 35Pathyris99 BC

βασιλευόντων Πτολεμαίου τοῦ ἐπικαλουμένου Ἀλεξάνδρου καὶ Βερενίκης τῆς ἀδελφῆς θεῶν φιλομητόρων ἔτους ιϛ, ἐφʼ ἱερέων καὶ ἱερειῶν

Because of this having <the> ministry this even as we received mercy, not we lose heart,
διακονίανdiakonia ministry G1248 Noun · accusative · singular · feminine
34× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 2 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Service refers to the work of helping others, like the ministry of the Christian church, as seen in Acts 6:1. It is about using one's skills to benefit others.
Amplified meaning
service, work of helping others
Tyndale gloss
service
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

διακονία refers to the office and work of a διάκονος, encompassing service, ministry, and attendance to duties. It is used in various contexts, particularly in the New Testament, to describe both domestic and religious functions, such as in Acts and Romans. The term can also imply aid or relief, especially in a Christian context. Notably, it appears in verses like Luke 10:40 and 2 Timothy 4:11.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

διακονία, -ας, ἡ

(< διάκονος),

[in LXX for נַעַר, שָׁרַת pi.: Es 6:3, 5 A; I Mac 11:58 * ;]

the office and work of a διάκονος, service, ministry;

of domestic duties (Field, Notes, 63): Lk 10:40

spec. of religious ministration, and the exercise of ministerial functions in the Church: Ac 1:17, 25 6:1, 4 11:29 12:25 20:24; 21:19, Ro 11:13 12:7 15:31, I Co 16:15, II Co 4:1 6:3 8:4 9:1, 13, Eph 4:12, Col 4:17, I Ti 1:12,

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

διακονία. The very interesting parallel in Plutarch for Lk 10%, given by Field, Votes, p. 63, should not be missed. We are unable to quote the word from papyri before vi/A.D.: like διάκονος itself and the verb, it seems to have been somewhat literary except in an almost technical use, which brought it into common speech.

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

διακονία (diakonia) — service.

διᾱκον-ία, ἡ,

service, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

2. attendance on a duty, ministration, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἡ δ. ἡ καθημερινή, of ministering to external wants, [NT]

II. body of servants or attendants, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]

III. instruments of service, ={διακόνημα}[Refs 4th c.BC+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

διακονία

diakonia

from 1249; attendance (as a servant, etc.); figuratively

(eleemosynary) aid, (official) service (especially of the Christian

teacher, or technically of the diaconate):--(ad-)minister(-ing,

-tration, -try), office, relief, service(-ing).

see GREEK for 1249

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

διακονία, ας, ἡ

n.f.

waiting at table, service, ministration

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

διακονία diakonia 34x

serving, service, waiting, attendance, the act of rendering friendly offices, Lk. 10:40; 2 Tim. 4:11; Heb. 1:14; relief, aid, Acts 6:1; 11:29; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:1, 12, 13; a commission, Acts 12:25; Rom. 15:31; a commission or ministry in the service of the Gospel, Acts 1:17, 25; 20:24; Rom. 11:13; 2 Cor. 4:1; 5:18; Read the full entry →

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

διακονία δια_κονία, ἡ, the office of a διάκονος, service, Thuc., Plat.

attendance on a duty, ministration, Dem.; ἡ δ. ἡ καθημερινή ministering to daily wants, NTest.; ἡ δ. τοῦ λόγου the ministry of the word, id. NTest.

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

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

min'-is-tri:

I. THE WORD "MINISTRY"

Use of the Word in This Article

II. TWO KINDS OF MINISTRY

1. The Prophet Ministry

(1) Apostles

(2) Prophets

(3) Teachers

2. The Local Ministry

Origin

III. THREEFOLD CONGREGATIONAL MINISTRY

1. Insistence on Organization

(1) Aid Given in Selecting a Bishop

(2) Bishops and Presbyters

2. Multiplication of Orders: Growth of a Hierarchy

IV. SYNODS

LITERATURE

I. The Word "Ministry."

The common New Testament term for the ministry is diakonia, and along with it we find diakonos, "minister," ho diakonon), "he who ministers," and diakonein, "to minister." All these words have a very extensive application within the New Testament and are by no means restricted to denote service within the Christian church; even when so restricted the words are used in a great variety of meanings: e.g.

(1) discipleship in general (Joh 12:26);

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
56%ministry
ministry56% · 19×service35% · 12×distribution3% · 1×mission3% · 1×services3% · 1×other renderings0% · 0×

34 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
adverbial38%object35%subject24%second object3%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 34 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,ἐνγάρfor
εἰς
αὐτόςκαίand, even, also,τίθημιI put, place
πολύςmuch, many, often
περί
εἴτεand if, whether
διαίρεσιςdivision, distributi
καίand, even, also,
διακονίαministry34×
what comes after →
Article the
εἰςκαθημερινόςdailyλόγοςa word, speech,
οὗτος
καίand, even, also,καθώςjust as, asδοξάζωI glorify, honor
ὅς
λαμβάνωI receive, takeπαραλαμβάνωI take, receive
ἐγώ
δοξάζωI glorify, honorArticle the
ἐφίστημιI stand by, am urgen
δέbut, on the othe

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

Concordanceδιακονία · 34× in the New Testament
2 Corinthians Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Timothy 1 Timothy Colossians Ephesians Hebrews Luke Revelation
Across the New Testament11 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus The Shepherd of Hermas Ignatius of Antioch Philo of Alexandria
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Virtues 122c. AD 40

θῆτας μὲν οὖν ἕνεκα χρείας τῶν ἀναγκαίων ὑποβεβληκότας ἑαυτοὺς ἄλλων ὑπηρεσίαις οἴεται δεῖν ἀνάξιον μηδὲν ὑπομένειν τῆς ἐκ γένους ἐλευθερίας, παραινῶν τοῖς τυγχάνουσι τῆς διακονίας εἰς τὸ τῆς τύχης ἀτέκμαρτον ἀφορᾶν καὶ λαμβάνειν αἰδῶ τῆς μεταβολῆς·

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 2.65c. AD 75–95

ὁ δὲ θαρρεῖν τε παρεκάλει καὶ προσδοκᾶν ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἀπολυθήσεσθαι τῶν δεσμῶν τοῦ βασιλέως ποθήσαντος αὐτοῦ τὴν διακονίαν καὶ πάλιν εἰς ταύτην αὐτὸν ἐπανάξοντος·

The Shepherd of HermasThe Shepherd of Hermas 7.1.6c. AD 140

ὁ οὖν διδοὺς ἀθῷός ἐστιν: ὡς γὰρ ἔλαβεν παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου τὴν διακονίαν τελέσαι, ἁπλῶς αὐτὴν ἐτέλεσεν, μηθὲν διακρίνων, τίνι δῷ ἢ μὴ δῷ.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
6th c. AD 5th c. AD 2nd c. BC 4th c. AD 7th c. AD
BGU 6 1240201 BC–102 BC

τοῖς διακονια καὶ α … … ς … θ τοῖς Θηβαίοις παρὰ Ἀχιλλίωνος … ια τοῖς

καὶ διὰ Πολυπέρχοντος ἐξ οἴκου μαχαιροφόροις κεράμιον α διὰ Λίχου συνποσιάρχου τ … ε διακονίᾳ κεραμι

O.Narm.Dem 2 43Narmuthis (Arsinoites)AD 96–AD 192

συμβολῆς δραχμαὶ δ προστασίας δραχμαὶ κη ἱματισμῶν δραχμαὶ νζ διακονίας δραχμαὶ κ λίνου ς Φαμενὼτ δραχμαὶ ιβ ὀβολοὶ η Hieratic

Because of this having <the> ministry this even as we received mercy, not we lose heart,
ταύτηνohutos this G3778 Demonstrative pronoun · accusative · singular · feminine
1,388× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 2 Corinthians as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This refers to a specific person or thing, like when Jesus says 'this is my body' in Matthew 26:26 and Mark 14:22.
Tyndale gloss
this/he/she/it
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word οὗτος (i.e., *houtos*) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'this one.' It is used to refer to something nearby or recently mentioned, often with a connotation of contempt in certain contexts. In the New Testament, it appears in various forms, such as in Matthew 3:17 and John 1:15, and can also serve to emphasize or clarify a subject.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, gen., τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου,

[in LXX chiefly for זֶה, זֹאת;]

demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille),

this;

as subst., this one, he;

absol.: Mt 3:17, Mk 9:7, Lk 7:44, 45, Jo 1:15, Ac 2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mt 13:55, 56, Mk 6:2, 3, Jo 6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mk 1:38, Ro 14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jo 5:1), Jo 2:12 11:7, al.;

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

οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, demonstrative pron. [ef. Curtius p. 543], Hebr. 71, ΠΝ, this; used I. absolutely. 1. a. this one, visibly present here: Mt. iii. 17; xvii.5; Mk. ix. 7; Lk. vii. 44 sq.; ix. 35; 2 Pet.i.17. Mt.ix.3; xxi. 38; Mk. xiv. 69; Lk. 11. 34; xxiii. 2; Jn. i. 15, 30; vii. 25; ix. 8 54. 19; xviii. 21,50; xxi. 21; Actsii. 15; iv. 10; ix. 21; according to the nature and character of the person or thing mentioned, it is used with a suggestion —either of contempt, as Mt. xiii. 55 sq.; Mk. vi. 2 sq.: Lk. v. 21; vii. 39,49; Jn. vi. 42,52; vii. 15; or of admiration, Mt. xxi. 11; Actsix.21; οἵ, Wahl, Clavis apocryphor. V. T. p- 370% b. it refers to a subject immediately preceding, the one just named: Lk. i. 32; ii. 37 [RGL]; Jn. i. 2; vi. 71; 2 Tim. iii. 6,8, ete.; at the beginning of a narrative about one already mentioned, Mt. iii. 3; Lk. xvi. 1; Jn. i. 41 (42); ili. 2; xii. 21; xxi.…

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

οὗτος. A few of the prepositional phrases with this common demonstrative pron. may be illustrated διὰ τοῦτο, ‘on this account,” cf. P Ryl IT. 845 (a.p. 146) τὴν ἄνεσιν τὴν διὰ τοῦτο γενομένην τῶν ὑπαρχόντων, “the ensuing remission “ OUT@S, O’.TO@ of the lands’ (Edd.): ἐκ τούτου, ‘for this reason,’’ Jn 6° cf. 26. 81°4 (c, A.D, 104) ἐκ τούτου δὲ [φανεῖρόν ἐστιν [καὶ] μηδένα χρῇζειν, “‘it is evident from this that nobody wants it’’ (Edd.), BGU 11. 423!7 (ason to his father—ii/a.D.) (= Selections, p. 91) με ἐπαίδευσας καλῶς, Kal ἐκ τούτου ἐλπίζω ταχὺ προκόσί-- par τῶν θε[ῶ]ν θελόντων, “you have brought me up well, and for this reason I hope to be quickly promoted, if the gods will”: τούτου ἕνεκα, ‘‘ for this purpose,” cf. P Oxy I. 1138 (ii/a.p.) ἐὰν δ᾽ dpa μή, ; ἅμα τῷ vide μου ἐξέρχομαι τούτου ἕνεκα, “otherwise I and my son will come for this purpose’’ (Edd.): ἐπὶ τούτων, ““upon this,” ‘in…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

οὗτος (ohutos) — this/he/she/it.

οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο,

genitive τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, etc.: the dual feminine never in Attic dialect, see ὁ, ἡ, τό, [near the start]:—demonstrative pronoun, this, common from [Refs 8th c.BC+]

__A ORIGIN and FORMS: οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο probably arose from a reduplication of the demonstrative ὁ, ἡ, τό with insertion of -υ- (= Sanskrit Particle u), e.g. ταῦτα from τα-υ-τα: Doric dialect genitive singular feminine τούτας [Refs 5th c.BC+], etc., the latter is uncertain in [Refs 5th c.BC+], as genitive singular neuter οὕτω [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; accusative singular feminine οὕταν [Refs 6th c.BC+] —In _Attic dialect_ οὗτος was frequently strengthened by the _demonstrative_ -ί, οὑτοσί, αὑτηί, τουτί, _genitive_ τουτουί, _dative_ τουτῳί, _accusative_ τουτονί; plural nominative οὑτοιί, neuter ταυτί, etc., this man here…

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Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο

Dem.pr.

this, he, she, it

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

οὗτος houtos 1x

this, this person or thing, Mt. 3:3, 9, 17; 8:9; 10:2; 24:34, et al. freq.; used by way of contempt, this fellow, Mt. 13:55; 27:47; αὐτὸ τοῦτο, this very thing, this same thing, 2 Cor. 2:3; 7:11; εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο, and elliptically, αὐτὸ τοῦτο, for this same purpose, on this account, Eph. 6:18, 22; 2 Pet. 1:5; καὶ οὗτος, and moreover, Lk. 7:12; 16:1; 20:30; καὶ τοῦτο, and that too, 1 Cor. 6:6, 8; tοῦτο μὲν ... τοῦτο δέ, partly ... partly, Heb.…

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Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

οὗτος demonstr. Pron. this, Lat. hic, to designate the nearer of two things, opp. to ἐκεῖνος, the more remote (cf. ὅδε), Hom., etc.

when, of two things, one precedes and the other follows, ὅδε generally refers to what follows, οὗτος to what precedes, Soph., etc.

so also, οὗτος is used emphat., generally in contempt, while ἐκεῖνος (like Lat. ille) denotes praise, ὁ πάντ᾽ ἄναλκις οὗτος, i. e. Aegisthus, id. Soph.; οὗτος ἀνήρ Plat.; τούτους τοὺς συκοφάντας id. Plat.

in attic law-language, οὗτος is commonly applied to the opponent, whether plaintiff or defendant, whereas in Lat. hic was the client, iste the opponent, Dem.

often much like an adv., in local sense (cf. ὅδε init.), τίς δ᾽ οὗτος κατὰ νῆας ἔρχεαι; who art thou here that comest . . ? Il.; often in attic, τίς οὑτοσί; who's this…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Dem-ASF — Demonstrative pronoun · accusative · singular · feminine
accusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked singular feminine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

D-ASF Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Feminine

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
55%this
this55% · 781×these things16% · 231×these14% · 196×he3% · 49×other renderings5% · 73×other renderings7% · 94×

1,424 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 49 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
subject36%object32%adverbial26%predicate4%indirect object2%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 1,388 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
αὐτόςδέbut, on the otheλέγωI say, speak
διά
καίand, even, also,αὐτόςεἰμίI am, exist
ἐν
καίand, even, also,γάρforοὔτεNeg
αὐτός
λέγωI say, speakεἰςγάρfor
ὅτιthat, since, because
λέγωI say, speakοἶδαI know, rememberγράφωI write
οὗτοςthis1388×
what comes after →
Article the
λόγοςa word, speech, θεόςGod, a godἄνθρωποςa man, one of th
εἰμίI am, exist
Article theκαίand, even, also,ὅς
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theκατακρίνωI condemnεἰμίI am, exist
δέbut, on the other ha
λέγωI say, speakεἰμίI am, existαὐτός
λέγωI say, speak
σύArticle theαὐτός

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

Concordanceοὗτος · 1,388× in the New Testament
John Acts Luke Matthew Mark 1 Corinthians Romans Revelation Hebrews 2 Corinthians 1 John 2 Peter

29 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 2,054 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 Clement of Rome The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 12c. AD 40

ἀλλ’ ὅ γε μέγας Μωυσῆς ἀλλοτριώτατον τοῦ ὁρατοῦ νομίσας εἶναι τὸ ἀγένητον — πᾶν γὰρ τὸ αἰσθητὸν ἐν γενέσει καὶ μεταβολαῖς οὐδέποτε κατὰ ταὐτὰ ὄν — τῷ μὲν ἀοράτῳ καὶ νοητῷ προσένειμεν ὡς ἀδελφὸν καὶ συγγενὲς ἀιδιότητα, τῷ δ’ αἰσθητῷ γένεσιν οἰκεῖον…

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

ὡς πύργος, ὃν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ἐφ' ὕβρει τοῦ θεοῦ ᾠκοδόμησαν, καὶ ὡς τὰς φωνὰς αὐτῶν μετέβαλε καὶ ὁ τόπος, ἐν ᾧ τοῦτο γέγονε, Βαβυλὼν ἐκλήθη.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.4c. AD 100

πεπεισμένος οὖν τοῦτο καὶ συνειδὼς ἐμαυτῷ, ὅτι ἐν ὑμῖν λαλήσας πολλὰ ἐπίσταμαι, ὅτι ἐμοὶ συνώδευσεν ἐν ὁδῷ δικαιοσύνης κύριος, καὶ πάντως ἀναγκάζομαι κἀγὼ εἰς τοῦτο, ἀγαπᾶν ὑμᾶς ὑπὲρ τὴν ψυχήν μου, ὅτι μεγάλη πίστις καὶ ἀγάπη ἐγκατοικεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν ἐπ’…

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 3rd c. AD 4th c. AD 3rd c. BC
P.Stras. 2 89Pathyris100 BC

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 παρὰ Πανίσκου κεχρημάτικα.

P.Grenf. 2 35Pathyris99 BC

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 ὁ πριάμενος. Ἑρμίας

BGU 3 1000Pathyris99 BC

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 παρὰ Πανίσκου κεχρημάτικα.

Because of this having <the> ministry this even as we received mercy, not we lose heart,
καθὼςkathōs even as G2531 Adverb
179× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 2 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
As or just as something is, like in Luke 1:2 and John 5:23, showing a comparison or similarity.
Amplified meaning
in His loving kindness and compassion
Tyndale gloss
as/just as
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word καθώς (kathōs) is an adverb meaning 'just as' or 'according as.' It is built from the roots meaning 'down' and 'as,' and is used to express comparisons, proportions, or conditions. In the New Testament, it appears in various contexts, often introducing clauses that clarify or compare actions or states, such as in Luke 1:2 and John 5:23. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its usage.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

καθώς, (i.e. καθ’ ὡς), Hellenistic for καθά, q.v., καθάπερ, καθό, καθότι (Mayser, 485; Rutherford, NPhr., 495; Bl., § 78, 1),

according as, even as, just as, as: Lk 1:2 (v.s. καθά), 24:39, Jo 5:23, Ac 7:48, I Co 8:2, Ga 3:6, al.; seq. οὕτως, Lk 11:30, Jo 3:14, II Co 1:5, Col 3:13, I Jo 2:6, al.; seq. καί, Jo 15:9, I Co 15:49, I Jo 2:18, al.; οὕτως . . . κ., Lk 24:24; id. with…

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

καθώς (i. 6. καθ᾽ ὡς), a particle found occasionally in prof. auth. fr. Aristot. down for the Attic καθά and καθό, but emphatically censured by Phryn. and the Atticists ; cf. Sturz, De dial. Maced. ete. p. 74 sqq.; Lob. ad Phryn. Ρ. 425 sq.; [W. 26 (25)]; 1. according as, Just as, even as: in the first member of a comparison, Lk. vi. 31; 1 Jn. ii. 27; foll. by οὕτως in the second member [ef. W. § 53, 5], Lk. xi. 80; xvii. 26; Jn. iii. 14; Qo. 5 xed Col. iii. 13; 1 Jn. ii. 6; foll. by καί also, Jn. xv. 9; xvii. 18; xx. 21; 1 Jn. ii. 18; iv.17; 1Co.xv.49; itis annexed to preceding words after the demonstrative οὕτως, Lk. xxiv. 24; with οὕτως unexpressed, Mt. xxi. 6; xxviii. 6; Mk. xvi. 7; Lk. i. 2, 55, 70; xi.1; Jn. i. 23; v. 28; heer 47 [here LT Tr WH ὡς]; xv. 8; Ro.i.13; xv. 7}; 1 Co. viii. 25 x. 6; 2Co.i. 14; ix. 8; xi. 12; Eph. iv. 17, and often; καθὼς διδάσκω, agreeably to my method…

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

καθώς. P Oxy X. τ2995 (iv/a.p.) καθὼς ἐνετιλάνμην (1. -ἀμην) σ[ο]ι [περ]ὶ λωβιν μαχερῶν καὶ περὶ πιπεράδιον, ‘do as I told you about the . . . of knives and the pepper” (Edd.) is a good parallel to the construction in 1 Tim 1°. Other exx. of the particle, which is condemned by the Atticists (Lob. Phryn. p. 426), are P Eleph 185 (B.c. 223-2) kaQa[s συντέταῖχεν Μνήσαρχοϊίς, P Lille I. 264 (iii/B.c.) τὴν δὲ λοιπὴν γ[ῆν ἑτο]ιμάζω, εἰ μὴ ἀκολουθεῖς ἅπαντα καθώς ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῆς διαγραφῆς, P Oxy ΧΙ]. 1453} (B.c. 30-29) εἶ μὴν προστατήσ{ειν] τοῦ λύχνου τῶν προδεδηλωμέν[ων] ἱερῶν καθὼς πρόκειται, ‘that we will superintend the lamps of the above mentioned temples, as aforesaid” (Edd.), and from the | inserr. A/ichel 230° (ii/B.c. ad fin.) καθὼς Kal πρότερον. MGr…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

καθώς (kathōs) — as/just as.

καθώς,

adverb ={καθά}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; even as, [NT]

2. how, ὑπομιμνῄσκειν κ... Aristeas 263,[NT]

II. of Time, as, when,[LXX+2nd c.AD+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

καθώς

kathos

from 2596 and 5613; just (or inasmuch) as, that:--according to,

(according, even) as, how, when.

see GREEK for 2596

see GREEK for 5613

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

καθώς

Adv

just as, as

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

καθώς kathōs 182x

as, just as, in the manner that, Mt. 21:6; 26:24; how, in what manner, Acts 15:14; according as, Mk. 4:33; inasmuch as, Jn. 17:2; of time, when, Acts 7:17

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

καθώς = καθά, Hdt., NTest.

how, NTest.

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

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

az: Conj. and adverb (usually Greek hos hosper, kathos), designating:

(1) Likeness: (a) between nouns (Ge 3:5; Jud 6:5; Php 2:8; Heb 11:27,29); (b) between verbs (Lu 6:36; Joh 5:30; 1Co 10:7); (c) between adjectives (1Co 15:48).

(2) Limitation (with respect to a particular aspect or relation) (1Pe 4:15,16).

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
99%even as
even as99% · 182×other renderings1% · 1×

183 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
adverbial10%object5%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 179 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
ἐγώπατήρfather, Father, βλασφημέωI speak evil aga
σύ
ἐνκαθαρισμόςcleansing, purifδιατίθημιI appoint, make
ἀλλάbut, except
οὐδείςno one, none, noἀρέσκωI please, serveἄνθρωποςa man, one of th
αὐτός
λέγωI say, speakἐπίἀγαπάωI love
ἵναin order that, so th
σύΤίτιοςTitusοὗτος
καθώςeven as179×
what comes after →
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theἐνἐγώ
γράφωI write
Article theἐνὅτιthat, since, bec
λέγωI say, speak
Article theαὐτόςδεῦτεcome hither, com
ἐγώ
οὐNegθεωρέωI behold, look aποιέωI do, make
Article the
πατήρfather, Father, κόσμοςthe world, univeκλῆμαa branch, shoot

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

Concordanceκαθώς · 179× in the New Testament
John 1 Corinthians Luke Romans 1 Thessalonians 2 Corinthians Acts Ephesians 1 John Hebrews Mark Colossians

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament21 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus The Shepherd of Hermas Clement of Rome Polycarp The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Change of Names 23c. AD 40

οὐκοῦν κύριος ἀφρόνων ἐπιδέδεικται τὸν ἄρχοντος ἐπανατεινάμενος οἰκεῖον φόβον, θεὸς δὲ βελτιουμένων γράφεται, καθὼς καὶ νῦν·

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.163c. AD 75–95

ὡς δʼ ἧκον εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον, ἀπέβαινε τῷ Ἁβράμῳ καθὼς ὑπενόησε·

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.7c. AD 100

ἐγνώρισεν γὰρ ἡμῖν ὁ δεσπότης διὰ τῶν προφητῶν τὰ παρεληλυθότα καὶ τὰ ἐνεστῶτα, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων δοὺς ἀπαρχὰς ἡμῖν γεύσεως, ὧν τὰ καθ̓ ἕκαστα βλέποντες ἐνεργούμενα, καθὼς ἐλάλησεν, ὀφείλομεν πλουσιώτερον καὶ ὑψηλότερον προσάγειν τῷ φόβῳ αὐτοῦ.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 1st c. AD 3rd c. AD 6th c. AD 4th c. AD
P.Alex. 7Dionysias (Arsinoites)AD 113

τὰ γράμματα. Διόσκορος τοῦ δεῖνα δεδάνεικα τὰς τοῦ ἀργυρίου ἐπισήμου κεφαλαίου δραχμὰς εἴκοσι τέσσαρες καθὼς πρόκειται … ἔτους ἑκκαιδεκάτου Αὐτοκράτορος Καίσαρος Νέρουα Τραιανοῦ Σεβαστοῦ Γερμανικοῦ Δακικοῦ.

P.Amh. 2 111Herakleia (ArsinoitesAD 132

μηδενί. Πακῦσις Πακύσιος ἀπέχω τὰς προκειμένας ἀργυρίου δραχμὰς διακοσίας εἴκοσι τέσσαρας καὶ οὐδὲν ἐνκαλῶ καθὼς πρόκειται. ἐντέτακται διὰ τοῦ ἐν Ἡρακλείᾳ γραφείου.

P.Amh. 2 113Soknopaiu Nesos (Arsinoites)AD 157

μητρὸς χωρὶς ἄλλων ἃς ὥφειλεν μοι ὁ ταύτης ἀδελφὸς Στοτοῆτις πρεσβύτερος ἀργυρίου δραχμὰς ἑκατὸν καθὼς πρόκειται. Στοτοῆτις ἔγραψα ὑπὲρ τοῦ πατρός.

Because of this having <the> ministry this even as we received mercy, not we lose heart,
ἠλεήθημεν,eleeō we received mercy, G1653 Verb · aorist · passive · indicative · first person · plural
32× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 2 Corinthians as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
To have mercy or show compassion, like God does in Romans 9:16. It means to feel sorry for someone and want to help them.
Amplified meaning
showing pity and forgiveness
Tyndale gloss
to have mercy
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἐλεέω (i.e., eleeo) means to have pity or show mercy. It can be used absolutely or with an accusative object. The New Testament uses it in various contexts, including Matthew 5:7 and Romans 9:15. It is related to the noun ἔλεος (i.e., eleos), which means mercy.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἐλεέω

(in Ro 9:16, Ju 22, -άω, q.v.), -ῶ (< ἔλεος),

[in LXX (Hex, Pss, Pr) chiefly for חָנַן, also freq. in Proph. for רָחַם, etc. ;]

to have pity or mercy on, to show mercy: absol., Ro 9:16 12:8; c. acc, Mt 9:27 15:22 17:15 18:33 20:30, 31, Mk 5:19 10:47, 48, Lk 16:24 17:13 18:38, 39, Ro 9:15, 18 11:32, Phl 2:27, Ju 22. Pass., to have pity or mercy shown one (EV, obtain mercy): Mt 5:7, Ro 11:30, 31,

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

ἐλεέω, -ῶ; fut. ἐλεήσω; 1 aor. ἠλέησα; Pass., 1 aor. ἠλεήθην ; 1fut.eenOjoouac; pf. ptep. ἠλεημένος ; (ἔλεος) ; fr. Hom. down; Sept. most freq. for [271 to be gracious, also for DM to have mercy; several times for Son to spare, and DM) to console; to have mercy on: twa |W. § 32, 1b. a.], to succor one afflicted or seeking aid, Mt. ix. 27; xv. 22; xvii. 15; xvili. 33; xx. 30 sq.; Mk. v. 19 [here, by zeugma (W. § 66, 2 e.), the ὅσα is brought over with an adverbial force (W. 463 (431 sq.), how]; x. 47sq.; Lk. xvi. 24; xvii. 13; xviii. 38 sq.; Phil. 11. 27; Jude 22 Rec.; absol. to succor the afflicted, to bring help to the wretched, [A. V. to show mercy], Ro. xii. 8; pass. to experience [ A. V. obtain] mercy, Mt. v. 7. Spee. of God granting even to the unworthy favor, benefits, opportunities, and particularly salvation by Christ: Ro. ix. 15,16 R G (see ἐλεάω), 18; xi. 32; pass., Ro. xi. 30…

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

ἐλεέω (—aw) is found in the interesting but obscure letter written to a man in money difficulties BGU IV. 1079%8 (a.p. 41) (= Selections, p. 40) ἐρώτα αὐτὸν καθ᾽ ἡμέραν' τάχα δύναταί σε ἐλεῆσαι, ‘Cask him daily: perhaps he can have pity on you”: cf. P Fay 106% (c. a.p. 140) ἐξησθένησα[. ... 7 κύριε, ὅθεν ἀξιῶ σαὶ τὸν σω[τῆρα] ἐλεῆσαί pe, “1 became very weak, my lord; wherefore I entreat you my preserver to have pity on me,’ P Oxy VI. 904? (v/A.D.) (cited s.z. γηράσκω), and from the inscrr. $y// 41888. (A.D. 238) ἵνα ἐλεηθέντες διὰ τὴν θείαν σου πρόνοιαν KTA. For a Christian use, see the prayer P Oxy III. 407% (iii/iv A.p.) βοήθησόν μοι ἐλέησόν pe ἐξάλιψόν μοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας. For a suggestion that ‘‘ Ayrve e/etson was a common Jewish prayer formula, which was adopted by Christians,’’ see 7715 xvi. p. 548f. Sharp (#fzct. p. 4) cites in illustration of Mt 20%0f Epict. ii. 7. 12 τὸν θεὸν…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἐλεέω (eleeō) — to have mercy.

ἐλε-έω,

imperfect ἠλέουν [Refs 4th c.BC+]aorist ἠλέησα, Epic dialect ἐλέησα (see. below):—passive, perfect ἠλέημαι [Refs 4th c.BC+]: (ἔλεος):—to have pity on, show mercy to, ὁ δ᾽ ἐρύσατο καί μ᾽ ἐλέησεν [Refs 8th c.BC+] Eph.5.4:—passive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

2. absolutely,feel pity, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἐλεάω ἐλεέω

eleeo

from 1656; to compassionate (by word or deed, specially, by divine

grace):--have compassion (pity on), have (obtain, receive, shew) mercy

(on).

see GREEK for 1656

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἐλεέω

v.

I pity, have mercy on

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἐλεέω eleeō 28x

also formed as ἐλεάω   4x, to pity, have compassion on; pass. to receive pity, experience compassion, Mt. 5:7; 9:27; 15:22; to be gracious to any one, show gracious favor and saving mercy towards; pass. to be an object of gracious favor and saving mercy, Rom. 11:30, 31; spc. to obtain pardon and forgiveness, 1 Tim. 1:13, 16

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἐλεέω ἔλεος like ἐλεαίρω to have pity on, shew mercy upon, c. acc., Od., attic:—Pass. to be pitied, have pity or mercy shewn one, Plat.

absol. to feel pity, Ar.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-API-1P — Verb · aorist · passive · indicative · first person · plural
aorist passive indicative — a completed action, viewed as a whole.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-API-1P Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Aorist Voice: Passive Mood: Indicative Person: first Number: Plural

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Mercy

Compassion for the miserable. Its object is misery. By the atoning sacrifice of Christ a way is open for the exercise of mercy towards the sons of men, in harmony with the demands of truth and righteousness (Gen. 19:19; Ex. 20:6; 34:6, 7; Ps. 85:10; 86:15, 16). In Christ mercy and truth meet together. Mercy is also a Christian grace (Matt. 5:7; 18:33-35).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The divine goodness exercised towards the wretched and the guilty, in harmony with truth and justice, Ps 85:10. The plan by which God is enabled to show saving mercy to men, for Christ’s sake, is the most consummate work of infinite wisdom and love. The soul that has truly experienced the mercy of God will be merciful like him, Lu 6:36, compassionate to the wretched, Ps 41:1,2, and forgiving towards all, Mt 5:7 18:33.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning 2Sa 22:26; Ps 18:25; 37:25,26; 85:10; Pr 3:3,4; 11:17; 12:10; 14:21,22,31; 20:28; 21:21; Ho 4:1; 12:6; Mic 6:8; Mt 5:7; 23:23; Lu 6:36; Ro 12:8; Col 3:12,13; Jas 2:13

→ See GOD, MERCY OF

→ See KINDNESS

→ INSTANCES OF

The prison keeper, to Joseph Ge 39:21-23

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- After the example of God

Lu 6:36

- Enjoined

2Ki 6:21-23; Ho 12:6; Ro 12:20,21; Col 3:12

- To be engraved on the heart

Pr 3:3

- Characteristic of saints

Ps 37:26; Isa 57:1

- SHOULD BE SHOWN

. With cheerfulness

Ro 12:8

. To our brethren

Zec 7:9

. to those that are in distress

Lu 10:37

. To the poor

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
34%do have mercy on
do have mercy on34% · 11×showing mercy6% · 2×received mercy6% · 2×i was shown mercy6% · 2×i will show mercy to3% · 1×i may show mercy3% · 1×he shows mercy3% · 1×shown mercy3% · 1×other renderings34% · 11×

32 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 19 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
verb91%predicate9%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 32 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
λέγωI say, speak
καίand, even, also,κράζωI cry aloud, shrγάρfor
κύριοςlord, Lord, master,
λέγωI say, speak
ΔαυίδProp
υἱόςa son, descenden
δέbut, on the other ha
νῦνnow, already, atὅς
σύ
καίand, even, also,κἀγώ
ἐλεέωwe received mercy,32×
what comes after →
ἐγώ
υἱόςa son, descendenκύριοςlord, Lord, mastArticle the
Article the
σύνδουλοςa fellow servantοὗτος
ὅς
ἄνDisjδέbut, on the othe
ἐν
ἱλαρότηςcheerfulnessφόβοςfear, terror, re
σύ

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

Concordanceἐλεέω · 32× in the New Testament
Matthew Romans Luke Mark 1 Peter 1 Timothy Jude 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Philippians
Across the New Testament10 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 63 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 Clement of Rome Ignatius of Antioch Polycarp
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Sacrifices of Abel and Cain 121c. AD 40

μήποτε δὲ καὶ δόγμα εἰσηγεῖται σφόδρα ἀναγκαῖον, ὅτι πᾶς σοφὸς λύτρον ἐστὶ τοῦ φαύλου, μηδ’ ἂν πρὸς ὀλίγον χρόνον ἐξαρκέσαντος, εἰ μὴ ἐλέῳ καὶ προμηθείᾳ χρώμενος ἐκεῖνος προὐνόει τῆς διαμονῆς αὐτοῦ, καθάπερ ἰατρὸς τοῦ νοσοῦντος ἀντιτεταγμένος τοῖς…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 5.25c. AD 75–95

κτείνειν μέντοι πάνθʼ ὁντινοῦν εἰ λάβοιεν παρεκελεύετο καὶ μήτε κάμνοντας ἀποστῆναι τοῦ φόνου τῶν πολεμίων, μήτʼ ἐλέῳ παραχωρήσαντας μήτε περὶ ἁρπαγὴν γινομένους περιορᾶν φεύγοντας τοὺς ἐχθρούς·

Clement of RomeFirst Clement 13.2c. AD 96

οὕτως γὰρ εἶπεν: Ἐλεᾶτε, ἵνα ἐλεηθῆτε: ἀφίετε, ἵνα ἀφεθῇ ὑμῖν: ὡς ποιεῖτε, οὕτω ποιηθήσεται ὑμῖν: ὡς δίδοτε, οὕτως δοθήσεται ὑμῖν: ὡς κρίνετε, οὕτως κριθήσεσθε: ὡς χρηστεύεσθε, οὕτως χρηστευθήσεται ὑμῖν: ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε, ἐν αὐτῷ μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
6th c. AD 7th c. AD 5th c. AD 2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD
PapCongr. XVI (New York 1980) p. 357-361Karanis (?) (Arsinoites)AD 130

Σωτῆρα καὶ Εὐεργέτην ἐλεῆσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὸν ἡμέτερον θεὸν Σόξειν καὶ ἐπιτρέψαι καὶ ἡμῖν ἃς ποιούμεθα ὑπὲρ τοῦ

P.Fay. 106Bakchias (Arsinoites)AD 139–AD 142

ἤδη χρόνωι ἐν τῇ χρείαι πονούμενος ἐξησθένησα ὅλως, κύριε, ὅθεν ἀξιῶ σε τὸν σωτῆρα ἐλεῆσαί με καὶ κελεῦσαι ἤδη με ἀπολυθῆναι τῆς χρείας ὅπως δυνηθῶ ἐμαυτὸν ἀνακτήσασθαι ἀπὸ τῶν

P.Ross.Georg. 2 20Arsinoites (?)AD 146

ὕβρεις μοι παρέχει σὺν τοῖς συνεργοῦσιν αὐτῷ ἀδελφοῖς καὶ ἑτέροις, ἀξιῶ σε τὸν κύριον ἐλεῆσαί με ἀδικουμένην ὑπὸ τῶν κακοπραγμόνων ἀνθρώπων δι … … οὐκ ἐμμενόντων τοῖς κριθεῖσι καὶ

Because of this having <the> ministry this even as we received mercy, not we lose heart,
οὐκou not G3756 Particle · negative
1,622× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 2 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This is a strong 'no', used to deny something completely. It appears in the New Testament, such as in Matthew 13:29 and John 1:21. It is a negative answer to a question.
Tyndale gloss
no
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word οὐ (transliterated as ou) is a primary negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no.' It is used to negate verbs or statements, often appearing in various forms depending on the following sound. In the New Testament, it frequently serves to deny facts and is distinct from another negative particle, μή (transliterated as ), which is used for prohibitions or wishes.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Ac 2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., § 409; M, Pr., 44, 244),

[in LXX for לֹא, אַיִן, אֵין;]

neg. particle,

not, no, used generally c. indic. and for a denial of fact (cf . μή);

absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mt 13:29, Jo 1:21 21:5; οὒ οὔ, Mt 5:37, Ja 5:12.

Most freq. negativing a verb or other word, Mt 1:25 10:26, 38, Mk 3:25 9:37, Jo 8:29, Ac 7:5, Ro 1:16, Phl 3:3, al.; in…

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

οὐ before a consonant, οὐκ before a vowel with a smooth breathing, and ody before an aspirated vowel ; but sometimes in the best codd. οὐχ occurs even before a smooth breathing; accordingly LT WH mrg. have adopted οὐχ ἰδού, Acts ii. 7; LT οὐχ ᾿Ιουδαϊκῶς, Gal. ii. 14 (see WH. Introd. § 409); L οὐχ ὀλίγος, Acts xix. 23; οὐχ ἠγάπησαν, Rev. xii. 11; and contrariwise οὐκ before an aspirate, as οὐκ ἕστηκεν, Jn. viii. 44 T; [οὐκ ἕνεκεν, 2 Co. vii. 12 T]; (οὐκ εὗρον, Lk. xxiv. 3; [οὐκ ὑπάρχει, Acts iii. 6] in cod. x [alsoC*; ef. cod. Alex. in 1 ἔβαν. iv. 2,12; Job xix. 16; xxxviiil. 11, 26]); cf. W. $5, 14d. 14; Β. τ; [A. v. Schiitz, Hist. Alphab. Att., Berol. 1875, pp: 54-58 ; Sophocles, Hist. of Grk. Alphab., 1st ed. 1848, p- 64 sq. (on the breathing); Tdf Sept., ed. 4, Proleg. pp: Xxxiii. xxxiv.; Scrivener, Collation ete., 2d ed., p. lv. no. 9; id. cod. Bezae p. xlvii. no. 11 (ef. p. xlii.…

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

ου to make the voyage” (Edd.), and P Amh II. 78?! (a.p. 184) τοιαύτης ο[ὖ]ν αὐθαδίας ἐν αὐτῷ οὔσης οὐ δυνάμενος [ἐν]καρτερεῖν ἐπιδίδωμι, ‘“ his audacity having reached this pitch I can endure no longer and present this petition.” See further Proleg. p. 231 f. In support of the translation ‘‘ I determined not to know” in 1 Cor 2, we may cite P Par 2657 (B.c. 163) (= UPZi. Ρ-. 248) οὐκ ἐκρίναμεν καταχωρῆσαι, ‘we determined not to record,” P Tebt I. 124° (c. B.c. 118) οὐκ (ἐκδρίναμεν ἐξαρ[ιθ]μεῖ[σθαι, “we determined not to be counted,” and the classical formula in P Hamb I. 27° (B.c. 250 (249)) οὐκ ἔφη εἰδέναι, ‘he said that he did not know.” The origin of the double negative οὐ μή is fully discussed by Moulton Pro/eg. p. 187 ff. When we pass to its actual occurrences in the NT, we find that these for the most part are found in passages derived from the OT and in the Sayings of our Lord…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

οὐ (ou) — no.

οὐ,

the negative of fact and statement, as μή of will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective. —The same differences hold for all compounds of οὐ and μή, and some examples of οὐδέ and οὐδείς are included below.—As to the Form, see infr. G. USAG[Refs 5th c.BC+]

I. as the negative of single words,

II. as the negative of the sentence.

I. οὐ adhering to single words so as to form a quasi-compound with them:—with Verbs: οὐ δίδωμι withhold, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; οὐκ εἰῶ prevent, [Refs]; οὐκ ἐθέλω refuse, [Refs]; οὔ φημι deny, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; but sometimes οὐ is retained, εἰ δ᾽ ἂν.. οὐκ ἐθέλωσιν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐάντε.. οὐ (variant{μή}) φῆτε ἐάντε φῆτε [Refs 8th c.BC+] —On the use of οὐ in contrasts, see below [Refs 5th…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

οὐ

ou

ouk ook, and (before an aspirate)

ouch ookh

a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or

not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, +

nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but. See also

3364, 3372.

see GREEK for 3361

see GREEK for 3364

see GREEK for 3372

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

οὐ

Neg.prt.

no, not

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

οὐ ou 1x

negative adverb, originally the gen. of ὅς, spelled οὐκ if followed by a word beginning with a vowel and a smooth breathing, οὐχ if followed by a vowel and rough breathing, not, no, Mt. 5:37; 12:43; 23:37; for the peculiarities of its usage (especially as distinct from μή) consult a grammar

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
82%not
not82% · 1383×certainly6% · 96×surely4% · 70×no longer3% · 50×no2% · 39×other renderings3% · 51×

1,689 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 17 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
adverbial82%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 1,622 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
εἰμίI am, existἐγώαὐτός
ὅς
ἐγώθερίζωI reap, gatherδέbut, on the othe
ὅτιthat, since, because
σύαὐτόςἐγώ
αὐτός
λέγωI say, speakἐνἐπί
σύ
λέγωI say, speakγάρforὅς
οὐnot1622×
what comes after →
εἰμίI am, exist
ἐκArticle theἐγώ
μήNeg
παρέρχομαιI pass byεἰσέρχομαιI go in, come inπίνωI drink, imbibe
οἶδαI know, remember
ὅτιthat, since, becArticle theτίςIrg
γάρfor
εἰμίI am, existθέλωI will, wish, deArticle the
δύναμαιI am powerful, am ab
ἔρχομαιI come, goσῴζωI save, healArticle the

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

Concordanceοὐ · 1,622× in the New Testament
John Matthew Luke 1 Corinthians Romans Mark Acts 2 Corinthians Revelation Hebrews 1 John Galatians

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

Across the New Testament26 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Philo of Alexandria Josephus The Shepherd of Hermas Clement of Rome Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 6c. AD 40

ὡς γὰρ τῶν κολοσσιαίων μεγεθῶν τὰς ἐμφάσεις καὶ ἡ βραχυτάτη σφραγὶς τυπωθεῖσα δέχεται, οὕτως τάχα που καὶ τὰ τῆς ἀναγραφείσης ἐν τοῖς νόμοις κοσμοποιίας ὑπερβάλλοντα κάλλη καὶ ταῖς μαρμαρυγαῖς τὰς τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων ψυχὰς ἐπισκιάζοντα βραχυτέροις…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.11c. AD 75–95

ὁ δὲ τῶν παρʼ ἡμῖν ἀρχιερέων οὐδενὸς ἀρετῇ δεύτερος Ἐλεάζαρος τῷ προειρημένῳ βασιλεῖ ταύτης ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς ὠφελείας οὐκ ἐφθόνησε πάντως ἀντειπὼν ἄν, εἰ μὴ πάτριον ἦν ἡμῖν τὸ μηδὲν ἔχειν τῶν καλῶν ἀπόρρητον.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.8c. AD 100

ἐγὼ δὲ οὐχ ὡς διδάσκαλος, ἀλλ̓ ὧς εἰς ἐξ ὑμῶν ὑποδείξω ὀλίγα, δἰ ὧν ἐν τοῖς παροῦσιν εὐφρανθήσεσθε.

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 3rd c. BC 4th c. AD 6th c. AD

δὲ γενόμεναι κατὰ τὸ ἀναγκαῖον κληρονομήσασαι ταξάμεναι τὰ καθήκοντα τέλη θεᾶι Βερενίκηι κυριεύομεν. ὅθεν οὐκ ἀποδιδόντων τὰ ἡμέτερα ἐπεδώκαμεν ἐν τῶι λ ἔτει προσανγελίαν Ἡρακλείδει γενομένωι ἀρχιφυλακίτηι τοῦ Παθυρίτου

C.Erbstreit16Diospolis Magna (Theben)135 BC

ι ἀρουρῶν πρόκτησιν … ένου αὐτὸν ἐν συνεδρίωι καὶ συγχώρησιν … ειν, ἐν ἧι οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ὁ πατήρ. ὅθεν καταβεβραβευμένοι … ήρου συνεριου ἀξιοῦμεν, ἐὰν φαίνηται, συντάξαι γράψαι, οἷς

P.Adl. 2Pathyris125 BC

ὠνῆς ἐν πίστει διὰ τῶν περὶ τὸν Πανεβχοῦνιν ἐκτελειωθεῖσαν τῶι … ἔτει ἀντὶ ὀφειλημάτων, οὐκ ἐπελευσομένους τὸν Πανερέα καὶ τὴν Σενενοῦπιν περὶ ὀφειλημάτων μηδὲ περὶ ἄλλου μηδενός. ταῦτα δὲ

Because of this having <the> ministry this even as we received mercy, not we lose heart,
ἐγκακοῦμεν,ekkakeō we lose heart, G1573 Verb · present · active · indicative · first person · plural
6× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 2 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
To lose heart or become discouraged, as in Luke 18:1 and 2 Corinthians 4:1. It means to feel weak or cowardly, and is used to encourage believers to persevere in their faith.
Amplified meaning
completely, become discouraged, faint
Tyndale gloss
to lose heart
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἐγκακέω (ekkakeō) is built from components meaning 'out of' and 'bad.' It covers the idea of losing heart, becoming faint-hearted, or growing weary. In the New Testament, it is used to describe a state of spiritual exhaustion. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

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

ἐκκακέω, -ὦ ; [1 aor. ἐξεκάκησα] ; (κακός) ; to be utterly spiritless, to be wearied out, exhausted; see ἐγκακέω [cf. ἡ 251:

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἐκκακέω (ekkakeō) — to lose heart.

ἐκκᾰκέω,

to be faint-hearted, lose heart, grow weary, variant for{ἐγκ-}, [NT]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἐγκακέω

ekkakeo

from 1537 and 2556; to be (bad or) weak, i.e. (by implication) to fail

(in heart):--faint, be weary.

see GREEK for 1537

see GREEK for 2556

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἐκκακέω

v.

I am faint, am weary

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἐκκακέω fut. ήσω to be faint-hearted, NTest.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-PAI-1P — Verb · present · active · indicative · first person · plural
present active indicative — an action in progress.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-PAI-1P Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Present Voice: Active Mood: Indicative Person: first Number: Plural

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hart (lebh, lebhabh; kardia): The different senses in which the word occurs in the Old Testament and the New Testament may be grouped under the following heads:

1. Various Meanings:

It represents in the first place the bodily organ, and by easy transition those experiences which affect or are affected by the body. Fear, love, courage, anger, Joy, sorrow, hatred are always ascribed to the heart--especially in the Old Testament; thus courage for which usually ruach is used (Ps 27:14); joy (Ps 4:7); anger (De 19:6, "while his heart is hot," lebhabh); fear (1Sa 25:37); sorrow (Ps 13:2), etc.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Heart

According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. “Heart” and “soul” are often used interchangeably (Deut. 6:5; 26:16; comp. Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33), but this is not generally the case.

The heart is the “home of the personal life,” and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1 Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8, etc.), upright and righteous (Gen. 20:5, 6;

Across the New Testament5 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
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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