Quick Definition
ἐναντίον Adv before, in the presence of, in the eyes of
Strong's Definition
neuter of 1727; (adverbially) in the presence (view) of
KJV Usage: before, in the presence of
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
prep. (with gen.)
83.33 · Spacial Positions · In Front Of, Face To Face, In Back Of, Behind
in front of, before a position in front of an object, whether animate or inanimate, which is regarded as having a spacial orientation of front and back
90.20 · Case · Viewpoint Participant
in the sight of, in the opinion of, in the judgment of marking a participant whose viewpoint is relevant to an event
1 There are no doubt certain slight differences of meaning in this series (83.33), but such distinctions cannot be readily determined from existing contexts. 2 There are undoubtedly certain subtle distinctions of meaning associated with the various markers in 90.20, but it is impossible to determine those differences on the basis of existing contexts.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἐναντίον enantion 8x
acc sg neut of ἐναντίος used adverbially; the adj. does not appear in the NT, improper prep., before, in the presence of, Lk. 1:6; 20:26; Acts 8:32; 2 Cor. 2:7; Gal. 2:7; 1 Pet. 3:9; from the Hebrew, in the sight or estimation of, Acts 7:10; with τοῦ θεοῦ, an intensive expression, Lk. 24:19*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἐν-αντίος, -α, -ον
(< ἀντίος, set against), [in LXX: ἐξ ἐναντίας, for נֶגֶד, etc.; ἐναντίον, for לִפְנֵי etc. ;]
over against, opposite, contrary: ἄνεμος, Mt 14:24, Mk 6:48, Ac 27:4; ἐξ ἐναντίας (ellipse obscure, v. Bl., § 44,1; Mozley, Ps 42:1-11), c. gen., Mk 15:39. Metaph., opposed, hostile: I Th 2:15, Ac 26:9 28:17; ὁ ἐξ ἐ., Tit 2:8. Neuter., -ίον, adv., as prep. c. gen., before, in the presence of: Lk 1:6 20:26 24:19 Ac 7:10 (ἔναντι, T), Ac 8:32 (LXX).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἐναντίος is common in the adjuration εὐορκοῦντι μέν μοι εὖ εἴη, ἐπιορκοῦντι δὲ τὰ ἐναντία, ‘if I observe the oath may it be well with me, but if I swear falsely, the reverse,” as e. g. P Oxy X. 1258!9f (A.D. 45). The adj. is followed by dat., as in Ac 2817, in PSI IV. 28218 (a.p. 183) μηδὲ ποιῆσαι Ὁ] ἐναντίον τι τῇ αὐτῇ ὑπογραφῇ. For ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων = ‘on the contrary,” see P Par 635 (B.c. 165), P Grenf 11. 3615 (B.c. 95). ὋὉ δι᾽ ἐναντίας is found = ‘‘the opponent” in a lawsuit, as Chrest. I. 461° (beg. iii/A.D.) δέομαί cov ἀκοῦσαί μο]υ πρὸς τὸν ἐξ ἐναντίας ἀντίδικον, P Flor 1. 5819 (iii/a.p.) πρὸς τοὺς δι᾿ [ἐϊναντίας, P Strass I. 418 (a.p. 250) ἔδει μὲν γὰρ τὴν δι’ ἐναντίας. . . ἔτι μᾶλλον δ[ι]αγωνίσασθαι καὶ ἐκδικῆσαι τὰ τῆς παιδός. In P Ryl II. 14415 (Α.Ὁ. 38) we have ὃς δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου ἄλογον ἀηδίαν μοι ἐπιχειρήσας παρεχρήσατό μοι πολλὰ καὶ ἄσχημα, ‘whereupon he opposing me made a brutal and odious attack upon me and subjected me to much shameful mishandling” (Edd.). For ἐναντίον ‘‘in the presence of,’’ cf. P Eleph 17 (8.6. 311-0) (= Selections, p. 3) ἐπιδειξάτω δὲ Ἣ. ὅτι ἂν ἐγκαλῆι A. ἐναντίον ἀνδρῶν τριῶν, ‘‘and let H. prove his charge against D. in the presence of three men,” P Hib I. 899 (B.C. 239) €vavt[tov τῶν ὑπογε]γραμμένων μαρτύρων, P Lille 1. 29%! (ili/B.c.) λέγων τὸ ἀδίκημα τῶι κυρίωι ἐναντίον μὴ ἔλασσον ἢ δύο μαρτύρων, 74.151 ἐναντίον τῶν νομο]φυλάκων. In this sense the word is peculiar to the Lukan writings in the NT. MGr ξάγναντος (= ἐξ ἐναντίας), “against,” ‘‘ opposite.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἐναντίον (enantion) — in front of. ἐναντίος, α, ον, opposite, ={ἀντίος} (which is rare in Prose):
1. of Place, on the opposite side, opposite, c.dative, ἀκταὶ ἐναντίαι ἀλλήλῃσιν [Refs 8th c.BC+]: hence, fronting, face to face, αὐτῳ οὔ πω φαίνετ᾽ ἐναντίη [Refs 7th c.BC+]; δεῖξον.. τὸ σὸν πρόσωπον δεῦρ᾽ ἐ. πατρί before him, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰναντία τινί things open to one's sight, [Refs 5th c.BC+] look opposite ways, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
1. b with Verbs of motion, in the opposite direction, ἔνθα οἱ.. ἐναντίη ἤλυθε μήτηρ came to meet him, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
1. c Astrology texts, in diametrical aspect, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
2. in hostile sense, opposing, facing in fight, with genitive, ἐναντίοι ἔσταν Ἀχαιῶν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; οἱ ἐ. one's adversaries, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; the enemy, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. b generally, opposed to, τινί [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ ἐ. the opposite party, [Refs]; presenting obstacles, hindering, τινί [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. c ὁ δι ἐναντίας the opponent in a alawsuit, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
3. of qualities, acts, etc., opposite, contrary, reverse, τἀναντί᾽ εἰπεῖν [Refs 5th c.BC+] the very reverse of these things, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δείξας.. ἄστρων τὴν ἐ. ὁδόν, i.e. τὴν τοῦ ἡλίου ὁδὸν ἐ. οὖσαν τοῖς ἄστροις [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τἀναντία πρήσσειν [τῇ ὑγιείῃ] [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐναντία γνῶναι ταῖς πλείσταις [πόλεσιν] [Refs 5th c.BC+]., quite the contrary, Lg.[Refs 5th c.BC+]; πολὺ τοὐ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
3. b τὰ ἐ. opposites in Philos., [Refs 6th c.BC+]
4. in the Philos. of [Refs 4th c.BC+] are contraries, especially the two attributes within the same genus which differ most widely from each other (as hot and cold), [Refs]
4. b ἐ. ἀποφάνσεις, προτάσεις, contrary propositions (All [Refs], opposed to contradictory (see. ἀντιφατικῶς), [Refs]
II. frequently in adverb usages:
II.1. from [Refs 8th c.BC+] as adverb, opposite, facing, ἐ. ὧδε κάλεσσον here to my face, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; εἰς ὦπα ἰδέσθαι ἐ. to look one in the face,[Refs 5th c.BC+]: hence, like a preposition with genitive, in the presence of, τῆς βουλῆς [Refs]; τῶνδ᾽ ἐ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μαρτύρων ἐ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.1. b in hostile sense, against, with genitive, ἀνέσταν.. σφοῦ πατρὸς ἐ. [Refs 8th c.BC+] stand one's ground against, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.1. c contrariwise, in Attic dialect also with the Article, τοὐναντίον on the other hand, τοὐ. δέ.. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἢ πάλιν τοὐ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; conversely, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.1. d neuter plural ἐναντία as adverb, with dative, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. with Preps., ἐκ τοῦ ἐ. over against, opposite, opposed to ἐκ πλαγίου, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐξ ἐναντίας, Ionic dialect -ίης, [Refs 5th c.BC+]. the opposing parties, probably in [Refs 4th c.AD+]; ἐκ τῶν ἐ. on the contrary, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; κατὰ τὰ ἐ. [Refs 5th c.BC+] the opposite sides of the parallelogram, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; αἱ κατ᾽ ἐ. τομαί opposite sections (i. e. branches) of the hyperbola, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
II.3. regular adverb -ίως contrariwise, with dative, τούτοις οὐκ ἐ. λέγεις [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πικρῶς καὶ ἐ. like an enemy, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐ. ἔχειν to be exactly opposed, [Refs]; πρός τι to be contrary in respect of.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]; in the Logic of [Refs 4th c.BC+]