Quick Definition
ἔκπαλαι Adv from of old, long since
Strong's Definition
from 1537 and 3819; long ago, for a long while
KJV Usage: of a long time, of old
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
advb. | παλαιόω
67.24 · Time · A Point of Time with Reference to Other Points of Time: Before, Long Ago, Now, At the Same Time, When, About, After
long ago, of long ago pertaining to a point of time preceding another point of time, with an interval of considerable length References to a point of time preceding another point of time may express a relationship to an event in the discourse or to the time of the discourse itself. In HEB 1:1 πάλαι[a] marks a point of time long before the actual writing of this Letter to the Hebrews. The same is true of ἔκπαλαι in 2PE 3:5. In some languages it is necessary to indicate clearly whether the interval is (1) between a prior time and the event mentioned in the discourse or (2) between a prior time and the discourse itself. For example, in HEB 1:1 it may be necessary to translate ‘long ago before now God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets’ or ‘long ago before now that I am writing ...’
67.132 · Time · Duration of Time with Reference to Some Point of Time: Until, Delay, Still, From
since a long time, for a long time an extensive period of time from a point in the past
1 It is possible that ἔκπαλαι[a] is somewhat more emphatic than πάλαι[a], but this cannot be determined from existing contexts.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἔκ-παλαι, adv., (fr. ἐκ and πάλαι. formed like ἔκτοτε [cf. W. 24 (23); 422 (393); B. 321 (275)]), from of old; of a long time: 2 Pet. ii. 3; iii. 5. (A later Grk. word, fr. Philo down; see Lob. ad Phryn. p. 45 sqq-)
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἔκπαλαι ekpalai 2x
of old, long since, 2 Pet. 2:3; 3:5*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
*† ἔκ-παλαι adv.
(of a class of compound adverbs common in late Gk.; v. Mayor on 2 Pe, l.c.),
for a long time, from of old: II Pe 2:3 3:5.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἔκπαλαι. This late word (for the form, see Pro/eg. p. 99), which in the NT is confined to 2 Pet 2°, 35, occurs in P Oxy VI. 938 (iii/iv A.D.) ἔκπαλαι ἐπισταλεὶς δώδεκα capydvas χόρτου ἐκεῖ ἀποστεῖλαι, ‘although you had been long ago instructed to send twelve baskets of hay thither’’ (Edd.): cf. the fragmentary OG/S 5845 (ii/A.D.) δι ὧν ἔκπαλαι αὐτὴν (sc. τὴν πατρίδα) εὐεργέτησεν. “Exrore is found in P Oxy VIII. 1119%8 (a.p. 254) ἔκτοτε μαθ[ὼν ὑπέστ]ην τὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν λειτουργίαν, “thereafter on learning this I undertook the burden on their behalf’’: cf. 76. III. 486% (a.p. 131).
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἔκπαλαι (ekpalai) — of old. ἔκπᾰλαι, adverb for ἐκ πάλαι, for a long time, [NT+1st c.AD+]