Quick Definition
ἆρα Irg.prt. a particle asking a question, expecting a negative response
Strong's Definition
a form of 686, denoting an interrogation to which a negative answer is presumed
KJV Usage: therefore
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
part.
69.14 · Affirmation, Negation · Markers for a Negative Response to Questions
indeed, then, ever a marker of a negative response to questions, usually implying anxiety or impatience In order to attempt to do some justice to the occurrence of the particle ἆρα, one may introduce a variety of terms which make a question somewhat more emphatically negative. In the case of LUK 18:8 one might translate ‘will he indeed find faith?’ In the case of GAL 2:17 one might translate ‘how, then, could Christ ever be a servant of sin?’
1 In English it is difficult to provide a direct translation of ἆρα in this sense, though other languages may have a regularly corresponding particle with essentially the same significance.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ἄρα, an illative particle (akin, as it seems, to the verbal root APQ to join, to be fitted, [cf. Curtius § 488 ; Vanitek p- 47]), whose use among native Greeks is illustrated fully by Kiihner ii. §$ 509, 545; [Jelf §§ 787-789], and Klotz ad Devar. ii. pp. 160-180, among others; [for a statement of diverse views see Biumlein, Griech. Partikeln, p. 19 sq.]. It intimates that, “under these circumstances something either is so or becomes so” (Klotz loc. p. 167): Lat. igitur, consequently, [differing from οὖν in ‘denoting a subjective impression rather than a positive conclusion.” L. and S. (see 5 below)]. In the N. T. it is used frequently by Paul, but in the writings of John and in the so-called Catholic Epistles it does not occur. On its use in the N. T. cf. W. §§ 53, 8 a. and 61,6. Itis found 1. subjoined to another word : Ro. vii. 21; viii.1; Gal. iii. 7; ἐπεὶ ἄρα since, if it were otherwise, 1 Co. vii. 14; [v. 10, cf. B. §149,5]. When placed after pronouns and interrogative particles, it refers to a preceding assertion or fact, or even to something existing only inthe mind. τίς ἄρα who then? Mt. xviii. 1 (1. e. one certainly will be the greater, who then?); Mt. xix. 25 (i. e. certainly some will be saved; you say that the rich will not; who then?); Mt. xix. 27; xxiv. 45 (I bid you be ready; who then etc.? the question follows from this command of mine); Mk. iv. 41; Lk. i. 66 (from all these things doubtless something follows ; what, then ?) ; LK. viii. 25 ; xii. 42; xxii. 23 (it will be one of us, which then ?); Acts xii. 18 (Peter has disappeared; what, then, has become of him?). εἰ ἄρα, Mk. xi. 13 (whether, since the tree had leaves, he might also find some fruit on it) ; Acts vii. 1 [Ree.] (ἄρα equiv. to ‘since the witnesses testify thus’); Acts viii. 22 (if, since thy sin is so grievous, perhaps the thought ete.) ; εἴπερ dpa, 1 Co. xv. 15, (Δ) τ, εἰ dpa, Gen. xviii. 3). οὐκ dpa, Acts xxi. 38 (thou hast a knowledge of Greek; art thou not then the Egyptian, as I suspected ?); μήτι dpa (Lat. num igitur), did I then ete., 2 Co. i. 17. 2. By a use doubtful in Grk. writ. (ef. B. 371 (318); [W. 558 (519)]) it is placed at the beginning of a sentence; and so, so then, accordingly, equiv. to ὥστε with a finite verb: ἄρα μαρτυρεῖτε [μάρτυpes ἐστε T Tr WH], Lk. xi. 48 (Mt. xxiii. 81 ὥστε paptupeite); Ro. x. 17; 1 Co. xv. 18; 2 Co. v. 14 (15) (in LT Tr WH noconditional protasis preceding) ; 2 Co. vii. 12; Gal. iv. 31 (LT Tr WH &é); Heb. iv. 9. 3. inan apodosis, after a protasis with εἰ, in order to bring out what follows as a matter of course, (Germ. so ist ja the obvious inference is): Lk. xi. 20; Mt. xii. 28; 2 Co. ν. 14 (15) (R G, a protasis with εἰ preceding); Gal. ii. 21; iii. 29; v.11; Heb. xii. 8; joined to another word, 1 Co. xv. 14. 4. with yé, rendering it more pointed, dpaye [14 Tr uniformly ἄρα ye; so R WH in Acts xvii. 27; cf. W. p.45; Lips. Gram. Untersuch. p. 123], surely then, so then, (Lat. itaque ergo): Mt. vii. 20; xvii. 26; Acts xi. 18 (1, T Tr WH om. γέ) ; and subjoined to a word, Acts xvii. 27 [W. 299 (281)]. 5. ἄρα οὖν, a combination peculiar to Paul, at the beginning of a sentence (W. 445 (414); B. 371 (318), [dpa ad internam potius caussam spectat, οὖν magis ad externam.” Kotz ad Devar. ii. p. 717; ἄρα is the more logical, οὖν the more formal connective; “ ἄρα is illative, οὖν continuative,” Win. 1. ο.; ef. also Kushner § 545, 3]), [R. V.] so then, (Lat. hine igitur) : Ro. v. 18; vii. 3, 25; viii. 12; ix. 16, 18; xiv. 12 (L Tr om. WH br. οὖν) ; 19 [L mre. ἄρα]; Galfyi, 10: phat 19. Phys 65 2. ΤῊ: 1 15. dpa, an interrogative particle [“implying anxiety or impatience on the part of the questioner.” L. and S. s. v.], (of the same root as the preceding ἄρα, and only differing from it in that more vocal stress is laid upon the first syllable, which is therefore circumflexed) ; 1: num igitur, i. e. marking an inferential question to which a negative answer is expected: Lk. xviii. 8; with ye rendering it more pointed, dpa ye [G T dpaye]: Acts viii. 30; [ἄρα οὖν... . διώκομεν Lehm. ed. min. also maj. mrg. are we then pursuing ete. Ro. xiv. 19]. 2. ergone i.e. a question to which an affirmative answer is expected, in an interrogative apodosis, (Germ. so ist also wohl ?), he is then? Gal. ii. 17 (where others [e. g. Lchm.] write dpa, so that this example is referred to those mentioned under dpa, 3, and is rendered Christ is then a minister of sin; but μὴ γένοιτο, which follows, is everywhere by Paul opposed to a question). Cf. W. 510 (475) sq. [also B. 247 (213), 371 (318); Herm. ad Vig. p. 820 sqq.; Klotz ad Deyar. ii. p. 180 sqq.; speaking somewhat loosely, it may be said “ ἄρα expresses bewilderment as to a possible conclusion. . . dpa hesitates, while ἄρα coneludes.” Bp. Lghtft. on Gal. 1. ¢.].
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ἆρα ara 3x
inferential particle, used mainly in interrogations, Lk. 18:8; Acts 8:30; Gal. 2:17*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ἆρα, interrog. particle, implying anxiety or impatience, "quite rare and only in Luke and Paul, therefore a literary word" (Bl., §77, 2). (num igitur) expecting a neg. reply, Lk 18:8; ἆρά γε, Ac 8:30.
(ergone) in apodosis, expecting an affirm. reply, Ga 2:17 (Bl., §77, 2; Lft., Ga., in l.; MM, s.v.).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ἄρα. For εἰ ἄρα, sz forte, as in Mk 115, Ac 855, cf. P Petr II. 13 (19)® (middle of iii/B.c.) (= Witkowski, p. 19) εἰ 8 ἄρα μὴ ὁρᾶις ὃν δυνατόν, P Hal ri 172 (middle of iii/B.c.), εἰ δὲ ἄρα δεῖ αὐτοῖς σταθμοὺς δίδοίσθ᾽αι πία]ρὰ τῶν οἰκονόμων, διδότωσαν α[ὐ]τοῖς τοὺς ἀναγκαίους. See also P Oxy VII. τογοῦῦ (iii/A.D.) μὴ ἀμελήσῃς μὴ ἄρα ποτὲ θέλῃς μ[εἸτὰ σ[ο]ῦ [ρ]αείδι τὴν τήρησιν τῆς ὅλης οἰκίας παραδιδόναι, “do not neglect this, lest indeed you choose to hand over the keeping of the whole house to Herais” (Ed.): cf. P Amh 11. 84” (ii/iii A.D.) . . . Jpevos μὴ ἄρα τι
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ἆρα (ara) — no?. ἆρᾰ, interrogative Particle, implying anxiety or impatience, = Epic dialect and Lyric poetry ἦ ῥα:
1. alone, it simply marks the question, the nature of which is determined by the context: e.g. in [Refs 4th c.BC+] a negative answer is implied in the question ἆρ᾽ ἂν οἴεσθε..; but an affirmative in [Refs 5th c.BC+] ἆ. βέβληκα δὶς ἐφεξῆ; compare ἆρ᾽ εὐτυχεῖς.. ἢ δυστυχεῖ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; and to make it plainly affirmative, ἆρ᾽ ο; ἆρ᾽ οὐχ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἆρ᾽ οὐχ οὕτω; [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. ἆ. οὖ; is used to draw an affirmative inference, [Refs]; also when a negative answer is expected, [Refs]; with a negative, ἆρ᾽ οὖν οὐ..; [Refs]
3. in ἆρά γε, each Particle retains its force, γε serving to make the question more definite, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
4. less frequently with τίς interrogative, τίνος ποτ᾽ ἆρ᾽ ἔπραξε χειρί[Refs 5th c.BC+]; τίδ᾽ ἆρ᾽ ἐγὼ σ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; with ἤν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
5. in indirect questions, σκεψώμεθα τοῦτο ἆ... [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. in Poets sometimes like{ἄρα}, [Refs 7th c.BC+] __B In Prose, ἆ. almost always stands first in the sentence, but[Refs 5th c.BC+]; καὶ ὑπὲρ τούτων ἆ... [Refs 4th c.AD+]
