Menu

Galatians 5:16 — Word Study

Depth

N1904Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε.

BSAI saylegō [then, as a conclusion] now,de by [the] Spiritpneuma [the divine breath] do walkperipateō [live, follow] andkai [the] desireepithumia [lust, evil longings] [of the] fleshsarx [the physical body, human nature] certainlyou not you may gratify.teleō [certainly not, under no circumstances, fulfill, satisfy]

Word
Listen & take awayGalatians 5
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 16 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 (teleō) — no per-word recordings of the Greek exist to link to.
Take it away
Galatians 5:16quick helps
In a sentencePaul instructs the Galatians to live according to the Spirit to avoid fulfilling sinful desires.
Who is speakingThe Apostle Paul is addressing the Galatian church with a directive.
Where we areThis verse is part of a section where Paul contrasts living by the Spirit with living according to the flesh.
The hard wordπεριπατεῖτε
Take awayLiving by the Spirit is essential for resisting the pull of sinful desires.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbλέγω 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 — Galatians 5:16

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 — Living by the Spiritgenerated

15But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.
18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Galatians 5:16 is part of Paul’s exhortation to the Galatians, encouraging them to live in accordance with the Holy Spirit. This instruction comes amid a discussion about the conflict between the desires of the flesh and the guidance of the Spirit, emphasizing the importance of spiritual living. Paul contrasts the outcomes of living by the Spirit with the destructive nature of succumbing to fleshly desires, as he elaborates in the surrounding verses.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Galatians 3:17What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise.
21 Corinthians 7:29What I am saying, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;
3Galatians 5:25Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit.
4Galatians 6:8The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
5Romans 8:1–4Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

The Key Word περιπατεῖτε, peripateōgenerated

The verb περιπατέω (peripateō) means to walk or to conduct oneself. It often carries a metaphorical sense, indicating how one lives or behaves in a moral or spiritual context. In this verse, it emphasizes a lifestyle that aligns with the guidance of the Spirit.

The present active imperative form indicates a continuous action, urging the Galatians to consistently live by the Spirit. This reflects an ongoing commitment to spiritual principles rather than a one-time decision.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In comparing translations, the Berean Standard Bible uses walk, which is echoed in the KJV and ASV. These versions emphasize a direct command to live in a certain manner.

Where the translations differ is in the rendering of ἐπιθυμίαν. The KJV and ASV use lust, while the BSB opts for desires, reflecting a broader understanding of human longing.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb in this verse is Λέγω (legō), which governs the entire statement. It introduces the command to walk by the Spirit, with the rest of the sentence explaining the consequences of that action.

The sentence structure includes a main clause followed by a subordinate clause that describes the outcome of living by the Spirit, highlighting the relationship between the two actions.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

πνεῦμα appears in the Septuagint, translating the Hebrew word for spirit, רוּחַ (ruach), which conveys similar meanings of breath and spirit, emphasizing the divine aspect of the Holy Spirit.

The concept of walking in accordance with the Spirit resonates with the teachings found in the Old Testament, where following God's ways is often described as walking in His statutes.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Galatians 5:16 teaches that if we live according to the Spirit, we will not give in to sinful desires. Paul emphasizes the importance of following the Spirit's guidance to avoid the temptations of the flesh.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to walk by the Spirit?

Walking by the Spirit means living according to the guidance and influence of the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to direct our thoughts and actions.

What are the desires of the flesh?

The desires of the flesh refer to sinful inclinations and cravings that lead us away from God's will and towards actions that are contrary to His teachings.

How can I ensure I am walking by the Spirit?

To walk by the Spirit, one can engage in prayer, study the Scriptures, and seek to align one's life with God's will, asking for the Spirit's guidance in daily decisions.

What is the significance of Paul addressing the Galatians in this way?

Paul's instruction to the Galatians highlights the importance of spiritual living in a community that may have been struggling with legalism and the desires of the flesh.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I struggle with the desires of the flesh?
  2. How can I better recognize the guidance of the Holy Spirit in my daily decisions?
  3. What practical steps can I take to walk more closely with the Spirit?
  4. How does understanding the conflict between the Spirit and the flesh help me in my spiritual journey?

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

Early church writers reflect on this verse to discuss the nature of the Spirit and the flesh, emphasizing the importance of spiritual living.

TertullianA Treatise on the Soul c. 155–220
Every soul, then, by reason of its birth, has its nature in Adam until it is born again in Christ; moreover, it is unclean all the while that it remains without this regeneration;
Early Church Fathers on Galatians 5 →
Gaius Marius VictorinusEPISTLE TO THE Galatians 2.5.16 c. 290–364
The whole essence of the gospel is to think according to the Spirit, to live according to the Spirit, to believe according to the Spirit, to have nothing of the flesh in one’s mind and acts and life.
Early Church Fathers on Galatians 5 →
JeromeVerse 16 c. 347–420
But I say: Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. And this is to be understood in two ways according to what was said before: first, that those who have mortified the works of the flesh by the spirit,
Early Church Fathers on Galatians 5 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Galatians 5:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

This I say then, walk in the Spirit,.... The advice the apostle thinks fit to give, and which he would have observed, is, to "walk in the Spirit", that is, either after the Spirit of God; making the

Read John Gill on Galatians 5 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Read Robert Jamieson on Galatians 5 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Walk in the Spirit; the apostle having, , cautioned them against turning the grace of God into wantonness, by using their liberty as an occasion to the flesh; here he directeth them to the best means for the avoiding thereof, viz. walking in the Spirit. Where by Spirit he doth not mean our own spirits, or the guide and conduct of our own reason; for the term Spirit, set (as here) in opposition to the flesh, is in no place of Scripture understood of any other than the Holy Spirit of God, which dwelleth in and influenceth believers, guiding them both by a rule from without, (which is the word of God, given by its inspiration), and by its inward motions and operations. Walking, signifieth the…

Read Matthew Poole on Galatians 5 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Ver. 16. This I say then] For an antidote against abuse of Christian liberty. Set the Spirit, as Pharaoh did Joseph, upon the chief chariot of your hearts, and let all be at his beck and check.

Read John Trapp on Galatians 5 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16-26) To follow the guidance of the Spirit is to obtain a double release: on the one hand, from the evil appetites and passions of the flesh or of sense—which is the direct antithesis to the Spirit—and on the other hand, from the dominion of the Law. It is easy to tell which has the upper hand—the flesh or the Spirit. The flesh is known by a long catalogue of sins, the Spirit by a like catalogue of Christian graces, the mere mention of which is enough to show that the Law has no power over them. Those who belong to Christ have got rid of the flesh, with all its impulses, by their union with a crucified Saviour. All the Christian has to do is to act really by the rule of the Spirit…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Galatians 5 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 16. Walk in the Spirit] Get back that Spirit of God which you have grieved and lost; take up that spiritual religion which you have abandoned. Ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.] If the Spirit of God dwell in and rule your heart, the whole carnal mind will be destroyed; and then, not only carnal ordinances will be abandoned, but also the works and propensities of the flesh.

Read AdamClarke on Galatians 5 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16–26. The spiritual life of liberty inconsistent with the indulgence of the works of the flesh16. This I say then] After affirming the great law of Christian perfection in Galatians 5:14 and pointing out the effects of its violation, St Paul proceeds to shew how alone the former may be obeyed and the latter escaped. The controversies and heartburnings from which the Galatian Chruch was suffering were due to the lusts of the flesh (comp. James 4:1-2). There was only one means by which the tyranny of these lusts could be resisted and broken—by the guidance and power of Him Who is the Spirit both of love and of liberty.Walk in the Spirit] R.V. ‘Walk by the Spirit.’ This is differently…

Read Cambridge on Galatians 5 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This I say then - This is the true rule about overcoming the propensities of your carnal natures, and of avoiding the evils of strife and contention.

Read Albert Barnes on Galatians 5 →

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

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

NETBNew English Translation2006

But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

But I say, Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

RVARevised Version, American1894

But I say, Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then I say, Walke in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lustes of the flesh.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

But I say, Walk in [the] Spirit, and ye shall no way fulfil flesh's lust.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And I say: In the Spirit walk ye, and the desire of the flesh ye may not complete;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And I say, walk in the Spirit, and you may not fulfill the desire of the flesh;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the sinful nature.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

I say then, walk in the spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

My advice is to walk by the Spirit. Don't satisfy the desires of your sinful human nature.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

But I say, Go on in the Spirit, and you will not come under the rule of the evil desires of the flesh.

Word by word, the decisions they made

περιπατεῖτεperipateō do walk G4043 2 different renderings
walkASV BSB DBY DRA FBV KJV LSV MSB NWB RVA ULB WEB YLT
liveNETB
ἐπιθυμίανepithumia [the] desire G1939 5 different renderings
lustASV DBY KJV NWB RVA WEB
desiresBSB FBV MSB NETB ULB
desireLSV YLT
lustsDRA
evil desiresBBE
σαρκὸςsarx [of the] flesh G4561 2 different renderings
fleshASV BBE BSB DRA GNV KJV LSV MSB NETB NWB RVA WEB YLT
human natureFBV
τελέσητε.teleō you may gratify. G5055 2 different renderings
fulfillDRA GNV LSV NWB RVA WEB
satisfyFBV

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.

clauseδέnowclauseverbΛέγωI sayclauseclauseadverbialΠνεύματιby [the] Spiritverbπεριπατεῖτεwalkκαὶandclausenoun phrase · objectἐπιθυμίαν[the] desireσαρκὸς[of the] fleshadverb phrase · adverbialοὐnoμὴnotverbτελέσητεyou should gratify

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

Dico autem : Spiritu ambulate, et desideria carnis non perficietis.

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

ܐܡܪ ܐܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܕܒܪܘܚܐ ܗܘܝܬܘܢ ܡܗܠܟܝܢ ܘܪܓܬܐ ܕܒܣܪܐ ܠܐ ܡܢ ܡܬܘܡ ܬܥܒܕܘܢ

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

Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε.

The standard critical text of the New Testament.

Nestle-Aland 27th edition1993 · Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft

Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε.

The previous edition, still widely cited.

SBL Greek New Testament2010 · Michael Holmes

Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε.

The Society of Biblical Literature edition, freely licensed.

Westcott–Hort1881 · Westcott and Hort

Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε.

The edition that turned scholarship toward the earliest manuscripts.

Tregelles1857–1879 · Samuel Prideaux Tregelles

Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε.

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

Tyndale House Greek NT2017 · Tyndale House, Cambridge

Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε.

A recent critical edition following documentary evidence closely.

Byzantine majority text2018 · Robinson–Pierpont

Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε.

The reading of the majority of surviving manuscripts.

Textus Receptus1550/1894 lineage

Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε.

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.

Galatians 5:16λέγωI sayI sayλέγωδέnow,now,δέπνεῦμαby [the] Spby [the] Spiritπνεῦμαπεριπατέωdo walkdo walkπεριπατέωκαίandandκαίἐπιθυμία[the] desir[the] desireἐπιθυμίασάρξ[of the] fl[of the] fleshσάρξοὐcertainlycertainlyοὐμήnotnotμήτελέωyou may grayou may gratifyτελέωπνέωv. I blowv. I blowπνέωπερίPrep. abouPrep. about, coπερίἐπιθυμέωv. I long v. I long for, ἐπιθυμέωτέλοςn.n. an enn.n. an end, puτέλοςφημίv. I sayv. I sayφημίσαρόωv. I sweepv. I sweepσαρόωμήNeg.prt. nNeg.prt. not, lμήοὐNeg.prt. nNeg.prt. no, noοὐἀμήνHebr. veriHebr. verily, tἀμήνδιδάσκαλοςn.m. a tean.m. a teacherδιδάσκαλοςἀκάθαρτοςAdj uncleaAdj unclean, imἀκάθαρτοςἅγιοςAdj set apAdj set apart, ἅγιοςκράβαττοςn.m. a bedn.m. a bed, matκράβαττοςχωλόςAdj lame, Adj lame, depriχωλόςπάθοςn.n. suffen.n. suffering,πάθοςδελεάζωv. I allurv. I allure, enδελεάζωἐπιθυμίαn.f. desirn.f. desire, eaἐπιθυμίαἔξεστι(ν)v. it is pv. it is permitἔξεστι(ν)
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 Galatians 5:16

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.

I say now, by [the] Spirit do walk and [the] desire [of the] flesh certainly not you may gratify.
Λέγωlegō I say G3004 Verb · present · active · indicative · first person · singular
2,255× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
rarer in Galatians than elsewhere in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to say or speak, and it is used by Jesus and others in the New Testament to share teachings and tell stories. It appears in Matthew 9:34 and John 1:29.
Amplified meaning
then, as a conclusion
Tyndale gloss
to say
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

λέγω (legō) is a primary Greek verb meaning 'to say' or 'to speak.' It encompasses a range of uses, including expressing thoughts, making declarations, and narrating events. The New Testament frequently employs it in direct speech and as a way to convey meaning, such as in Matthew 27:11. Abbott-Smith notes its distinction from similar verbs like λαλέω.

Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament — λαλέω, λέγω, λαλιά, λόγος from a scan

In dealing with synonyms of the N. T. we plainly need not concern ourselves with such earlier, or even contemporary, uses of the words which we are discriminating, as lie altogether outside of the N. T. sphere, when these uses do not illustrate, and have not affected, their Scriptural employment. It follows from this that all those contemptuous uses of λαλεῖν as to talk at random, as one ἀθυρόστομος, or with no door to his lips, might do; of λαλιά, as chatter («Kpacia λόγου ἄλογος, Plato, Defin. 416)—for I cannot believe that we are to find this at John iv. 42—may be dismissed and set aside. The antithesis in the line of Eupolis (Meineke, /ragm. Com. Gr. p. 174), Λαλεῖν ἄριστος, ἀδυνατώτατος λέγειν, does little or nothing to illustrate the matter in hand. The distinction which indeed exists between the words may in this way be made clear. There are two leading aspects under which speech…

Read the full entry →
Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

λέγω,

[in LXX very freq., chiefly for אמר; λέγει for נְאֻם, Ge 22:16, al.;]

in Hom., to pick out, gather, reckon, recount.

In Hdt. and Att., to say, speak, affirm, declare: absol., Ac 13:15 24:10; seq. orat. dir., Mt 9:34, Mk 3:11, Jo 1:29, al.; seq. ὅτι recit., Mk 3:21, Lk 1:24, Jo 6:14, al.; acc. et. inf., Lk 11:18, Jo 12:29, al.; after another verb of speaking, προσφωνεῖν κ. λέγειν, Mt 11:17, al.; ἀπεκρίθη (ἐλάλησεν) λέγων (καὶ λέγει; Dalman…

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

λέγω (in the N. T. only the pres. and impf. act. and pres. pass. are in use; 3 pers. plur. impf. ἔλεγαν, Jn. xi. 56 Tdf. [ef. ἔχω, init.]): I. in its earliest use in Hom. to lay (like Lat. lego, Germ. legen; οἵ. J. G. Miiller in Theol. Stud. u. Krit. for 1835, p. 127 sqq.; Curtius § 538) ; to cause to lie down, put to sleep; 1. to collect, gather; to pick out. 2. lo lay with, count with; to enumerate, recount, narrate, describe; [οἷ. Eng. tale, Germ. ztihlen). II. to put word to word in speaking, join words together, i. e. to say (how it differs fr. λαλεῖν, see under that word ad init.) ; once so by Hom. in 1]. 2, 222 [yet ef. Schmidt, Syn. i. ch. 1, §§ 20; 48, 2; L. and S. s. vy. B. II. 2]; often in Pind., and by far the most com. use in Attic; Sept. more than thirteen hundred times for 728; often also for D8} (saying, dictum); very rarely for 1393; and soin N.T. 1. univ. a. absol. to…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

λέγω. (1). “‘I say, speak”: see e.g. P Par 47 {= Selections, Ῥ- 21 ff.), ¢. B.C. 153, which is addressed on the verso—mpds τοὺς τὴν ἀλήθεαν λέγοντες (—-as), P Fay 12378 (c. A.D. 100) γνώσομαι yap εἰ ἀληθῶς λέγι, “1 will find out whether he is speaking the truth,” P Ryl 11. 7615 (late li/A.D.) ἃ καὶ ἀναγνώσομαι λεγομένου τοῦ [π]ράγματος, “1 will read them when the case is argued” (Edd.), P Flor II. 1327 (A.D. 257) ἔλεζξ]αν πεποιηκέναι ταῦτα ἀγνοίᾳ, ‘they said they had done this in ignorance,” and the magical P Par 5741238 (iii/A.D.) (= Selectzons, p. 113) λόγος λεγόμενος ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, ‘ invocation to be uttered over the head (of the possessed one).”” For the phrase τὸ αὐτὸ λέγειν, cf. I Cor 11°, Weiss (Meyer 15 ad 1) cites a sepulchral inscr. of husband and wife from Rhodes, /J/Ae 149 (ii/B.c.) ταὐτὰ λέγοντες ταὐτὰ φρονοῦντες ἤλθομεν τὰν ἀμέτρητον ὁδὸν εἰς ᾿Αἴδαν. (2). Closely…

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

λέγω (legō) — to say.

λέγω,

__B pick up, etc.: tenses for signification 1 and 11, future λέξω [Refs 8th c.BC+]: aorist ἔλεξα [Refs 4th c.BC+]:—middle, future in passive sense λέξομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἐλεξάμην [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Epic dialect ἐλέγμην [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—passive, aorist ἐλέχθην [Refs 8th c.BC+]-; post-[Refs 8th c.BC+]perfect εἴλοχα (κατ-, συν-), passive εἴλεγμαι, in these senses rarely λέλεγμαι (see. the compounds); also future λεγήσομαι (συλ-): aorist 2 ἐλέγην (κατ-, συν-):—gather, pick up, ὀστέα.. λέγωμεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; αἱμασιάς τε λέγων picking out stones for building walls, [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—middle, gather for oneself, ἐπὶ δὲ ξύλα πολλὰ λέγεσθε [Refs 8th c.BC+]

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

λέγω

lego

a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate

(in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas 2036 and

5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech

respectively; while 4483 is properly to break silence merely, and 2980

means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:--ask,

bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on),

shew, speak, tell, utter.

see GREEK for 2036

see GREEK for 5346

see GREEK for 4483

see GREEK for 2980

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

λέγω

v.

I say, speak

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

λέγω legō 2x

to lay, to arrange, to gather; to say, Mt. 1:20; to speak, make an address or speech, Acts 26:1; to say mentally, in thought, Mt. 3:9; Lk. 3:8; to say in written language, Mk. 15:28; Lk. 1:63; Jn. 19:37; to say, as distinguished from acting, Mt. 23:3; to mention, speak of, Mk. 14:71; Lk. 9:31; Read the full entry →

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-PAI-1S — Verb · present · active · indicative · first person · singular
present active indicative — an action in progress.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-PAI-1S Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Present Voice: Active Mood: Indicative Person: first Number: Singular

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
35%saying
saying35% · 480×says13% · 175×i say12% · 164×he says9% · 122×say5% · 70×he was saying3% · 42×they say2% · 31×other renderings17% · 225×other renderings4% · 48×

1,357 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 107 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
verb98%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 2,255 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
αὐτόςἸησοῦςJesusἀποκρίνομαιI answer, reply
αὐτός
πρόςμαθητήςa learner, disciἀποκρίνομαιI answer, reply
δέbut, on the other ha
Article theοὗτοςἐγώ
ἸησοῦςJesus
Article theδέbut, on the otheγόνυa knee
ἀμήνHebr
ἀμήνHebrαὐτόςλέγωI say, speak
λέγωI say2255×
what comes after →
αὐτός
Article theτίςIrgκύριοςlord, Lord, mast
Article the
μαθητήςa learner, disciἸησοῦςJesusΠέτροςPeter
σύ
ὅτιthat, since, becοὐNegἐάνCond
δέbut, on the other ha
Article theπρόςαὐτός
ὅτιthat, since, because
Article theοὗτοςσύ

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

Concordanceλέγω · 2,255× in the New Testament
Luke John Matthew Mark Acts Revelation Hebrews Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians James Galatians

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

Across the New Testament25 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 1,290 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 The Epistle of Barnabas Clement of Rome
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 5c. AD 40

οὐ μὴν διὰ τοῦθ’ ἡσυχαστέον, ἀλλ’ ἕνεκα τοῦ θεοφιλοῦς καὶ ὑπὲρ δύναμιν ἐπιτολμητέον λέγειν, οἴκοθεν μὲν οὐδέν, ὀλίγα δ’ ἀντὶ πολλῶν, ἐφ’ ἃ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην διάνοιαν φθάνειν εἰκὸς ἔρωτι καὶ πόθῳ σοφίας κατεσχημένην.

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

ὅπως Ἅβραμος ὁ πρόγονος ἡμῶν ἐξελθὼν ἐκ τῆς Χαλδαίων γῆς κατέσχε τὴν τότε μὲν Χαναναίαν νῦν δὲ Ἰουδαίαν λεγομένην.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 2.4c. AD 100

πεφανέρωκεν γὰρ ἡμῖν διὰ πάντων τῶν προφητῶν, ὅτι οὕτε θυσιῶν οὔτε ὁλοκαυτωμάτων οὔτε προσφορῶν χρῄζει, λέγων ὅτε μέν:

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 1st c. AD 4th c. AD
P.Grenf. 2 33Pathyris101 BC

τὸ ἐπιβάλλον αὐτῷ μέρος ἧς ἐμισθώσατο σὺν Πακοίβι Σχώτου καὶ τοῖς μετόχοις γῆς σιτοφόρου λεγομένης Νεχθαραῦτι θεοῦ μεγάλου παρὰ τῶν ἱερέων ἐτῶν δέκα εἰς τὰ ἐνλιπόντα αὐτῷ ἑτέρων ,

P.Stras. 2 89Pathyris100 BC

ἑτερᾶς· νότου γῆ Τακοίμιος, βορρᾶ γῆ Χενσθώτου, ἀπηλιώτου Ἀείους, λιβὸς περίχωμα, τῆς δʼ ἄλλης λεγομένης Πκρώ· νότου γῆ Σενπελαίας, βορρᾶ γῆ Πανᾶτος ἀπηλιώτου ποταμός, λιβὸς Ἀραμείους, ἢ οἳ ἂν

P.Adl. 16Pathyris100 BC

οἱ Φίβιος τοῦ Πανεχάτου υἱοί, ἀπηλιώτου ὁδὸς βασιλική, λιβὸς γῆ Ψεμμώνθου τοῦ Πανεχάτου, ἄλλης λεγομένης Φαμούνιος νότου γῆ Παθώτου τοῦ Πατοῦτος, βορρᾶ γῆ Πατσεοῦτος τοῦ Φίβιος, ἀπηλιώτου ποταμός, λιβὸς

I say now, by [the] Spirit do walk and [the] desire [of the] flesh certainly not you may gratify.
δέ,de now, G1161 Conjunction
2,787× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Galatians as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This is a conjunction that means and, but, or then, used to connect ideas like in Matthew 1:2 and 2 Corinthians 6:15.
Tyndale gloss
then
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

δέ (de) is a post-positive particle in Greek, primarily used as a conjunction to connect clauses. It can express contrast (but, on the other hand) or continuation (and, also), and is often used to transition between ideas or to add emphasis. In the New Testament, it appears frequently in various contexts, such as contrasting statements or resuming interrupted discourse, with notable examples in Matthew and 2 Corinthians.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

δέ (before vowels δ’; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, v. WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96),

post-positive conjunctive particle;

copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mt 1:2ff., II Co 6:15, 16, II Pe 1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Ro 3:21, 22, 9:30, I Co 2:6, Ga 2:2, Phl 2:8; in transition to something new, Mt 1:18 2:19, Lk 13:1, Jo 7:14, Ac 6:1, 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…

Read the full entry →
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…

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

δέ (de) — then.

δέ,

but: adversative and copulative Particle,

I. answering to μέν (which see), τὴν νῦν μὲν Βοιωτίαν, πρότερον δὲ Καδμηίδα γῆν καλουμένην [Refs 5th c.BC+]

II. without preceding μέν,

II.1. adversative, expressing distinct opposition, αἰεί τοι τὰ κάκ᾽ ἐστὶ φίλα.. μαντεύεσθαι, ἐσθλὸν δ᾽ οὔτε τί πω εἶπας[Refs 5th c.BC+]; so in Prose, οὐκ ἐπὶ κακῷ, ἐλευθερώσει δέ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]

II.2. copulative,

II.2. a in explanatory clauses, ξυνέβησαν.. τὰ μακρὰ τείχη ἑλεῖν (ἦν δὲ σταδίων μάλιστα ὀκτώ) [Refs 8th c.BC+]: when a substantive is followed by words in apposition, Ἀρισταγόρῃ τῷ Μιλησίῳ, δούλῳ δὲ ἡμετέρῳ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so in answers, διπλᾶ λέγειν. —Answ. διπλᾶδ᾽ ὁρᾶν…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

δέ

de

a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and,

etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

δέ

Cj.

but, on the other hand, and

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

δέ de 2x

a conjunctive particle, marking the superaddition of a clause, whether in opposition or in continuation, to what has preceded, and it may be variously rendered but, on the other hand, and, also, now, etc.; καὶ δέ, when there is a special superaddition in continuation, too, yea, etc. It sometimes is found at the commencement of the apodosis of a sentence, Acts 11:17. It serves also to mark the resumption of an interrupted discourse, 2 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 2:6

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

δέ but: conjunctive Particle, with adversative force: it commonly answers to μέν, and may often be rendered by while, whereas, on the other hand, v. μέν:— but μέν is often omitted, δέ being used merely to pass on from one thing to another; ὣς Ἀχιλεὺς θάμβησεν, θάμβησαν δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι Il.; etc.; κινεῖ κραδίην κινεῖ δὲ χόλον Eur.

δέ is often redundant,

to introduce the apodosis, where it may be rendered by then, yet, εἰ δέ κε μὴ δώωσιν, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι if they will not give it, then I will take it, Il.; so at in Lat., si tu oblitus es, at Dii meminerint Catull.

to resume after interruption caused by a parenthesis, where it may be rendered by I say, now, so then, Hdt.

POSITION of δέ: properly second, being often put between the Art. and Subst., the prep. and case.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Conjunction
conjunction — it joins clauses, and never changes form.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

CONJ CONJunction or conjunctive particle

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
33%now
now33% · 974×however27% · 780×then21% · 620×and12% · 360×but5% · 154×other renderings2% · 49×

2,937 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 15 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

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 2,787 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
αὐτόςεἰμίI am, existσύ
λέγωI say, speak
αὐτόςκύριοςlord, Lord, mastπεντακισχίλιοιfive thousand
εἰCond
παλαιόςold, ancient, woσύεἰμίI am, exist
εἰμίI am, exist
περιπατέωI walk, conduct ἀναπίπτωI lie down, reclμνημεῖονa tomb, sepulche
οὗτος
δίδωμιI offer, giveθεόςGod, a godπίστιςfaith, belief, t
δέnow,2787×
what comes after →
Article the
ἸησοῦςJesusθεόςGod, a godκύριοςlord, Lord, mast
αὐτός
Article theκαίand, even, also,ἐπί
λέγωI say, speak
αὐτόςArticle theσύ
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theοὗτοςἸωάννηςJohn
τὶς
Article theαὐτόςὄνομαname, character,

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

Concordanceδέ · 2,787× in the New Testament
Acts Luke Matthew 1 Corinthians John Mark Romans 2 Corinthians Hebrews Galatians James 1 Timothy

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

Across the New Testament26 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
I say now, by [the] Spirit do walk and [the] desire [of the] flesh certainly not you may gratify.
πνεύματιpneuma by [the] Spirit G4151 Noun · dative · singular · neuter
379× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Galatians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
The Greek word for spirit or breath refers to the vital principle or mental disposition of a person, as seen in John 3:8 and 1 Corinthians 5:5. It can also mean a superhuman spirit, like the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:2.
Amplified meaning
the divine breath
Tyndale gloss
spirit/breath: spirit
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word πνεῦμα (i.e., *pneuma*) means 'spirit' or 'breath' and is derived from the verb πνέω (to blow). It encompasses various meanings, including air in motion, the vital principle of life, and spiritual beings such as angels and demons. In the New Testament, it frequently refers to the Holy Spirit and the human spirit, appearing in contexts that contrast it with the body or flesh.

Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament — πνοή, πνεῦμα, ἄνεμος, θύελλα from a scan

From the words into comparison with which πνεῦμα is here brought, it will be evident that it is proposed to deal with it in its natural and earthly, not in its supernatural and heavenly, meaning. Only I will observe, that on the relations between πνοή and πνεῦμα in this its higher sense there is a discussion in Augustine, De Civ. Dei, xiii. 22; cf. De Anim. et huj. Orig. i. 14, 19. The first three words of this group, as they designate not things heavenly but things earthly, differ from one another exactly as, according to Seneca, do in the Latin ‘aér,’ ‘spiritus,’ ‘ ventus’ (Nat. Qu. v. 13) : ‘Spiritum a vento motus' separat; vehementior enim spiritus ventus est; invicem spiritus leviter fluens aer.’ Πνοή and πνεῦμα occur not seldom together, as at Isai. xlii. 5; lvii. 16; πνοή conveying the impression of a lighter, gentler, motion of the air than πνεῦμα, as ‘aura’ than ‘ventus.’…

Read the full entry →
Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

πνεῦμα, -τος, τό,

(< πνέω),

[in LXX chiefly and very freq. for רוּחַ;]

of air in motion;

wind: Jo 3:8; pl., He 1:7(LXX);

breath: π. ζωῆς, Re 11:11; π. τοῦ στόματος, fig., II Th 2:8 (cf. Ps 32 (33):6).

Of the vital principle, the spirit (Arist., Polyb., al.): Lk 8:55, Jo 19:30, Ac 7:59, al.; opp. to σάρξ, Mt 26:41, Mk 14:38, I Co 5:5, al.; to σῶμα, Ro 8:10, I Co 6:17 7:34,

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

πνεῦμα, -τος, τό, (πνέω), Grk. writ. fr. Aeschyl. and Hdt. down; Hebr. may, Lat. spiritus; i. 6. 1. a movement of air, (gentle) blast; a. of the wind: ἀνέμων πνεύματα, Hat. 7,16, 1; Paus. 5, 25; hence the wind itself, Jn. iii. 8; plur. Heb. i. 7, (1 K. xviii. 45; xix. 11; Job i. 19; Ps. ciii. (civ.) 4, etc.; often in Grk. writ.). b. breath of the nostrils or mouth, often in Grk. writ. fr. Aeschyl. down: πνεῦμα τοῦ στόματος, 2 Th. ii. 8 (Ps. xxxii. (xxxiii.) 6, ef. Is. xi. 4); mv. ζωῆς, the breath of life, Rev. xi. 11 (Gen. vi. 17, cf. πνοὴ ζωῆς, il. 7). [πνεῦμα and πνοή seem to have been in the main coincident terms; but avon became the more poetical. Both retain a suggestion of their evident etymology. Even in class. Grk. πνεῦμα became as freq. and as wide in its application as ἄνεμος. (Schmidt ch. 55, 7; Trench § lxxiii.) ] 2. the spirit, i.e. the vital principle by which the body 18…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

πνεῦμα. This is a notable ex. of those words, whose meaning has been so deepened and enriched through Christian influences, that we cannot expect our sources to throw much light on their use in the NT. One or two points may, however, be noted. Thus for the more literal meaning of the word we may cite P Oxy VI. 9047 (v/A.D.), where a certain Flavius petitions a praeses on the ground ὡς λοιπὸν εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ τῆς σωτηρίας πνεῦμα δυστυχῖν pe, “so that at last the very breath of my life is in danger” (Edd.). In P Leid Wii 2 (ii/iii A.D.) (= II. p. 157) reference is made to a book which περιέχει γέννησιν πνεύματος, πυρὸς Kal okdTo(=ov)s, ‘contains the creation of spirit, fire and darkness.” The same document αν. 4 shows οὐ ἀντιτάξεταί μοι πᾶν πνεῦμα, οὐ δαιμόνιον, οὐ συνάτ(--άντ)ημα. Reminiscent of LXX Numb 1622, 2716, isthe Jewish ‘‘ prayer for vengeance” from Rheneia, Sy// 816 (=#1181)*, which…

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

πνεῦμα (pneuma) — spirit/breath: spirit.

πνεῦμα, ατος, τό,

(πνέω) blast, wind, first in [Refs 6th c.BC+]: frequently in Trag., etc., ἀνέμων πνεύματα πάντων [Refs 4th c.BC+]; θαλάσσας.. πνεύματι λάβρῳ [Refs 5th c.BC+] is commoner in Poets; [Refs 8th c.BC+]; κατὰ πρύμναν ἵσταται τὸ π.[Refs 5th c.BC+]; κατὰ πνεῦμα στῆναι τοῦ ἄρρενος to leeward of him, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; but κατὰ π. προσιόντες down wind, [Refs]; πνεύματος ἀνείλησις, ἐκπύρωσις, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; as an element, air, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]

2. metaphorically, θαλερωτέρῳ π. with more genial breeze or influence, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; αἰδοίῳ π. χώρας with air or spirit of respect on the part of the country, [Refs]; π. ταὐτὸν οὔποτ᾽.. ἐν ἀνδράσιν φίλοις βέβηκεν the…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

πνεῦμα

pneuma

from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by

analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by

implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or

(superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the

Holy Spirit:--ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind. Compare 5590.

see GREEK for 4154

see GREEK for 5590

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

πνεῦμα, ατος, τό

n.n.

wind, breath, spirit

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

πνεῦμα pneuma 379x

wind, air in motion, Jn. 3:8; breath, 2 Thess. 2:8; the substance spirit, Jn. 3:6; a spirit, spiritual being, Jn. 4:24; Acts 23:8, 9; Heb. 1:14; a bodiless spirit, specter, Lk. 24:37; a foul spirit, δαιμόνιον, Mt. 8:16; Lk. 10:20; spirit, as a vital principle, Jn. 6:63; 1 Cor.…

Read the full entry →
Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

πνεῦμα πνεῦμα, ατος, τό, πνέω a blowing, πνεύματα ἀνέμων Hdt., Aesch.: alone, a wind, blast, Trag., etc.

metaph., θαλερωτέρῳ πν. with more genial breeze or influence, Aesch.; λύσσης πν. μάργῳ id. Aesch.; πν. ταὐτὸν οὔποτ᾽ ἐν ἀνδράσιν φίλοις βέβηκεν the wind is constantly changing even among friends, Soph.

like Lat. spiritus or anima, breathed air, breath, Aesch.; πν. βίου the breath of life, id. Aesch.; πν. ἀθροίζειν to collect breath, Eur.; πν. ἀφιέναι, ἀνιέναι, μεθιέναι to give up the ghost, id. Eur.; πνεύματος διαρροαί the wind-pipe, id. Eur.

that is breathed forth, odour, scent, id. Eur.

spirit, Lat. afflatus, Anth.: inspiration, NTest.

the spirit of man, id. NTest.

Read the full entry →
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

spir'-it (ruach; pneuma; Latin, spiritus):

1. Primary and Figurative Senses

(1) As Wind, Breath

(2) As Anger or Fury

(3) As Mental and Moral Qualities in Man

2. Shades of Meaning

(1) As Life-Principle

(2) As Surviving Death

(3) Spiritual Manifestations

3. Human and Divine Spirit

(1) The Human as Related with the Divine

(2) Operations of the Divine Spirit as Third Person of the Trinity

4. Old Testament Applications

5. Various Interpretations

1. Primary and Figurative Senses:

(1) As Wind, Breath:

Used primarily in the Old Testament and New Testament of the wind, as in Ge 8:1; Nu 11:31; Am 4:13 ("createth the wind"); Heb 1:7 (angels, "spirits" or "winds" in margin); often used of the breath, as…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Spirit

(Heb. ruah; Gr. pneuma), properly wind or breath. In 2 Thess. 2:8 it means “breath,” and in Eccl. 8:8 the vital principle in man. It also denotes the rational, immortal soul by which man is distinguished (Acts 7:59; 1 Cor. 5:5; 6:20; 7:34), and the soul in its separate state (Heb. 12:23), and hence also an apparition (Job 4:15; Luke 24:37, 39), an angel (Heb. 1:14), and a demon (Luke 4:36; 10:20). This…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A word employed in various senses in Scripture.

1. For THE HOLY, HOLINESS SPIRIT, the third person of the Holy Trinity, who inspired the prophets, animates good men, pours his unction into our hearts, imparts to us life and comfort; and in whose name we are baptized and blessed, as well as in that of the Father and the Son. When the adjective Holy is applied to the term Spirit, we should always understand it as here explained; but there are many places whether it must be taken in this sense, although the term Holy is omitted. See HOLY, HOLINESS SPIRIT.

2. BREATH, respiration; or the principle of animal life, common to men and animal: this God has given, and this he recalls when he takes away life, Ec 3:21. See SOUL.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Called “the inner man,” Ro 7:22; Eph 3:16

→ See ANGELS

→ See DEMONS

→ See HOLY SPIRIT

→ See MAN, A SPIRIT

→ See SATAN

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
90%spirit
spirit90% · 346×spirits8% · 31×other renderings2% · 8×

385 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 9 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
adverbial39%subject29%object21%predicate7%indirect object2%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 379 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
καίand, even, also,δέbut, on the otheτίςIrg
ἐν
βαπτίζωI dip, submerge,δέbut, on the otheἄνθρωποςa man, one of th
ἅγιοςset apart, holy, sac
Article theγάρforσύ
αὐτός
Article theθυγάτριονa little daughteλέγωI say, speak
καίand, even, also, nam
πίνωI drink, imbibeἸσραήλPropμάστιξa scourge, lash,
πνεῦμαby [the] Spirit379×
what comes after →
Article the
ἅγιοςset apart, holy,ἀκάθαρτοςunclean, impureθεόςGod, a god
ἅγιοςset apart, holy, sac
καίand, even, also,Article theἀτενίζωI direct my gaze
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theδύναμιςmight, power, maἀλήθειαtruth
ἐγώ
ἐπίἐπιτάσσωI give order, coοὗτος
εἰμίI am, exist
Article theἅγιοςset apart, holy,καίand, even, also,

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

Concordanceπνεῦμα · 379× in the New Testament
Acts 1 Corinthians Luke Romans John Revelation Mark Matthew Galatians 2 Corinthians Ephesians 1 John

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament25 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 173 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 AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 29c. AD 40

εἶθ’ ὕδατος ἀσώματον οὐσίαν καὶ πνεύματος καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἑβδόμου φωτός, ὃ πάλιν ἀσώματον ἦν καὶ νοητὸν ἡλίου παράδειγμα καὶ πάντων ὅσα φωσφόρα ἄστρα κατὰ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἔμελλε συνίστασθαι.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.27c. AD 75–95

ταύτης δʼ ὑπʼ ὄψιν οὐκ ἐρχομένης, ἀλλὰ βαθεῖ μὲν κρυπτομένης σκότει, πνεύματος δʼ αὐτὴν ἄνωθεν ἐπιθέοντος, γενέσθαι φῶς ἐκέλευσεν ὁ θεός.

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
7th c. AD 4th c. AD 8th c. AD 5th c. AD 6th c. AD

ἐν ὀνόματι τῆς ἁγίας καὶ ὁμοουσίου τριάδος πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος βασιλείας τοῦ θειοτάτου καὶ εὐσεβεστάτου ἡμῶν δεσπότου Φλαυίου Φωκᾶ τοῦ αἰωνίου Αὐγούστου Αὐτοκράτορος καὶ

Tyche 20 (2005), p. 1-9HerakleopolitesAD 603

r ἐν ὀνόματι τῆς ἁγίας τριάδος πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος καὶ τῆς δεσποίνης ἡμῶν τῆς θεοτόκου καὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων, βασιλείας τοῦ θειοτάτου καὶ

SB 1 4740ArsinoitesAD 602–AD 610

ἐν ὀνόματι τῆς ἁγίας καὶ ὁμοουσίου τριάδος πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος καὶ τῆς δεσποίνης

I say now, by [the] Spirit do walk and [the] desire [of the] flesh certainly not you may gratify.
περιπατεῖτεperipateō do walk G4043 Verb · present · active · imperative · second person · plural
95× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Galatians as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to walk or live in a certain way, like following Jesus. In John 1:36, it describes walking behind Jesus as a disciple. It emphasizes a way of life or behavior.
Amplified meaning
live, follow
Tyndale gloss
to walk
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

περιπατέω means to walk or to conduct oneself, often used metaphorically to describe how one lives or behaves. It is derived from the components meaning 'around' and 'to tread.' The New Testament uses it in various contexts, including physical walking (e.g., Matthew 9:5) and ethical living (e.g., Ephesians 4:1). There is a note of variation in how lexicons emphasize its metaphorical use, particularly in relation to living a certain way.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

περι-πατέω, -ῶ,

[in LXX chiefly for הלךְ pi., hith.;]

to walk: absol., Mt 9:5, Mk 5:42, Lk 5:23, Jo 1:36; c. pred., γυμνός, Re 16:15; ἐπάνω Lk 11:44; διά, c. gen., Re 21:24; ἐν, Mk 11:27 12:38, Jo 7:1 11:54, Re 2:1, al.; ἐν τ. σκοτίᾳ, fig., Jo 8:12 12:35, I Jo 1:6, 7 2:11; ἐπί, c. gen., Mt 14:26; id. c. dat., Mt 14:25, 29; μετά, Jo 6:66, Read the full entry →

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

περι-πατέω, -@; impf. 2 pers. sing. περιεπάτεις, 3 pers. περιεπάτει, plur. περιεπάτουν; fut. περιπατήσω ; 1 aor. περιἐπάτησα; plupf. 3 pers. sing. περιεπεπατήκει (Acts xiv. 8 Rec.*"), and without the augm. (cf. W. § 12,9; [B. 33 (29) ]) περιπεπατήκει (ibid. Rec." Grsb.) ; Sept. for 727; to walk; [walk about A. V. 1 Pet. ν. 8]; a. prop. (as in Arstph., Xen., Plat., Isocr., Joseph., Ael., al.) : absol., Mt. ix. 5; xi. 5; xv. 31; Mk. ii. 9 [Tdf. ὕπαγε]; v.42; viii. 24; xvi. 12; Lk. v. 23; vii. 22; xxiv. 17; Jn.i. 36; v. 8 sq. 11 sq.; xi. 9sq.; Acts iii. 6, 8sq.12; xiv. 8,10; 1 Pet. v. 8; Rev. ix. 20; i.q. to make one’s way, make progress, in fig. dise. equiv. to to make a due use of opportunities, Jn. xii. 35°. with additions: περιπ. γυμνός, Rev. xvi. 15; ἐπάνω (τινός), Lk. xi. 44; διά w. gen. of the thing, Rey. xxi. 24 [G LT Tr WH]; ἐν w. dat. of place, i.q. to frequent, stay in, a place…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

περιπατέω. On the ethical use of this verb ‘‘ conduct my life,’’ corres sponding to the Heb. 304, see Proleg. p. 11. For the literal meaning ‘‘ walk,’’ ‘“‘go about,’”’ cf. BGU III. 846° (ii/A.D.) (= Selections, p. 94) σαπρῶς παιριπατῶ (/. περιπατῶ), “1 am going about in a disgraceful state,’’ P Fay 126? (ii/ili A.D.) περ[]πατοῦντός pov σὺν τῷ πατρί, and BGU II. 380!8 (iii/A.D.) περπατῶ (Δ περιπατῶ) μετὰ οὗ ἐὰν εὕρω. In P Lond 9811} (iv/A.D.) (= III. p. 242, Ολγεςί. I. p. 7157) περιοδεύομεν Kal περιπατοῦμεν νυκτῆμαρ, the words are addressed apparently by subordinate church officials to a bishop: see Ghedini Le¢tere, p. 170f. See further, for an interesting parallel to Rev 31, Kazbel 3872! (ILI. fere saeculi)— ὃ κτώμενος δὲ πολλὰ μὴ τρυφῶν [σ]ὺν τοῖς φίλοις οὗτος τέ[θ]νηκε περιπατῶν καὶ ζῇ νεκρ[οὔ βίον. , TrEPLTFOLE@ In Menander ’Emutp. 12 δίκας λέγοντες περιπατεῖτε, the verb is almost =…

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

περιπατέω (peripateō) — to walk.

περιπᾰτ-έω,

walk up and down, as in a cloister, opposed to βαδίζειν (take a walk), ἐν ταῖς στοαῖς [Refs 4th c.BC+]; walk about, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; περιπατεῖται ἡ ὁδός the road is for walking on, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]: with accusative, traverse, ὅλην τὴν Αἴγυπτον [Refs 2nd c.AD+]

2. walk about while teaching, discourse, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. ἐς τοὺς ἀκροωμένους dispute, argue with them, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]

3. metaphorically, walk, i.e. live, [NT+1st c.BC+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

περιπατέω

peripateo

from 4012 and 3961; to tread all around, i.e. walk at large

(especially as proof of ability); figuratively, to live, deport

oneself, follow (as a companion or votary):--go, be occupied with,

walk (about).

see GREEK for 4012

see GREEK for 3961

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

περιπατέω

v.

I walk, conduct my life

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

περιπατέω peripateō 95x

pluperfect, περι[ε]πεπατήκει (3 sg), to walk, walk about, Mt. 9:5; 11:5; 14:25, 26, 29; to rove, roam, 1 Pet. 5:8; with μετά, to accompany, follow, Jn. 6:66; Rev. 3:4; to walk, frequent a locality, Jn. 7:1; 11:54; from the Hebrew, to maintain a certain walk of life and conduct, Gal. 5:16; Eph. 2:10

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

περιπατέω fut. ήσω περίπατος to walk up and down, to walk about, Ar., Xen.: generally, to walk, Plat., etc.

metaph. to walk, i. e. live, NTest.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-PAM-2P — Verb · present · active · imperative · second person · plural
present active imperative — an action in progress.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-PAM-2P Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Present Voice: Active Mood: iMperative Person: second Number: Plural

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wok (peripatein): Aside from its frequent occurrence in the usual sense, the word "walk" is used figuratively of conduct and of spiritual states. (1) Observance of laws or customs: "Thou teachest all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs" (Ac 21:21). (2) Of the spiritual life: "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light" (1Joh 1:7); "That like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life" (Ro 6:4); "Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Ga 5:16); "For we walk by faith, not by sight"…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Is often figuratively used to denote a man’s mode of life, or his spiritual character, course, and relations, Eze 11:20. He may walk as a carnal or as a spiritual man, Ro 8:1; with God, or in ignorance and sin, Ge 5:24 1Jo 5:21; in the fire of affliction, Isa 43:2, or in the light, purity, and joy of Christ’s favor here and in heaven, Ps 89:15 Re 3:4.

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
38%walking
walking38% · 36×walk16% · 15×do walk9% · 9×walked4% · 4×may walk3% · 3×we may walk3% · 3×do walk?3% · 3×walking?2% · 2×other renderings22% · 21×

96 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 26 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
verb99%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 95 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
σύἐγείρωI wake, arouse, αὐτός
αὐτός
ἐνπρόςἐκ
Article the
ἄνθρωποςa man, one of thκαίand, even, also,ποιέωI do, make
σύ
μηκέτιNegκαίand, even, also,δεῖit is necessary,
χωλόςlame, deprived of a
καίand, even, also,ἀναβλέπωI look up, recov
περιπατέωdo walk95×
what comes after →
καίand, even, also, nam
τυφλόςblindἀσπασμόςa greeting, saluἵστημιI cause to stand
ἐν
Article theστολήa long robeπανουργίαcunning, craftin
Article the
ἸησοῦςJesusμαθητήςa learner, disciκλῆσιςa calling, summo
ἐπί
Article the
μήNeg
κῶμοςa feasting, reveArticle theὡςas, like as, how

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

Concordanceπεριπατέω · 95× in the New Testament
John Mark Acts Ephesians Matthew 1 John 2 Corinthians Luke Revelation 1 Thessalonians Colossians Romans
Across the New Testament20 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 15 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
The Shepherd of Hermas Josephus Philo of Alexandria The Epistle of Barnabas Polycarp
Philo of AlexandriaAllegorical Interpretation of Genesis 2.16c. AD 40

τὸ „τί“ πολλάκις τίθεμεν ἀντὶ τοῦ „διὰ τί“, οἷον τί λέλουσαι, τί περιπατεῖς, τί διαλέγῃ, πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα ἀντὶ τοῦ „διὰ τί“.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 7.130c. AD 75–95

θεασάμενος γὰρ δείλης ὀψίας ἀπὸ τοῦ στέγους τῶν βασιλείων, ἐν ᾧ περιπατεῖν κατʼ ἐκεῖνο τῆς ὥρας ἦν ἔθος, γυναῖκα λουομένην ἐν τῇ αὑτῆς οἰκίᾳ ψυχρῷ ὕδατι καλλίστην τὸ εἶδος καὶ πασῶν διαφέρουσαν, ὄνομα αὐτῇ ἦν Βεεθσαβή, ἡττᾶται τοῦ κάλλους τῆς…

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 10.11c. AD 100

ὅτι ὁ δίκαιος καὶ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ κόσμῳ περιπατεῖ καὶ τὸν ἅγιον αἰῶνα ἐκδέχεται.

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 1st c. BC 4th c. AD
BGU 16 2558Herakleopolites13 BC

κα, ἅπερ καὶ Βάρβαρος ὁ ἡγεμων … … , ὅτι μηδενὶ ἐν φαινόλῃ περιπατεῖν ἐν τοῖς νομοῖς πλὴν στρατευομένοις ἔξεστιν. ὃς δὲ ἐὰν παρὰ ταῦτα ποιήσῃ, τοῦ ἡγεμόνος

O.Did. 400DidymoiAD 120–AD 125

Ποταμίωνι τοῖς κυρίοις πλεῖστα χαίρειν· γινώσκειν σε θέλω ὅτι τὸ κοράσιον … οὐκ εὐτόνηκε περιπατεῖν δύο βήματα. ἐγὼ περιπεπάτηκα ἑπτὰ μίλια ὡσαύτως περιπατεῖ δύο μίλια καὶ ἕστακε ὁ ὀνηλάτης

τὴν Ἀραβίαν εἰς τὸ πέρα ε βαρβάρους καὶ δύο καμήλους ὑδρευομένους παρὰ ποταμὸν καὶ περιπατοῦντας εἰς τὰ κάτω μέρη· διὸ ἔγραψε τῇ κάτω ῥίπᾳ αὐτοὺς φυλάσσειν. ἐρρῶσθαί σε εὔχομαι.

I say now, by [the] Spirit do walk and [the] desire [of the] flesh certainly not you may gratify.
καὶkai and G2532 Conjunction
8,978× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
rarer in Galatians than elsewhere in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
And or also, a connecting word used to join ideas or words, like in Matthew 2:18 and Hebrews 1:1.
Tyndale gloss
and
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

καί (kai) is a conjunction meaning 'and,' used to connect words, phrases, and clauses. It serves various functions, including copulative and adjunctive uses, and can express cumulative ideas like 'also' or 'even.' The New Testament frequently employs it to link terms and sentences, as seen in verses like Matthew 2:18 and John 10:3. Abbott-Smith notes its use in both simple and complex structures, while Thayer emphasizes its role as the most common particle in the New Testament.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

καί,

conj.,

and.

Copulative.

Connecting single words;

in general: Mt 2:18 16:1, Mk 2:15, Lk 8:15, He 1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mt 23:23, Lk 14:21, Ro 7:12 9:4, al.;

connecting numerals (WM, § 37, 4): Jo 2:20, Ac 13:20;

joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mt 8:33 26:59, Mk 16:17,

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

καί, a conj., and; the most freq. by far of all the particles in the N. T. [On its uses see W. § 53, 3sqq.; B. 361 (310) sqq., and ef. Ellicott on Phil. iv. 12; on the difference between it and τέ see 8. v. τέ ad init. ] I. It serves as a copulative i.e. to connect (Lat. et, atque, Germ. und) ; 1. it connects single words or terms: a. univ., as of Φαρισαῖοι καὶ Σαδδουκαῖοι, Mt. xvi. 1; ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατήρ, he who is God and Father (see θεός, 3); ἐν καρδίᾳ καλῇ καὶ ἀγαθῇ, Lk. viii. 15; πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως, ΗΘ}. 1. 1; it is repeated before single terms, to each of which its own force and weight is thus given: ἡ υἱοθεσία καὶ ἡ δόξα καὶ ai διαθῆκαι καὶ ἡ νομοθεσία καὶ ἡ λατρεία καὶ αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι, Ro. ix. 4 ; ἁγία καὶ δικαία καὶ ἀγαθή, Ro. vii. 12; add, Mt. xxiii. 23; Lk. xiv. 21; Jn. xvi. 8; Acts xv. 20, 29; xxi. 25; Heb. ix. 10; Rey. v. 12; xviii. 12 sq.; ef. W. 519 sq. (484). b. it…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

και. In LAE p. 129 ff. Deissmann discusses the thoroughly popular character of the Johannine style with its short paratactic sentences, introduced by kal. . . καί. To illustrate this, he cites amongst other exx. a Dream from the Serapeum, P Par 51 (B.C. 160) (= Selections, p. 18 ff. : see especially the amended readings in Archiv vi. p. 204), which runs—** ὦμ[ην] βατί -- δ)ίζειν pe [ἀπ]ὸ λειβὸς ἕως ἀ[ πηλι]ώτου, καὶ ἀναπίπτομαι ἐπ᾿ ἄχυρον" καὶ [ἄν]θρωπ[ος9] ἀπὸ λιβός μου, ἐχόμενός μου’ ἀναπίπτει καὶ αὐτός, καὶ ὥσπερ κεκλειμμ[évot] μου ἦσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου, καὶ ἐξαί[φνης] ἀνύγω τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς pov, καὶ ὁρῶ kTA., “ I dreamed that I was going from West to East, and I lie down upon chaff. And there | αὐτὸ (deleted in the original) Σεμφθεῖ. | ἐκ καινῆς ἐν Σομολ(ῶ)…

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

καί (kai) — and.

καί,

conjunction, copulative, joining words and sentences,

__A and; also adverb, even, also, just, frequently expressing emphatic assertion or assent, corresponding as positive to the negative οὐ (μή) or οὐδέ (μηδέ). copulative, and,

__A.I joining words or sentences to those preceding, ἦ, καὶ κυανέῃσιν ἐπ᾽ ὀφρύσινεῦσε Κρονίων [Refs 8th c.BC+]: repeated with two or more Nouns, αἱ δὲ ἔλαφοι κ. δορκάδες κ. οἱ ἄγριοι οἶες κ. οἱ ὄνοι οἱ ἄγριοι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; joining only the last pair, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ὁ ὄχλος πλείων κ. πλείων ἐπέρρει more and more, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to add epithets after πολύς, πολλὰ κ. ἐσθλά [Refs 8th c.BC+]

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

καί

kai

apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also

a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in

connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and,

also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when,

yet.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

καί

Cj.

and, even, also, namely

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

καί kai 9x

(1) and, Mt. 2:2, 3, 11; 4:22; (2) καί ... καί, both ... and; (3) as a cumulative particle, also, too, Mt. 5:39; Jn. 8:19; 1 Cor. 11:6; (4) emphatic, even, also, Mt. 10:30; 1 Cor. 2:10; in NT adversative, but, Mt. 11:19; also introductory of the apodosis of a sentence, Gal. 3:28; Jas. 2:4

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Conjunction
conjunction — it joins clauses, and never changes form.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

CONJ CONJunction or conjunctive particle

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
89%and
and89% · 8448×also8% · 714×other renderings2% · 191×other renderings1% · 124×

9,477 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 42 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
adverbial16%subject13%object10%predicate3%verb2%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 8,978 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
ἐνἐπίπρός
σύ
χάριςgrace, favor, kiπρόςπατήρfather, Father,
ἐγώ
πατήρfather, Father, πρόςθεόςGod, a god
εἰμίI am, exist
αὐτόςArticle theἐγώ
θεόςGod, a god
Article theθέλημαwill, wish, desiδέbut, on the othe
καίand8978×
what comes after →
Article the
ἀδελφόςa brotherπατήρfather, Father, μήτηρa mother
λέγωI say, speak
αὐτόςArticle theπρός
οὐNeg
εἰμίI am, existμήNegδύναμαιI am powerful, a
ὁράωI see, look upon, ex
Article theαὐτόςἀνήρa male human bei
ἐν
Article theπᾶςall, the whole, ὅλοςall, the whole,

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

Concordanceκαί · 8,978× in the New Testament
Luke Matthew Revelation Acts Mark John 1 Corinthians Romans Hebrews 2 Corinthians Ephesians 1 John

3 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 Ignatius of Antioch
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

ἡ 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 4th c. AD 1st c. AD 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 καὶ κανηφόρου τῶν

P.Adl. 11Pathyris99 BC

1 ἔτους ιζ Θῶυθ κη ἀπέδοτο Πετεσοῦχος Φίβιος καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τὸ ὕπαρχον αὐτοῖς ἥμισυ περιστερῶνος τοῦ ὄντος ἐν τῶι ἀπὸ βορρᾶ μέρει

P.Grenf. 2 35Pathyris99 BC

βασιλευόντων Πτολεμαίου τοῦ ἐπικαλουμένου Ἀλεξάνδρου καὶ Βερενίκης τῆς ἀδελφῆς θεῶν φιλομητόρων ἔτους ιϛ, ἐφʼ ἱερέων καὶ ἱερειῶν καὶ κανηφόρου τῶν

I say now, by [the] Spirit do walk and [the] desire [of the] flesh certainly not you may gratify.
ἐπιθυμίανepithumia [the] desire G1939 Noun · accusative · singular · feminine
38× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Galatians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means a strong desire or longing, often for something forbidden, as seen in Luke 22:15 and Romans 7:7-8. It can describe a passion or craving that can lead to sin or destruction.
Amplified meaning
lust, evil longings
Tyndale gloss
desire
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἐπιθυμία (i.e., *epithumia*) means desire or longing, often with a focus on forbidden things, such as lust. It appears in various contexts in the New Testament, including Luke 22:15 and Romans 7:7-8. The term is derived from ἐπιθυμέω and can refer to both earnest and inordinate desires. Some lexicons note its use for sexual desire, while others emphasize its broader implications.

Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament — πάθος, ἐπιθυμία, ὁρμή, ὄρεξις from a scan

Πάθος occurs three times in the N. T.; once coordinated with ἐπιθυμία (Col. 111. 5; for παθήματα and ἐπιθυμίαι in like manner joined together see Gal. v. 24) ; once subordinated to it (πάθος ἐπιθυμίας, 1 Thess. iv. 5); while on the other occasion of its use (Rom. i. 26), the πάθη ἀτιμίας (“ vile affections,” A. V.) are lusts that dishonour those who indulge in them. The word belongs to the terminology of the Greek Schools. Thus Cicero (Tusc. Quest. iv. 5): ‘Que Greci πάθη vocant, nobis perturbationes appellari magis placet quam morbos ;’ on this preference see iii. 10; and presently after he adopts Zeno’s definition, ‘aversa a recté ratione, contra naturam, animi commotio ;’ and elsewhere (Offic. ii. 5), ‘motus animi turbatus.’ The exact definition of Zeno, as given by Diogenes Laértius, is as follows (vii. 1. 68): ἔστι δὲ αὐτὸ τὸ πάθος ἡ ἄλογος καὶ παρὰ φύσιν ψυχῆς κίνησις, ἢ ὁρμὴ…

Read the full entry →
Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἐπιθυμία, -ας, ἡ

(< έπιθυμέω),

[in LXX chiefly for תַּאֲוָה, אָוָה; also for חָמוּד, etc. ;]

desire, longing: Lk 22:15 (v.s. ἐπιθυμέω), Phl 1:23, I Th 2:17, Re 18:14; p1., Mk 4:19; esp. with ref. to forbidden things, desire, lust (Vg., concupiscentia): Ro 7:7, 8, Ja 1:14, 15, II Pe 1:4; pl., Ga 5:24, I Ti 6:9, II Ti 2:22 4:3, I Pe 1:14 4:2; πάθος ἐπιθυμίας,

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

ἐπιθυμία, -as, ἡ, (ἐπιθυμέω), [fr. Hdt. on], Sept. chiefly for MINN, TN, WWM; desire, craving, longing: Lk. xxii. 15 (on which see in ἐπιθυμέω, fin.); Rev. xviii. 14; τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχειν εἴς τι, the desire directed towards, Phil. 1. 23; ἐν πολλῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ with great desire, 1 Th. ii. 17; plur. αἱ περὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἐπιθυμίαι, Mk. iv. 19 [W. § 30, 3 N. 5]; spec. desire for what is forbidden, lust, (Vulg. concupiscentia) : Ro. vii. 7sq.; Jas. i. 14 sq. ; 2 Pet.i.4; πάθος ἐπιθυμίας, 1 Th. iv. 5; ἐπιθυμία κακή, Col. iii. 5, (Prov. xxi. 26; [xii. 12]; Plat. legg. 9 p. 854 ἃ. ; πονηρά, Xen. mem. 1, 2, 64; ἀγαθή, Sir. xiv. 14 where see Fritzsche, [who cites also Prov. xi. 23; xiii. 12]); plur., Gal. v. 24; 1 Tim. vi. 9; 2 Tim. ii. 22; iv. 3; 1 Pet.i.14; iv. 2; with a gen. of the object, ἐπιθυμία μιασμοῦ, for unclean intercourse, 2 Pet. ii. 10 [al. with W. § 34, 3 Ὁ. take μιασμ. as gen. of quality]…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ἐπιθυμία in the widest sense of ‘‘ desire,’’ which Hort finds even in Jas 114, may be illustrated from P Giss I. 79 11:16 (c, A.D. 117) δι’ ἣν ἕξομεν εὐω[νεῖν κατ᾽ ἐπ]ιθυμίαν σου, “and then we shall be able to buy cheaply in accordance with your desire” (ἀθυμέω = ‘‘draw back,” ‘‘hesitate,’’ occurs in the same document: see s.v.), Βα III. 970% (ii/a.p.) μεταδῶναί μοι ἀντίρρησιν. .. πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν ἐπιθυμίαν, and Sy// 366% (c. A.D. 38) ἀ(λ)είπτοις (‘‘steadfast”’) ἐκείνου τῆς ἐπιθυμίας βουλήμασιν. See also the iii/a.p. love-spell from Hadrumetum edited by Deissmann &S, p. 273 ff., where | the forsaken husband is described as*!—épavra μαινόμενον brought him to you at the expense of a severe and violent | attack upon myself’ (Edd.), 7. VIII. 11217 (A.D. 295) kal αὐτὴ yap ἀνυπέρβλητον ἐπίθεσιν Kal ἁρπαγὴν πάσχουσα πρόσειμι μαρτυρο[μέν]η τὰ εἴς με ἐπιχειρηθέντα, “1 there- | fore, being the…

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

ἐπιθυμία (epithumia) — desire.

ἐπιθῡμ-ία,

Ionic dialect -ιη, ἡ, desire, yearning, ἐ. ἐκτελέσαι 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.32; ἐπιθυμίᾳ by passion, opposed to προνοίᾳ, [Refs]: generally, appetite, [Refs]; αἱ κατὰ τὸ σῶμα ἐ. [Refs]; especially sexual desire, lust, [Refs]; αἱ πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας ἐ. [Refs]

2. with genitive, longing after a thing, desire of or for it, ὕδατος, τοῦ πιεῖν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν ἐ. τινὸς εἶναι [Refs]; εἰς ἐ. τινὸς ἀφικέσθαι θεάσασθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐ. ἐμποιεῖν ἔς τινα an inclination towards.., [Refs]

II. ={ἐπιθύμημα}, object of desire, ἐπιθυμίας τυχεῖν Thalesap.[Refs]; ἀνδρὸς ἐ., of woman, [Refs]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἐπιθυμία

epithumia

from 1937; a longing (especially for what is

forbidden):--concupiscence, desire, lust (after).

see GREEK for 1937

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἐπιθυμία, ας, ἡ

n.f.

desire, eagerness for, inordinate desire, lust

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἐπιθυμία epithumia 38x

earnest desire, Lk. 22:15; irregular or violent desire, Mk. 4:19; spc. impure desire, lust, Rom. 1:24; met. the object of desire, what enkindles desire, 1 Jn. 2:16, 17

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἐπιθυμία ἐπιθυ_μία, ἡ, ἐπιθυμέω desire, yearning, longing, Hdt., Plat., etc.; ἐπιθυμίᾳ by passion, opp. to προνοίᾳ, Thuc.

c. gen. a longing after a thing, desire of or for it, id. Thuc., etc.; so, ἐπ. πρός τι id. Thuc.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-ASF — Noun · accusative · singular · feminine
accusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked singular feminine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-ASF Part of Speech: Noun Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Feminine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

de-zir': The verb "to desire" in the Scriptures usually means "to long for," "to ask for," "to demand," and may be used in a good or bad sense (compare De 7:25 the King James Version). the Revised Version (British and American) frequently renders the more literal meaning of the Hebrew. Compare Job 20:20, "delight"; Pr 21:20, "precious"; Ps 40:6, "delight"; aiteo (except Col 1:9), and erotao (except Lu 7:36) are rendered "to ask" and zeteo, "to seek" (compare Lu 9:9 et. al.). The Hebrew kacaph, literally, "to lose in…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ SPIRITUAL De 4:29; Ps 9:1; 17:1; 22:26; 24:6; 25:5,15; 27:8,14; 33:20; 34:10; 37:4,7,9,34; 39:12; 40:1,8; 42:1-11; 51:1-17; 62:1; 63:1,8; 68:28; 69:3,32; 70:4; 81:10; 84:2; 86:11,12,16; 94:19; 105:4; 118:17; 119:2,10,20,40,77,88,116,117,122,133,149,156; 123:1,2; 130:5,6; 143:5,6; Pr 2:3-5; 8:17,34; Isa 8:17,19; 26:8,9; 40:31; 55:1,2,6; Jer 29:13; La 3:25,26,41; Ho 10:12; Hab 3:2; Mt 5:6;

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
34%desires
desires34% · 13×desire32% · 12×lusts11% · 4×passions11% · 4×covetousness5% · 2×lust3% · 1×passion3% · 1×evil desires3% · 1×

38 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
adverbial50%object32%subject16%predicate3%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 38 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
καίand, even, also,ἐνκατά
ἴδιοςone’s own, private,
Article the
ἐν
κόσμοςthe world, univeσάρξflesh, bodyδελεάζωI allure, entice
καίand, even, also, nam
περιπατέωI walk, conduct παγίςa snare, trap
πάθοςsuffering, emotion,
ἀκαθαρσίαuncleanness, impἐν
ἐπιθυμία[the] desire38×
what comes after →
Article the
σάρξflesh, bodyπατήρfather, Father, καρδίαthe heart, inner
αὐτός
πορεύομαιI travel, journeArticle the
σάρξflesh, body
οὐNegἀσέλγειαwantonness, lewd
εἰσπορεύομαιI journey into, go i
συμπνίγωI choke utterly,
ἐπιθυμέωI long for, covet, l
οὗτος

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

Concordanceἐπιθυμία · 38× in the New Testament
Romans 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 Timothy 1 Thessalonians Ephesians Galatians James Jude Titus 1 Timothy
Across the New Testament18 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 31 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 Polycarp
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 79c. AD 40

τουτὶ δὲ συμβήσεται, ἐὰν μήτε αἱ ἄλογοι ἡδοναὶ ψυχῆς δυναστεύσωσι γαστριμαργίαν καὶ λαγνείαν ἐπιτειχίσασαι μήτε αἱ δόξης ἢ χρημάτων ἢ ἀρχῆς ἐπιθυμίαι τὸ τοῦ βίου κράτος ἀνάψωνται μήτε στείλωσι καὶ κάμψωσι διάνοιαν αἱ λῦπαι μήθ’ ὁ κακὸς σύμβουλος…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.164c. AD 75–95

ἐμποδίζει δὲ αὐτοῦ ὁ θεὸς τὴν ἄδικον ἐπιθυμίαν νόσῳ τε καὶ στάσει τῶν πραγμάτων·

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 10.9c. AD 100

περὶ μὲν τῶν βρωμάτων λαβὼν Μωϋσῆς τρία δόγματα οὕτως ἐν πνεύματι ἐλάλησεν: οἱ δὲ κατ̓ ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς σαρκὸς ὡς περὶ βρώσεως προσεδέξαντο.

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 8th c. AD

δυνηθῆναι ὠφελούμεν … … ἀφʼ ὧν ἔσχον καὶ ζῆλον τοῖς λοιποῖς ἐμποιῆσαι τῆς ὁμοίας ἐπιθυμίας ἀπὸ τοῦ παραδείγματος. ἔτους ιϛ Μεσορὴ α εἰσὶ δὲ Κυνοπολίτου Ὀξυρυγχίτου Ὀάσεως ζ Νομῶν

BGU 3 970ArsinoitesAD 177

ἡ δὲ ἐτόλμησεν μεταδῶναί μοι ἀντίρρησιν διʼ ἧς ἐνε … τινα πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν ἐπιθυμίαν. ἄχρι δὲ οὗ ἂν τὰ ἑξῆς ἐπιτελῶ διὰ τοῦ ξενικῶν πράκτορος ἀκολούθως ᾗ παρεκόμισα

P.Herm. 6Hermupolis ? (HermopolitesAD 317–AD 323

τοῖς ἐρῶσι καὶ ποθοῦσι διαφαίνεται. οὕτω τοίνυν τὸν αὐτὸν παθὼν, εὔχομαι τῆς τοιαύτης ἀπαλλαγῆναι ἐπιθυμίας, ἀφʼ ἧς καὶ θεωρεῖν σε τάχιστά μοι συμβήσεται· ὡς γὰρ ἐπὶ τούτωι διάκειμαι τοὺς

I say now, by [the] Spirit do walk and [the] desire [of the] flesh certainly not you may gratify.
σαρκὸςsarx [of the] flesh G4561 Noun · genitive · singular · feminine
147× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Galatians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Flesh refers to the physical body, like the meat of an animal or the human body, as seen in 1 Corinthians 15:39 and Luke 24:39.
Amplified meaning
the physical body, human nature
Tyndale gloss
flesh
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

σάρξ (i.e. *sarx*) means 'flesh' and refers to the soft substance of the body, both human and animal. It encompasses physical aspects, such as the body and its desires, as well as metaphorical uses related to human nature and mortality. In the New Testament, it contrasts with the spirit and is often associated with sinful desires. Notably, the term appears in various contexts, including references to Christ's earthly life and the nature of humanity.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

σάρξ, σαρκός, ἡ

[in LXX chiefly for בָּשָׂר ;]

flesh;

as in cl. generally,

prop., of the soft substance of the animal body: I Co 15:39, II Co 12:7, Ga 6:13, al.; σ. καὶ αἷμα, I Co 5:50; σ. καὶ ὀστέα, Lk 24:39; pl., of the flesh of many or parts of the flesh of one (cl.), Re 17:16 19:18; φαγεῖν, Re, ll. c. (cf. κατεσθίειν, IV Ki 9:36, al., and βιβρώσκειν, freq. in l.); metaph., Ja 5:3; mystically, φ. (τρώγειν) τὴν σ. τοῦ υἱοῦ τ. ἀνθρώπου, Jo 6:52-56;

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

σάρξ, σαρκός, ἡ, (Aeol. σύρξ ; hence it seems to be derived fr. σύρω, akin to σαίρω, ‘to draw,’ ‘to draw off,’ and to signify what can be stripped off fr. the bones [ Etym. Magn. 708, 34; “sed quis ae ” (Lob. Paralip. p: 111)]), fr. Hom. down, Hebr. Ww 1. prop. flesh (the soft substance 5 the living body, which covers the bones and is permeated with blood) of both men and beasts: 1 Co. xv. 39; plur.—of the flesh of many beings, Rev. xix. 18, 21; of the parts of the flesh of one, Lk. xxiv. 39 Tdf.; Rev. xvii. 16; accordingly it is distinguished both from blood, σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα (on which expression see below, 2 a.; 3 bis; 4 fin. τς W. 191), and from bones, πνεῦμα σάρκα καὶ ὀστέα οὐκ ἔχει, Lk. xxiv. 39 (οὐ γὰρ ἔτι σάρκας τε καὶ ὀστέα ἶνες ἔχουσιν, Hom. Od. 11, 219). φαγεῖν Tas σάρκας τινός: prop., Rey. xvii. 16; xix. 18, (Lev. xxvi. 29; κατεσθίειν, 2 K. ix. 36, and often in Sept.; in class.…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

σάρξ. It lies outside our purpose to discuss the theological implications underlying the use of this important word in the NT. They are due partly to tie influence of the LXX, and partly to the language-forming power of Christianity by which old terms were ‘‘ baptized” into new conditions: see the full discussion of the term in Greek and Hebrew writings until A.p. 180 in Burton, ‘‘ Spirit, Soul, and Flesh” (Chicago, 1918), and the same writer’s ‘‘ Commentary on Galatians ’’ (in ZCC) p. 492 ff., also Lightfoot Notes, p. 88. All that can be attempted here is to cite a few exx. of the word from the inscrr. It does not seem to occur in the papyri. Thus for σάρξ Ξε κρέας see OG/S γ815 (B.c. 221-205) SiSwv . .. σάρκα πεντάμναιον ἀπίὸ τῶ Blods τῶ θυομένω τῶ Δὶ τῶ Σώϊτηρ]ι, and, for the plur., Sy// 645 (= *1047)" (c. B.C. 100) παρατιθέτω]σαν δὲ καὶ é[r]l τὴν τράπεζαν τοῦ μὲν βοὸς .. . . - καὶ]…

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

σάρξ (sarx) — flesh.

σάρξ,

genitive σαρκός, ἡ, Aeolic dialect σύρξ [Refs]:— flesh, [Refs 8th c.BC+] always in plural, except [Refs 8th c.BC+]; sometimes to represent the whole body, μήτε γῆ δέξαιτό μου σάρκας θανόντος [Refs 5th c.BC+]: also collectively, of the body, γέροντα τὸν νοῦν, σάρκα δ᾽ ἡβῶσαν φέρει [Refs 4th c.BC+]; σαρκὸς περιβόλαια, ἐνδυτά, [Refs 5th c.BC+] uses singular and plural in much the same manner, ταῖς σαρξὶ σάρκες προσγένωνται [Refs], etc.: portions of meat, usually in plural, σάρκας τρεῖς [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; but, pieces of flesh or membrane, βήσσοντα.. ὥστε σάρκας ἐνπύους.. ἀποβάλλειν [Refs]

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

σάρξ

sarx

probably from the base of 4563; flesh (as stripped of the skin), i.e.

(strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body

(as opposed to the soul (or spirit), or as the symbol of what is

external, or as the means of kindred), or (by implication) human

nature (with its frailties (physically or morally) and passions), or

(specially), a human being (as such):--carnal(-ly, + -ly minded),

flesh(-ly).

see GREEK for 4563

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

σάρξ, σαρκός, ἡ

n.f.

flesh, body

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

σάρξ sarx 147x

flesh, Lk. 24:39; Jn. 3:6; the human body, 2 Cor. 7:5; flesh, human nature, human frame, Jn. 1:13, 14; 1 Pet. 4:1; 1 Jn. 4:2; kindred, Rom. 11:14; lineage, Rom. 1:3; 9:3; flesh, humanity, human beings, Mt. 24:22; Lk. 3:6; Jn. 17:2; the circumstances of the body, material condition, Read the full entry →

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

σάρξ σαρκός flesh, Lat. caro, Hom., etc.: in pl. the flesh or muscles of the body, ἔγκατά τε σάρκας τε καὶ ὀστέα Hom.; so in Hes., Aesch., etc.:—so sometimes in sg., the flesh, the body, γέροντα τὸν νοῦν, σάρκα δ᾽ ἡβῶσαν φέρει Aesch.

the flesh, as opp. to the spirit, NTest.; also for man's nature generally, id. NTest.; πᾶσα σάρξ all human kind, id. NTest.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-GSF — Noun · genitive · singular · feminine
genitive — of, from, belonging to.
Agrees with anything else marked singular feminine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-GSF Part of Speech: Noun Case: Genitive Number: Singular Gender: Feminine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

@basar, she'er):

1. Etymology:

Used in all senses of the word, the latter, however, most frequently in the sense of kin, family, relationship (compare sha'arah, "kins-woman," Le 18:17): Le 18:6; 25:49; Pr 11:17; Jer 51:35, and probably Ps 73:26. In all other places she'er means "flesh" = body (Pr 5:11) or = food (Ps 78:20,27; Mic 3:2,3). Tibhchah, is "(slaughtered) flesh for food," "butcher's meat" (1Sa…

Flesh

In the Old Testament denotes (1) a particular part of the body of man and animals (Gen. 2:21; 41:2; Ps. 102:5, marg.); (2) the whole body (Ps. 16:9); (3) all living things having flesh, and particularly humanity as a whole (Gen. 6:12, 13); (4) mutability and weakness (2 Chr. 32:8; comp. Isa. 31:3; Ps. 78:39). As suggesting the idea of softness it is used in the expression “heart of flesh” (Ezek. 11:19). The expression “my flesh and bone” (

The substance of which the bodies of men and animals are composed. In the Bible, besides the ordinary sense, Job 33:25, it denotes mankind as a race, Ge 6:12 Ps 145:21 Isa 40:5-6; and all living creatures on the earth, Ge 6:17,19. It is often used in opposition to "spirit," as we use body and soul, Job 14:22; and sometimes means the body as animated and sensitive, Mt 26:41, and the seat of bodily appetites, Pr 5:11

Across the New Testament22 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 107 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 Ignatius of Antioch Clement of Rome The Shepherd of Hermas The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 124c. AD 40

φησὶ δὲ καὶ Ἱπποκράτης ὁ τῆς φύσεως ἐπιγνώμων ἐν ἑβδομάδι κρατύνεσθαι καὶ τὴν πῆξιν τῆς γονῆς καὶ τὴν ἀνάπλασιν τῆς σαρκός.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 6.120c. AD 75–95

ἀπαγγέλλεται δὲ τῷ βασιλεῖ ὑπὸ τῶν γραμματέων, ὅτι τὸ πλῆθος εἰς τὸν θεὸν ἐξαμαρτάνει θῦσαν καὶ πρὶν ἢ τὸ αἷμα καλῶς ἀποπλῦναι καὶ τὰς σάρκας ποιῆσαι καθαρὰς ἐσθίον.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 5.1c. AD 100

Εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ὑπέμεινεν ὁ κύριος παραδοῦναι τὴν σάρκα εἰς καταφθοράν, ἵνα τῇ ἀφέσει τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἁγνισθῶμεν, ὅ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ ῥαντίσματος αὐτοῦ.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
3rd c. BC 8th c. AD
BIFAO 64 (1964), p. 68-Magdola (Arsinoites) Magdola232 BC

ὃ ἂν τύχοι μέρος τοῦ σώματός μου, καὶ δακοῦσα τὸν ἀριστερὸν ὦμόν μου, ἀποσπᾶι σάρκα, παρόντων Πάσιτος τοῦ Κρίτωνος καὶ Ἁρμάχιος καὶ Τοτοέους καὶ Πάσιτος καὶ τοῦ Ὥρου. ἀξιῶ

JJP 33 (2003), p. 165-169 no. 2Ban­ganartiAD 751–AD 800

ἀπὸ Διοκλητιανοῦ … , μηνὶ Φαῶφι κγ. ὁ θεὸς τῶν πνευμάτων καὶ πάσης σαρκός, ἀνάπαυσον τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτ

I say now, by [the] Spirit do walk and [the] desire [of the] flesh certainly not you may gratify.
οὐou certainly G3756 Particle · negative
1,622× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Galatians as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This is a strong 'no', used to deny something completely. It appears in the New Testament, such as in Matthew 13:29 and John 1:21. It is a negative answer to a question.
Tyndale gloss
no
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word οὐ (transliterated as ou) is a primary negative particle meaning 'not' or 'no.' It is used to negate verbs or statements, often appearing in various forms depending on the following sound. In the New Testament, it frequently serves to deny facts and is distinct from another negative particle, μή (transliterated as ), which is used for prohibitions or wishes.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Ac 2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., § 409; M, Pr., 44, 244),

[in LXX for לֹא, אַיִן, אֵין;]

neg. particle,

not, no, used generally c. indic. and for a denial of fact (cf . μή);

absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mt 13:29, Jo 1:21 21:5; οὒ οὔ, Mt 5:37, Ja 5:12.

Most freq. negativing a verb or other word, Mt 1:25 10:26, 38, Mk 3:25 9:37, Jo 8:29, Ac 7:5, Ro 1:16, Phl 3:3, al.; in…

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

οὐ before a consonant, οὐκ before a vowel with a smooth breathing, and ody before an aspirated vowel ; but sometimes in the best codd. οὐχ occurs even before a smooth breathing; accordingly LT WH mrg. have adopted οὐχ ἰδού, Acts ii. 7; LT οὐχ ᾿Ιουδαϊκῶς, Gal. ii. 14 (see WH. Introd. § 409); L οὐχ ὀλίγος, Acts xix. 23; οὐχ ἠγάπησαν, Rev. xii. 11; and contrariwise οὐκ before an aspirate, as οὐκ ἕστηκεν, Jn. viii. 44 T; [οὐκ ἕνεκεν, 2 Co. vii. 12 T]; (οὐκ εὗρον, Lk. xxiv. 3; [οὐκ ὑπάρχει, Acts iii. 6] in cod. x [alsoC*; ef. cod. Alex. in 1 ἔβαν. iv. 2,12; Job xix. 16; xxxviiil. 11, 26]); cf. W. $5, 14d. 14; Β. τ; [A. v. Schiitz, Hist. Alphab. Att., Berol. 1875, pp: 54-58 ; Sophocles, Hist. of Grk. Alphab., 1st ed. 1848, p- 64 sq. (on the breathing); Tdf Sept., ed. 4, Proleg. pp: Xxxiii. xxxiv.; Scrivener, Collation ete., 2d ed., p. lv. no. 9; id. cod. Bezae p. xlvii. no. 11 (ef. p. xlii.…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ου to make the voyage” (Edd.), and P Amh II. 78?! (a.p. 184) τοιαύτης ο[ὖ]ν αὐθαδίας ἐν αὐτῷ οὔσης οὐ δυνάμενος [ἐν]καρτερεῖν ἐπιδίδωμι, ‘“ his audacity having reached this pitch I can endure no longer and present this petition.” See further Proleg. p. 231 f. In support of the translation ‘‘ I determined not to know” in 1 Cor 2, we may cite P Par 2657 (B.c. 163) (= UPZi. Ρ-. 248) οὐκ ἐκρίναμεν καταχωρῆσαι, ‘we determined not to record,” P Tebt I. 124° (c. B.c. 118) οὐκ (ἐκδρίναμεν ἐξαρ[ιθ]μεῖ[σθαι, “we determined not to be counted,” and the classical formula in P Hamb I. 27° (B.c. 250 (249)) οὐκ ἔφη εἰδέναι, ‘he said that he did not know.” The origin of the double negative οὐ μή is fully discussed by Moulton Pro/eg. p. 187 ff. When we pass to its actual occurrences in the NT, we find that these for the most part are found in passages derived from the OT and in the Sayings of our Lord…

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

οὐ (ou) — no.

οὐ,

the negative of fact and statement, as μή of will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective. —The same differences hold for all compounds of οὐ and μή, and some examples of οὐδέ and οὐδείς are included below.—As to the Form, see infr. G. USAG[Refs 5th c.BC+]

I. as the negative of single words,

II. as the negative of the sentence.

I. οὐ adhering to single words so as to form a quasi-compound with them:—with Verbs: οὐ δίδωμι withhold, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; οὐκ εἰῶ prevent, [Refs]; οὐκ ἐθέλω refuse, [Refs]; οὔ φημι deny, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; but sometimes οὐ is retained, εἰ δ᾽ ἂν.. οὐκ ἐθέλωσιν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐάντε.. οὐ (variant{μή}) φῆτε ἐάντε φῆτε [Refs 8th c.BC+] —On the use of οὐ in contrasts, see below [Refs 5th…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

οὐ

ou

ouk ook, and (before an aspirate)

ouch ookh

a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or

not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, +

nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but. See also

3364, 3372.

see GREEK for 3361

see GREEK for 3364

see GREEK for 3372

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

οὐ

Neg.prt.

no, not

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

οὐ ou 1x

negative adverb, originally the gen. of ὅς, spelled οὐκ if followed by a word beginning with a vowel and a smooth breathing, οὐχ if followed by a vowel and rough breathing, not, no, Mt. 5:37; 12:43; 23:37; for the peculiarities of its usage (especially as distinct from μή) consult a grammar

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Particle-N — Particle · negative
particle — a small word colouring the clause; it does not decline.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

PRT-N PaRTicle, disjunctive particle Negative

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
82%not
not82% · 1383×certainly6% · 96×surely4% · 70×no longer3% · 50×no2% · 39×other renderings3% · 51×

1,689 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 17 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
adverbial82%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 1,622 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
εἰμίI am, existἐγώαὐτός
ὅς
ἐγώθερίζωI reap, gatherδέbut, on the othe
ὅτιthat, since, because
σύαὐτόςἐγώ
αὐτός
λέγωI say, speakἐνἐπί
σύ
λέγωI say, speakγάρforὅς
οὐcertainly1622×
what comes after →
εἰμίI am, exist
ἐκArticle theἐγώ
μήNeg
παρέρχομαιI pass byεἰσέρχομαιI go in, come inπίνωI drink, imbibe
οἶδαI know, remember
ὅτιthat, since, becArticle theτίςIrg
γάρfor
εἰμίI am, existθέλωI will, wish, deArticle the
δύναμαιI am powerful, am ab
ἔρχομαιI come, goσῴζωI save, healArticle 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

Concordanceοὐ · 1,622× in the New Testament
John Matthew Luke 1 Corinthians Romans Mark Acts 2 Corinthians Revelation Hebrews 1 John Galatians

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

Across the New Testament26 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
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 6c. AD 40

ὡς γὰρ τῶν κολοσσιαίων μεγεθῶν τὰς ἐμφάσεις καὶ ἡ βραχυτάτη σφραγὶς τυπωθεῖσα δέχεται, οὕτως τάχα που καὶ τὰ τῆς ἀναγραφείσης ἐν τοῖς νόμοις κοσμοποιίας ὑπερβάλλοντα κάλλη καὶ ταῖς μαρμαρυγαῖς τὰς τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων ψυχὰς ἐπισκιάζοντα βραχυτέροις…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.11c. AD 75–95

ὁ δὲ τῶν παρʼ ἡμῖν ἀρχιερέων οὐδενὸς ἀρετῇ δεύτερος Ἐλεάζαρος τῷ προειρημένῳ βασιλεῖ ταύτης ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς ὠφελείας οὐκ ἐφθόνησε πάντως ἀντειπὼν ἄν, εἰ μὴ πάτριον ἦν ἡμῖν τὸ μηδὲν ἔχειν τῶν καλῶν ἀπόρρητον.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.8c. AD 100

ἐγὼ δὲ οὐχ ὡς διδάσκαλος, ἀλλ̓ ὧς εἰς ἐξ ὑμῶν ὑποδείξω ὀλίγα, δἰ ὧν ἐν τοῖς παροῦσιν εὐφρανθήσεσθε.

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 6th c. AD

δὲ γενόμεναι κατὰ τὸ ἀναγκαῖον κληρονομήσασαι ταξάμεναι τὰ καθήκοντα τέλη θεᾶι Βερενίκηι κυριεύομεν. ὅθεν οὐκ ἀποδιδόντων τὰ ἡμέτερα ἐπεδώκαμεν ἐν τῶι λ ἔτει προσανγελίαν Ἡρακλείδει γενομένωι ἀρχιφυλακίτηι τοῦ Παθυρίτου

C.Erbstreit16Diospolis Magna (Theben)135 BC

ι ἀρουρῶν πρόκτησιν … ένου αὐτὸν ἐν συνεδρίωι καὶ συγχώρησιν … ειν, ἐν ἧι οὐκ εὐδοκεῖ ὁ πατήρ. ὅθεν καταβεβραβευμένοι … ήρου συνεριου ἀξιοῦμεν, ἐὰν φαίνηται, συντάξαι γράψαι, οἷς

P.Adl. 2Pathyris125 BC

ὠνῆς ἐν πίστει διὰ τῶν περὶ τὸν Πανεβχοῦνιν ἐκτελειωθεῖσαν τῶι … ἔτει ἀντὶ ὀφειλημάτων, οὐκ ἐπελευσομένους τὸν Πανερέα καὶ τὴν Σενενοῦπιν περὶ ὀφειλημάτων μηδὲ περὶ ἄλλου μηδενός. ταῦτα δὲ

I say now, by [the] Spirit do walk and [the] desire [of the] flesh certainly not you may gratify.
μὴ not G3361 Particle · negative
1,060× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Galatians as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Not is a word used to show that something is not true or is not happening, like in phrases that say 'lest' or 'God forbid', as seen in various parts of the New Testament.
Tyndale gloss
not
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

μή () is a Greek negative particle used to express subjective negation, often in conditional or hypothetical contexts. It contrasts with οὐ (ou), which indicates absolute denial. μή can function as an adverb meaning 'not' or as a conjunction meaning 'lest.' It appears in various grammatical constructions, including prohibitions and deliberative questions, and is referenced in verses like Matthew 5:29 and John 3:18.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

μή,

subjective negative particle,

used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic., μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין, אַיִן, אַל.]

As a neg. adv., not;

with ref. to thought or opinion: Jo 3:18, Tit 1:11, II Pe 1:9.

In delib. questions, c. subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mk 12:14, Ro 3:8.

In conditional and final sentences, after εἰ, ἐάν, ἄν, ἵνα, ὅπως: Mt 10:14,

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

μή, Sept. for Ox, |X, PN, ἃ particle of negation, which differs from οὐ (which is always an adverb) in that ov denies the thing itself (orto speak technically, denies simply, absolutely, categorically, directly, objectively). but μή denies the thought of the thing, or the thing according to the judgment, opinion, will, purpose, preference, of some one (hence, as we say technically, indirectly, hypothetically, subjectively). This distinction holds also of the compounds οὐδείς, μηδείς, οὐκέτι, μηκέτι, ete. But pris either an ad verb of negation, not (Lat. non, ne); or aconjunction, that... not, lest, (Lat. ne); or an interrogative particle, (Lat. num) [i. e. (generally) implying aneg. ans.; in indir. quest. whether nol (suggesting apprehension) ]. Cf. Herm. ad Vig. § 267 p- 802 sqq-; Matthiae § 608; Bitm. Gram. § 148 (cf. Alex. Bttm. N. T. Gr. p. 344 (296) sqq.); Kiihner ii. §§ 512 sq. p.…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

μή Grenf II. 384 (mid. 1.8.6.) καλῶς οὖ]ν ποιήσις μὴ ἀμελήσ[α]ς α[. . ἀγο]ράσαι. .. , P Oxy I. 3815 (a.p. 49--50) (= Selections, p. 53) τοῦ δὲ Σύρου μὴ βουλομένου ἐνμεῖναι τοῖς κεκριμένοις, “45 Syrus does not wish to abide by what has been decided,” 2d. II. 2755 (A.D. 66) (= Selections, p. 58) ἔγραψα ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ μὴ ἰδότος γράμματα, “1 wrote for him seeing that he was unlettered,” BGU I. 22° (a.p. 114) (= Selections, p. 74) TappovOios . . . τὸ παρὸν μὴ ἔχουσα κύριον, ‘ Tarmuthis at present without a guardian,’ and P Grenf II. 779 (iii/iv A.D.) (= Sedections, p. 120) θαυμάζω πάνυ [ὅτι] ἀλόγως ἀπέστητε μὴ ἄραντες [τὸ σ]ῶμα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ὑμῶν, “1 wonder exceedingly that you went off so unreasonably, without taking the body of your brother”; cf. P Tor 1. 1¥8-4 (νον 116) εἰ δὲ kal τις θείηι τὸ μὴ ὄν (cf. 1 Cor 1°8)—acc. and inf. follow, P Ryl II. 144°? (Α.Ὁ. 38) ἐπαγαγεῖν αἰτίας τοῦ μὴ ὄντος, ‘‘…

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

μή (mē) — not.

μή,

Elean μά [ᾱ] [Refs 6th c.BC+]. (Cf. Sanskrit mā´, Armenian mi [from I.-[Refs 5th c.BC+] mē´], negative used in prohibitions):—not, the negative of the will and thought, as οὐ of fact and statement; μή rejects, οὐ denies; μή is relative, οὐ absolute; μή subjective, οὐ objective. (A few examples of μηδέ and μηδείς have been included.)

__A in INDEPENDENT sentences, used in expressions of will or wish, command, entreaty, warning,

__A.1 with present imperative, 2 person, μή μ᾽ ἐρέθιζε [Refs 8th c.BC+]: rarely with aorist imperative, μὴ.. ἔνθεο τιμῇ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; in Attic dialect, μὴ ψεῦσον, ὦ Ζεῦ, τῆς.. ἐλπίδος [Refs 8th c.BC+]perfect imperative [Refs 8th c.BC+] person when perfect = present, μὴ κεκράγετε [Refs 5th c.BC+]

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

μή

me

a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an

absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an

interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an

affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, +

lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not,

nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in

substantially the same relations. See also 3362, 3363, 3364, 3372,

3373, 3375, 3378.

see GREEK for 3756

see GREEK for 3362

see GREEK for 3363

see GREEK for 3364

see GREEK for 3372

see GREEK for 3373

see GREEK for 3375

see GREEK for 3378

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

μή

Neg.prt.

not, lest

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

μή mē 1x

a negative particle, can function as a conj, not, for the particulars of its usage, especially as distinguished from that of οὐ, consult a grammar; as a conj., lest, that not, Mt. 5:29, 30; 18:10; 24:6; Mk. 13:36; μή, or μήτι, or μήποτε, when prefixed to an interrogative clause, it expresses an intimation either of the reality of the matters respecting which the question is asked, Mt. 12:23; or the contrary, Jn. 4:12

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Particle-N — Particle · negative
particle — a small word colouring the clause; it does not decline.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

PRT-N PaRTicle, disjunctive particle Negative

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
71%not
not71% · 772×except9% · 95×unless5% · 58×surely not4% · 41×lest3% · 32×otherwise2% · 23×other renderings4% · 48×other renderings1% · 16×

1,085 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
adverbial84%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 1,060 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
οὐNeg
καίand, even, also,σύἐγώ
ἵναin order that, so th
αὐτόςσύπροσεύχομαιI pray, pray for
καίand, even, also, nam
ἐγώαὐτόςεἰμίI am, exist
εἰCond
αὐτόςυἱόςa son, descendenκαίand, even, also,
Article the
καίand, even, also,εἰςδιά
μήnot1060×
what comes after →
Article the
πατήρfather, Father, υἱόςa son, descendenσημεῖονa sign, miracle,
ἔχωI have, hold, posses
καίand, even, also,ποιμήνa shepherdβάθοςdepth, a depth,
εἰμίI am, exist
δίδωμιI offer, giveἐνμετά
τὶς
σύὑστερέωI am lacking, faγεννάωI beget, bring f
φοβέωI fear, am terrified
ἀπόArticle theμόνοςalone, but, only

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

Concordanceμή · 1,060× in the New Testament
Luke Matthew John 1 Corinthians Romans Mark Acts Revelation 2 Corinthians Hebrews 1 Timothy Galatians

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

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 1,321 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.

I say now, by [the] Spirit do walk and [the] desire [of the] flesh certainly not you may gratify.
τελέσητε.teleō you may gratify. G5055 Verb · aorist · active · subjunctive · second person · plural
28× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Galatians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
To finish means to complete or execute something, like finishing a task or paying a debt. This concept is seen in the Bible, such as in Matthew 7:28 and 2 Timothy 4:7, where it refers to completing a journey or a mission.
Amplified meaning
certainly not, under no circumstances, fulfill, satisfy
Tyndale gloss
to finish
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

τελέω is a verb meaning to complete, fulfill, or execute. It encompasses a range of actions from finishing a task to paying debts. In the New Testament, it is used in various contexts, such as fulfilling the law (Romans 2:27) and completing a journey (Matthew 10:23). The entries do not show significant disagreement.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

τελέω, -ῶ

(< τέλος),

[in LXX for כָּלָה, pi., etc. ;]

to bring to an end, complete, finish: τ. δρόμον, II Ti 4:7; τ. λόγους, Mt 7:28 19:1 26:1; τ. παραβολάς, Mt 13:53; τ. πόλεις, Mt 10:23; pass., Re 15:8 20:3, 5, 7; c. ptcp., Mt 11:1.

to execute, perform, complete, fulfil: Lk 2:39, Ac 13:29, Ro 2:27, II Co 12:9, Ga 5:16, Ja 2:8,

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

τελέω, -@; 1 aor. ἐτέλεσα [cf. W. § 13, 3 c.]; pf. τετέλεκα (2 Tim. iv. 7); Pass., pres. 3 pers. sing. τελεῖται (2 Co. xii. 9 L TTr WH); pf. τετέλεσμαι ; 1 aor. ἐτελέσθην; 1 fut. τελεσθήσομαι; (τέλος) ; fr. Hom. down; 1. to bring to a close, to finish, to end : ἔτη, pass., passed, finished, Rev. xx. 3, 5, 7, ({so fr. Hom. and Hes. down; Aristot. h. a. 7, 1 init. p. 580°, 14 ἐν τοῖς ἔτεσι τοῖς δὶς ἑπτὰ τετεNeopevots]; τριῶν τελουμένων ἡμερῶν, Leian. Alex. 38); τὸν δρόμον (Hom. Il. 23, 373, 768; Soph. Electr. 726), 2 Tim. iv. 7; τοὺς λόγους, Mt. vii. 28 LT Tr WH; xix. 1; xxvi.1; τὰς παραβολάς, Mt. xiii. 53; [ἄχρι τελεσθῶσιν ai πληγαί, Rey. xv. 8]; a rare use is τελεῖν τὰς πόλεις, 1. 6. your flight or journey through the cities [R. V. ye shall not have gone through the cities, ete.], Mt. x. 23 (similar are ἀνύειν τοὺς τόπους, Polyb. 5, 8, 1; τὰ ἕλη, 3, 79,5; consummare Italiam, Flor. 1…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

τελέω, (1) ‘complete, accomplish,” ‘‘ fulfil”: P Oxy VII. 10611" (B.C. 22) ἕως μοι τοῦτο τελέσητε, ‘ until you accomplish this for me,” 2.17 ἕως ὅτου τελεσθῆ[ι, ‘until it is accomplished,” P Giss I, 991} (ii/iii A.D.) θυσίαι τεϊλοῦνταιThe verb = ‘‘ produce ” in Chrest. I. 2365 (iii/A.D.) τελοῦσαι ἀν[ὰ πυροῦ ἀ]ρτ[άβην] μί[αν. (2) “pay”: P Petr III. 59(4)3 (census paper—iii/B.c.) ἀφ᾽ ὧν ἐστὶν τῶν μὴ τελούντων ἱερὰ ἔθνη, ‘from this are to be GG subtracted those priestly corporations which are exempt from the tax’’ (Mahaffy), P Oxy IX. 1210+ (i/B.c.—i/a.p.) τελοῦντες Aaoypadlay ᾿Οξυρυγχίτου dv8(pes), ‘‘ men paying poll-tax in the Oxyrhynchite nome,” P Fay 361} (A.D. 111-2) ὑφίσταμαι τελέσειν φόρον ἀργυρίου δραχμὰς ὀγδοήκοντα, “ΕἼ undertake to pay as rent eighty drachmae of silver”’ (Edd.), P Oxy VII. 1037'% (A.D. 444) τελέσ[ὡ] σοι ὑπὲρ ἐνοικίου, ‘* I will pay you for rent,” 72. VIII. 113077…

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

τελέω (teleō) — to finish.

τελέω,

Epic dialect also τελείω, both in [Refs 8th c.BC+] (τελέοντες [Refs 8th c.BC+]: Epic dialect imperfect τέλεον [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Ionic dialect τέλεσκον [Refs 3rd c.BC+]: future τελέσω [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Epic dialect also τελέω, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Attic dialect τελῶ [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist (ἐ) τέλεσα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Epic dialect τέλεσσα and ἐτέλεσσα [Refs 8th c.BC+] (infinitive τελέσσαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Attic dialect ἐτέλεσα [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect τετέλεκα [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—middle, future (see. below): aorist ἐτελεσάμην [Refs]; perfect τετέλεσμαι [Refs 3rd c.BC+]:—passive, Epic dialect imperfect ἐτελείετο [Refs 8th c.BC+]: future τελεσθήσομαι [Refs 4th c.BC+]; future middle in this sense, τελεῖται [Refs 8th c.BC+]; participle τελεόμενος [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἐτελέσθην [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Aeolic dialect infinitive τελέσθην [Refs 7th…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

τελέω

teleo

from 5056; to end, i.e. complete, execute, conclude, discharge (a

debt):--accomplish, make an end, expire, fill up, finish, go over,

pay, perform.

see GREEK for 5056

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

τελέω

v.

I end, accomplish, pay

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

τελέω teleō 28x

to finish, complete, conclude, an operation, Mt. 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; to finish a circuit, Mt. 10:23; to fulfil, to carry out into full operation, Rom. 2:27; Gal. 5:16; Jas. 2:8; to pay dues, Mt. 17:24; pass. to be fulfilled, realized, Lk. 12:50; 18:31; of time, to be ended, elapse, Rom. 15:8; 20:3, 5, 7

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

τελέω to complete, fulfil, accomplish, and, generally, to execute, perform, Lat. perficere, Hom.: —Pass., id. Hom.; ἅμα μῦθος ἔην, τετέλεστο δὲ ἔργον "no sooner said than done, " Il.

to fulfil one's word, Hom.: to grant one the fulfilment of anything, τί τινι id. Hom.; τ. νόον τινί to fulfil his wish, Il.; τελέσαι κότον, χόλον to glut his fury, wrath, id. Il.: c. inf., οὐδ᾽ ἐτέλεσσε φέρειν he succeeded not in bringing, id. Il.; ὅρκια τελεῖν, like ὅρκον τελευτᾶν, to complete or confirm an oath, id. Il.

to make perfect, ἀρετάν Pind.; τ. τινα to bless him with perfect happiness, id. Pind.; so, τελεσθεὶς ὄλβος Aesch.:—also, to bring a child to maturity, bring it to the birth, Eur.

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-AAS-2P — Verb · aorist · active · subjunctive · second person · plural
aorist active subjunctive — a completed action, viewed as a whole.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-AAS-2P Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Aorist Voice: Active Mood: Subjunctive Person: second Number: Plural

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
21%finished
finished21% · 6×may be completed7% · 2×may have been completed7% · 2×they had finished4% · 1×fulfilling4% · 1×pay you4% · 1×you may gratify4% · 1×i have finished4% · 1×other renderings46% · 13×

28 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 28 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
ὅτεwhen
γίνομαιI come into bein
ἄχριas far as, up to, un
ναόςa temple, shrineθηρίονa wild beast, anἔθνοςa race, people,
μήNeg
οὐNeg
καίand, even, also, nam
ἹεροσόλυμαPropσαλπίζωI sound a trumpe
νόμοςa law, the Mosaic La
Article theμέντοιindeed, yet, how
τελέωyou may gratify.28×
what comes after →
Article the
ἸησοῦςJesusχίλιοιa thousandπόλιςa city
πᾶςall, the whole, ever
Article the
δίδραχμονa double-drachma, tw
ἐν
ἐγώ
ἵναin order that, so th
τελειόωI complete, acco

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

Concordanceτελέω · 28× in the New Testament
Revelation Matthew Luke John Romans 2 Corinthians 2 Timothy Acts Galatians James
Across the New Testament10 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 Ignatius of Antioch The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 82c. AD 40

ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐναντία φύσει τό τε φθαρτὸν καὶ τὸ ἄφθαρτον, εἴδους ἑκατέρου τὸ κάλλιστον ἀρχῇ καὶ τέλει προσένειμεν, ἀρχῇ μὲν οὐρανόν, ὡς ἐλέχθη, τέλει δὲ ἄνθρωπον.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.7c. AD 75–95

ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ μείζων ἦν ἡ τοῦδε τοῦ λόγου περιβολή, κατʼ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον χωρίσας ταῖς ἰδίαις ἀρχαῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ τέλει τὴν γραφὴν συνεμέτρησα·

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 7.3c. AD 100

γεγραμμένης ἐντολῆς: Ὃς ἂν μὴ νηστεύσῃ τὴν νηστείαν, θανάτῳ ἐξολεθρευθήσεται, ἐνετείλατο κύριος, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἁμαρτιῶν ἔμελλεν τὸ σκεῦος τοῦ πνεύματος προσφέρειν θυσίαν, ἵνα καὶ ὁ τύπος ὁ γενόμενος ἐπὶ Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ προσενεχθέντος…

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 7th c. AD 2nd c. AD 4th c. AD
P.Mich. 5 338Tebtynis (Arsinoites)AD 45

Πτολέμιος Πτολεμίου Κρονίωνι νομογράφῳ Τεβτύνεως χαίρειν. ὁμολογῶ ἐσχηκέναι παρὰ σοῦ ᾓ ἐτέλεσαν διὰ σοῦ ὁμολογίαν ἐκστάσεως υἱῶν Ἥρωνος Λαβίωνος διὰ τὸ ἐμὲ καταλελοχίσθαι διὰ τῶν καταλοχισμῶν

P.Rein. 2 95Soknopaiu Nesos (Arsinoites)AD 49

Φανίας ὁ πρὸς τῇ πύλῃ Νήσου Σοκνοπαίου ἑκατοστῆς πεντηκοστῆς ἐρημοφύλαξι καὶ δεκανοῖς χαίρειν. τετέλεσται Σαταβοῦς εἰσάγων καμηλους κ μυριάδα α σ καὶ εἰσάγων ὄνους Α μυριαδας ε δ

P.Vind.Worp 1Arsinoites (?)AD 90–AD 96

περὶ Ἀπύγχιν διὰ Ἑρμαίου ῥήτορος φαμένων ἀνατεθεῖσθαι τῷ θεῷ τὴν κώμην καὶ μηδὲ ἐν τέλει Σποτοῦν πατέρα Θέωνος τοῦ τελώνου ὧν ἐπὶ τῆς κώμης ἐώνηται τέλος μὴ δεδωκέναι προστιθέντων

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.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate