πρότερος, -a, -ov, (compar. of πρό); [fr. Hom. down], beJore, prior; of time, former: ἡ προτέρα ἀναστροφή, Eph. iv. 22. Neut. adverbially, before (something else is or was done): Jn. vii. 51 RG; 2 Co. i. 15; opp. to ἔπειτα, Ileb. vii. 27; before i.e. aforetime, in time past: Jn. vii. 50[L Tr WIL]; Heb. iv. 6; and RGin 1 Tim. i. 13; also τὸ πρότερον (contrasting the past with the present [cf. πάλαι, 1 fin.]), Jn. vi. 62; ix. 8, and LT Tr WH in 1 Tim. i. 13, (1 Mace. iii. 46; v. 1; xi. 34, 39; Deut. ii.12; Josh. xi. 10; Hdt. 7, 75; Xen., Plat.) ; i.q. our the first time, Gal. iv. 13 (on which cf. Meyer); it is placed between the art. and the noun, as αἱ πρότερον ἡμέραι, the former days, Heb. x. 32; αἱ πρότ. ἐπιθυμίαι, the lusts which you formerly indulged, 1 Pet. i. 14.

πρότερος proteros 11x

former, prior, Eph. 4:22; before, formerly, Jn. 6:62

πρότερος. The comparative rarity of πρότερος in the NT, where it occurs only eleven times (never in Lk), as contrasted with the 200 appearances of πρῶτος, meets usagainin the papyri. For the adj., as in Eph 4**, cf. P Fay 345 (A.D. 161) κατὰ τὴν τῶν προτέρων ἐτῶν συνήθειαν, ‘according to the custom of former years,” and for the neut. used adverbially see BGU IV. 10964 (i/ii A.D.) ὃν (sc. γραμματέα) πρότερον εἶχον» P Lond 122119 (a.p. 105) (= III. p. 25) ἐν οἰ[κί]ᾳ πρότερον ᾿Κλαυδίας, and with the art. P Tebt II. 302° (A.D. 71-2) ἀρούρας φδ τὸ πρότερον τῶν προκι[μένων θεῶν, ‘* 500} arourae which previously belonged to the aforesaid gods.” In view of these exx. we are probably right in understanding τὸ πρότερον in Gal 413 in the general sense of ‘ previously,” ‘‘ originally,” rather than ‘‘on the former of two visits” (cf. Lake Zarlier Epp. of St. Paul, p. 265 f.): in all the other appearances of the phrase in the NT. In the following exx. πρότερον is best rendered by our English ‘‘first’’-—P Petr I. 2915 (iii/p.c.) γίνωσκε δὲ Kal ὅτι ὕδωρ ἕκαστος τῶν ὅρων τὴν ἄμπελον φυτευομένην πρότερον δεῖν φασίν, [o] [δὲ ὑἸπάρχειν, ‘* know, also, that each of the watchers says that the planted vines want water first, and that they have none” (Ed.), P Oxy X. 12819 (A.p. 21) ἐφ᾽ ὧι Kopilopéyoy [τοῦ] ᾿Ιωσήπου ταῦτα πρότερον δώσει λόγο[ν] τούτων, ‘on condition that when Joseph receives it he shall first render an account of it” (Edd.), and P Fay 3215 (A.D. 131) ἐὰν δέ τι κατὰ τούτ(ου) ἐξοικονομῶ πρότερον so also ἀποδίξω ὑπάρχειν, ‘if I alienate any of my rights over it, I will first establish my title to the ownership ’’ (Edd.). See also 5.v. πρῶτος.

πρότερον (proteron) — previously. πρότερος and πρῶτος, comparative and superlative formed from πρό, opposed to ὕστερος, ὕστατος. comparative πρότερος, α, ον,

I. of Place, before, in front, π. πόδες the fore-feet, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; π. ἵπποι horses in front, [Refs 5th c.BC+] — but mostly,

II. of Time, former, earlier, ἄνδρες [Refs 8th c.BC+]; οἱ π. men of former times, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: also, older, opposed to ὁπλότερος, [Refs]; but παῖδες π. children by the first or a former marriage, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τῇ προτέρῃ (i.e. ἡμέρᾳ) on the day before, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἠοῖ τῇ π. [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τοῦ π. ἐνιαυτοῦ the year before, [Refs]; τοῖς π. Παναθηναίοις the preceding P., [Refs]; τὰ π. what has preceded, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]:—frequently used predicatively, sometimes where we should expect the adverb (which is never used by [Refs 8th c.BC+]

II.2. as regular comparative, with genitive, ἐμέο πρότερος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τῇ π. ἡμέρᾳ τῆς τροπῆς the day before.. , [Refs 5th c.BC+]

III. of Rank, Worth, and generally of Precedence, superior, τῷ γένει, τῇ δυνάμει, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; π. τινὸς πρός τι superior to him in.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. τι ἄγειν, π. ποιήσασθαι τὰ σὰ πράγματα, [Refs 4th c.AD+]

IV. after [Refs 8th c.BC+] frequently as adverb, before, earlier, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὀλίγον π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πολλοῖσι ἔτεσι π. τούτων[Refs 4th c.BC+]; also πρὸ τῶν Περσικῶν δέκα ἔτεσι π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τούτου π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with infinitive, π. ἢ βασιλεῦσαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; by πρὶν ἤ with verb in Indic., [Refs]; also οὐ π. εἰ μὴ.. [Refs 1st c.AD+]; οὐ π. ἕως.., or ἕως ἂν.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]., also, for the first time, Ep. Gal.[Refs 5th c.BC+]: the adverb is frequently put between Article and substantive, ὁ π. βασιλεύς [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B superlative πρῶτος, η, ον, Doric dialect πρᾶτος (which see): __B.I as adjective, __B.I.1 of Place, foremost, πρώτοισιν ἐνὶ προμάχοισι μιγέντα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐν πρώτοις, μετὰ πρώτοισι alone, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τῆς πρώτης τάττειν (i.e. τάξεως) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν π. ῥυμῷ at the front or end of the pole, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πρώτῃσι θύρῃσιν at the outermost doors, [Refs]; π. ξύλον the front bench, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ π. πόδες, like{πρόσθιοι}, [Refs] __B.I.2 of Time, στάντα πρὸς π. ἕω looking towards first dawn, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.I.3 of Order, serving as ordinal to εἷς, ἄεθλα θῆκε.. τῷ πρώτῳ· ἀτὰρ αὖ τῷ δευτέρῳ.., αὐτὰρ τῷ τριτάτῳ.., κτλ., [Refs 8th c.BC+]; opposed to τελευταῖος, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; opposed to τανύστατος, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ τοῦ π. [ἱερείου] first-offered, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν τοῖς π. λόγοις in the earlier books, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐν πρώτοις among the first, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; hence, above all, especially, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in Attic dialect, ἐν τοῖς πρῶτοι (see. ὁ, ἡ, τό [Refs 8th c.BC+] __B.I.3.b Philos., first in order of existence, primary, αἱ π. οὐσίαι [Refs 4th c.BC+]; primitive, simple, οἰκία π., ἡ π. πόλις, [Refs]; ὁ π. συλλογισμός normal, typical, [Refs]; τὰ π. σώματα, μόρια,= τὰ ὁμοιομερῆ, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; πρῶτα κατὰ φύσιν, e.g. health, perception, [Refs] __B.I.3.c in Mathematics texts, πρῶτοι ἀριθμοί prime numbers, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; but also, first numbers (= 1 to 100,000,000) in the notation of [Refs 3rd c.BC+] __B.I.3.d πρῶτος is sometimes used where we should expect πρότερος, Αἰνείας δὲ πρῶτος ἀκόντισεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]: in late Greek followed by genitive, πρῶτός μου ἦν [NT+2nd c.AD+]; ἀλόχου πρῶτος before his wife, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] __B.I.4 of Rank or Dignity, μετὰ πρώτοισιν among the first men of the state, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; διαβάλλειν τοὺς π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ π. τῆς πόλεως, as a title, [Refs]; ὁ π. τῆς νήσου [NT]; τῶν π. φίλων, title at the Ptolemaic court, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; τῶν π., as military title, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]: with genitive, ἐν πρώτοισι Μυκηναίων [Refs 8th c.BC+] __B.I.5 of Degree, first, highest, μοῖρα [Refs] __B.II as substantive in neuter plural πρῶτα, τά, __B.II.1 (i.e. ἆθλα), first prize, τὰ π. λαβών [Refs 8th c.BC+] __B.II.2 first part, beginning, τῆς Ἰλιάδος τὰ π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν τοῖς π. [Refs] __B.II.3 first, highest, in degree, τὰ π. τᾶς λιμῶ (Doric dialect) the extremities of famine, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φρενῶν ἐς τὰ ἐμεωυτοῦ π. οὔκω ἀνήκω I have not yet come to the highest development of my judgment, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of persons, ἐὼν τῶν Ἐρετριέων τὰ π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Λάμπων.. Αἰγινητέων [ἐὼν] τὰ π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐστὶν τὰ π. τῆς ἐκεῖ μοχθηρίας (of a person) [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.II.4 Philos., primary things, elements, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.II.5 in Logic, the first undemonstrable propositions, on which all future conclusions rest, [Refs] __B.III in Adverbial phrases, __B.III.1 τὴν πρώτην (i.e. ὥραν, ὁδόν) first, for the present, just now, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.III.2 with Preps., ἀπὸ πρώτης (i.e. ἀρχῆς) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐκ π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; παρὰ τὴν π. the first time, opposed to ἐπὶ τῆς δευτέρας, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] __B.III.3 frequently as adverb in neuter singular and plural, πρῶτον, πρῶτα, __B.III.3.a first, in the first place, πρῶτόν τε καὶ ὕστατον (vulgar form ὕστερον) [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τί π. τοι ἔπειτα, τί δ᾽ ὑστάτιον καταλέξ; [Refs 8th c.BC+]; frequently answered only by δέ, [Refs]; sometimes the answering clause must be supplied, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρῶτα μὲν.., ἔπειτα δὲ.. X [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπεί σε πρῶτα κιχάνω since my first meeting is with you, [Refs 8th c.BC+], first, in the first place, at the beginning, ὡς τὸ π. ὑπέστην καὶ κατένευσα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τὸ μὲν οὖν π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ π..., μετὰ ταῦτα.. [Refs 8th c.BC+] __B.b too early, before the time, ἦ τ᾽ ἄρα καὶ σοὶ πρῶτα (variant for{πρωΐ}) παραστήσεσθαι ἔμελλε Μοῖρ᾽ ὀλοή [Refs 8th c.BC+] __B.c ={πρότερον}, before, ἢν.. πρῶτον ἀπόλωμαι κακῶς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; θάλασσα π. ἦν ἢ γενέσθαι γῆν variant in [Refs 4th c.BC+] __B.d first, for the first time, οὐ.. νῦν πρῶτα ποδώκεος ἄντ᾽ Ἀχιλῆος στήσομαι [Refs 8th c.BC+] __B.e πρῶτον, πρῶτα are used after the relative pronoun and after relative adverbs, like Engl.once (= at all), οὐδ᾽ ἐνοσίχθων λήθετ᾽ ἀπειλάων, τὰς.. Ὀδυσῆϊ π. ἐπηπείλησε [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μοῖραν δ᾽ οὔ τινά φημι πεφυγμένον ἔμμεναι ἀνδρῶν.. ἐπὴν τὰ π. γένηται when once he is born,[Refs 8th c.BC+]; also ἐπεὶ τὸ (or τὰ) π. now that.. , ἀλλ᾽ ἐπεὶ οὖν τὸ π. ἀνέκραγον, οὐκ ἐπικεύσω now that I have spoken up,[Refs 8th c.BC+]participle, τῷ ῥ᾽ Αἴας τὸ π. ἐφεζόμενος μέγ᾽ ἀάσθη (the rock) on which once seated Aeschylus blasphemed, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: the sense as soon as is never necessary in [Refs 8th c.BC+], but is possible in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; δινέμεν εὖτ᾽ ἂν πρῶτα φανῇ σθένος Ὠαρίωνος when once (or perhaps, as soon as), [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὅπως τις πρῶτα γένοιτο πάντας ἀποκρύπτεσκε as soon as each was born, [Refs]; ὡς τὸ π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; αὖθίς με ἀνερέσθαι ὅταν ἐντύχῃς πρῶτον the first time you meet me, [Refs 5th c.BC+] __B.IV adverb πρώτως primarily, first in [Refs 4th c.BC+]; π. καθ᾽ αὑτό, opposed to κατὰ συμβεβηκός, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] __B.IV.2 ὅτε π. ἐπεδήμησεν.. when he first visited.., [Refs 2nd c.AD+] —(From πρῶτος was formed a new _superlative_ πρώτιστος, which see)