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Colossians 4:6 — Word Study

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N1904 λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι.¶

BSA[Let] theho speechlogos of yousu [be] alwayspantote [always with grace, in a gracious manner] inen grace,charis [with kindness, generous] with salthalas [to bring out flavor, preserve] seasoned,artuō [powdered, mixed] to knoweidō howpōs [in what way, by what means] it behoovesdei yousu oneehis eachhekastos [each one, individually] to answer.apokrinō [respond, reply]

Word
Listen & take awayColossians 4
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 6 is in this 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 (apokrinō) — no per-word recordings of the Greek exist to link to.
Take it away
Colossians 4:6quick helps
In a sentencePaul instructs believers to ensure their speech is gracious and thoughtful.
Who is speakingThe Apostle Paul, addressing the Colossian church.
Where we areIn the closing exhortations of Paul's letter to the Colossians.
The hard wordἠρτυμένος
Take awayOur words should be kind and wise, reflecting Christ.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subject verbἀρτύω 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 — Colossians 4:6

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 — Final Instructions in Colossiansgenerated

5Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
7Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord.
8I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about us, and that he may encourage your hearts.

Colossians 4:6 emphasizes the importance of how believers communicate with others, especially those outside the faith. Paul encourages the Colossians to be wise in their interactions, ensuring their speech is not only gracious but also thoughtful, as they share their faith and respond to questions. This aligns with the broader theme of the letter, which calls for a life that reflects Christ in all aspects, including our conversations.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Colossians 3:16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
2Deuteronomy 6:6–7These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts.
3Deuteronomy 11:19Teach them to your children, speaking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
41 Chronicles 16:24Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all peoples.
5Psalm 37:30–31The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

The Key Word ἠρτυμένος, artuōgenerated

The word ἠρτυμένος is a perfect passive participle of ἀρτύω, meaning to season or prepare, particularly in a culinary context. Here, it suggests that speech should be carefully prepared and flavored with grace.

The passive voice indicates that the speech is to be seasoned by an external influence, which in this case is grace. This implies that believers should allow the grace of God to shape their words, making them palatable and beneficial.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In this study, the verse is read in the Berean Standard Bible, which states, "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." This wording is largely mirrored by the KJV, ASV, and WEB.

Where translations differ, they do so primarily in the rendering of λόγος — with some using 'speech' and others 'word' or 'talk'. Additionally, variations occur with πάντοτε, where some versions include 'always with grace' while others simply say 'always'.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is δεῖ, it behooves, which governs the structure. The sentence is built around this verb, with an infinitive phrase describing what is necessary, and additional phrases providing context about the nature of the speech.

The subject ὑμᾶς, you, is directly addressed, indicating that the instruction is personal and applicable to the readers. The structure emphasizes the necessity of gracious speech as a means to effectively communicate.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

λόγος is a term that appears in the Septuagint, often translating the Hebrew word דָּבָר, meaning 'word' or 'speech'. This connection highlights the continuity of the concept of speech across both the Old and New Testaments.

The use of χάρις in the LXX also resonates with its New Testament meaning, emphasizing the importance of grace in communication.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Colossians 4:6 encourages believers to speak in a way that is gracious and thoughtful. Paul advises that our words should be like seasoning, enhancing our conversations and making them more appealing. This guidance helps us respond wisely to others.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean for speech to be seasoned with salt?

Seasoning speech with salt means making it flavorful and appealing, ensuring that our words are kind and thoughtful.

Why is it important to know how to answer everyone?

Knowing how to answer everyone allows believers to engage effectively with others, sharing their faith in a way that is clear and respectful.

How can I ensure my speech is gracious?

You can ensure your speech is gracious by being mindful of your tone, choosing words that uplift, and reflecting the grace of God in your conversations.

What does it mean to act wisely toward outsiders?

Acting wisely toward outsiders involves being respectful and understanding in your interactions, showing Christ's love and wisdom in all situations.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I make my conversations more gracious and kind?
  2. How can I prepare myself to respond thoughtfully to questions about my faith?
  3. What are some practical examples of seasoning my speech with grace?
  4. How can I better understand the perspectives of those outside my faith?

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

Early church writers reflect on Paul's instruction in this verse, emphasizing the importance of gracious speech and the avoidance of contentiousness.

Theonas of AlexandriaThe Epistle of Theonas, Bishop of Alexandria, to Lucianus, the Chief Chamberlain d. 300
Let your conversation always be temperate and modest, and seasoned with religion as with salt. And, further, let there be no jealousy among you or contentiousness, which might bring you into all manner of confusion and division,
Early Church Fathers on Colossians 4 →
John ChrysostomHomily on Colossians 11 c. 347–407
"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt"; that is, that this graciousness may not lapse into indifferentism. For it is possible to be simply agreeable, it is possible also to be so with due seemliness.
Early Church Fathers on Colossians 4 →
John ChrysostomHomily on Colossians 11 c. 347–407
Next, lest thou think that he is speaking of money, he adds, "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one." That it may not be full of hypocrisy,
Early Church Fathers on Colossians 4 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Colossians 4:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Let your speech be always with grace,.... "In grace, or concerning grace": let grace be the subject matter of your speech and conversation.

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

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. With grace - `IN grace' as its clement, investiture (Ephesians 4:29; Colossians 3:16).

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

Let your speech be alway with grace: because discourse is the tenderest part of our converse with men, especially those without, and ought to be managed with the greatest circumspection, upon occasions in every fit season, in imitation of Christ, who entertained those that did converse with him with gracious words, , you should endeavour so to speak when called, that the hearers may conceive your discourse doth proceed from a gracious spirit, or grace in the heart, , teaching your mouth, ,24, with meekness of wisdom, , using knowledge aright, , being in its tendency gracious, ; not ungrateful, (as tinctured with gall or venom), but ministering grace to the hearers, . Seasoned with salt…

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

6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Ver. 6. Seasoned with salt] Of mortification and discretion: even our common communication must be so seasoned; as we powder most those meats that be most apt to putrefy, and as upon our uncomely parts we put the more comeliness.

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

(6) Seasoned with salt.—It seems impossible not to trace here a reference to our Lord’s words in Mark 9:50, “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves.” There the salt is spoken of as the preservative from corruption, and the warning against “corrupt” words in Ephesians 4:29 has been thought to point in the same direction. But the context appears certainly to suggest that the use of the salt is to teach “how to answer every man,” and that this answer (like the “reason,” or defence, of 1 Peter 3:15) is to be given to “those without.” Probably, therefore, the “seasoning with salt” is to provide against insipidity (thus according…

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

Verse 6. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt] Let it be such as has a tendency to oppose and preserve from the corruption of sin. The rabbins say: "He who, in prayer, omits any word, should begin again at the beginning; for he who does not is like boiled pottage, in which there is no salt." Berachoth, fol. 34, 1. Let all your conversation be such as may tend to exemplify and recommend Christianity; let it not only be holy, but wise, gracious, and intelligent. A harsh method of proposing or defending the doctrines of Christianity only serves to repel men from those doctrines, and from the way of salvation. Salt, from its use in preserving food from corruption, and…

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

6. your speech] Talking, discourse. The precept here may well be applied to the Christian’s whole use of the tongue (see Ephesians 4:29). But the context gives it a special reference, surely, to his discourse about the Gospel with those “without.”alway] Observe the characteristic absoluteness of the Christian precept.with grace] Lit., in grace. See above, on Colossians 3:16. Lightfoot explains, “with acceptance, pleasingness”; and quotes from the Greek of Psalms 44 :(Heb. and Eng. 45)2; Sir 21:16. But would not this be a unique, and so unlikely, use of the word in St Paul?seasoned with salt] which they were (Mark 9:50) to “have in themselves.” The reference of the metaphor is fixed by the…

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

Let your speech - Your conversation. In the previous verse the apostle had given a general direction that our conduct toward those who are not professing Christians should be wise and prudent; he

Read Albert Barnes on Colossians 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

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer everyone.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Let your speach be gracious alwayes, and powdred with salt, that ye may know how to answere euery man.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

[Let] your word [be] always with grace, seasoned with salt, [so as] to know how ye ought to answer each one.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

your word always in grace — with salt being seasoned — to know how it behoveth you to answer each one.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

your word always being seasoned with salt in grace—to know how it is necessary for you to answer each one.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Let your words always be with grace. Let them be seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Let your speech be always in grace seasoned with salt: that you may know how you ought to answer every man.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Always be gracious when you speak. Make sure it's in good taste, and think about how best to answer everyone.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Let your talk be with grace, mixed with salt, so that you may be able to give an answer to everyone.

Word by word, the decisions they made

λόγοςlogos speech G3056 4 different renderings
speechASV BSB DRA KJV MSB NETB NWB RVA WEB
wordDBY LSV YLT
wordsULB
talkBBE
πάντοτεpantote [be] always G3842 2 different renderings
alwaysBSB DRA FBV LSV MSB NETB ULB WEB YLT
always with graceASV DBY NWB RVA
ἠρτυμένος,artuō seasoned, G741 2 different renderings
seasonedASV BSB DBY DRA KJV LSV MSB NETB NWB RVA ULB WEB YLT
mixedBBE
εἰδέναιeidō to know G6063 3 different renderings
you may knowBSB DRA MSB NETB ULB WEB
knowASV GNV KJV NWB RVA
to knowDBY LSV YLT
δεῖdei it behooves G1163 2 different renderings
oughtASV DBY DRA KJV NWB RVA WEB
it is necessary forLSV
ἑκάστῳhekastos each G1538 5 different renderings
each oneASV DBY LSV RVA WEB YLT
everyoneBBE BSB FBV MSB NETB
everyDRA KJV NWB
manGNV
eachULB

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.

clausenoun phrase · subject-noun phraseλόγος[Let the] speechὑμῶνof youadverbialπάντοτε[be] alwaysprepositional phrase · predicateἐνinχάριτιgraceclause · adverbialadverbialἅλατιwith saltverbἠρτυμένοςhaving been seasonedclause · adverbialverbεἰδέναιto knowclause · objectadverbialπῶςhowverbδεῖit behoovesnoun phrase · subjectclausesubjectὑμᾶςyounoun phrase · indirect objectἑνὶoneἑκάστῳeachverbἀποκρίνεσθαιto answer

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

Sermo vester semper in gratia sale sit conditus, ut sciatis quomodo oporteat vos unicuique respondere.

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

ܘܡܠܬܟܘܢ ܒܟܠܙܒܢ ܒܛܝܒܘܬܐ ܐܝܟ ܕܒܡܠܚܐ ܬܗܘܐ ܡܡܕܟܐ ܘܗܘܝܬܘܢ ܝܕܥܝܢ ܠܐܢܫ ܐܢܫ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܘܠܐ ܠܟܘܢ ܠܡܬܒܘ ܦܬܓܡܐ

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

λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι.¶

The standard critical text of the New Testament.

Nestle-Aland 27th edition1993 · Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft

λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι.¶

The previous edition, still widely cited.

SBL Greek New Testament2010 · Michael Holmes

λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι.¶

The Society of Biblical Literature edition, freely licensed.

Westcott–Hort1881 · Westcott and Hort

λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι.¶

The edition that turned scholarship toward the earliest manuscripts.

Tregelles1857–1879 · Samuel Prideaux Tregelles

λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι.¶

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

Tyndale House Greek NT2017 · Tyndale House, Cambridge

λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι.¶

A recent critical edition following documentary evidence closely.

Byzantine majority text2018 · Robinson–Pierpont

λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι.¶

The reading of the majority of surviving manuscripts.

Textus Receptus1550/1894 lineage

λόγος ὑμῶν πάντοτε ἐν χάριτι, ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, εἰδέναι πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀποκρίνεσθαι.¶

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.

Colossians 4:6[Let] the[Let] theλόγοςspeechspeechλόγοςσύof youof youσύπάντοτε[be] always[be] alwaysπάντοτεἐνininἐνχάριςgrace,grace,χάριςἅλαςwith saltwith saltἅλαςἀρτύωseasoned,seasoned,ἀρτύωειδεναιto knowto knowειδεναιπῶςhowhowπῶςδεῖit behoovesit behoovesδεῖσύyouyouσύεἷςoneoneεἷςἕκαστοςeacheachἕκαστοςἀποκρίνομαιto answer.to answer.ἀποκρίνομαιλέγωv. I say, v. I say, speakλέγωπᾶςAdj all, tAdj all, the whπᾶςχαίρωv. I rejoiv. I rejoice, aχαίρωἀπόPrep. fromPrep. from, awaἀπόεἰςPrep. intoPrep. into, in,εἰςἐκPrep. fromPrep. from out,ἐκαἴρωv. I raisev. I raise, lifαἴρωποῦIrg.adv. wIrg.adv. where,ποῦδέωv. I bindv. I bindδέωμηδείςAdj no oneAdj no one, notμηδείςἀμήνHebr. veriHebr. verily, tἀμήντηρέωv. I keep,v. I keep, guarτηρέωσοφίαn.f. wisdon.f. wisdomσοφίαεὐχαριστέωv. I thankv. I thank, givεὐχαριστέωπτωχόςAdj poor, Adj poor, destiπτωχόςσυναγωγήn.f. an asn.f. an assemblσυναγωγήἔρημοςAdj desertAdj deserted, dἔρημοςδωρεάn.f. a fren.f. a free gifδωρεά
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 Colossians 4:6

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.

[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
ho [Let] the G3588 Article · nominative · singular · masculine
19,783× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Colossians 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.

Read the full entry →
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-NSM — Article · nominative · singular · masculine
nominative — the one doing it — the subject.
Agrees with anything else marked singular masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

T-NSM Part of Speech: definite arTicle Case: Nominative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(katecho): Usually in the sense of "permit" (Anglo-Saxon, leetan), but also in Old English with meaning of "hinder" (Anglo-Saxon, lettan). This latter sense is found in 2Th 2:7 the King James Version, "Only he who now letteth will let," where the Revised Version (British and American) has, "Only there is one that restraineth now."

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Sometimes used in the Bible in the old English sense, that is, to hinder, Isa 43:13; Ro 1:13.

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
[Let] the19783×
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

[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
λόγοςlogos speech G3056 Noun · nominative · singular · masculine
331× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Colossians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a message or idea expressed through words, like in Matthew 8:8 and Luke 7:7. It's not just a single word, but a whole thought or concept. Jesus used this word to teach about God's kingdom.
Tyndale gloss
word
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

λόγος (logos) is a Greek word meaning 'word' or 'speech,' derived from the verb λέγω (lego). It encompasses a range of meanings including a saying, statement, discourse, or even the inward thought itself. In the New Testament, it often refers to the word of God or teachings, appearing in verses like Matthew 8:8 and John 1:1. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement regarding its meanings.

Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament — φωνή, λόγος from a scan

On these words, and on their relation to one another, very much has been written by the Greek grammarians and natural philosophers (see Lersch, Sprachphilosophie der Alten, vol. iii. pp. 85, 45, and passim). Φωνή, from φάω, ds φωτίζουσα τὸ νοούμενον (Plutarch, De Plac. Phil. 19), rendered in our Version ‘ voice’ (Matt. ii. 18), ‘sound’ (John iii. 8), ‘noise’ (Rev. vi. 1), is distinguished from ψόφος, in that it is the cry of a living creature (ἡ δὲ φωνὴ ψόφος τίς ἐστιν ἐμψύχου, Aristotle, De Anima, 2. 8. 14), being sometimes ascribed to God (Matt. ui. 17), to men (Matt. iii. 3), to animals (Rev. ix. 9), and, though improperly, to inanimate objects as well (1 Cor. xiv. 7), as to the trumpet (Matt. xxiv. 31), to the wind (John iii. 8), to the thunder (Rev. vi. 1; οἵ. Ps. lxxvi. 19). But λόγος, a word, saying, or rational utterance of the νοῦς, whether spoken (προφορικός, and thus φωνὴ τῶν…

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Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

λόγος, -ου, ὁ (< λέγω),

[in LXX chiefly for

דָּבָר, also for אֵמֶר, מִלָּה, etc.;]

Of that by which the inward thought is expressed, Lat. oratio, sermo, vox, verbum.

a word, not in the grammatical sense of a mere name (ἔπος, ὄνομα, ῥῆμα), but a word as embodying a conception or idea: Mt 8:8, Lk 7:7, I Co 14:9, 19, He 12:19, al.

a saying, statement, declaration: Mt 19:22 (T om.), Mk 5:36 7:29, Lk 1:29, Jo 2:22 6:60, Ac…

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

λόγος, -ov, 6, (λέγω), [fr. Hom. down], Sept. esp. for 425, also for 798 and 799; prop. ὦ collecting, collection, (see Aéyw), —and that, as well of those things which are put together in thought, as of those which, having been thought i. e. gathered together in the mind, are expressed in words. Accordingly, a twofold use of the term is to be distinguished: one which relates to speaking, and one which relates to thinking. I. As respects SPEECH: 1. a word, yet not in the grammatical sense (i. q. vocabulum, the mere name of an object), but language, voz, i. e. a word which, uttered by the living voice, embodies a conception or idea; (hence it differs from ῥῆμα and ἔπος [q. v.; cf. also λαλέω, ad init.]): Heb. xii. 19; ἀποκριθῆναι λόγον, Mt. xxii. 46; εἰπεῖν λόγῳ, Mt. viii. 8 [Rec. λόγον (cf. εἶπον, 3 a. fin.)]; Lk. vii. 7; λαλῆσαι πέντε, μυρίους, λόyous, 1 Co. xiv. 19; διδόναι λόγον…

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

λόγος “Λόγον διδόναι with reference to judgment, as in Rom 14!2, occurs in such a passage as BGU I. 164?! (ii/iii A.D.) ὡς σοῦ μέλλοντος λόγον διδόναι τῷ λαμπροτάτῳ ἡγεμόνι, and λόγον ἀποδιδόναι (cf. Mt 1255, Lk 162, Heb 1.317} in 20. 98% (a.p. 211) κελεῦσαι αὐτὸν ἀχθῆναι ἐπὶ σὲ λόγον ἀποδώσοντα περὶ See also the Christianized imprecations against violators of tombs cited by Ramsay (Zzke, p- 396), one probably from Lycaonia and belonging to iv/a.p., /HS xxii. (1902), p. 354 ὃς δ᾽ ἐὰν ἐπισβιάσητε, δώσει θεῷ λόγον, “‘whosoever shall force an entrance, shall give account to God,”” and another from Laodicea, Athen. Mitthetl. xiii. Pp. 249 (¢. A.D. 400) ἤ τις δ᾽ ἕτερον ἐπενβάλῃ τῷ τάφῳ κριτῇ τῷ ζῶντι λόγον ἔνδικον πο[ι]ή[σει, ‘and if any one shall lay another in the tomb, he shall render judicial account to the | living Judge.”’ tions, p. 56), where so much is paid εἰς λόγον διατροφῆς, | “το…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

λόγος (logos) — word.

λόγος, ὁ,

verbal noun of λέγω (B), with senses corresponding to λέγω (B) II and III (on the various senses of the word see [Refs 2nd c.AD+] 111, compareinfr. VI. 1 a:

I. computation, reckoning (compare λέγω (B) II).

I.1. account of money handled, σανίδες εἰς ἃς τὸν λ. ἀναγράφομεν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; συνᾶραι λόγον μετά τινος settle accounts with, [NT]; δεύτεροι λ. a second audit, [Refs 4th c.AD+]; ὁ τραπεζιτικὸς λ. banking account, Theo Sm.p.73 H.: metaphorically, οὐκ ἂν πριαίμην οὐδενὸς λ. βροτόν [Refs 5th c.BC+]

I.1. b public accounts, i. e. branch of treasury, ἴδιος λ., in Egypt, [Refs]; also as title of treasurer, [Refs 1st c.BC+]; δημόσιος λ., = Latin fiscus, [Refs 1st c.AD+], etc. (but later, = aerarium, [Refs 4th…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

λόγος

logos

from 3004; something said (including the thought); by implication, a

topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or

motive; by extension, a computation; specially, (with the article in

John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ):--account, cause,

communication, X concerning, doctrine, fame, X have to do, intent,

matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove,

say(-ing), shew, X speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these

things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.

see GREEK for 3004

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

λόγος, ου, ὁ

n.m.

a word, speech, divine utterance, analogy

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

λόγος logos 330x

a word, a thing uttered, Mt. 12:32, 37; 1 Cor. 14:19; speech, language, talk, Mt. 22:15; Lk. 20:20; 2 Cor. 10:10; Jas. 3:2; converse, Lk. 24:17; mere talk, wordy show, 1 Cor. 4:19, 20; Col. 2:23; 1 Jn. 3:18; language, mode of discourse, style of speaking, Mt. 5:37; Read the full entry →

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

λόγος λόγος, ὁ, λέγω3 (A) the word or that by which the inward thought is expressed, Lat. oratio; and, (B) the inward thought itself, Lat. ratio.

Lat. vox, oratio, that which is said or spoken:

a word, pl. words, i. e. language, talk, Hom., etc.; λόγου ἕνεκα, Lat. dicis causa, merely for talking's sake, Plat.; λόγῳ in word, in pretence, opp. to ἔργῳ (in deed, in reality), Hdt., attic

a word, saying, statement, Thuc.: an oracle, Pind., Plat.:— a saying, maxim, proverb, Pind., Aesch.

an assertion, promise, Soph.

a resolution, κοινῷ λ. by common consent, Hdt.

a condition, ἐπὶ λόγῳ τοιῷδε id. Hdt.

a command, Aesch.

speech, discourse, conversation, εἰς λόγους ἐλθεῖν, συνελθεῖν, ἀφικέσθαι τινί Hdt., attic; λόγου μεῖζον, κρεῖσσον beyond expression, Hdt., Thuc.; λόγου ἄξιον worth mention…

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-NSM — Noun · nominative · singular · masculine
nominative — the one doing it — the subject.
Agrees with anything else marked singular masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-NSM Part of Speech: Noun Case: Nominative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

spech ('imrah, dabhar, etc.; logos): "Speech," the articulate utterance of thought, is the tranlation of various Hebrew terms which convey this idea of "saying" or "word"; so, in the New Testament, the term generally so rendered is logos, "word." See LOGOS; WORD. Eulogia in Ro 16:18 is "fair speech"; lalia in Mt 26:73; Mr 14:70 the King James Version; Joh 8:43 is simply "talk." the Revised Version (British and American) has "speech" for various other words in the King James Version, as "matters" (1Sa 16:18, margin "bussiness"), "communication" (Mt 5:37;

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
59%word
word59% · 196×words17% · 57×account3% · 10×speech3% · 10×saying3% · 9×other renderings6% · 21×other renderings9% · 29×

332 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 29 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
object45%adverbial25%subject23%predicate4%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 331 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
ἀκούωI hear, listenκαίand, even, also,διά
ἐν
παγιδεύωI ensnare, entraαὐτόςδυνατόςpowerful, able,
αὐτός
Article theἀποκρίνομαιI answer, replyπερί
διά
αὐτόςεἰμίI am, existμήτεNeg
δέbut, on the other ha
Article theἄλλοςother, another,
λόγοςspeech331×
what comes after →
Article the
θεόςGod, a godκύριοςlord, Lord, mastπροφητείαprophecy
οὗτος
Article theκαίand, even, also,λέγωI say, speak
καίand, even, also, nam
πᾶςall, the whole, ἰάομαιI healἄκαρποςunfruitful, barr
ἐγώ
οὐNegτηρέωI keep, guard, oὅστις
ὅς
λέγωI say, speakλαλέωI speak, sayἀκούωI hear, listen

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

Concordanceλόγος · 331× in the New Testament
Acts John Luke Matthew Mark Revelation 1 Corinthians Hebrews 1 Thessalonians 2 Corinthians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament24 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 536 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
Philo of Alexandria Josephus Clement of Rome The Epistle of Barnabas Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 4c. AD 40

καὶ γὰρ λόγον καὶ ἀκοὴν ὑπερβάλλει μείζω καὶ σεμνότερα ὄντα ἢ ὡς θνητοῦ τινος ὀργάνοις ἐναρμοσθῆναι.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.2c. AD 75–95

τινὲς μὲν γὰρ ἐπιδεικνύμενοι λόγων δεινότητα καὶ τὴν ἀπʼ αὐτῆς θηρευόμενοι δόξαν ἐπὶ τοῦτο τῆς παιδείας τὸ μέρος ὁρμῶσιν, ἄλλοι δὲ χάριν ἐκείνοις φέροντες, περὶ ὧν τὴν ἀναγραφὴν εἶναι συμβέβηκε, τὸν εἰς αὐτὴν πόνον καὶ παρὰ δύναμιν ὑπέστησαν·

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 6.17c. AD 100

ὅτι πρῶτον τὸ παιδίον μέλιτι, εἶτα γάλακτι ζωοποιεῖται: οὕτως οὖν καὶ ἡμεῖς τῇ πίστει τῆς ἐπαγγελίας καὶ τῷ λόγῳ ζωοποιούμενοι ζήσομεν κατακυριεύοντες τῆς γῆς.

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 1st c. AD

ἔτους λε Μεσορὴ ἰδίου λόγου Δρύτωνος. ἐκ τῆς νήσου πρὸς Λαμένθιν δέδωκα πυροῦ ιδ κριθῆς β ἐμβαδικὸν δραχμὰς λ

P.Grenf. 1 22Thebais119 BC

Μοσχίων Πετεαρσένθει χαίρειν. ἔχω εἰς τὸν Ἑρμίου λόγον περὶ πῆς τοπογραμματείας τοῦ νγ ἔτους χαλκοῦ τάλαντα δέκα. γίνεται τάλαντα ι. καὶ περὶ

P.Grenf. 2 26Pathyris104 BC

Ἑλληνικῶν ἃ ἐξέτεισε Παοῦς ὁ Ὥρου πατὴρ καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς Ὧρος εἰς τὸν Ταρεήσιος λόγον τῆς αὐτοῦ μητρὸς τοῖς δανεισταῖς Χαιρήμωνι καὶ Ἐσθλαδᾷ καὶ Πνήφει γυναικὶ καὶ ἀδελφῇ· καὶ

[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
ὑμῶνsu of you G4771 Personal pronoun · second person · genitive · plural
2,892× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Colossians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This Greek word means 'you' and is used to address someone directly, like in John 1:30 and Matthew 26:64. It's a way to emphasize or contrast the person being spoken to. The KJV Bible translates it as 'thou'.
Tyndale gloss
you
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

σύ is the second-person singular pronoun meaning 'you' in Greek. It has various forms: genitive σοῦ, dative σοί, and accusative σέ. The word can be used for emphasis or contrast, particularly in the New Testament, as seen in verses like Matthew 26:64. It also appears in various dialects and has enclitic forms.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

σύ,

pron. of 2nd pers.,

thou, you, gen., σοῦ, dat., σοί, acc., σέ, pl., ὑμεῖς, -ῶν, -ῖν, -ᾶς (enclitic in oblique cases sing., except after prep. (BL, §48, 3), though πρὸς σέ occurs in Mt 25:39). Nom. for emphasis or contrast: Jo 1:30, 42 4:10 5:33, 39, 44, Ac 4:7, Eph 5:32; so also perhaps σὺ εἶπας, Mt 26:64, al. (M, Pr., 86); before voc., Mt 2:6, Lk 1:76, Jo 17:5, al.; sometimes without emphasis (M, Pr., 85f.), as also

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

σύ, pron. of the second pers. (Dor. and Aeol. τύ, Boeot. Tov), gen. σοῦ, dat. σοί, ace. σέ (which oblique cases are enclitic, unless a preposition precede; yet πρός σε is written [uniformly in Ree. (exe. Mt. xxvi. 18), in Grsb. (exe. Jn. xxi. 22, 23), in Treg. (exc. Mt. xxvi. 18; Acts xxiii. 30), in Lchm. (exe. Mt. xxvi.18; Jn. xvii. 11, 13; xxi. 22, 23; Acts xxiii. 30), in Tdf. (exe. Mt. xxvi. 18; Lk. i. 19; Jn. xvii. 11, 13; Jn. xxi. 22; Acts xxiii. 18, 30; 1 Tim. iii. 14; Tit. iii. 12); also by WH in Mt. xxv. 39], see ἐγώ, 2; Lipsius, Grammat. Untersuch. p. 62 sq. [W. §6, 3; B. 31 (27)]); plur. ὑμεῖς, εἴς. : Lat. tu, ete., vos, ete.; thou, ete., ye,ete. The nominatives ov and ὑμεῖς are expressed for emphasis — before a vocative, as σὺ Βηθλεέμ, Mt. ii. 6; σὺ παιδίον (Leian. dial. deor. 2, 1), Lk. i. 76; add, Jn. xvii. 5; Acts i. 24; 1 Tim. vi. 11, etc.; ὑμεῖς of Φαρισαῖοι, Lk. xi. 39…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

σύ (su) — you.

σύ [ῠ],

thou: pronoun of the second person:—Epic dialect nominative τύνη [ῡ] [Refs 8th c.BC+] (Laconian dialect τούνη [Refs 5th c.AD+]; Aeolic dialect σύ [Refs 7th c.BC+]; Doric dialect τύ [ῠ] [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Boeotian dialect τού [short syllable] [Refs 6th c.BC+] (also τούν [Refs]σύ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]—Gen. σοῦ, [Refs], elsewhere only Attic dialect, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; enclitic σου, [Refs 8th c.BC+] (also in Lyric poetry, [Refs 8th c.BC+] (which also occurs in Lyric poetry, [Refs 7th c.BC+], and as enclitic σευ, [Refs 8th c.BC+], σεο (enclitic) [Refs] σευ (enclitic) [Refs]:—Doric dialect τεῦ, τευ, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; rarely τέο, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Boeotian dialect τεῦς [Refs 6th c.BC+]; Doric dialect τεοῦς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τοι variant in [Refs]; enclitic τεος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; other Doric dialect forms are τίω, τίως, both [Refs 3rd c.BC+]—Dat. σοί, [Refs 8th c.BC+]…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

σύ

su

the person pronoun of the second person singular; thou:-- thou. See

also 4571, 4671, 4675; and for the plural 5209, 5210, 5213, 5216.

see GREEK for 4675

see GREEK for 4571

see GREEK for 4671

see GREEK for 5209

see GREEK for 5210

see GREEK for 5213

see GREEK for 5216

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

σύ, σοῦ, σοί, σέ

Pers.pr.

you

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

σύ sy 2x

you, gen., σοῦ, dat., σοί, acc., σέ, Mt. 1:20; 2:6

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron-2GP — Personal pronoun · second person · genitive · plural
genitive — of, from, belonging to.
Agrees with anything else marked plural.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

P-2GP Part of Speech: Personal pronoun Person: second Case: Genitive Number: Plural

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
78%you
you78% · 2412×you yourselves7% · 221×you yourself5% · 168×your3% · 87×other renderings3% · 96×other renderings3% · 89×

3,073 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 37 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
subject28%object24%adverbial23%indirect object20%predicate5%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 2,892 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
ἀμήνHebrδέbut, on the otheἐγώ
καίand, even, also, nam
ἐγώοὕτωthus, so, in thiμήNeg
ἐν
Article theεἰμίI am, existγίνομαιI come into bein
πρός
ἔρχομαιI come, goἐγώπέμπωI send
δέbut, on the other ha
λέγωI say, speakπαρακαλέωI summon, entreaθέλωI will, wish, de
σύof you2892×
what comes after →
Article the
θεόςGod, a godἐνἁμαρτίαa sin
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theεἰρήνηpeace, peace of οὐNeg
ὅτιthat, since, because
Article theπᾶςall, the whole, οὐNeg
εἰμίI am, exist
Article theκαίand, even, also,ἐν
ἐν
Article theποῖοςIrgΧριστόςanointed, the Me

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

Concordanceσύ · 2,892× in the New Testament
Matthew Luke John Acts Mark 2 Corinthians 1 Corinthians Romans 1 Thessalonians Revelation Hebrews Colossians

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

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 450 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 Ignatius of Antioch Clement of Rome
Philo of AlexandriaAllegorical Interpretation of Genesis 1.48c. AD 40

„οὐ φυτεύσεις σεαυτῷ ἄλσος, πᾶν ξύλον παρὰ τὸ θυσιαστήριον κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου οὐ ποιήσεις σεαυτῷ“ (Deuter.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.101c. AD 75–95

παύσομαι δὲ τοῦ λοιποῦ μετὰ τοσαύτης ὀργῆς τὰς τιμωρίας ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀδικήμασιν εἰσπραττόμενος καὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον σοῦ παρακαλοῦντος.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.2c. AD 100

Μεγάλων μὲν ὄντων καὶ πλουσίων τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιωμάτων εἰς ὑμᾶς, ὑπέρ τι καὶ καθ̓ ὑπερβολὴν ὑπερευφραίνομαι ἐπὶ τοῖς μακαρίοις καὶ ἐνδόξοις ὑμῶν πνεύμασιν: οὕτως ἔμφυτον τῆς δωρεᾶς πνευματικῆς χάριν εἰλήφατε.

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 3rd c. BC
P.Grenf. 1 35Ptolemais - Akko (Syrien)103 BC

τοῦ ἀποδοθῆι τὸν ἐπεσταλμένον ἡμῖν κατὰ μῆνα πυρὸν τοῖς παρʼ ἡμῶν. διʼ ἄλλων γεγράφαμεν ὑμῖν ὑπὲρ ὧν βουλόμεθα μηδεμιᾶς προσφωνήσεως προσπεπτωκυίας. ἑαυτῶν δὲ ἐπιμελόμενοι ἵνʼ ὑγιαίνητε, — ἔσμεν ἐν

P.Grenf. 1 32Pelusion103 BC

η Φατρήους καὶ … χαίρειν καὶ ἐρρωμένοις διευτυχεῖν. ἐρρώμεθα δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ὑμῶν τὴν ἀρίστην μνείαν ποιούμενοι παρὰ τοῖς ἐν Πηλουσίωι θεοῖς. καλῶς ποιήσεις διαλύσας Ἁρκοννῆσιν καὶ

P.Grenf. 1 41Thebais3 BC

παρὰ Πετεύριος διεθέντος μου ὑπάρξει σοι εἰς στέφανον χαλκοῦ τάλαντα δεκάπεντε, τάλαντα ιε. εὐτύχει .

[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
πάντοτεpantote [be] always G3842 Adverb
41× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Colossians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Always means at all times, like in Matthew 26:11 where Jesus says the poor will always be present.
Amplified meaning
always with grace, in a gracious manner
Tyndale gloss
always
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word πάντοτε (i.e., *pantote*) is an adverb meaning 'always' or 'at all times.' It is derived from the components for 'every' and 'when.' The term appears frequently in the New Testament, particularly in the writings of Paul, and is noted for its use in both classical and later Greek literature.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

** πάντοτε,

adv. of time

(< πᾶς),

[in LXX: Wi 11:21 19:18*;]

in late writers (once in Arist.) for διαπαντός, ἑκάστοτε,

at all times, always: Mt 26:11, Mk 14:7, Lk 15:31, Jo 6:34, Ro 1:10, and freq. in Paul. Epp.

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

πάντοτε, (πᾶς), adv., (for which the Atticists tell us that the better Grk. writ. used ἑκάστοτε; ef. Sturz, De dial. Maced. et Alex. p. 187 sq.; [W. 26 (25)]), at all times, always, ever: Mt. xxvi. 11; Mk. xiv. 7; Lk. xv. 31; xviii. 1; Jn. vi. 345 vii. 6; viii. 29; xi. 42; xii. 8; xviii. 20

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

πάντοτε, ‘Sat all times,” ‘‘always,” used by late writers for διαπαντός (cf. Rutherford VP, p. 183 f.), may be illustrated by P Giss I. 174 (a slave to her master—time of Hadrian) (= Chrest. I. 481) εὔχομαι πάντοτε περὶ τῆς ὑγιείας σου, and P Oxy XIV. 17594 (letter to an athlete—ii/a.p.) εὔχομαί σε ὑγιαίνειν [κ]αὶ νικᾶν πάντοτε. See also Sy// 37 (= 5. 814)*7 (Α.Ὁ. 67), where Nero is described as—edoeBav τοὺς θεοὺς ἡμῶν παριστανομένους αὐτῷ πάντοτε ἐπὶ προνοίᾳ καὶ σωτηρίᾳ. For an earlier ex., from time of Augustus, see BGU IV. 11238.

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

πάντοτε (pantote) — always.

πάντοτε,

adverb always, [NT+4th c.BC+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

πάντοτε

pantote

from 3956 and 3753; every when, i.e. at all times:--alway(-s),

ever(-more).

see GREEK for 3956

see GREEK for 3753

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

πάντοτε

Adv

always, at all times

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

πάντοτε pantote 41x

always, at all times, ever, Mt. 26:11; Mk. 14:7; Lk. 15:31; 18:1

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

πάντοτε πᾶς adv. at all times, always, 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

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
93%always
always93% · 38×at all times5% · 2×continually2% · 1×

41 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 3 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
adverbial100%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 41 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
θεόςGod, a god
Article the
οὐNeg
δέbut, on the othe
κύριοςlord, Lord, master,
αὐτόςArticle theἐν
σύ
τέκνονa child, descendλόγοςa word, speech,
ἐγώ
κόσμοςthe world, univeθεόςGod, a god
πάντοτε[be] always41×
what comes after →
περί
σύπᾶςall, the whole,
ἔχωI have, hold, posses
μετά
καίand, even, also, nam
οἶδαI know, rememberμήNegνῦνnow, already, at
γάρfor
Article the
Article the
νέκρωσιςputting to deathἀγαθόςgood

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

Concordanceπάντοτε · 41× in the New Testament
John 1 Thessalonians 2 Corinthians Philippians 2 Thessalonians Colossians 1 Corinthians Luke Matthew Mark 2 Timothy Ephesians
Across the New Testament16 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
The Shepherd of Hermas Josephus Ignatius of Antioch Philo of Alexandria
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Migration of Abraham 27c. AD 40

κατάλυσον δὲ ἤδη τὸ φιλόνεικον, ἵνα μὴ πάντοτε πονῇς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν πονηθέντων ἀπόνασθαι δυνηθῇς.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 7.217c. AD 75–95

οὐ γὰρ ἀγνοεῖς εἶπεν, ὦ βασιλεῦ, τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τὴν τῶν συνόντων αὐτῷ ἀνδρείαν, ὅτι καὶ πολλοὺς πολέμους πεπολέμηκε καὶ πάντοτε κρατῶν τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἀπήλλακται.

The Shepherd of HermasThe Shepherd of Hermas 1.2.3c. AD 140

ὁ μακρόθυμος καὶ ἀστομάχητος, ὁ πάντοτε γελῶν, τί οὕτω κατηφὴς τῇ ἰδέᾳ καὶ οὐχ ἱλαρός;

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 4th c. AD 1st c. AD 3rd c. AD

ἐρωτῶ σε μεγάλως καὶ παρακαλῶ σε, ὅπως τὸν ἵππον μου ἐπιβλέψῃς ἐπιμελῶς ὡς καὶ πάντοτε ποιεῖς καὶ λίαν μεγάλως σοι εὐχαριστῶ καὶ πάλιν εὐχαριστήσω, εἰδὼς καὶ σύ, ὅτι οὐκ

P.Oslo 3 150AD 1–AD 100

ἀδελφῷ πλεῖστα χαίρειν. … … μέμφομαί σε … … … … ἀγεωμετρητ … … πάντοτε ἄξιον τοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς … … ἀλλὰ πάντα μωρὰ καὶ μ … … καιρὸν

O.Krok. 2 267KrokodiloAD 98–AD 117

πιστὸν ἄνθρωπον ἵνα μὴ αὐτὴν ὑβρίσωσιν· ἐὰν ποιῄσεις μοι μικρόν τι, ἀνταποδώσω σοι καὶ πάντοτε ἔχω τὴν ἐξουσίαν σου ὡς ἀδελφόν· γράψον μοι περὶ τῆς σωτηρίας σου· ἄσπασαι Μάξιμον

[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
ἐνen in G1722 Preposition
2,743× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Colossians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a preposition that means in, on, or among something. It's used in many places, like Matthew 7:3 and Luke 7:37, to describe a location or relationship. It can also mean by, with, or during.
Tyndale gloss
in/on/among
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The most frequent preposition in the New Testament, 2,752 occurrences. In, on, at, among, within — its force comes almost entirely from the word it is attached to. What it does here is put the events inside a community rather than at a distance: they were fulfilled among us.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἐν,

prep, (the most freq. of all in NT), c. dat. (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, c. abl.).

Of place, c. dat. rei, pers., in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Lk 7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mt 7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mt 12:40; τ. ὄρει, II Pe 1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Re 3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Ro 8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν , Lk 1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Ga 3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mt 12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103)…

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

ἐν Χριστῷ, ἐν Χριστῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ, ἐν κυρίῳ, (οἴ. Fritzsche, Com. on Rom. vol. ii. p. 82 544.; W. 389 (364); Weiss, Bibl. Theol. des N. T. §§ 84 b., 149 c.), ingrafied as it were in Christ, in fellowship and union with Christ, with the Lord: Ro. iii. 24; vi. 11, 23; viii. 39; 1Co.i.4; 2 Co. iii. 14; Gal. ii. 4; iii. 14, 26, 28; v. 6; Eph.i. 3 [Rec. om. ἐν]; ii. 6 sq. 10,13; 1 Tim.i.14; 2 Tim.i. 1,13; ii-1; 1 Pet. iii. 16; v.10; στήκειν ἐν κυρίῳ, Phil. iv. 1; iva εὑρεθῶ ἐν αὐτῷ, that I may be found (by God and Christ) most intimately united to him, Phil. iii. 9; εἶναι ἐν Χριστῷ "Inc. 1 Co. i. 30; οἱ ἐν Xp. "Ina. Ro. viii. 1; 1 Pet. v. 14; κοιμᾶσθαι ἐν Χριστῷ, θνήσκειν ἐν κυρίῳ, to fall asleep, to die, mindful of relationship to Christ and confiding in it [W. u.s.], 1 Co. xv. 18; Rey. xiv. 13. Since such union with Christ is the basis on which actions and virtues rest, the expression is…

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

ἐν 210 contract—time of Augustus) ἱμάτια γυναικεῖα ἐν apyv(plov) δραχμαῖς ἑκατόν, P Oxy IV. 7247 (A.D. 155) ἐξ ὧν ἔσχες τὴν πρώτην δόσιν ἐν δραχμαῖς τεσσαράκοντα, 70. I. 565 (A.D. 211) δανειζομένη. .. ἀργύριον ἔντοκον ἐν δραχμαῖς ἑξακισχειλίαις, and P Grenf II. 778 (iii/iv a.p.) (=Selections, Pp. 120) το]ὺς μισθοὺς. . ὄντας ἐν δραχμαῖς τριακοσίαις τεσσαράκοντα. Similar are P Oxy IV. 7084 (a.p. 188) yopou . . ἐν (1vpod)(apraBats) ’B, BGU 1. 724 (a.p. 191) ἐξέκοψαν πλεῖστον τόπον ἐν ἀρούραις πέντε: with which may be compared Eph 2!° τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν, “consisting in.” In P Lond 9215 (ii/iii a.p.) (ΞΞ 111. P- 134) γεγονέναι ἐν ἀμπέλῳ = ‘to be planted with vines.” A predicative use of ἐν is seen in P Hib I. 421° (B.c. 262) δώσομεν Λευκίωι ἐν ὀφειλήματι, ‘asa debt,” P Petr I. 1215 (cf. II. p. 22) ὅσα δὲ ᾿Αξιοθέα προσενήνεγκται ἐμ φερνῆι, “ἐᾷς dowry,” and P Tebt I. 120 135…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἐν (en) — in/on/among.

ἐν,

poetry ἐνί, εἰν, εἰνί [Refs 8th c.BC+], forms used by Epic dialect and Lyric Poets as the metre requires, but only as falsa lectio in Trag., εἰν [Refs 5th c.BC+] ἰν [Refs]

__PREP. WITH DAT. AND ACC. Radical sense, in, into.

__A WITH DAT.

__A.I OF PLACE,

__A.I.1 in, νήσῳ ἐν ἀμφιρύτῃ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; with names of cities or islands, as ἐν Ἀθήνῃς, ἐν Τροίῃ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; where ἐν is used, it = in the district of.., ὲν Ἐλευσῖνι [Refs] in my arms, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐν αὑτῷ εἶναι to be in one's senses, be oneself, ἔτ᾽ ἐν σαυτῷ (variant -τοῦ) γενοῦ [Refs 5th c.BC+]

__A.I.1.b ἐν τοῖς ἰχθύσιν in the fish-market, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so ἐν τοῖν δυοῖν ὀβολοῖν ἐθεώρουν ἄν in the two-obol seats, [Refs 4th…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἐν

en

a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or

state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or

constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519

and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, +

almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+

all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to,

-wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly,

one, X quickly,

X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on),

through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while,

with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same

import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate

direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different)

preposition.

see GREEK for 1519

see GREEK for 1537

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἐν

Prep.

in, on, among

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἐν en 2x

followed by the dat., in, Mt. 8:6; Mk. 12:26; Rev. 6:6,; upon, Lk. 8:32; among, Mt. 11:11; before, in the presence of, Mk. 8:38; in the sight, estimation of, 1 Cor. 14:11; before, judicially, 1 Cor. 6:2; in, of state, occupation, habit, Mt. 21:22; Lk. 7:25; Rom. 4:10; in the case of, Read the full entry →

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἐν

e)nprepe)ni/prep ei)nprep ei)ni/prep in, among. c. dat.

Lat. in.

PREP. WITH DAT.:

OF PLACE

in, ἐν νήσῳ, ἐν Τροίῃ, etc., Hom., etc.:—elliptic, ἐν Ἀλκινόοιο (sc. οἴκῳ) Od.; εἰν Ἀΐδαο Il.; ἐν παιδοτρίβου at the school of the training master, Ar.

in, upon, ἐν οὔρεσι Hom., etc.

in the number of, amongst, ἐν Δαναοῖς, etc., Hom.; and with Verbs of ruling, ἄρχειν, ἀνάσσειν ἐν πολλοῖς to be first or lord among many, i. e. over them, id. Hom.; cf. ὁ, τό B. III. 3.

in one's hands, within one's reach or power, Lat. penes, Hom., etc.; ἐν σοὶ γάρ ἐσμεν Soph.; ἐν τῷ θεῷ τὸ τέλος ἦν Dem.

in respect of, ἐν γήρᾳ in point of age, Soph.

Read the full entry →
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

A principal thing to notice about this preposition, which in the King James Version represents about 16 Hebrew and as many Greek words and prepositions, is that, in hundreds of cases (especially in the Old Testament, but frequently also in the New Testament) in the Revised Version (British and American) the rendering is changed to more exact forms ("to," "unto," "by," "upon," "at," "with," "among," "for," "throughout," etc.; compare e.g. Ge 6:16; 13:8; 17:7,9,12; 18:1; Ex 8:17; Le 1:9, etc.); while, nearly as often, "in" is substituted for divergent forms of the King James Version (e.g. Ge 2:14; 17:11; 31:54; 40:7; 49:17; Ex…

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
χάριτι,charis grace, G5485 Noun · dative · singular · feminine
155× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Colossians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Grace or graciousness, as in Colossians 4:6 and Luke 4:22. This word describes the divine influence on the heart and its reflection in life, including gratitude and favor.
Amplified meaning
with kindness, generous
Tyndale gloss
grace
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word χάρις (*charis*) means grace or favor and is derived from the concept of graciousness. It encompasses both the objective aspect of beauty and charm, as well as the subjective experience of kindness and gratitude. In the New Testament, it frequently refers to divine grace, emphasizing its free and universal nature, and is used in various contexts, such as expressions of thanks and the influence of grace on the heart.

Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament — χάρις, ἔλεος from a scan

THERE has often been occasion to observe the manner in which Greek words taken up into Christian use are glorified and transformed, seeming to have waited for this adoption of them, to come to their full rights, and to reveal all the depth and the riches of meaning which they contained, or might be made to contain. Xdpisis one of these. It is hardly too much to say that the Greek mind has in no word uttered itself and all that was at its heart more distinctly than in this; so that it will abundantly repay ὃ xtvu. SYNONYMS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 167 our pains to trace briefly the steps by which it came to its highest honours. Χάρις, connected with χαίρειν, is first of all that property in a thing which causes it to give joy to the hearers or beholders of it, as Plutarch (Phil. cum Prine. 3) has rightly explained it, χαρᾶς yap οὐξὲν οὕτως γονιμόν ἐστιν ὡς χάρις (cf. Pott. Etym. Forsch.…

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Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

χάρις, -ιτος, ἡ , acc., χάριν (χάριτα in Ac 24:27, Ju 4; v. WH, App., 157),

[in LXX chiefly for חֵן ;]

objectively, that which causes favourable regard, gracefulness, grace, loveliness of form, graciousness of speech (cl.; Ec 10:12, Si 21:16, al.): Col 4:6; λόγοι τ. χάριτος (gen. qual.), Lk 4:22.

Subjectively,

on the part of the giver, grace, graciousness, kindness, goodwill, favour: Lk 2:52, Ac 7:10, al.; esp. in NT of the divine favour, grace, with emphasis on its freeness and universality:

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

χάρις, -ἰτος, ace. χάριν, and twice in LT Tr WH the rarer form χάριτα (Acts xxiv. 27; Jude 4) which is also poetic (cf. Bitm. Ausf. Spr. i. 8.44 Anm.1; [WH. App. 157; B. 13 (12)]), ace. plur. χάριτας (Acts xxiv. 27 RG), ἡ, (χαίρω), fr. Hom. down, Hebr. jM, grace; i.e. 1. prop. that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness : grace of speech (Eccl. x. 12; Sir. xxi. 16; xxxvii. 21; Hom. Od. 8,175; τῶν λόγων, Dem. 51, 9; 1419, 16; χάριτες μωρῶν, verbal pleasantries which the foolish affect in order to ingratiate themseives, Sir. xx. 13), λόγοι χάριτος (gen. of quality), Lk. iv. 22; χάριν διδόναι τοῖς ἀκούουσινν Eph. ἵν 29; ἐν χάριτι, with grace [the subst. ἅλας being added; see Bp. Lghtft.], Col. iv. 6. 2. good-will, lovingkindness, favor: ina broad sense, χάρις mapa τινι, Lk. ii. 52; ἔχειν χάριν πρός twa, to have favor with one, Acts ii. 47; χάρις ἐναντίον τινός…

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

χάρις. The utmost we can attempt with this important word is to illustrate some of its meanings from our sources with the view of showing how readily it lent itself to the deeper Christian implications involved in its NT use. I. *‘grace,” ‘‘ graciousness”: OG/S 383° (Commagene rescript—mid. i/B.C.) ἔργα χάριτος ἰδίας : cf Lk 42%. 2, ‘‘favour’’: P Leid Di™ (B.c. 162-161) (=I. p. 25, UPZ i. p. 231) περὶ μὲν οὖν τούτων δοῖ σοι ὁ Σάραπις kal ἡ Ἶσις ἐπαφροδισί[α]ν χάριν μορφὴν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ τὴν βασίλισσαν, similarly 76, ΚΚ1ῦ (c. B.c. 99) (=I. p. 52), P Lips I. τος (1i/i B.c.) χάριν σοι ἔχω ἐφ᾽ als γράφεις ἐπι[σ]τολαῖς, and 76.24, BGU I. 192 (A.p. 135) ἠξίου προσφυγεῖν TH χάριτι τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπιφανεστάτου Αὐτοκράτορος, 2d. IV. 1085° (time of Marcus) κατὰ τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ Aid[(Jov ᾿Αντων[εἸίνου δύνονται ἔχειν τὸν τάφον, P Grenf II. 684 (A.D. 247) ὁμολογῶ χαρίζεσθ[αι] σοὶ χάριτι ἀναφαιρέτῳ…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

χάρις (charis) — grace.

χάρις [ᾰ], ἡ,

genitive χάρῐτος: accusative χάριν [ῑ in arsi, [Refs 8th c.BC+], etc.; also χάριτα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; dative χάρισι, χαρίτεσσι, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: (χαίρω):—grace:

I. in objective sense, outward grace or fauour, beauty, properly of persons or their portraits, θεσπεσίην δ᾽ ἄρα τῷ γε χάριν κατεχεύατ᾽ Ἀθήνη [Refs 8th c.BC+]: plural, graces, κάλλεϊ καὶ χάρισι στίλβων [Refs 8th c.BC+]gracefully, [Refs 5th c.BC+] of ear-rings, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of works, ἔργοισι χάριν καὶ κῦδος ὀπάζει [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of words, οὔ οἱ χ. ἀμφιπεριστέφεται ἐπέεσσιν [Refs]; πλείστη δὲ χ. κατὰ μέτρον ἰούσης [γλώσσης] [Refs 8th c.BC+]

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

χάρις

charis

from 5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or

concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine

influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including

gratitude):--acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace(- ious), joy,

liberality, pleasure, thank(-s, -worthy).

see GREEK for 5463

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

χάρις, ιτος, ἡ

n.f.

grace, favor, kindness

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

χάρις charis 155x

pleasing show, charm; beauty, gracefulness; a pleasing circumstance, matter of approval, 1 Pet. 2:19, 20; kindly bearing, graciousness, Lk. 4:22; a beneficial opportunity, benefit, 2 Cor. 1:15; Eph. 4:29; a charitable act, generous gift, 1 Cor. 16:3; 2 Cor. 8:4, 6; an act of favor, Acts 25:3; favor, acceptance, Lk. 1:30, 52; Acts 2:47; 7:10, 46; free favor, free gift, grace, Read the full entry →

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

χάρις χά^ρις, ιος, ἡ, χαίρω Grace, Lat. gratia:

outward grace or favour (as we say well or ill favoured), grace, loveliness, Hom., etc.; τῷγε χάριν κατεχεύατ᾽ Ἀθήνη over him Athena shed grace, Od.; of persons, pl. graces, charms, id. Od., etc.:—more rarely of things, ἔργοισι χάριν καὶ κῦδος ὀπάζειν id. Od.; ἡ τῶν λόγων χ. Dem.

grace or favour felt, whether on the part of the Doer or the Receiver:

on the part of the Doer, grace, graciousness, kindness, goodwill, τινός for or towards one, Hes., Thuc., etc.

on the part of the Receiver, the sense of favour received, thankfulness, thanks, gratitude, Il.; τινός for a thing, οὐδέ τίς ἐστι χάρις μετόπισθ᾽ εὐεργέων Od.; c. inf., οὔ τις χάρις ἦεν μάρνασθαι one has no thanks for fighting, Il.; χάριν εἰδέναι τινί to acknowledge a sense of favour, feel…

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-DSF — Noun · dative · singular · feminine
dative — to, for, with — the one it is done to or by.
Agrees with anything else marked singular feminine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-DSF Part of Speech: Noun Case: Dative Number: Singular Gender: Feminine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

gras:

1. The Word Charis:

In the English New Testament the word "grace" is always a translation of (charis), a word that occurs in the Greek text something over 170 times (the reading is uncertain in places). In secular Greek of all periods it is also a very common word, and in both Biblical and secular Greek it is used with far more meanings than can be represented by any one term in English Primarily

(a) the word seems to denote pleasant external appearance, "gracefulness" "loveliness"; compare the personificaion in the Graces." Such a use is found in Lu 4:22, where `wondered at the charm of his words' is a good translation; and similarly in Col 4:6.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Grace

(1.) Of form or person (Prov. 1:9; 3:22; Ps. 45:2). (2.) Favour, kindness, friendship (Gen. 6:8; 18:3; 19:19; 2 Tim. 1:9). (3.) God’s forgiving mercy (Rom. 11:6; Eph. 2:5). (4.) The gospel as distinguished from the law (John 1:17; Rom. 6:14; 1 Pet. 5:12). (5.) Gifts freely bestowed by God; as miracles, prophecy, tongues (Rom. 15:15;

Favor, mercy. Divine grace is the free and undeserved love and favor of God towards man as a sinner, especially as exhibited in the plan of redemption through Jesus Christ, Joh 1:17 3:16 Ro 3:24-26. It is only by the free grace of god that we embrace the offers of mercy, and appropriate to ourselves the blessings graciously purchased by redeeming blood.

The "GRACE OF GOD," spontaneous, unmerited, self-directed, and almighty, is the source of the whole scheme of redemption, Ro 11:6 2Ti 1:9. With it are united "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ," who gave himself for sinners; and that of "the Spirit of grace," by whom alone the grace offered by the Father and purchased by the…

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- God is the God of all

1Pe 5:10

- God is the Giver of

Ps 84:11; Jas 1:17

- God's throne, the throne of

Heb 4:16

- The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of

Zec 12:10; Heb 10:29

- Was upon Christ

Lu 2:40; Joh 3:24

- Christ spoke with

Ps 45:2; Lu 4:22

- Christ was full of

Joh 1:14

- Came by Christ

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
83%grace
grace83% · 129×favor5% · 8×thanks4% · 6×other renderings3% · 5×other renderings5% · 7×

155 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 11 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
subject38%adverbial30%object23%predicate5%indirect object3%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 155 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
διάλόγοςa word, speech, δίδωμιI offer, give
ἐν
δωρεάa free giftἀλλάbut, exceptσύ
καίand, even, also, nam
σοφίαwisdomἡλικίαage, statureλαμβάνωI receive, take
σύ
ποῖοςIrgεἰςφέρωI carry, bear, b
γάρfor
εὑρίσκωI findArticle theκαλόςbeautiful, good,
χάριςgrace,155×
what comes after →
Article the
θεόςGod, a godκύριοςlord, Lord, mastδίδωμιI offer, give
σύ
καίand, even, also,εἰς
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theἀλήθειαtruthδύναμιςmight, power, ma
αὐτός
Article theδίδωμιI offer, giveὅς
μετά
πᾶςall, the whole, 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

Concordanceχάρις · 155× in the New Testament
Romans 2 Corinthians Acts Ephesians 1 Corinthians 1 Peter Hebrews Luke Galatians 2 Timothy Colossians 1 Timothy

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament23 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 60 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
Philo of Alexandria Josephus Ignatius of Antioch Clement of Rome The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 21c. AD 40

οὗ χάριν τῆς ἀρίστης αὑτοῦ φύσεως οὐκ ἐφθόνησεν οὐσίᾳ μηδὲν ἐξ αὑτῆς ἐχούσῃ καλόν, δυναμένῃ δὲ πάντα γίνεσθαι.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.2c. AD 75–95

τινὲς μὲν γὰρ ἐπιδεικνύμενοι λόγων δεινότητα καὶ τὴν ἀπʼ αὐτῆς θηρευόμενοι δόξαν ἐπὶ τοῦτο τῆς παιδείας τὸ μέρος ὁρμῶσιν, ἄλλοι δὲ χάριν ἐκείνοις φέροντες, περὶ ὧν τὴν ἀναγραφὴν εἶναι συμβέβηκε, τὸν εἰς αὐτὴν πόνον καὶ παρὰ δύναμιν ὑπέστησαν·

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.2c. AD 100

Μεγάλων μὲν ὄντων καὶ πλουσίων τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιωμάτων εἰς ὑμᾶς, ὑπέρ τι καὶ καθ̓ ὑπερβολὴν ὑπερευφραίνομαι ἐπὶ τοῖς μακαρίοις καὶ ἐνδόξοις ὑμῶν πνεύμασιν: οὕτως ἔμφυτον τῆς δωρεᾶς πνευματικῆς χάριν εἰλήφατε.

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 4th c. AD 6th c. AD 1st c. AD
P.Lips. 1 104Pathyrites (?)96 BC

καὶ τὰ παιδία καὶ οἱ ἐν οἴκωι πάντες. περὶ ὧν ἂν αἱρῆσθε γράφετέ μοι. χάριν σοι ἔχω ἐφʼ αἷς γράφεις ἐπιστολαῖς. ὅταν ἡμῖν γράψῃς ἔνψυχόν τι λαμβάνω· ἐπισκοπεῖται ὑμᾶς

P.Bad. 2 16Pathyris89 BC

πράσσοντες καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὰ πράγματα εὔνοιαν διατηροῦντες … ε … παρὰ τῶν ἐπάνω χάριτος πρεπούσης ἐπιτεύξεσθε.

P. Thead. 23Theadelphia (Arsinoites)AD 342

μου δουκὸς ἀνενέγκῃς, αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐστιν τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα τολμοῦντας ἐκδικεῖν, καὶ τούτου τυχὼν χάριτά σοι ὁμολογήσω, κύριε. διευτύχει. Αὐρήλιος Σακαῶν ἐπιδέδωκα. Αὐρήλιος Δημήτριος ἔγραψα ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ἀγραμμάτου. ὑπατείας

[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
ἅλατιhalas with salt G217 Noun · dative · singular · neuter
8× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Colossians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means salt, and is used literally and figuratively in the Bible, such as in Matthew and Mark. It can also represent wisdom and prudence in speech, as seen in Colossians.
Amplified meaning
to bring out flavor, preserve
Tyndale gloss
salt
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἅλας (lemma: halas) means 'salt' and appears in both literal and figurative contexts, such as wisdom and prudence in speech. It is a later form derived from the classical ἅλς. The New Testament uses it in passages like Matthew 5:13 and Colossians 4:6, where it symbolizes the essential qualities of believers.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἅλας (T, ἅλα), -ατος, τό, late form of cl. ἅλς, -ος, ὁ (MM, VGT, s.v.),

[in LXX chiefly for מְלַח ;]

salt, lit, and fig.: Mt 5:13, Mk 9:50 Lk 14:34; like cl. ἅλες, wit, of wisdom and grace in speech: Col 4:6.†

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

ἅλας, -atos, τό, (a later form, found in Sept. and N. T. [Aristot. de mirab. ause. § 138; Plut. qu. conv. iv. 4, 3, 3], ef. Bitm. Ausf. Spr. i. p. 220; dat. Gare Col. iv. 6), and Gs, ἁλός, 6, (the classic form [fr. Hom. down]; Sir. Xxii. 15 (13); xliii. 19; Sap. x. 7; 1 Mace. x. 29, etc. ; Mk. ix. 49 ἁλί dat. [T WH Tr mrg. om. Tr txt. br.], and in vs. 50 L T Tr WH ἅλα ace. [yet without the ~ in Mk. ix. 50 [also Mt. v. 13; Lk. xiv. 34 (where see his note)] (similar to γάλα, gen. γάλατος, a form noted by certain grammarians, see [WH. App. p. 158;] Kiuhner i. 353 sq.; but see what Fritzsche, Com. on Sir. (xxxix. 26) p. 226 sq., says in opposition) ; salt; 1. Salt with which food is seasoned and sacrifices are sprinkled: Mk. ix.49 RG; cf. ἁλίζω. 2. ἅλας τῆς γῆς. those kinds of saline matter used to fertilize arable land, Mt. v. 13°; here salt as a condiment cannot be understood, since this…

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

ἅλας. As early as iii/B.C. the neuter form is proved to have been in existence, e.g. P Petr III. 140 (a)? ἔλαιον &Aas νὶ ξύλα, and may therefore be acknowledged in P Hib 1. 152 (B.c. 250) ἐμβαλοῦ els τὸ πλοῖον ἅλας Kal λωτόν, though there the editors treat the word as accusative plural. A clear example seems to be quotable from P Par 55 ézs i 29 (ii/B.c.) kal ἄρτοι kal ἅλας. From later times we can quote P Leid X ὁ 8 (iii/iv A.D.) ἅλας Καππαδοκικόν, P Oxy IX. 12222 (iv/a.D.) τὸ ἅλας. The ambiguity of earlier exx. attaches itself even to P Leid C τιον. ὃ (p. 93 of part i.), where ἅλας may as well be acc. pl., since the itenis are acc. as well as nom. in this λόγος of provisions supplied to the Twins of the Serapeum (ii/B.c.). Mayser (Gr. p. 286)

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἅλας (halas) — salt.

ἅλας, ᾰτος, τό,

={ἅλς}, salt, [NT+4th c.BC+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἅλας ἅλα

halas

from 251; salt; figuratively, prudence:--salt.

see GREEK for 251

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἅλας, ατος, τό

n.n.

salt

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἅλας halas 8x

variant spellings of ἅλα and ἁλός, salt, Mt. 5:13; Mk. 9:50; met. the salt of wisdom and prudence, Col. 4:6

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἅλας ἅλς salt, NTest., Plut.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-DSN — Noun · dative · singular · neuter
dative — to, for, with — the one it is done to or by.
Agrees with anything else marked singular neuter.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-DSN Part of Speech: Noun Case: Dative Number: Singular Gender: Neuter

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

solt (melach; halas, hals): Common salt is considered by most authorities as an essential ingredient of our food. Most people intentionally season their cooking with more or less salt for the sake of palatability. Others depend upon the small quantities which naturally exist in water and many foods to furnish the necessary amount of salt for the body. Either too much salt or the lack of it creates undesirable disturbance in the animal system. Men and animals alike instinctively seek for this substance to supplement or improve their regular diet. The ancients appreciated the value of salt for seasoning food (Job 6:6). So necessary was it that they dignified it by making it a requisite part of sacrifices (Le 2:13; Ezr 6:9; 7:22;

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Salt

Used to season food (Job 6:6), and mixed with the fodder of cattle (Isa. 30:24, “clean;” in marg. of R.V. “salted”). All meat-offerings were seasoned with salt (Lev. 2:13). To eat salt with one is to partake of his hospitality, to derive subsistence from him; and hence he who did so was bound to look after his host’s interests (Ezra 4:14, “We have maintenance from the king’s palace;” A.V. marg., “We are salted with the salt of the palace;” R.V., “We eat the salt of the palace”).

A “covenant of salt” (Num. 18:19; 2 Chr. 13:5) was a covenant…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Indispensable as salt is to ourselves, it was even more so to the Hebrews, being to them not only an appetizing condiment in the food both of man, (Job 11:6) and beset, (Isaiah 30:24) see margin, and a valuable antidote to the effects of the heat of the climate on animal food, but also entering largely into the religious services of the Jews as an accompaniment to the various offerings presented on the altar. (Leviticus 2:13) They possessed an inexhaustible and ready supply of it on the southern shores of the Dead Sea. [SEA, THE SALT, THE SALT] There is one mountain here called Jebel Usdum, seven miles long and several hundred feet high, which is composed almost entirely of salt. The Jews appear to have distinguished between rock-salt and that which was gained by evaporation as…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Was procured by the Jews from the Dead Sea, wither from the immense hill or ridge of pure rock salt at its southwest extremity, or from that deposited on the shore by the natural evaporation. The Arabs obtain it in large cakes, two or three inches thick, and sell it in considerable quantities throughout Syria. It well-known preservative qualities, and its importance as a seasoning for food, Job 6:6, are implied in most of the passages where it is mentioned in Scripture: as in the miraculous healing of a fountain, 2Ki 2:21; in the sprinkling of salt over the sacrifices consumed on God’s altar, Le 2:13 Eze 43:24 Mr 9:49

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
100%salt
salt100% · 8×

8 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 1 different way. 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
subject63%predicate13%object13%adverbial13%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 8 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
δέbut, on the otheεἰμίI am, existκαλόςbeautiful, good,
ἑαυτοῦ
ἐν
χάριςgrace, favor, kindne
ἐν
ἅλαςwith salt
what comes after →
μωραίνωI make foolish, tain
ἐν
ἐάνCond
δέbut, on the othe
Article the
γῆthe earth, soil,
ἄναλοςsaltless, tasteless,
γίνομαιI come into bein
καίand, even, also, nam
εἰρηνεύωI am peaceful, k

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

Concordanceἅλας · 8× in the New Testament
Mark Luke Matthew Colossians
Across the New Testament4 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Philo of Alexandria Josephus
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 66c. AD 40

διὸ τῶν ἐμψύχων πρώτους ἐγέννησεν ἰχθύας πλέον μετέχοντας σωματικῆς ἢ ψυχικῆς οὐσίας, τρόπον τινὰ ζῷα καὶ οὐ ζῷα, κινητὰ ἄψυχα, πρὸς αὐτὸ μόνον τὴν τῶν σωμάτων διαμονὴν παρασπαρέντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ ψυχοειδοῦς, καθάπερ φασὶ τοὺς ἅλας τοῖς κρέασιν, ἵνα μὴ…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 5.248c. AD 75–95

καὶ κατασκάψας εἰς ἔδαφος τὴν πόλιν, οὐ γὰρ ἀντέσχε πρὸς τὴν πολιορκίαν, ἅλας κατὰ τῶν ἐρειπίων σπείρας προῆγε.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
6th c. AD 3rd c. AD 3rd c. BC 2nd c. BC 1st c. AD
P.Tebt. 1 131Tebtynis (Arsinoites)101 BC

ιθ ἀνὰ ιε γίνονται σπε ὄρτυξ ρμ κυάμους ν ὄξος μ ἐλαίου δ ν ἅλα κ κολόκυνθος λ κραμβίον κ … … ἀθήρα ο … … γίνονται ψε γίνεται

BGU 4 1129Alexandria14 BC

συνχωρήσεως καὶ τῶν πρὸς αὐτὴν εἰκόνων ἐπὶ τοὺς τόπους τωι σιπρ … καταλοχισμοὺς … αλας καθηκ καὶ μετεπιγράφεσθαι τοὺς … ους μὴ προσδεηθέντι τῆς τοῦ Πρωτάρχου παρουσίας πρὸς τὸν

CdÉ 12 (1937), p. 281-Tebtynis (Arsinoites)AD 47

ἐργασίας ἅπαντα τοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰσιόντος ἔτους, καὶ πάντας ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ πωλεῖν τόν τε ἅλα ἐν τῇ προκιμένῃ κώμῃ Τεβτύνει καὶ κεκληρῶσθαι αι τὸν μὲν Ὀρσεῦν μόνον πωλεῖν τὴν

[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
ἠρτυμένος,artuō seasoned, G741 Verb · perfect · passive · participle · nominative · singular · masculine
3× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Colossians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to season or prepare food, like adding spices to make it taste better, as seen in Mark 9:50 and Luke 14:34. It is used to describe adding flavor to food.
Amplified meaning
powdered, mixed
Tyndale gloss
to season
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἀρτύω (*artuo*) means to prepare or season, particularly in a culinary context. It is derived from a presumed root and is used in the New Testament in verses like Mark 9:50, Luke 14:34, and Colossians 4:6. The entries indicate a focus on the act of making food savory, with some references to arranging or preparing more generally.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

** ἀρτύω,

[in Sm.: Ca 8:2*;]

to arrange, make ready (Hom.).

Of food (as in comic writers), to season (MM, s.v.): Mk 9:50, Lk 14:34, Col 4:6.†

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

ἀρτύω: fut. ἀρτύσω; Pass., pf. ἤρτυμαι.. 1 fut. ἀρτυθήσομαι; (APQ to fit); to prepare, arrange ; often soin Hom. In the comic writers and epigrammatists used of preparing food, to season, make savory, ([τὰ ὄψα, Aristot. eth. Nic. 8, 13 p. 1118", 29]; ἠρτυμένος οἶνο;, Theophr. de odor. § 51 [frag. 4, ο. 11]); so Mk. ix. 50; Lk. xiv. 34; metaph. ὁ λόγος ἅλατι nprupevos, full of wisdom and grace and hence pleasant and wholesome, Col. iv. 6.

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

ἀρτύω. For ἀρτύω = ‘‘season,” and not ‘‘restore” in Mk οὔθ, Lk 14*, as in Col 45, Wackernagel (72ZZ 1908, col 36 πἴ) cites Athen. III. 113. 13 ἄρτος ἁπαλός, aptudpevos γάλακτι ὀλίγῳ kal ἐλαίῳ kal ἁλσὶν dpKerois. Dioscor. Il. 76 ἀρτυτοῖς (ἀρτυτικοῖς ἢ) ἁλσί, salibus condimento inservientibus. P Tebt Il. 375%? (A.D. 140) ζύμης ἠρτυμένης. ᾿Αρτύματα ““spices”” are mentioned in an account P Amh II. 126% (early ii/a.D.): cf. P Giss I. 47! (ii/a.p.) τὰ δύο μάτια (=% artaba) τῶν ἀρτυμάτων (δραχμῶν) 7. A subst. ἀρτυματατᾶς occurs BGU IV. 1087%i-® (iii/a.p.): cf. 2. I. οἷν. δ: cf. also ἀρτυματοπώλης on a tombstone, Preisighe 699 (i/A.D.), and ἀρτυτήρ in Arche! 1001 ΐῖν- 87. ν. ὁ (Epicteta’s Will, Thera, c. B.c. 200). Ina lexicon to //éad xviii., P Ryl I. 251° (ii/a.D.) ἤρτυε is glossed [kateokeva]fe: for supplement see Hunt’s…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἀρτύω (artuō) — to season.

ἀρτύω

[Refs 8th c.BC+], imperfect ἤρτῠον[Refs 8th c.BC+], the only tenses in [Refs 8th c.BC+]future ἀρτύσω [ῡ] [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἤρτῡσα[Refs 5th c.BC+]perfect ἤρτῡκα (κατ-) [Refs 4th c.BC+]:—passive, perfect ἤρτῡμαι[Refs 5th c.BC+]aorist ἠρτύθην [ῡ] [Refs 2nd c.AD+] —like ἀρτύνω, arrange, prepare, make ready, of things requiring skill or cunning, e.g. of a smith, τὰ δ᾽ ἤρτυε[Refs 8th c.BC+]

II. in culinary sense, dress savoury meat, season, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, κίχλαι.. εἰς ἀνάβραστ᾽ ἠρτυμέναι[Refs 5th c.BC+]

III. administer property, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

IV. bequeath, [Refs]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἀρτύω

artuo

from a presumed derivative of 142; to prepare, i.e. spice (with

stimulating condiments):--season.

see GREEK for 142

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἀρτύω

v.

I season, flavor

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἀρτύω artyō 3x

pr. to fit, prepare; to season, make savoury, Mk. 9:50; Lk. 14:34; Col. 4:6*

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἀρτύω *ἄρω like ἀρτύνω to arrange, devise, prepare, δόλον, ὄλεθρον, γάμον Hom.; so Hdt., attic

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-RPP-NSM — Verb · perfect · passive · participle · nominative · singular · masculine
nominative — the one doing it — the subject.
Agrees with anything else marked singular masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-RPP-NSM Part of Speech: Verb Tense: peRfect Voice: Passive Mood: Participle Case: Nominative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
33%seasoned
seasoned33% · 1×will you season?33% · 1×will it be seasoned?33% · 1×

3 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 3 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
verb100%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 3 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
αὐτός
τίςIrg
τίςIrg
ἐν
ἅλαςsalt
χάριςgrace, favor, ki
ἀρτύωseasoned,
what comes after →
ἔχωI have, hold, posses
ἐν
οἶδαI know, remember
πῶς

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

Concordanceἀρτύω · 3× in the New Testament
Colossians Luke Mark
Across the New Testament3 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
εἰδέναιeidō to know G6063 Verb · perfect · active · infinitive
295× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
In plain English
Tyndale gloss
to perceive: see
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-RAN — Verb · perfect · active · infinitive
perfect active infinitive — a past action whose result still stands.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-RAN Part of Speech: Verb Tense: peRfect Voice: Active Mood: iNfinitive TVM equivalent: G5760

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
20%you know
you know20% · 58×knowing17% · 49×i know16% · 46×know14% · 39×we know12% · 34×knows6% · 18×know you2% · 6×other renderings7% · 21×other renderings5% · 14×

285 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 28 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
πῶςpōs how G4459 Adverb
118× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Colossians as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
How is a question about the way something is done, as in Matthew 12:29, or an exclamation of surprise, like how much something is.
Amplified meaning
in what way, by what means
Tyndale gloss
how?!
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word πῶς (transliterated as pōs) is an interrogative adverb meaning 'how' or 'in what manner.' It appears in direct questions, indirect discourse, and exclamations, often seeking clarification or expressing astonishment. The New Testament uses it in various contexts, including Matthew 12:29 and John 3:4. Notably, Liddell-Scott mentions its use to express displeasure or doubt.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

πῶς, interrog. adv., correl. of ὅπως,

prop., in direct questions, how?: c. indic., Mt 12:29, Mk 3:23, Lk 11:18, Jo 3:4, al.; καὶ π., Mk 4:13, Lk 20:44; π. οὖν, Mt 12:26; π. οὐ, Mt 16:11, Lk 12:56; in deliberative questions (cf. Bl., § 64, 6), c. subjc., Mt 23:33 26:54; π. οὖν, Ro 10:14; π. δέ, Read the full entry →

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

πῶς, (fr. obsol. OS, whence ποῦ, ποῖ, etc. [ef. Curtius § 631]), adv., [fr. Hom. down] ; I. in interroga tion; how? in what way ?— in a direct question, foll. by a. the indicative, it is the expression a. of one seeking information and desiring to be taught: Lk. 1.84; x. 26; Jn.iii.9; ix. 26; 1 Co. xv. 35 [cf. W. 266 (250)]; πῶς οὖν, Jn. ix. 10 Tdf. (but L WH br. οὖν), 19; Ro. iv. 10. B. of one about to controvert another, and emphatically deny that the thing inquired about has happened or been done: Mt. xii. 29; Mk. iii. 23; Lk xi.18; Jn. iii. 4,12; v.44,47; vi.52; ix.16; 1 Jn. iii. 17; iv. 20; Ro. iii. 6; vi. 2; 1 Co. xiv. 7, 9,16; 1 Tim. iii. 5; Heb. ii. 3; καὶ πῶς, Mk. iv. 13; Jn. xiv. 5 [here L txt. Tr WHom. καί]; πῶς οὖν, Mt. xii. 26; Ro. x. 14 RG; mas δέ, Ro. x. 14

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

πῶς, “*how,” 2 “in what manner,” (a) in direct questions— P Oxy IV. 7441? (B.c. 1) (= Selections, Ὁ. 33) πῶς Sivapal oe ἐπιλαθεῖν : “how can I forget you?” Cf. Ac 85! πῶς yap ἂν δυναίμην; which Field (Vo/es, p. 117) renders, ““Why, how can I?” For the exclamatory πῶς, as in Mk 1074, cf. Philemon fy. 2 ὦ πῶς πονηρόν ἐστιν ἀνθρώπου φύσις | τὸ σύνολον, Epict. Aan. 24. 3 Opare ὑμεῖς, πῶς ἄνισοί ἐστε kal ἀγνώμονες ; see further K. Rupprecht in Philologus \xxx. (V. F. xxxiv.), 1924, p- 207. (6) in indirect discourse—P Oxy IV. 745° (c. A.D. 1) οὐκ οἶδας yap πῶς μοι ἐχρήσατο ἐν ᾿Οξυρύγχοις, ‘‘ you don't know how he treated me at Oxyrhynchus(?),” P Tebt II. 4o8* (A.D. 3) ἐπιστάμενος πῶς σε τίθεμαι Ke φιλῶ, “since you know how I esteem and love you”’ (Edd.) (cf. Ac 2018), P Oxy II. 29474 (A.p. 22) (= Selections, p. 36) γράψον μοι πῶς πάλιν ἄνω Aadaxeverat, “‘ write me how his hair is growing…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

πῶς (pōs) — how?!.

πῶς,

Ionic dialect κῶς, interrogative adverb of Manner, how? [Refs 8th c.BC+]; sometimes to express displeasure, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to express astonishment or doubt, π. εἶπα; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. λέγει; [Refs]; π. φῄ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. τοῦτ᾽ ἔλεξα; [Refs 4th c.BC+]; π. τοῦτ᾽ εἶπες α; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also π. μὴ φῶμεν..; surely we must, [Refs]

__b in dialogue, to ask explanation, with a repetition of a word used by the previous speaker, δίκαια— Answ. π. δίκαι; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μὴ δίκαιος ὤν—Answ. π. μὴ δίκαιο; [Refs]; συμβολάς—Answ. π. συμβολά; [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; πῶς alone, how so, π., ὅς γε..; [Refs 5th c.BC+]

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

πῶς πώς

pos

adverb from the base of 4226; an interrogative particle of manner; in

what way? (sometimes the question is indirect, how?); also as

exclamation, how much!:--how, after (by) what manner (means), that.

(Occasionally unexpressed in English).

see GREEK for 4226

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

πῶς

Adv. & Irg.adv.

how, in what manner

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

Represents various Hebrew and Greek words, interrogative, interjectional and relative. Its different uses refer to

(1) the manner or way, e.g. Ge 44:34, "How shall I go up to my father?" ('ekh); Mt 6:28, "how they grow" (pos); 1Co 15:35, "How are the dead raised?";

(2) degree, extent, frequently, "how great" (Da 4:3, mah; Mr 5:19, hosos, "how much"); "how many" (Mt 27:13, posos); "how much" (Ac 9:13, hosos); "how much more" (Mt 7:11, posos;

Across the New Testament18 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 65 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
Philo of Alexandria Josephus The Shepherd of Hermas The Epistle of Barnabas Clement of Rome
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 68c. AD 40

ἡνίκα γὰρ ζῷα διαπλάττειν ἔδοξε τῷ δημιουργῷ, τὰ μὲν πρῶτα τῇ τάξει φαυλότερά πως ἦν, ἰχθύες, τὰ δ’ ὕστατα ἄριστα, ἄνθρωποι, τὰ δ’ ἄλλα μέσα τῶν ἄκρων, ἀμείνω μὲν τῶν προτέρων, χείρω δὲ τῶν ἑτέρων, χερσαῖα καὶ πτηνά.

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

πῶς τὸ Σοδομιτῶν ἔθνος θεὸς κατεστρέψατο χολωθεὶς αὐτοῖς ἐφ' οἷς ἡμάρτανον.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 2.9c. AD 100

αἰσθάνεσθαι οὖν ὀφείλομεν, μὴ ὄντες ἀσύνετοι, τὴν γνώμην τῆς ἀγαθωσύνης τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν, ὅτ̓ ἡμῖν λέγει, θέλων ἡμᾶς μὴ ὁμοίως πλανωμένους ἐκείνοις ζητεῖν, πῶς προσάγωμεν αὐτῷ.

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 4th c. AD 3rd c. BC 1st c. AD

Ζήνωνι. νυκτὸς ἐκ τοῦ σιτοβολῶνος ἀπόλωλεν σήσαμον καὶ λελέανται τῆι χειρί. διὸ οὐ δυνάμεθά πως ἐπιμετρήσαντες ἰδεῖν τὸ ἀπολωλὸς ἕως ἂν ὑμεῖς ἴδητε καὶ ἐναντίον ὑμῶν ἐπιμετρηθῆι.

P.Cair. Zen. 3 59455Philadelphia? (Arsinoites)249 BC–248 BC

οὐκ ἔχομεν ὀψώνιον οὐδὲ διαλελογισμένοι εἰσὶν ἡμῖν, καὶ σιτομετρίαν διμήνου οὐκ ἔχομεν. συνεπισκέψει οὖν πῶς ζῶμεν. ἔδωκαν δὲ ἡμῖν ἑκάστωι κεράμιον οἴνου καὶ σίτου ἑκάστωι ἔδωκαν εἰς τὸ

P.Cair. Zen. 3 59368Memphis (?)242 BC

ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, ὅπως μὴ ἐκεῖ καταστασιασθῶμεν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐκ τῶν καθʼ ἡμᾶς αἰσθήσει πῶς τοὺς λοιποὺς τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ νομοῦ διατίθησιν.

[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
δεῖdei it behooves G1163 Verb · present · active · indicative · third person · singular
102× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Colossians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This means it is necessary or must be done, like when Jesus said it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem in Matthew 16:21.
Tyndale gloss
be necessary
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

δεῖ is an impersonal verb meaning 'it is necessary' or 'one must,' derived from δέω. It covers a range of uses, often indicating obligation or necessity, and appears in various constructions, such as with infinitives or accusatives. In the New Testament, it is used in verses like Matthew 26:54 and Acts 5:29. The lexicons note that it differs from similar terms like ὀφείλει, which expresses moral obligation.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

δεῖ impersonal (δέω),

[in LXX chiefly for infin. with לְ ;]

one must, it is necessary: c. inf., Mt 26:54, Mk 13:7, Ac 5:29, al.; c. acc. et inf., Mt 16:21, Mk 8:31, Jo 3:7, Ac 25:10, al.; with ellipse of acc., Mt 23:23; of acc., and inf., Mk 13:14, Ro 1:27 8:26; οὐ (μὴ) δεῖ (non licet), ought not, must not: Ac 25:24, Read the full entry →

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

δέ (related to δή, as μέν to μήν, ef. Klotz ad Devar. ii. 2 p. 355), a particle adversative, distinctive, disjunctive, but, moreover, (W.§ 53, 7 and 10, 2); it is much more freq. in the historical parts of the N. T. than in the other books, very rare in the Epp. of John and the Apocalypse. {On its general neglect of elision (when the next word begins with a vowel) cf. Tdf. Proleg. p. 96; WH. App. Ῥ 146; W.§5,1a.; B. p.10sq.] It is used ἘΠ ΟἹ δὲ univ. by way of opposition and distinction; it is added to statements opp. to a preceding statement: ἐὰν yap ἀφῆτε... ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε, Mt. vi. 14 sq.; ἐὰν de ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς κτλ. Mt. vi. 23; ἐλεύσονται δὲ ἡμέραι, Mk. ii. 20; it opposes persons to persons or things previously mentioned or thought of, —either with strong emphasis: ἐγὼ δέ, Mt. v. 22, 28, 32, 34, 39,44; ἡμεῖς de, 1 Co. i. 23; 2 Co. x. 13; σὺ δέ, Mt. vi. 6; ὑμεῖς δέ, Mk. viii. 29; of δὲ…

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

δεῖ. For the conjunctive, as in Mt 26%, cf. P Fay 109° (early i/A.D.) ἐάν σε δῇ (for δέῃ) τὸ εἱμάτιόν σου θεῖναι ἐνέχυρον. “even if you have to pawn your cloak” (Edd.). In P Tebt I. 585° (B.c. 111) we have ἐάν followed by the indicative— ἐὰν δεῖ σε συνπεσεῖν τῶι ᾿Ανικήτωι, σύνπεσαι, ‘if you must meet Anicetus, meet him” (Edd.): cf. Mayser G7. p. 325. Other examples of the verb are l’ Par 461® (B.C. 153) διὸ Kal ἡγούμενος δεῖν ἐπ᾿ ἄλλου μὲν μηθενὸς αὐτῶι διακριθῆναι» P Lille I. 267 (iii.B.c.) περὶ (corr. from πεερὶ) δὲ τούτου τοῦ μέρους δεήσει ἐπισχεῖν, P Tebt 11. 3414 (A.p. 140-1) δεήσι ἐπισταλῆναι εἰς δάνε[ι]α σπέρματα κατασπίο]ρᾶς KTA., “ΕἼ will be necessary to send on account of loans of seedcorn for the sowing,” etc., AécheZ 1001" © (Theran Doric —c. B.C. 200) no one may bring forward a proposal ὡς δεείσῃ διαλῦσαι τὸ κοινὸν εἰ τὰς θυσίας, P Flor II. 133" (A.D. 257) ἔδι μὲν ὑμᾶς μηδὲ…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

δεῖ (dei) — be necessary.

δεῖ:

subjunctive δέη, sometimes contraction δῆ (in codices of Comedy texts, as [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁπόσου κα δῆ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; infinitive δεῖ; participle δέον (see. infr. IV): imperfect ἔδει, Ionic dialect ἔδεε: future δεήσει [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist I ἐδέησε [Refs 5th c.BC+] —Impers. from δέω (A), there is need (the sense of moral obligation, properly belonging to χρή, is later, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

I. c.accusative person et infinitive, it is needful for one to do, one must, once in [Refs 8th c.BC+] why need the Argives fight? [Refs 8th c.BC+]: with nominative of the pronoun, ἡγούμην.. δεῖν.. μεγαλοψυχότερος φαίνεσθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: rarely with dative person, there is need of.. for.., θεοῖσι προσβαλεῖν χθονὶ ἄλλην δεήσει γαῖαν [Refs 5th…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

δεῖ

dei

3d person singular active present of 1210; also deon deh-on'; neuter

active participle of the same; both used impersonally; it is (was,

etc.) necessary (as binding):--behoved, be meet, must (needs), (be)

need(-ful), ought, should.

see GREEK for 1210

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

δεῖ

v.

it is necessary, inevitable

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

δεῖ dei 101x

it is binding, it is necessary, it is proper; it is inevitable, Acts 21:22

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

δεῖ from δέω1, to bind c. acc. pers. et inf., δεῖ τινὰ ποιῆσαι it is binding on one to do a thing, one must, one ought, Lat. oportet, Hom., etc.:—rarely, δεῖ σε ὅπως δείξεις ῀ δεῖ σε δεῖξαι, Soph.: —rarely also c. dat. pers. et inf., there is need for one to do, δεῖ τινὶ ποιήσαι Eur., Xen.

c. acc. rei et inf., δεῖ τι γενέσθαι Thuc., etc.:—for the phrase οἴομαι δεῖν, v. οἴομαι:— when used absol., an inf. may be supplied, μὴ πεῖθ᾽ ἃ μὴ δεῖ (sc. πείθειν) Soph., etc.

(from δέω2, to want), c. gen. rei, there is need of, there is wanting, Lat. opus est re, οὐδὲν δεῖ τινός Hdt., attic:—phrases, πολλοῦ δεῖ there wants much, far from it; ὀλίγου δεῖ there wants little, all but:— in answers, πολλοῦ γε δεῖ, πολλοῦ γε καὶ δεῖ far from it, Ar., Dem.; πλεῦνος δεῖ it…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-PAI-3S — Verb · present · active · indicative · third person · singular
present active indicative — an action in progress.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-PAI-3S Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Present Voice: Active Mood: Indicative Person: third Number: Singular

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
53%it behooves
it behooves53% · 56×it is necessary8% · 9×it was necessary for7% · 7×it is necessary for7% · 7×it was necessary6% · 6×necessary3% · 3×needing3% · 3×other renderings12% · 13×other renderings2% · 2×

106 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
verb100%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 102 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
ὅς
ἐναὐτόςὥραan hour, season
ὅτιthat, since, because
αὐτόςλέγωI say, speakσύ
ἐγώ
πατήρfather, Father, εὐαγγελίζωI bring good newτίςIrg
σύ
οἶκοςa house, househoλέγωI say, speakτίςIrg
οὐNeg
ὅπουwhere, whitherἔτοςa yearκύριοςlord, Lord, mast
δεῖit behooves102×
what comes after →
ἐγώ
λαλέωI speak, sayσύνσυναποθνῄσκωI die together w
αὐτός
εἰςπολύςmuch, many, ofteἐκ
Article the
υἱόςa son, descendenἀναγινώσκωI readβασιλείαkingship, sovere
γάρfor
Article theγίνομαιI come into beinοὗτος
σύ
οὖνtherefore, thenγεννάωI beget, bring fεἷςone

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

Concordanceδεῖ · 102× in the New Testament
Acts Luke John Matthew Revelation Mark 1 Corinthians 1 Timothy 2 Corinthians Hebrews Romans Titus

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament19 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 19 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
Philo of Alexandria Josephus The Shepherd of Hermas Clement of Rome Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 7c. AD 40

Τινὲς γὰρ τὸν κόσμον μᾶλλον ἢ τὸν κοσμοποιὸν θαυμάσαντες τὸν μὲν ἀγένητόν τε καὶ ἀίδιον ἀπεφήναντο, τοῦ δὲ θεοῦ πολλὴν ἀπραξίαν ἀνάγνως κατεψεύσαντο, δέον ἔμπαλιν τοῦ μὲν τὰς δυνάμεις ὡς ποιητοῦ καὶ πατρὸς καταπλαγῆναι, τὸν δὲ μὴ πλέον ἀποσεμνῦναι…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.23c. AD 75–95

ὁ δʼ ἡμέτερος νομοθέτης ἀκραιφνῆ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἔχοντα τὸν θεὸν ἀποφήνας ᾠήθη δεῖν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐκείνης πειρᾶσθαι μεταλαμβάνειν καὶ τοὺς μὴ ταῦτα φρονοῦντας μηδὲ μὴν πιστεύοντας ἀπαραιτήτως ἐκόλασε.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 4.1c. AD 100

Δεῖ οὖν ἡμᾶς περὶ τῶν ἐνεστώτων ἐπιπολὺ ἐραυνῶντας ἐκζητεῖν τὰ δυνάμενα ἡμᾶς σώζειν.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
3rd c. BC 2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD 2nd c. BC 4th c. AD
P.Edg. $1Syrien253 BC

λοιπὰ τὰ ἐνταῦθα ὡς ἂν ἐκποιῆι πειρῶ ἐπισκοπεῖν· οὕτως γὰρ ἡμῖν μᾶλλον ἔσται τὰ δέοντα. καὶ τὰ γενημάτια δὲ ἵνα τρόπωι τινὶ συγκομισθῆι ἐπιμελές σοι ἔστω. καὶ ἐάν τι

P.Grenf. 1 11Arsinoites182 BC

προσταχθέντος Ἑρμοκράτει τῶι ἀρχιφυλακίτηι, τὸν ὅρκον ἐπιτελεσθῆναι, τοῦ δὲ χρόνου ἐν ὧι τὸν ὅρκον ἔδει ἐπιτελεῖσθαι μήπω ἐνεστηκότος, ἐπέδωκάν σοι ἄλλο ὑπόμνημα κατʼ ἐμοῦ ἐπιβαλόντι ἐπὶ τοὺς τοπους

P.Dryton 43155 BC–143 BC

ἐδώκαμεν αὐτῶι γράστεως τοῖς κτήνεσι … ἐφʼ ἁμάξης εἰς δέοντα … … που πυροῦ ιθ 𐅵 … … αὐταὶ ἐν τῶι ἐπὶ κλίμακος

[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
ὑμᾶςsu you G4771 Personal pronoun · second person · accusative · plural
2,892× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Colossians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This Greek word means 'you' and is used to address someone directly, like in John 1:30 and Matthew 26:64. It's a way to emphasize or contrast the person being spoken to. The KJV Bible translates it as 'thou'.
Tyndale gloss
you
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

σύ is the second-person singular pronoun meaning 'you' in Greek. It has various forms: genitive σοῦ, dative σοί, and accusative σέ. The word can be used for emphasis or contrast, particularly in the New Testament, as seen in verses like Matthew 26:64. It also appears in various dialects and has enclitic forms.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

σύ,

pron. of 2nd pers.,

thou, you, gen., σοῦ, dat., σοί, acc., σέ, pl., ὑμεῖς, -ῶν, -ῖν, -ᾶς (enclitic in oblique cases sing., except after prep. (BL, §48, 3), though πρὸς σέ occurs in Mt 25:39). Nom. for emphasis or contrast: Jo 1:30, 42 4:10 5:33, 39, 44, Ac 4:7, Eph 5:32; so also perhaps σὺ εἶπας, Mt 26:64, al. (M, Pr., 86); before voc., Mt 2:6, Lk 1:76, Jo 17:5, al.; sometimes without emphasis (M, Pr., 85f.), as also

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

σύ, pron. of the second pers. (Dor. and Aeol. τύ, Boeot. Tov), gen. σοῦ, dat. σοί, ace. σέ (which oblique cases are enclitic, unless a preposition precede; yet πρός σε is written [uniformly in Ree. (exe. Mt. xxvi. 18), in Grsb. (exe. Jn. xxi. 22, 23), in Treg. (exc. Mt. xxvi. 18; Acts xxiii. 30), in Lchm. (exe. Mt. xxvi.18; Jn. xvii. 11, 13; xxi. 22, 23; Acts xxiii. 30), in Tdf. (exe. Mt. xxvi. 18; Lk. i. 19; Jn. xvii. 11, 13; Jn. xxi. 22; Acts xxiii. 18, 30; 1 Tim. iii. 14; Tit. iii. 12); also by WH in Mt. xxv. 39], see ἐγώ, 2; Lipsius, Grammat. Untersuch. p. 62 sq. [W. §6, 3; B. 31 (27)]); plur. ὑμεῖς, εἴς. : Lat. tu, ete., vos, ete.; thou, ete., ye,ete. The nominatives ov and ὑμεῖς are expressed for emphasis — before a vocative, as σὺ Βηθλεέμ, Mt. ii. 6; σὺ παιδίον (Leian. dial. deor. 2, 1), Lk. i. 76; add, Jn. xvii. 5; Acts i. 24; 1 Tim. vi. 11, etc.; ὑμεῖς of Φαρισαῖοι, Lk. xi. 39…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

σύ (su) — you.

σύ [ῠ],

thou: pronoun of the second person:—Epic dialect nominative τύνη [ῡ] [Refs 8th c.BC+] (Laconian dialect τούνη [Refs 5th c.AD+]; Aeolic dialect σύ [Refs 7th c.BC+]; Doric dialect τύ [ῠ] [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Boeotian dialect τού [short syllable] [Refs 6th c.BC+] (also τούν [Refs]σύ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]—Gen. σοῦ, [Refs], elsewhere only Attic dialect, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; enclitic σου, [Refs 8th c.BC+] (also in Lyric poetry, [Refs 8th c.BC+] (which also occurs in Lyric poetry, [Refs 7th c.BC+], and as enclitic σευ, [Refs 8th c.BC+], σεο (enclitic) [Refs] σευ (enclitic) [Refs]:—Doric dialect τεῦ, τευ, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; rarely τέο, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Boeotian dialect τεῦς [Refs 6th c.BC+]; Doric dialect τεοῦς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τοι variant in [Refs]; enclitic τεος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; other Doric dialect forms are τίω, τίως, both [Refs 3rd c.BC+]—Dat. σοί, [Refs 8th c.BC+]…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

σύ

su

the person pronoun of the second person singular; thou:-- thou. See

also 4571, 4671, 4675; and for the plural 5209, 5210, 5213, 5216.

see GREEK for 4675

see GREEK for 4571

see GREEK for 4671

see GREEK for 5209

see GREEK for 5210

see GREEK for 5213

see GREEK for 5216

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

σύ, σοῦ, σοί, σέ

Pers.pr.

you

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

σύ sy 2x

you, gen., σοῦ, dat., σοί, acc., σέ, Mt. 1:20; 2:6

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron-2AP — Personal pronoun · second person · accusative · plural
accusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked plural.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

P-2AP Part of Speech: Personal pronoun Person: second Case: Accusative Number: Plural

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
78%you
you78% · 2412×you yourselves7% · 221×you yourself5% · 168×your3% · 87×other renderings3% · 96×other renderings3% · 89×

3,073 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 37 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
subject28%object24%adverbial23%indirect object20%predicate5%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 2,892 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
ἀμήνHebrδέbut, on the otheἐγώ
καίand, even, also, nam
ἐγώοὕτωthus, so, in thiμήNeg
ἐν
Article theεἰμίI am, existγίνομαιI come into bein
πρός
ἔρχομαιI come, goἐγώπέμπωI send
δέbut, on the other ha
λέγωI say, speakπαρακαλέωI summon, entreaθέλωI will, wish, de
σύyou2892×
what comes after →
Article the
θεόςGod, a godἐνἁμαρτίαa sin
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theεἰρήνηpeace, peace of οὐNeg
ὅτιthat, since, because
Article theπᾶςall, the whole, οὐNeg
εἰμίI am, exist
Article theκαίand, even, also,ἐν
ἐν
Article theποῖοςIrgΧριστόςanointed, the Me

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

Concordanceσύ · 2,892× in the New Testament
Matthew Luke John Acts Mark 2 Corinthians 1 Corinthians Romans 1 Thessalonians Revelation Hebrews Colossians

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

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 450 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 Ignatius of Antioch Clement of Rome
Philo of AlexandriaAllegorical Interpretation of Genesis 1.48c. AD 40

„οὐ φυτεύσεις σεαυτῷ ἄλσος, πᾶν ξύλον παρὰ τὸ θυσιαστήριον κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου οὐ ποιήσεις σεαυτῷ“ (Deuter.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.101c. AD 75–95

παύσομαι δὲ τοῦ λοιποῦ μετὰ τοσαύτης ὀργῆς τὰς τιμωρίας ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀδικήμασιν εἰσπραττόμενος καὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον σοῦ παρακαλοῦντος.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.2c. AD 100

Μεγάλων μὲν ὄντων καὶ πλουσίων τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιωμάτων εἰς ὑμᾶς, ὑπέρ τι καὶ καθ̓ ὑπερβολὴν ὑπερευφραίνομαι ἐπὶ τοῖς μακαρίοις καὶ ἐνδόξοις ὑμῶν πνεύμασιν: οὕτως ἔμφυτον τῆς δωρεᾶς πνευματικῆς χάριν εἰλήφατε.

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 3rd c. BC
P.Grenf. 1 35Ptolemais - Akko (Syrien)103 BC

τοῦ ἀποδοθῆι τὸν ἐπεσταλμένον ἡμῖν κατὰ μῆνα πυρὸν τοῖς παρʼ ἡμῶν. διʼ ἄλλων γεγράφαμεν ὑμῖν ὑπὲρ ὧν βουλόμεθα μηδεμιᾶς προσφωνήσεως προσπεπτωκυίας. ἑαυτῶν δὲ ἐπιμελόμενοι ἵνʼ ὑγιαίνητε, — ἔσμεν ἐν

P.Grenf. 1 32Pelusion103 BC

η Φατρήους καὶ … χαίρειν καὶ ἐρρωμένοις διευτυχεῖν. ἐρρώμεθα δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ὑμῶν τὴν ἀρίστην μνείαν ποιούμενοι παρὰ τοῖς ἐν Πηλουσίωι θεοῖς. καλῶς ποιήσεις διαλύσας Ἁρκοννῆσιν καὶ

P.Grenf. 1 41Thebais3 BC

παρὰ Πετεύριος διεθέντος μου ὑπάρξει σοι εἰς στέφανον χαλκοῦ τάλαντα δεκάπεντε, τάλαντα ιε. εὐτύχει .

[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
ἑνὶehis one G1520 Adjective · dative · singular · masculine
336× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
rarer in Colossians than elsewhere in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
The Greek word for one, used to describe unity or agreement, as seen in John 10:30 and Romans 12:4-5. It emphasizes oneness and togetherness. This concept is key in Christian teachings.
Tyndale gloss
one
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

εἷς is a cardinal numeral meaning 'one.' It contrasts with many and can function as a noun or adjective. In the New Testament, it appears in various contexts, such as emphasizing unity (e.g., John 10:30) or indicating exclusivity (e.g., Matthew 27:14). The entries note its use in phrases like 'one by one' and as an ordinal meaning 'first.'

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

εἷς, μιά, ἕν, gen. ἑνός, μιᾶς, ἑνός,

cardinal numeral, one;

one, as opp. to many: Mt 25:15, Ro 5:12, I Co 10:8, al.; as subst., Ro 5:15, Eph 2:14; id. c. gen. partit., Mt 5:19, al.; seq. ἐκ (ἐξ), Mk 14:18, Jo 6:8, al.; metaph., of union and concord, Jo 10:30 17:11, Ro 12:4, 5, Phl 1:27; ἀπὸ μιᾶς (B1., § 44, 1), Lk 14:18; c. neg., εἷς. . . οὐ (μή), more emphatic than οὐδείς, no one…

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

εἰς, a Prep. governing the Accusative, and denoting entrance into, or direction and limit: into, to, towards, for, among. It is used A. Property I. of Place, after verbs of going, coming, sailing, flying, falling, living, leading, carrying, throwing, sending, etc. ; 1. of a place entered, or of entrance into a place, into; and 8. it stands before nouns designating an open place, a hollow thing, or one in which an object can be hidden: as εἰς (τὴν) πόλιν, Mt. xxvi. 18; xxviii. 11; Mk. i. 45, and often; εἰς r. οἶκον, Mt. ix. 7; συναγωγήν, Acts xvii. 10; πλοῖον, Mt. viii. 23; Jn. vi. 17; Acts xxi. 6; θάλασσαν, Mt. xvii. 27; ἄβυσσον, Lk. viii. 31; οὐρανόν, Lk. ii. 15; κόσμον, In. 1. 9; iii. 19, ete.; τὰ ἴδια, Jn. i. 11; xvi. 32; Acts xxi. 6; ἀποθήκην, Mt. iii. 12; εἰς ra ὦτα, Lk. i. 44; εἰς τὰς ζώνας or ζώνην, Mt. x. 9; Mk. vi. 8, etc.; εἰς ἀέρα, 1 Co. xiv. 9; eis πῦρ, Mk. ix. 22, ete.…

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

εἰς ἁλιέων εἰς ᾿Αλεξάνδριί[αν (P Oxy II. 2943 = Selections, Ρ- 34): see further Pro/eg. pp. 234 f., 245. For εἰς in the wide sense in which we use ‘‘for” we may cite such passages as P Lille I. 261 (iii/B.c.) ἔγραψάς μοι περὶ τῆς εἰς THY σησαμείαν γῆς, 20." ἕως ἂν] μάθωμεν περὶ τῶν κ[εχρ]ηματισμένων εἰς τὸν νομόν, P Petr II. 11 (1)" (mid. iii/B.c.) (= Witkowski*, p. 8) ἀπὸ τούτου τὸ μὲν ἥμυσυ εἰς τὰ δέοντα ὑπελιπόμην, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν εἰς τὸ δάνειον κατέβαλον, P Lond 43? (ii/B.c.) (=I. p. 48, Witkowski’, p- 110) ἕξεις ἐφόδιον εἰς τὸ γῆρας, P Tebt I. 577 (8.6. 118) προστε]τάχασι δὲ καὶ τὰ els τὴν ταφὴν τοῦ “Amos, P Oxy I. 379 (A.D. 149) (= Selections, p. 49) ἐγένετο ἐνθάδε ἡ τροφεῖτις εἰς υἱὸν tod ΤΠεσούριος, ‘‘there was concluded here the nursing-contract for the son of Pesouris”; and the recurring formulae in a private account of ς. A.D. 15 τό. 1V. 736° θρύων εἰς τοὺς ἄρτους (ὀβολοὶ δύο)…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

εἷς (ehis) — one.

εἷς, μίᾰ, ἕν

(μίη only in late Ionic dialect Prose): genitive ἑνός, μιᾶς, ἑνός:—Epic dialect ἕεις [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—Doric dialect ἧς [Refs 3rd c.BC+]:—Epic dialect, Aeolic dialect, and Ionic dialect feminine ἴᾰ [Refs 8th c.BC+]: neuter dative (ἰῷ κίον ἤματι) [Refs 5th c.BC+] (Orig. ἕνς, assim. ἔν (δ) probably in [Refs] Indo-European sem-(compare ὁμός); μία from sm-ί; ἴα is not related to μία, but probably to pronominal stem i-(Latin is), compareἰός.)

1. as a Numeral, εἷς κοίρανος ἔστω [Refs 8th c.BC+]; strengthened, εἷς οἶος, μία οἴη, a single

__A one, one alone,[Refs 8th c.BC+]

__b emphatically with a superlative, εἷς οἰωνὸς ἄριστος [Refs 8th c.BC+]; also in Prose, ἐπὶ πλεῖστον δὴ χλιδῆς εἷς ἀνὴρ ἀπίκετο [Refs 5th c.BC+]: without a…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

εἷς

heis

(including the neuter (etc.) hen); a primary numeral; one:--a(-n, -ny,

certain), + abundantly, man, one (another), only, other, some. See

also 1527, 3367, 3391, 3762.

see GREEK for 1527

see GREEK for 3367

see GREEK for 3391

see GREEK for 3762

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

εἷς, μία, ἕν

Adj

one

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

εἱς heis 345x

numeral one, Mt. 10:29, freq.; only, Mk. 12:6; one virtually by union, Mt. 19:5, 6; Jn. 10:30; one and the same, Lk. 12:52; Rom. 3:30; one in respect of office and standing, 1 Cor. 3:8; equivalent to τις, a certain one, Mt. 8:19; 16:14; a, an, Mt. 21:19; Jas. 4:13; εἱς ἕκαστος, each one, every one, Read the full entry →

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj-DSM — Adjective · dative · singular · masculine
dative — to, for, with — the one it is done to or by.
Agrees with anything else marked singular masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

A-DSM Part of Speech: Adjective Case: Dative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wun.

See NUMBER.

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
93%one
one93% · 334×other renderings5% · 19×other renderings2% · 6×

359 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 16 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
subject32%adverbial24%object20%predicate20%indirect object2%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 336 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
Article theγάρforδέbut, on the othe
καίand, even, also, nam
δεξιόςon the right hanπαραλαμβάνωI take, receiveπωλέωI sell
ἐν
γίνομαιI come into beinδέbut, on the otheγάρfor
αὐτός
λέγωI say, speakπροσέρχομαιI come near, conἀποκρίνομαιI answer, reply
ὅτιthat, since, because
σύδέbut, on the otheλέγωI say, speak
εἷςone336×
what comes after →
Article the
δώδεκαIndecμικρόςlittle, smallθεόςGod, a god
ἐκ
Article theαὐτόςδεξιόςon the right han
ἕκαστοςeach, every one
αὐτόςArticle theκατά
εἰμίI am, exist
Article theκαίand, even, also,ἐκ
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theΜωϋσῆςMosesἨλίαςElijah

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

Concordanceεἷς · 336× in the New Testament
Matthew Luke John Mark 1 Corinthians Revelation Acts Romans Ephesians Galatians 1 Timothy Hebrews

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament21 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 444 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 9c. AD 40

τὸ δὲ παθητὸν ἄψυχον καὶ ἀκίνητον ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ, κινηθὲν δὲ καὶ σχηματισθὲν καὶ ψυχωθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ νοῦ μετέβαλεν εἰς τὸ τελειότατον ἔργον, τόνδε τὸν κόσμον·

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

ὅτι λιμοῦ τὴν Χαναναίαν καταλαβόντος εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἀπῆρε καὶ διατρίψας ἐν αὐτῇ τινα χρόνον ὑπέστρεψεν ὀπίσω.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.2c. AD 100

Μεγάλων μὲν ὄντων καὶ πλουσίων τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιωμάτων εἰς ὑμᾶς, ὑπέρ τι καὶ καθ̓ ὑπερβολὴν ὑπερευφραίνομαι ἐπὶ τοῖς μακαρίοις καὶ ἐνδόξοις ὑμῶν πνεύμασιν: οὕτως ἔμφυτον τῆς δωρεᾶς πνευματικῆς χάριν εἰλήφατε.

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.Stras. 2 89Pathyris100 BC

ἐωνήσατο παρὰ Πανοβχούνιος τοῦ Τοτόηους ἐν τῷ ιε ἔτει Παῦνι γ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀρχείου, μιᾶς μὲν ἐν τῷ ἀπὸ λιβὸς πεδίωι, γείτονες· νότου γῆ Πατοῦτος τοῦ Φίβιος, βορρᾶ γῆ

P.Lond. 3 p. 18 no. 678Krokodilopolis (Pathyrites)100 BC–99 BC

τῶν αὐτῶν ἱερέων ὡς ἐτῶν μζ μέσος μελίχρως μακροπρόσωπος εὐθύριν ὦτα ἀφεστηκότα χαλκοῦ ταλάντου ἑνός . προπωλητὴς καὶ βεβαιωτὴς τῶν κατὰ τὴν ὠνὴν ταύτην Πετεσοῦχος ὁ ἀποδόμενος ὃν ἐδέξατο

BGU 3 999Pathyris100 BC

καὶ ἀπηλιώτου τὸ λοιπὸν τῆς Εὐνόου οἰκίας λιβὸς ῥύμη ἐφ ᾧ ἀνοίξει τὴν θύραν εἰς τὴν Ὀρσηοῦς οἰκίαν ἢ οἳ ἂν ὦσι γείτονες πάντοθεν. ἐπρίατο Πετεσοῦχος Νεχθανούπιος ὡς ἐτῶν

[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
ἑκάστῳhekastos each G1538 Adjective · dative · singular · masculine
82× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Colossians as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
The word 'each' or 'every' refers to individual things or people, like in Xenophon's writings and the Iliad by Homer. It helps us understand when all people or things are included in a group.
Amplified meaning
each one, individually
Tyndale gloss
each
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἕκαστος (i.e., *hekastos*) means 'each' or 'every.' It is often used with nouns, as in Luke 6:44, or can stand alone, as seen in Acts 4:35. The word can also appear in plural forms or with partitive genitives, indicating individual members of a group. There is some variation in how lexicons present its usage, particularly regarding its grammatical constructions.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

* ἕκαστος, -η, ὂν, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ;]

each, every (Lat. quisque) ;

with a noun: Lk 6:44, Jo 19:23, seq. κατά, He 3:13, Re 22:2; εἷς ἕ., Eph 4:16;

without a noun: Ac 4:35, Ro 2:6, al.;

partit. gen., Ro 14:12, I Co 1:12, al.; in sing, with pl. verb, Lk 2:3, Ac 11:29, al.; in apposition with pl. noun or pron.,

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

ἕκαστος, -7, -ov, Sept. for wx, [fr. Hom. down], each, a. joined to a substantive: ἕκαστον δένδρον, Lk. vi. 44; ἑκάστῳ στρατιώτῃ, Jn. xix. 23; κατὰ μῆνα ἕκαστον, every month, Rev. xxii. 2 [not Ree.]; καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, Leb. iii. 13; ef. W. 111 (106); B. § 127, 30. preceded by εἷς, Lat. unusquisque, every one: with a substantive, Eph. iv. 16; Rev. xxii. 2 Ree. b. used substantively: Jn. vii. 53 [Rec.]; Acts iv. 35; Ro. ii. 6; Gal. vi. 4, ete.; once plur. ἕκαστοι : Rev. vi. 11 Ree. With a partitive genitive added: ἡμῶν, Ro. xiv. 12; ὑμῶν, Lk. xiii. 15; 1 Co. 1. 12; Heb. vi. 11; αὐτῶν, Jn. vi. 7 [ἢ ΟἹ; τῶν σπερμάτων, 1 Co. xv. 38. εἷς ἕκαστος, every one (see εἷς, 4 b.): without a partit. gen., Acts xx. 31; Col. iv. 6; with a partit. gen., Lk. iv. 40; Acts ii. 3; xvil. 27; 1 Co. xii. 18, ete. €xaoros, when it denotes individually, every one of many, is often added appositively to nouns…

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

ἕκαστος. P Fay 915 (A.D. 99) ἕκαστα ποιήσω καθὼς πρόκιται, 20. τοοῦ (A.D. 99) μετὰ κυρίων ἑκάστ[η]ς τοῦ ἀνδρός, “with their respective guardians their husbands” (Edd.), P Oxy X. 127874 (A.D. 214) ἕκαστον δὲ μέρος π[α]ραδοῦν[αι ἑϊκατέpw, ‘‘each party is to deliver to the other” (Edd.), 74. VI. 8861 (a magical formula—iii/a.p.) émlyp(aov) ἐν ἑκάστῳ τῶν φύλλων τὰ τῶν θεῶν ὀνόματα. The phrase καθ᾽ éxaστην ἡμέραν, as in Heb 315, is common, e.g. P Fay 130° (iii/A.D.), and similarly καθ᾽ ἕκαστον μῆνα, καθ᾽ ἕκαστον ἔτος. For εἷς ἕκαστος, see P Tebt II. 3071 (A.D. 198) € ἐξεδό(θησαν) ἑνὶ ἑκάστῳ, “5 copies were issued, one to each one” (Edd.).

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἕκαστος (hekastos) — each.

ἕκαστος, η, ον,

each, opposed to the whole body, [Refs 8th c.BC+] they went home each to his own house,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; so in Attic dialect, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: singular in apposition with plural Noun or pronoun, which expresses the whole, Τρῶας δὲ τρόμος αἰνὸς ὑπήλυθε γυῖα ἕκαστον [Refs 8th c.BC+]; αἱ ἄλλαι πᾶσαι [τέχναι] τὸ αὑτῆς ἑκάστη ἔργον ἐργάζεται [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὅστις ἕκαστος every one which.. (nisi to be read ὥς τις), [Refs 8th c.BC+]

2. the Article is sometimes added to the substantive (so regularly in earlier Attic dialect Inscrr., [Refs] every single day, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: also following the substantive, κατὰ τὸν οξπλίτην ἕκαστον [Refs 5th c.BC+]

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἕκαστος

hekastos

as if a superlative of hekas (afar); each or every:--any, both, each

(one), every (man, one, woman), particularly.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἕκαστος, η, ον

Adj

each, every one

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἕκαστος hekastos 82x

each (one), every (one) separately, Mt. 16:27; Lk. 13:15

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἕκαστος ἕκαστος, η, ον every, every one, each, each one, Lat. quisque, Hom., etc.; the sg. is often joined with a pl. Verb, ἔβαν οἴκονδε ἕκαστος they went home every one of them, Il.; ἕκαστος ἐπίστασθε Xen.:—the sg. is also put in apposition with a pl. Noun, Τρῶας ἕκαστον ὑπήλυθε τρόμος (for Τρώων ἕκαστον) fear seized them every one, Il.

in pl. all and each one, Hom.

more definitely, εἷς ἕκαστος, Lat. unusquisque, every single one, Hdt., etc.:— καθ᾽ ἕκαστον singly, by itself, Lat. singulatim, Plat., etc.

ὡς ἕκαστοι each by himself, Hdt., etc.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj-DSM — Adjective · dative · singular · masculine
dative — to, for, with — the one it is done to or by.
Agrees with anything else marked singular masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

A-DSM Part of Speech: Adjective Case: Dative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
85%each
each85% · 70×each one7% · 6×other renderings7% · 6×

82 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 8 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
subject49%indirect object22%adverbial20%object10%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 82 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
εἷςone
δέbut, on the otheκατάαὐτός
καίand, even, also, nam
πιστεύωI believe, have ἀποκαλύπτωI uncover, bringἔχωI have, hold, po
ἀποδίδωμιI give back, return,
τότεthenὅςἐγώ
δέbut, on the other ha
διαδίδωμιI offer here andεἷςoneἐπιθυμέωI long for, cove
ὅτιthat, since, because
οὗτοςοἶδαI know, remember
ἕκαστοςeach82×
what comes after →
Article the
ἔργονwork, labor, actἴδιοςone’s own, privaἀδελφόςa brother
σύ
Article theἐπίλέγωI say, speak
κατά
Article the
αὐτός
Article theεἰςἐν
ὡςas, like as, how, wh
Article theμερίζωI divide, part, καλέωI call, invite,

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

Concordanceἕκαστος · 82× in the New Testament
1 Corinthians Acts Revelation Ephesians Hebrews Luke Romans John Matthew 1 Peter 1 Thessalonians 2 Corinthians
Across the New Testament18 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 179 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
Philo of Alexandria Josephus The Shepherd of Hermas Clement of Rome The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 15c. AD 40

ἑκάστῃ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀπένειμεν ἔνια τῶν τοῦ παντὸς τμημάτων τὴν πρώτην ὑπεξελόμενος, ἣν αὐτὸς οὐδὲ πρώτην, ἵνα μὴ ταῖς ἄλλαις συγκαταριθμῆται, καλεῖ, μίαν δ’ ὀνομάσας ὀνόματι εὐθυβόλῳ προσαγορεύει, τὴν μονάδος φύσιν καὶ πρόσρησιν ἐνιδών τε καὶ…

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

ὅτι τῶν ἐθνῶν ἕκαστον ἀπὸ τῶν οἰκισάντων προσηγορεύθη.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 2.8c. AD 100

ἀλλ̓ ἡ τοῦτο ἐνετειλάμην αὐτοῖς: ἕκαστος ὑμῶν κατὰ τοῦ πλησίον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἑαυτοῦ κακίαν μὴ μνησικακείτω, καὶ ὅρκον ψευδῆ μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε.

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 1st c. AD
P.Amh. 2 48Pathyris107 BC

οἶκον πρὸς αὐτὴν τοῖς ἰδίοις. ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀποδῷ ἐν τῷ ὡρισμένῳ χρόνῳ ἀποτεισάτω ἑκάστου κεραμίου χαλκοῦ δραχμὰς χιλίας , ἡ δὲ πρᾶξις ἔστω Ναομσήσι ἐκ τοῦ Ψενθώτου καὶ

P.Amh. 2 50Pathyris107 BC

τάλαντα ε Β ἡμιόλιον καὶ τοῦ ὑπερπεσόντος χρόνου τόκους διδράχμους τῆς μνᾶς τὸν μῆνα ἕκαστον. ἔγγυοι ἀλλήλων εἰς ἔκτεισιν τῶν διὰ τοῦ δανείου τούτου πάντων αὐτοὶ οἱ δεδανεισμένοι, ἡ

P.Adl. 15Pathyris (?)101 BC

ἀγορᾶι τιμήν, καὶ ἡ πρᾶξις ἔστω Ὥρῳ ἐκ τοῦ δεδανεισμένου καὶ ἐξ ἑνὸς καὶ ἑκάστου αὐτῶν καὶ ἐξ οὗ ἂν αἵρηται καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐτῷ πάντων πράσσοντι καθάπερ

[Let] the speech of you [be] always in grace, with salt seasoned, to know how it behooves you one each to answer.
ἀποκρίνεσθαι.¶apokrinō to answer. G611 Verb · present · no voice stated · infinitive
231× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
rarer in Colossians than elsewhere in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
To answer or respond, as in Matthew 27:12 and Mark 14:61, where Jesus answers the high priest. It can also mean to begin speaking or to give a reply. The KJV translates it as 'answer'.
Amplified meaning
respond, reply
Tyndale gloss
to answer
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἀποκρίνομαι (apokrinomai) is built from the prefix ἀπο- and the root κρίνω, meaning to separate or distinguish. It primarily means to answer or reply, often in a context where a response is expected. In the New Testament, it appears in various forms, particularly in legal or conversational contexts, such as in Matthew 3:15 and John 1:49.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἀπο-κρίνω,

[in LXX chiefly for ענה;]

in cl.,

to separate, distinguish.

to choose. Mid., to answer: Mt 27:12, Mk 14:61, Lk 3:16 23:9, Jo 5:17, 19, Ac 3:12. In late Gk. the pass, also is used in this sense, and pass. forms are the more freq. in NT (M, Pr., 39, 161; MM, s.v.);

in general sense: absol., Mk 12:34; c. acc. rei, Mt 22:46; c. dat. pers., Mt 12:38; seq. πρός, Ac 25:16;

Hebraistically

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

ἀποκρίνομαι. Syil 928°? (Magnesia, early 11,8.6.) περὶ ταύτης τῆς] χώρας τῆς παρὰ IIpinvéwy ἀποκεκριμένης οὔσης shows the old ἀποκρίνω in passive. For the combination of pf. partic. and ὦν, cf. Col 12. In P Ryl II. 122" (a.p. 127) εἰς τὸ κἀμὲ δύνασθαι ἀποκριθῆναι τῶι δημοσίωι, ‘enabling me thus to fulfil my duties towards the Treasury” (Edd.), we have an , ἀποκρίνομαι isolated ex. of the passive aor. not meaning ‘‘answer.” This latter, so overwhelmingly predominant in NT, is rather surprisingly uncommon in the non-literary Kow#. Early inscriptional instances are Sy// 328" (8.6. 84) ἀπεκρίθην κα]λῶς [αὐτ]όν [τε δεδωἸκέναι kal KrA., 24. 307%! (B.C. 150-47) ἔδοξεν... τούτοις φιλανθρώπως ἀποκριθῆναι, 25. 9305: (B.C. 112), same phrase: the last two are senatus consulta, starting in Latin. Similarly the dialectic Sy// 654° (Ὁ ii/B.c.) ἀποκριθῆμεν τοῖς πρεσβευταῖς διότι KTA. Mayser, p. 379…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἀποκρίνω (apokrinō) — to answer.

ἀποκρίνω [ῑ],

future -κρῐνῶ, set apart, probably in [Refs 7th c.BC+]:—passive, to be parted or separated, ἀποκρινθέντε parted from the throng (of two πρόμαχοι), [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of the elements in cosmogony, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀποκεκρίσθαι εἰς ἓν ὄνομα to be separated and brought under one name, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐ βεβαίως ἀπεκρίθησαν, of combatants, separated without decisive result, [Refs]

2. in Medicine texts in passive, to be distinctly formed, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the embryo, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τὰ ἐν τῷ σώματι -όμενα bodily secretions, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; but ἐς τοῦτο πάντα ἀπεκρίθη all illnesses determined or ended in this alone, [Refs 5th c.BC+]are voided, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἀποκρίνομαι

apokrinomai

from 575 and krino; to conclude for oneself, i.e. (by implication) to

respond; by Hebraism (compare 6030) to begin to speak (where an

address is expected):--answer.

see GREEK for 575

see HEBREW for 06030

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἀποκρίνομαι

v.

I answer, reply

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἀποκρίνομαι apokrinomai 231x

to answer, Mt. 3:15; in NT to respond to certain present circumstances, to avow, Mt. 11:25

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-PNN — Verb · present · no voice stated · infinitive
present no voice stated infinitive — an action in progress.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-PNN Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Present Voice: middle or passive depoNent Mood: iNfinitive TVM equivalent: G5738

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

an'-ser: In our English Bible the word "answer" does not always mean a simple reply to a question.

1. In the Old Testament:

Six different words are translated by answer.

(1) It is frequently used where no question has been asked and in such cases it means a word, a statement.

(2) It also means a response (Job 21:34; 34:36).

(3) It often means a declaration or proclamation from God where no question has been asked. See the many passages that read: "The Lord answered and said."

(4) The other words translated "answer" or "answered" in the Old Testament are unimportant shadings and variations.

2. In the New Testament:

The words translated "answer" are not so varied.

(1) It sometimes means an apology, a defense (1Pe 3:15; Ac 24:10,25).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Besides the common use of this word in the sense of to reply, it is very often used in the bible, following the Hebrew and Greek idioms, in the sense of to speak; meaning simply that one begins or resumes his discourse, Zec 3:4; 6:4; Mt 11:25; 12:38; Lu 7:40. It also means, to sing in choruses or responses, 1Sa 18:7; and to give account of one’s self in judgment, Ge 30:33; Job 9:3.

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
47%answering
answering47% · 115×answered36% · 89×he answered4% · 9×they answered3% · 8×other renderings9% · 23×other renderings1% · 3×

247 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 23 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
verb59%adverbial41%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 231 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
λόγοςa word, speech, ἐγώσύ
δέbut, on the other ha
Article theΠέτροςPeterὅς
τότεthen
θεόςGod, a god
οὐNeg
καίand, even, also,λέγωI say, speakδέbut, on the othe
οὐδείςno one, none, nothin
αὐτόςπρεσβύτεροςelderοὐκέτιNeg
ἀποκρίνομαιto answer.231×
what comes after →
αὐτός
Article theλέγωI say, speakἸησοῦςJesus
δέbut, on the other ha
Article theλέγωI say, speakαὐτός
λέγωI say, speak
αὐτόςArticle theοὐNeg
Article the
ἸησοῦςJesusΠέτροςPeterἄγγελοςan angel, messen
ἸησοῦςJesus
καίand, even, also,οὔτεNegArticle 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

Concordanceἀποκρίνομαι · 231× in the New Testament
John Matthew Luke Mark Acts Colossians Revelation

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament7 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 118 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
Philo of Alexandria The Shepherd of Hermas Josephus Clement of Rome Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaAllegorical Interpretation of Genesis 2.46c. AD 40

ὁ δὲ ἀποκρίνεται ὅτι, ὦ ψευδοδοξοῦσα, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ νοῦς αἴτιον οὐδενός, ἀλλ’ ὁ πρὸ τοῦ νοῦ θεός·

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 3.174c. AD 75–95

ἐκ μέντοι τῶν κλάδων ἀνίησι κάλυκα προσεχῆ τῷ κλωνί, περίεισι δʼ αὐτὴν ἔλυτρον, ὅπερ ἀποκρίνεται κατʼ αὐτὸ πρὸς τὸν καρπὸν μεταβαλεῖν ἠργμένης·

Clement of RomeFirst Clement 12.4c. AD 96

ἐπισταθέντων δὲ τῶν παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ λεγόντων: Πρὸς σὲ εἰσῆλθον οἱ κατάσκοποι τῆς γῆς ἡμῶν: ἐξάγαγε αὐτούς, ὁ γὰρ βασιλεὺς οὕτως κελεύει, ἥδε ἀπεκρίθη: Εἰσῆλθον μὲν οἱ ἄνδρες, οὓς ζητεῖτε, πρός με, ἀλλ̓ εὐθέως ἀπῆλθον καὶ πορεύονται τῇ ὁδῷ:…

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 1st c. AD
P.Amh. 2 65 RoHermopolisAD 117–AD 127

Δίδυμος· ὅλως ἀμφοδογραμματεὺς οὐ καθίστησιν σιτολόγον. ἐκεῖνος· σὺ αὐτοὺς εἰσέδωκας ἐργολαβῆσαι θέλων. Πομπήιος Πλάντας ἀποκρίνεται· Ἑρμαῖος ὁ ἀδελφὸς … πράγματι ε … … … … ματι εἰργολάβησεν … Πομπήιος

P.Fay. 203 descr.Bakchias (Arsinoites)AD 148–AD 150

γὰρ επ … … ἁπλῆς πράσεως … τ … … εἶπεν· τί πρὸς ταῦτα ἀποκρίνῃ; … … αι καὶ μηδε … … … η τοῖς ονη … … βοηθῆσαι

PSI 10 1100ArsinoitesAD 161

περιγραφῇ τῇ ἐμῇ ταῦτα βασταχθῇ καὶ παραπόληται τῷ ταμίῳ. Φαῦστος ἐπύθετο· ὑπὸ τίνος βασταχθῇ; ἀπεκρίνατο· ὑπὸ τῶν σιτολόγων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων. ἐὰν οὖν σοι δοκῆι, κατάστησόν τινας ἐπακολουθοῦντας. Φαῦστος

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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