Quick Definition
πρό Prep. before
Strong's Definition
a primary preposition; "fore", i.e. in front of, prior (figuratively, superior) to
KJV Usage: above, ago, before, or ever. In the comparative, it retains the same significations
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
prep. (with gen.) | πρωτεύω
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
67.17 · Time · A Point of Time with Reference to Other Points of Time: Before, Long Ago, Now, At the Same Time, When, About, After
before, previous a point of time prior to another point of time
MAT 5:12 · MAT 6:8 · MAT 8:29 · MAT 24:38 · LUK 2:21 · LUK 11:38 · LUK 21:12 · LUK 22:15 · JHN 1:48 · JHN 5:7 · JHN 10:8 · JHN 11:55 · JHN 12:1 · JHN 13:1 · JHN 13:19 · JHN 17:5 · JHN 17:24 · ACT 5:36 · ACT 21:38 · ACT 23:15 · ROM 16:7 · 1CO 2:7 · 1CO 4:5 · 2CO 12:2 · GAL 1:17 · GAL 2:12 · GAL 3:23 · EPH 1:4 · 2TI 4:21 · TIT 1:2 · HEB 11:5 · 1PE 1:20
65.54 · Value · Important, Unimportant
more important than, of greatest importance, above marker of primary importance
67.58 · Time · A Point of Time with Reference to Other Points of Time: Before, Long Ago, Now, At the Same Time, When, About, After
Collocation: πρὸ θυρῶν
soon, very soon (an idiom, literally: before the doors) a point of time subsequent to another point of time and indicating imminence, that is to say, the subsequent event is regarded as almost begun
67.133 · Time · Duration of Time with Reference to Some Point of Time: Until, Delay, Still, From
Collocation: πρὸ παντὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος
since all time, from all ages past, from the beginning of time an exceedingly long period of time from an assumed beginning up to the present
67.19 · Time · A Point of Time with Reference to Other Points of Time: Before, Long Ago, Now, At the Same Time, When, About, After
Collocation: πρὸ προσώπου
before, previous (an idiom, literally: before the face, equivalent in meaning to πρό[b] ‘before,’ 67.17, but a somewhat more elaborate phrase rhetorically) a point of time, possibly only a short time before another point of time
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.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
πρό, a prep. foll. by the Genitive, (Lat. pro), [fr. Hom. down], Sept. chiefly for +339, before; used a. of Place: πρὸ τῶν θυρῶν, τῆς θύρας, ete., Acts y. 23 RG; xii. 6, 14; xiv. 13; Jas.v.9; by a Hebraism, πρὸ προσώmov with the gen. of a pers. before (the face of) one (who is following) [B. 319 (274)]: Mt. xi. 10; Mk.i. 2; Lk.i. 76; vil. 27; ix.52; x.1, (Mal. iii. 1; Zech. xiv. 20; Deut. iii. 18). Ὁ. of Time: πρὸ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν, Acts ν. 86; xxi. 38; [πρὸ τοῦ πάσχα, Jn. xi.55]; ace.toalater Greek idiom, πρὸ ἐξ ἡμερῶν τοῦ πάσχα, prop. before six days reckoning from the Passover, which is equiv. to ἕξ ἡμέρας πρὸ τοῦ πάσχα, on the sixth day before the Passover, Jn. xii. 1 (πρὸ δύο ἐτῶν τοῦ σεισμοῦ, Am.i.1; πρὸ μιᾶς ἡμέρας τῆς Μαρδοχαϊκῆς ἡμέρας, 2 Mace. xv. 36; exx. fr. prof. writ. are cited by W. 557 (518) ; [οῇ. B. 8181, 11]; fr. eccles. writ. by Hilgenfeld, Die Evangelien ete. pp: 298, 302; also his Paschastreit der alten Kirche, p. 221 sq-; [ef. Soph. Lex. 8. ν. mpd, 1 and 27) ; [πρὸ τῆς ἑορτῆς, Jn. xiii. 1]; πρὸ καιροῦ, Mt. viii. 29; 1 Co. iv. 5; τῶν αἰώνων, 1 Co. ii. 7; παντὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος, Jude 25 L T Tr WH; ἐτῶν δεκατεσσ. [ fourteen years ago], 2 Co. xii. 2; add, 2 Tim. i. 9; iv. 21; Tit. i. 2; τοῦ ἀρίστου, Lk. xi. 38; κατακλυσμοῦ, Mt. xxiv. 88; πρὸ τῆς μεταθέσεως, Heb. xi. 5; πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου, Jn. xvii. 24; Eph. i. 4; 1 Pet. 1. 20; πρὸ πάντων, prior to all created things, Col. i. 17; [πρὸ τούτων πάντων (Rec. ἅπάντ.), Lk. xxi. 12]; bya Hebraism, πρὸ προσώπου with the gen. of a thing is used of time for the simple πρό (W. § 65, 4b.; [B.319 (274)]), Acts xiii. 24 [(lit. before the face of his entering in)]. πρό with the gen. of a pers.: Jn. v. 7; x. 8 [not Tdf.]; Ro. xvi. 7; οἱ πρό τινος, those that existed before one, Mt. v.12; with a pred. nom. added, Gal.i.17. πρό with the gen. of an infin. that has the art., Lat. ante quam (before, before that) foll. by a fin. verb [B. §140,11; W. 329 (309)]: Mt. vi.8; Lk. ii. 21; xxii.15; Jn.i.48 (49); xiii. 19; xvii. 5; Acts xxiii. 15; Gal. ii. 12; iii. 23. Cc: of superiority or pre-eminence [W. 372 (349)]: πρὸ πάντων, above all things, Jas. v.12; 1 Pet. iv. 8. d. In Composition, πρό marks a. place: mpoavλιον ; motion forward (Lat. porro), προβαίνω, προβάλλω, ete.; before another who follows, in advance, προάγω, πρόSpouos, προπέμπω, προτρέχω, etc.; in public view, openly, πρόδηλος, πρόκειμαι. β. time: before this, previously, mpoapapravw; in reference to the time of an occurrence, beforehand, in advance, προβλέπω, προγινώσκω, προθέσμιος, προορίζω, etc. Ὑ- superiority or preference: προαιρέομαι. [Cf. Herm. ad Vig. p. 658.]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
πρό pro 47x
before, of place, in front of, in advance of, Mt. 11:10; Lk. 1:76; Acts 5:23; before, of time, Mt. 5:12; Lk. 11:38; before an infin. with the gen. of the article, before, before that, Mt. 6:8; Lk. 2:21; before, above, in preference, Jas. 5:12; 1 Pet. 4:8
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
πρό, prep. c. gen.,
[in LXX chiefly for לִפְנֵי;]
before; of place: Ac 12:6, 14 14:13, Ja 5:9; π. προσώπου (= Heb. לִפְנֵי, De 3:18, Ma 3:1, al.; Bl., § 40, 9), Mt 11:10, Mk 1:2, Lk 1:76 7:27 9:52 10:1, Ac 14:13;
of time: Mt 8:29 24:38, Lk 11:38 21:12, Jo 11:55 13:1 17:24, Ac 5:36 21:38, I Co 2:7 4:5, Eph 1:4, Col 1:17, II Ti 1:9 4:21, Tit 1:2, He 11:5, I Pe 1:20, Ju 25; π. ἐτῶν δεκατεσσάρων, fourteen years ago, II Co 12:2; π. προσώπου (v. supr.), Ac 13:24; c. gen. pers., Mt 5:12, Jo 5:7 10:8, Ro 16:7, Ga 1:17; c. gen. art. inf. (= πρίν; M, Pr., 100; Bl., § 69, 7), Mt 6:8, Lk 2:21 22:15, Jo 1:49 13:19 17:5, Ac 23:15, Ga 2:12 3:23; as in late writers (resembling a Latin idiom but independent of it; B1., § 40, 5; M, Pr., 100 f.; cf. Am 1:1, II Mac 15:36, and for other exx., Soph., Lex., s.v.), πρὸ ἓξ ἡμέρας τοῦ πασχα, on the sixth day bef. the Passover, Jo 12:1;
of preference: π. πάντων, Ja 5:12, I Pe 4:8;
in compos., c. subst., of position before: προαύλιον, πρόδρομος; priority of rank or order, προπάτωρ; anticipation, πρόγνωσις, πρόνοια;
c. adj., intensity, πρόδηλος;
c. verb., of place, προάγω, προβαίνω; of preference, προαιρέομαι.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
πρό is found 48 times in the NT, including 9 times with the articular inf., and always c. gen. (1) For the Zoca/ use “" before,”’ “‘ in front of,” which is rare in the NT (Ac}, Jas!), we may cite P Petr II. 45111-. 24 (B.c. 246) (= III. p. 334) πρὸ [τῆς πύλης] ὅδον ἐξήνεγκαν, and OGIS 50'* (mid. iii/B.c.) ἀναθεῖναι πρὸ τοῦ ved τοῦ Διονύgov. We have found no instances in our sources of the Hebraizing πρὸ προσώπου (Mt 111° (from LXX), Lk 9%), but for mpd ὀφθαλμῶν (2 Macc 817, 3 Macc 44) cf. BGU II. 302 8 (A.D. 215) πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν θέμενος [τ]ὰ κελευσθέντα, similarly Aristeas 284, and OG/S 2108 (c, A.b. 247) πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἔχουσι τὰ περὶ τούτου κελευσθέντα : see Deissmann 2.44, p. 183f. The thought of preference, as in Jas 512, τ Pet 4°, appears in the common epistolary phrase πρὸ mavtay—P Oxy II. 294°° (A.D. 22) πρ]ὸ μὲν πάντων σεαυτοῦ ἐπιμέλου εἵν᾽ ὑ[γιαίνῃς, 2. 2921! (c. A.D. 25) πρὸ δὲ πάντων bya<i>vew σε εὔχ[οϊμαι ἀβασκάντως τὰ ἄριστα πράττων, ““ before all else you have my good wishes for unbroken health and prosperity ἢ (Edd.). (2) For the zemporal use ‘‘ before,” ‘earlier than,’ cf. P Hib I. 604 (ς. B.c. 245) πρὸ ἕκτης Spas τῆι ιθ, “ before the sixth hour on the 19th,” P Fay 122°% (c. a.v. 100) πρὸ ἡμερῶν τριῶν, ‘‘three days beforehand” (cf. 2 Cor 127; Proles. p. 101), BGU II. 592% 8 (ii/a.p.) τετελεύτηκεν πρὸ δω[δεϊκαετίας, P Gen I. 47* (A.D. 346) mpd ὀλίγων ἡμερῶν τούτων, and from the inscrr. OG/S 56% (B.c. 238) πρὸ τοῦ νέου ἔτους, 76. 9051 (Rosetta stone—B.C. 196) τῶν mpd αὐτοῦ βασιλείων. For the phrase mpd πολλοῦ cf. P Hib I. 170 (end of a letter—B.C. 247) τούτου yap οὕνεκεν mpd πολλοῦ σοι γράφω, and P Oxy VIII. 115348 (i/A.b.) ἃ ἐδωρήσατό σοι Παυσανίας ὁ ἀδελφός σου mpd πολλοῦ (‘some time ago”). Οἱ πρὸ ἡμῶν, ‘our predecessors,” is supplied in P Tebt I. 61(4)384 (B.c. 118-7): cf. also zd. 1521 (B.c. 114) [[διὰ τῆς πρὸ ταύτης]] ἐπισιτολῆς). Jn 121 πρὸ ἕξ ἡμερῶν τοῦ πάσχα is often treated asa Latinism like ante diem tertium Kalendas (cf. Jannaris Gr. ὃ 1651, Schulze Graeca-Lafina p. 15) but Moulton (/7o/eg. p. 100 f.) regards the second gen. as practically an ablative = ‘‘ starting from,” and finds exx. of the construction in phrases which have nothing to do with the Latin formula. See e.g. the illiterate P Fay 118 (a.p. 110) πρὼ δύο ἡμερὸν ἀγόρασον τὰ ὀρνιθάρια τῆς εἱορτῆς Kal πέμσεις αὐτά, ““ buy the fowls two days before the feast and send them,” and the Mysteries inscr. from Andania Sy// 653 (=*%736)*® (B.c. 92) πρὸ ἁμερᾶν δέκα τῶν μυστηρίων. Similar exx. are supplied by Roufhlac p. 29—/rene 41? (decree of Senate—before B.C. 136) πρὸ ἡμερῶν πέντε εἰδυιῶν PeBpoapiwy, and 10573 (c. B.C. 9) πρ]ὸ ἐννέα καλανδῶν ᾿Οκτωβρίων, similarly °°. See also Babrius xxviii. 4 πρὸ τῆς ὥρης. (3) For πρό c. articular inf. (asin Mt 68 a/.), cf. P Frankf 18°(B.C 214-3) πρὸ Tod αὐτὸν ἢ τὰ ἐκφόρια κομίσασθαι, and for πρὸ τοῦ ς. opt. or subj. cf. BGU III. 81.415 (iii/a.p.) πρὸ τοῦ [εἰσέϊλθοις εἰς τὴν παρεμπολήν σου, and P Fay 136° (iv/A.D.) πρὸ τοῦ τις ὑμᾶς ἐνέγκῃ, ‘before anyone fetches you.’’ Cf. \IGr προτοῦ (νά) c. aor. or pres. subj. (Thumb Hando., p. 193).
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
πρό (pro) — before. πρό, before, forth: __A PREP. WITH GENIT.: __A.I of Place, before, in front of, ἠγερέθοντο π. ἄστεος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἔμπροσθε π. (variant) τῆς ἀκροπόλιος, ὄπισθε δὲ τῶν πυλέων [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. δόμων, π. δωμάτων, in front of, i.e. outside the house, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὴν π. τοῦ Ἡραίου νῆσον before or off the Heraeum, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. χειρῶν at hand, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.I.2 with Vbs. of motion, π. δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ αὐτῶν κύνες ἤϊσαν [Refs 8th c.BC+] __A.I.3 before, in front of, for the purpose of shielding or guarding, π. Τρώων ἑσταότ᾽ [Refs 8th c.BC+]: hence, in defence of, μάχεσθαι.. π. τε παίδων καὶ π. γυναικῶν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὀλέσθαι π. πόληος, Latin pro patria mori, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; π. τοξευμάτων as a defence against arrows, [Refs]: hence also, for, on behalf of, instead of, ἀγρυπνῆσαι π. τινῶν[Refs]; of an advocate, π. τῶνδε φωνεῖν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὄτι δέ κ᾽ αὐτὸς π. Ειαυτοῦ [ἀμάρτῃ] whatever offence he commits of his own volition, Kohler-Ziebarth Stadtrecht von Gortyn [Refs] __A.I.4 π. ὁδοῦ ἐγένοντο further on the road, i.e. forwards, onward, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: also to denote distance, π. πολλοῦ τῆς πόλεως [Refs 1st c.BC+]at a distance of [Refs 1st c.BC+] __A.I.5 π. ἠοῦς, π. ἑσπέρης τοῦ βωμοῦ, eastwards, westwards of.., [Refs 4th c.BC+] __A.II of Time, before, π. γάμοιο [Refs 8th c.BC+]; π. ὃ τοῦ ἐνόησεν one before the other, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; more frequently in later writers, π. τῶν Τρωικῶν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. τοῦ χρῆσθαι before one uses it, [Refs]; π. μοίρας τῆς ἐμῆς before my doom, [Refs 5th c.BC+], compare 124; π. πολλοῦ long before, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. μικροῦ, π. ὀλίγου, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. τοῦ (sometimes written προτοῦ) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. τοῦ ἤ, ={πρὶν ἤ}, [Refs]; οἱ π. ἡμῶν γενόμενοι [Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.II.2 in later writers frequently with Numerals, π. τριάκοντα ἡμερῶν thirty days before, [LXX+1st c.AD+]; π. ἓξ ἡμερῶν τοῦ πάσχα, π. μιᾶς ἡμέρας τῶν γενεθλίων, [NT+1st c.AD+] __A.II.2.b in rendering Roman dates, τῇ π. μιᾶς Νωνῶν Ὀκτωβρίων, = pridie Non. Oct., [Refs 1st c.AD+] __A.III in other relations: __A.III.1 of Preference, before, rather than, κέρδος αἰνῆσαι π. δίκας to praise sleight before right, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πᾶν δὴ βουλόμενοι σφίσι εἶναι π. τῆς παρεούσης λύπης anything before, rather than, their actual trouble, [Refs 5th c.BC+] (so, in order to avoid, π. τοῦ δεινοτάτου [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἑλέσθαι, αἱρεῖσθαι, or κρῖναί τι π. τινός to choose one before another, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. πολλοῦ ποιήσασθαι to esteem above much, i.e. very highly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. ἄλλων more than others, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. πάντων θεῶν τῇ Ἑστίᾳ πρώτῃ προθύειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]: after a comparative it is redundant, ἡ τυραννὶς π. ἐλευθερίης ἀσπαστότερον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; for ἤ after ἄλλος, οὐδεὶς ἄλλος π. σεῦ [Refs 5th c.BC+] __A.III.2 of Cause or Motive, for, from, π. φόβοιο for fear, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀθλεύων π. ἄνακτος toiling before the face of, i.e. in his service, [Refs]; π. τῶνδε there fore, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B POSITION: words may be put between π. and its case, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; but it does not follow its case, except after Epic dialect forms in -θι, Ἰλιόθι πρό, οὐρανόθι πρό, ἠῶθι πρό (see. above). __C πρό, absolutely as adverb.: __C.I of Place, before, opposed to ἐπί (after), [Refs 8th c.BC+]; before, in front, [Refs]; forth, forward, ἐκ δ᾽ ἄγαγε π. φόωσδε [Refs]; χωρεῖν π. δόμων to come forth from, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; γῆν π. γῆς ἐλαύνομαι I am driven on from one land to another, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __C.II of Time, before, πρό οἱ εἴπομεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; earlier, τά τ᾽ ἐσσόμενα π. τ᾽ ἐόντα [Refs 8th c.BC+] __C.III when joined with other Preps., ἀποπρό, διαπρό, ἐπιπρό, περιπρό, προπρό, it strengthens the first preposition, or adds to it the notion of forward, forth. __D πρό IN COMPOSITION (joined with other words), __D.I with Substantives, to denote __D.I.1 position before or in front, πρόδομος, προάστιον, πρόθυρον, προπύλαια, etc. __D.I.2 priority of rank, πρόεδρος, προεδρία, etc.: also priority of order, προάγων, πρόλογος, προοίμιον, προπάτωρ, etc. __D.I.3 standing in another's place, πρόμαντις, πρόξενος. __D.II with adjectives, to denote __D.II.1 proximity, πρόχειρο; and readiness, πρόθυμος, πρόφρων. __D.II.2 away (compare 111.3 below), προθέλυμνος, πρόρριζος. __D.II.3 prematureness, πρόμοιρος, πρόωρος. __D.II.4 intensity, πρόπας, πρόπαρ, προπάροιθ; so also πρόκακος, πρόπαλαι. __D.III with Verbs, __D.III.1 of Place, before, forwards, προβαίνω, προβάλλω, προτίθημι, etc.: also, before, in defence, προκινδυνεύω, προμάχομαι, etc. __D.III.2 forth, προέλκω, προφέρω. __D.III.2.b publicly, προγράφω, προειπεῖν, πρόκειμαι. __D.III.3 away, προδίδωμι, προϊάλλω, προϊάπτω, προΐημι, προλείπω, προρέω, προτέμνω, προτρέπομαι, προφεύγω, προχέω. __D.III.4 in preference, προαιροῦμαι, προτιμάω, etc. __D.III.5 before, beforehand, προαισθάνομαι, προγίγνομαι, προκαταλαμβάνω, etc.; of foresight, προνοέω, προοράω. __E Etymology: cf. Latin προ?~X-, Slavonic pro-, Sanskrit pra-, etc., in compounds.