in the midst of the congregation

ἀνά prep. w. acc. (Hom.+), lit. ‘up, up to’; rare in later Gk.

① ἀνὰ μέσον in a position in the middle (Aristot. et al.; Polyb., Diod S, ins, pap, LXX, En; TestAbr B 8, p. 112, 21 al.; JosAs 4:5f; ApcMos; EpArist [ELohmeyer, Diatheke 1913, 86, 1; Nägeli 30; Rossberg 34; Johannessohn, Präp. 170–73, esp. 170, 6]; Just., D. 107, 4 [on Jon 4:11]) w. gen.

ⓐ of position in an area among, in the midst of (PGM 36, 302) ἀ. μ. τοῦ σίτου Mt 13:25; ἀ. μ. τῶν ὁρίων Δεκαπόλεως into the (midst of the) district of Decapolis Mk 7:31; ἤλθωσιν ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς ὁδοῦ they had gone half way on their journey GJs 17:3.

ⓑ of pers. (in the middle) between (Diod S 11, 90, 3 ἀνὰ μέσον ποταμῶν δυοῖν; 12, 9, 2; 14, 80, 2; 17, 52, 1; Strabo 4, 4, 2; En 13:9) διαστεῖλαι ἀνὰ μέσον δικαίου καὶ ἁμαρτωλοῦ PsSol 2:34; cp. ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν δύο πυλῶν TestAbr B 8, p. 112, 21 [Stone p. 72]) GPt 4:10=ASyn. 344, 73; Hs 9, 2, 3; 9, 15, 2. With breviloquence—if the text is undamaged, which Mlt. 99 doubts—διακρῖναι ἀ. μ. τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ decide (a case) between members 1 Cor 6:5 (on the shortening cp. Sir 25:18 v.l. ἀ. μ. τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ ἀναπεσεῖται ὁ ἀνήρ. S. also μέσος 1b beg.—Lawsuits ἀ. μ. Ἑλλήνων: SEG IX, 8, 64; JosAs 28:6 κρινεῖ κύριος ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν); in the midst of (non-Attic.: IBekker, Anecd. I 1814, 80, 24 ἀ. μέσον• ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐν μέσῳ. Cp. Diod S 1, 30, 4 ἀνὰ μ. τῆς Κοίλης Συρίας; PPetr III, 37a II, 18; Ex 26:28; Josh 16:9; 19:1) τὸ ἀρνίον τὸ ἀ. μ. τοῦ θρόνου in the center of the throne Rv 7:17. ἀ. μ. ἐκκλησίας in the midst of the congregation B 6:16.

② ἀνὰ μέρος lit. ‘up to a part’ or ‘according to a part’ following in sequence, in turn (Aristot., Pol. 1287a, 17; Polyb. 4, 20, 10 ἀνὰ μέρος ᾂδειν; Appian, Iber. 82 §357, Mithrid. 22 §83, Bell. Civ. 3, 44 §183; SEG IX, 8, 122) 1 Cor 14:27.

③ distributive, w. numbers, each, apiece (Aristoph., Ran. 554f; X., An. 4, 6, 4; SEG IX, 8, 27; PAmh II, 88 [128 A.D.]; POxy 819 [I A.D.] al.; Gen 24:22; 3 Km 18:13; 1 Ch 15:26; En 10:19; TestJob 44:5; JosAs; Jos., Ant. 8, 179; 17, 172; Rdm. 20) ἀνὰ δηνάριον a denarius apiece Mt 20:9f. ἀνὰ λαμπάδα a lamp apiece GJs 7:2. ἀνὰ ῥάβδον a staff apiece 8:3 (not pap). ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς ἀνὰ δύο he sent them out two by two Lk 10:1. κλισίας ὡσεὶ ἀνὰ πεντήκοντα by fifties 9:14; ἀνὰ μετρητὰς δύο ἢ τρεῖς two or three measures apiece J 2:6 (Diod S 3, 13, 2 ἀνὰ τρεῖς ἢ δύο). ἀνὰ ἑκατὸν καὶ ἀνὰ πεντήκοντα Mk 6:40 v.l. Lk 9:3; Rv 4:8; GPt 9:35=ASyn. 353, 81. ἀνὰ μέσον αὐτῶν ἀνὰ δύο παρθένοι between them (the maidens at the four corners) two maidens apiece Hs 9, 2, 3 (see MDibelius, Hdb. ad loc.).—In ἀνὰ δύο παρθένοι ἀ. has become fixed as an adverb. Likew. ἀνὰ εἷς ἕκαστος τῶν πυλώνων Rv 21:21 (B-D-F §204; 305; Rob. 571). On ἀνὰ δύο δύο Lk 10:1; cp. AcPh 142 (Aa II/2, 79, 6) and δύο b.—Special lit. on prepositions: B-D-F §203–40; Rdm.² p. 137–46; Mlt-H. 292–332; Rob. 553–649; Mayser II/2, p. 152–68; 337–543.—MJohannessohn, D. Gebrauch d. Präpositionen in LXX: NGG, Beiheft 1926.—PRegard, Contribution à l’Étude des Prépositions dans la langue du NT 1919.—FKrebs, D. Präpositionen b. Polybius, diss. Würzb. 1882; FKrumbholz, De praepos. usu Appianeo, diss. Jena 1885; PMelcher, De sermone Epict. (Diss. philol. Halenses 17, 1) 1905; JKäser, D. Präpos. b. Dionys. Hal., diss. Erl. 1915; HTeykowski, D. Präpositions-gebr. b. Menander, diss. Bonn ’40.—RGünther, D. Präpos. in d. griech. Dialektinschriften: IndogF 20, 1906, 1–163; ENachmanson, Eranos 9, 1909, 66ff.—The works of Kuhring and Rossberg on usage in pap.—GRudberg, Ad usum circumscribentem praepositionum graec.: Eranos 19, 1922, 173–206.—DELG. M-M.

μετά (Hom.+) prep. w. gen. and acc., in the NT not (B-D-F §203; Rob. 610) w. dat.—For lit. s. ἀνά, beg.; also for μετά (and σύν) Tycho Mommsen, Beiträge zu d. Lehre v. den griech. Präp. 1895. Basic idea: ‘in the vicinity of ’.

A. w. gen. with

① marker of placement, with, among, in company with someone (Gen 42:5; EpArist 180; En 22:13; 99:10; PsSol 4:6; JosAs 10:3 al.) or someth. ἦν μετὰ τῶν θηρίων he was among the wild animals Mk 1:13 (Diog. L. 6, 92 μόσχοι μετὰ λύκων). ἦν συγκαθήμενος μ. τῶν ὑπηρετῶν he sat down among the servants 14:54. μετὰ ἀνόμων ἐλογίσθη he was classed among the criminals Mk 15:28; Lk 22:37. τὸ μέρος αὐτοῦ μ. τῶν ἀπίστων θήσει he will assign him his lot among the faithless (unbelievers?) Lk 12:46; cp. Mt 24:51. ζῆτειν τὸν ζῶντα μ. τῶν νεκρῶν seek the living among the dead Lk 24:5. μὴ γογγύζετε μετʼ ἀλλήλων do not grumble among yourselves J 6:43. εἱστήκει Ἰούδας μετʼ αὐτῶν 18:5. ἡ σκηνὴ τ. θεοῦ μετὰ τ. ἀνθρώπων Rv 21:3a. μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν in the midst of the clouds 1:7.

② marker of assoc. in gener. sense denoting the company within which someth. takes place, with

ⓐ w. gen. of pers. in company w. whom someth. takes place

α. w. verbs of going, remaining, etc. προσέρχεσθαι μ. τινος come (in company) with someone Mt 20:20; cp. 5:41; Mk 1:29; 3:7; 5:24, 37; 11:11; 14:17; Lk 2:51; 6:17; 9:49; 14:31; J 3:22b; 11:54; Ac 24:1; Gal 2:1. Angels accompanying the Messiah Mt 25:31; cp. 16:27; Mk 8:38; 1 Th 3:13; 2 Th 1:7. περιπατεῖν μ. τινος (Menand., Fgm. 178 Kö., Sam. 587f S. [242f Kö.]; ApcEsdr 6:12) J 6:66. γίνεσθαι μ. τινος be, remain with someone Ac 7:38; 9:19; 20:18; AcPlCor 2:4 (ApcMos 2 ἐγένοντο μ. ἀλλήλων). οἱ μ. αὐτοῦ γενόμενοι his companions Mk 16:10. μένειν μ. τινος stay with someone 1J 2:19 (ParJer 3:15). ζήσασα μ. ἀνδρός Lk 2:36. ἀκολουθεῖν μ. τινος follow (after) someone Rv 6:8; 14:13 (s. ἀκολουθέω 2).

β. used w. trans. verbs ἄγειν τινὰ μ. ἑαυτοῦ bring someone along (s. ἄγω 1b) 2 Ti 4:11. παραλαμβάνειν τινὰ μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ take or bring someone along (as a companion) (Gen 22:3) Mt 12:45; 18:16; Mk 14:33. ἔχειν τι μ. ἑαυτοῦ have someth. with oneself: bread 8:14; τινά someone (PGM 4, 1952): the lame Mt 15:30; the poor Mk 14:7; Mt 26:11; J 12:8; the bridegroom Mk 2:19b. Pass. συγκατεψηφίσθη μετὰ τ. ἕνδεκα ἀποστόλων he was chosen (to serve) with the eleven apostles Ac 1:26 (cp. Himerius, Or. 44 [=Or. 8], 3 μετὰ τῶν θεῶν ἀριθμούμενος=numbered with the gods).

γ. esp. εἶναι μ. τινος be with someone, in someone’s company.

א. lit. of close association: the disciples w. Jesus Mt 26:69, 71; Mk 3:14; 14:67; Lk 22:59; J 15:27; 17:24. Also of accompaniment for a short time Mt 5:25; J 3:26; 9:40; 12:17; 20:24, 26. Of Jesus’ association w. his disciples 13:33; 14:9; 16:4; 17:12. Of relations between the superintendent and the congregation μετὰ τ. ἐπισκόπου εἶναι be with, on the side of, the supervisor/bishop IPhld 3:2. οἱ μ. τινος (sc. ὄντες) someone’s friends, companions, etc. (Diod S 17, 96, 2 οἱ μεθʼ Ἡρακλέους; SIG 175, 5; 659, 5; 826e II, 30; Am 4:2; 8:10; Gen 24:59; 1 Macc 7:23; JosAs 27:7; AscIs 2:15; 3:6, 14; Jos., Vi. 397, Ant. 7, 20; Just., D. 8, 3 al.) Mt 12:3f; 26:51; Mk 1:36; 2:25; Lk 6:3f. Of things ἄλλα πλοῖα ἦν μ. αὐτοῦ other boats were with him, accompanied him Mk 4:36. ὁ μισθός μου μετʼ ἐμοῦ (sc. ἐστιν) Rv 22:12. τὸ πῦρ ἐστι μετʼ αὐτοῦ the fire (of judgment) awaits him (the interpretation of the Armenian text; sim. the Lat.) AcPlCor 2:37.

ב. in ref. to supportiveness be with someone, stand by, help someone of God’s help (Gen 21:20; 26:3; 28:20 al.; Jos., Ant. 15, 138) J 3:2; 8:29; 16:32; Ac 7:9 (cp. Gen 39:2, 21); 10:38; cp. Mt 1:23 (Is 8:8); Lk 1:28; Ro 15:33. Of God’s hand (1 Ch 4:10) Lk 1:66; Ac 11:21. Of Christ: Mt 28:20; Ac 18:10.

ג. a favorite expr. in conclusions of letters ὁ θεὸς τῆς ἀγάπης καὶ εἰρήνης ἔσται μ. ὑμῶν will be with you 2 Cor 13:11; cp. Phil 4:9; ὁ κύριος κτλ. 2 Th 3:16 (cp. Ruth 2:4); 2 Ti 4:22. ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ μ. ὑμῶν (sc. ἔσται) 1 Cor 16:23; cp. 1 Th 5:28; 1 Cl 65:2. μ. τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν Gal 6:18; Phil 4:23; Phlm 25; 21:9. μ. πάντων ὑμῶν 2 Th 3:18; cp. Eph 6:24. Short and to the point: ἡ χάρις μ. ὑμῶν Col 4:18; 1 Ti 6:21; cp. Tit 3:15; Hb 13:25. ἔσται μεθʼ ἡμῶν χάρις ἔλεος εἰρήνη 2J 3.—ἡ ἀγάπη μου μ. πάντων ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ my love is with you all in Christ Jesus 1 Cor 16:24. ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰ. Χρ. καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη τ. θεοῦ καὶ ἡ κοινωνία τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν 2 Cor 13:13 (WvanUnnik, Dominus Vobiscum: liturg. formula, TManson memorial vol., ’59, 270–305; on the Trinitarian formula s. the lit. on πνεῦμα 8).—In the expr. ὅσα ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς μ. αὐτῶν Ac 14:27; 15:4 (cp. Hs 5, 1, 1) ὤν could be supplied what God has done in helping them; but ποιεῖν can just as well go w. μ. αὐτῶν has done for them, after the analogy of עָשָׂה עִם פּ׳ (Tob 12:6; 13:7 ἃ ποιήσει μεθʼ ὑμῶν; Jdth 8:26 ὅσα ἐποίησεν μετὰ Ἀβραάμ; 15:10; 1 Macc 10:27. In addition, cp. BGU 798, 8 εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῇ ἡμῶν δεσποίνῃ εἰς πάντα τὰ καλὰ ἃ ἐποίησεν μετὰ τ. δούλων αὐτῆς. But s. also LMaloney, ‘All That God Had Done with Them’ ’91, 118–21: God works ‘with’ the apostles and ‘through’ them). Here also belongs ποιεῖν ἔλεος μ. τινος have mercy on someone, show mercy to someone (Gen 24:12; 2 Km 3:8; JosAs 23:4) Lk 1:72; 10:37 (MWilcox, The Semitisms in Ac, ’65, 84f). ἐμεγάλυνεν κύριος τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ μετʼ αὐτῆς the Lord has shown great mercy to her 1:58 (cp. 1 Km 12:24; Ps 125:2f).—In πληρώσεις με εὐφροσύνης μ. τοῦ προσώπου σου Ac 2:28=Ps 15:11 the LXX has literally translated אֶת־פָּנֶיךָ; it means in your presence.

ד. in ref. to taking sides or being allied in some way with someone: in contrast to εἶναι κατά τινος be against someone is εἶναι μ. τινος be with someone, on someone’s side Mt 12:30a; Lk 11:23a (AFridrichsen, ZNW 13, 1912, 273–80).

ⓑ to denote the company in which an activity or experience takes place: ἀνακεῖσθαι μ. τινος recline at table with someone (for a meal) Mt 26:20. ἀνακλιθῆναι 8:11; cp. Lk 24:30. βασιλεύειν Rv 20:4, 6. γρηγορεῖν Mt 26:38, 40. δειπνεῖν Rv 3:20 (TestJob 15:2). δουλεύειν Gal 4:25. ἐμπαίζειν Mt 27:41. ἐσθίειν 9:11; 24:49; Mk 2:16ab; 14:14, 18; Lk 5:30 (TestAbr A 4 p. 81, 9 [Stone p. 10]). ἠρώτα … ἵνα φάγῃ μ. αὐτοῦ he asked (him) to eat with him 7:36 (cp. TestAbr B 6 p. 110, 21 [Stone p. 68]; JosAs 7:1). εὐφραίνεσθαι 15:29; Ro 15:10 (Dt 32:43). κλαίειν 12:15b. κληρονομεῖν Gal 4:30 (Gen 21:10; Just., D. 26, 1; cp. συγκληρονομεῖν JosAs 24:9). πίνειν Mt 26:29. ποιεῖν τὸ πάσχα celebrate the Passover (with someone) 26:18. συνάγειν 12:30b; Lk 11:23b. συνεσθίειν Gal 2:12. ταράττεσθαι Mt 2:3. τρώγειν J 13:1 v.l. χαίρειν Ro 12:15a.

ⓒ The associative aspect can also derive expression from the fact that two opposite parties exert influence upon one another or that one party brings the other to adopt a corresponding, and therefore common, attitude

α. in friendly, or at least not in hostile, fashion: εἰρηνεύειν (3 Km 22:45) Ro 12:18; cp. 2 Ti 2:22; Hb 12:14. εὐθηνίαν ἔχειν Hm 2:3. κοινωνίαν ἔχειν 1J 1:3a, 7. λαλεῖν μετά τινος (cp. Gen 31:24, 29; 1 Macc 7:15) Mk 6:50; J 4:27ab. συλλαλεῖν μ. τινος Mt 17:3; Ac 25:12. συμβούλιον διδόναι Mk 3:6. συνάγεσθαι Mt 28:12; J 18:2. συνᾶραι λόγον Mt 18:23; 25:19. ἐγένοντο φίλοι ὅ τε. Ἡρῴδης καὶ ὁ Πιλᾶτος μετʼ ἀλλήλων Lk 23:12. οἱ μοιχεύοντες μετʼ αὐτῆς those who commit adultery with her Rv 2:22. πορνεύειν (cp. Ezk 16:34; TestAbr A 10 p. 88, 7 [Stone p. 24]) 17:2; 18:3, 9. μολύνεσθαι 14:4 (cp. En 12:4 τῶν γυναικῶν ἐμιάνθησαν).

β. in hostile fashion; after verbs of fighting, quarreling, etc. to denote the pers. w. whom the strife is being carried on πολεμεῖν μ. τινος carry on war with = against someone (נִלְחַם עִם פּ׳ 1 Km 17:33; 3 Km 12:24; ParJer 7:10. But s. also OGI 201, 3 ἐπολέμησα μετὰ τῶν Βλεμύων; BGU 1035, 9; 11. Also in Mod. Gk. [AThumb, Hdb. der neugriech. Volkssprache² 1910 §162, 1 note]) Rv 2:16; 12:7; 13:4; 17:14 (B-D-F §193, 4; Rob. 610). Also πόλεμον ποιεῖν (Gen 14:2; 1 Ch 5:19) 11:7; 12:17; 13:7 (Da 7:21 Theod.); 19:19. ζητεῖν μ. τινος deliberate or dispute w. someone J 16:19; cp. 3:25 (cp. ApcEsdr 2:6 δικάζου μεθʼ ἡμῶν). κρίνεσθαι go to law w. someone 1 Cor 6:6. κρίματα ἔχειν μ. τινος have lawsuits w. someone vs. 7.

ⓓ of any other relation betw. persons, whether already existing or brought about in some manner εἶδον τὸ παιδίον μ. Μαρίας Mt 2:11. ἀνταποδοῦναι ὑμῖν ἄνεσιν μ. ἡμῶν 2 Th 1:7. ἐκδέχομαι αὐτὸν μ. τῶν ἀδελφῶν 1 Cor 16:11. Of delegations, composed of several units Mt 22:16; 2 Cor 8:18. συμφωνεῖν Mt 20:2.

ⓔ of things ὧν τὸ αἷμα ἔμιξεν μ. τῶν θυσιῶν αὐτῶν Lk 13:1. Pass. πιεῖν οἶνον μ. χολῆς μεμιγμένον Mt 27:34.

ⓕ to show a close connection betw. two nouns, upon the first of which the main emphasis lies (Thu. 7, 75, 3 λύπη μ. φόβου; Pla., Rep. 9, 591b ἰσχύν τε καὶ κάλλος μετὰ ὑγιείας λαμβάνειν; Ar. 11:2 τόξον ἔχειν μ. φαρέτρας) ἀγάπη μ. πίστεως Eph 6:23. πίστις μ. σωφροσύνης 1 Ti 2:15. εὐσέβεια μ. αὐταρκείας 6:6. Cp. Eph 4:2b; Col 1:11; 1 Ti 1:14. φάρμακον μ. οἰνομέλιτος ITr 6:2.

③ marker of attendant circumstances of someth. that takes place, with

ⓐ of moods, emotions, wishes, feelings, excitement, states of mind or body (Xenophon Eph. 1, 15, 5 μ. ἀδείας; 2, 10, 4 μ. ἐπιμελείας; PAmh II, 133, 11 μετὰ πολλῶν κόπων; PLond II, 358, 8 p. 172 [II A.D.]; SIG index IV p. 445f; LXX [Johannessohn, Präp. 209ff]; En et al.) μ. αἰδοῦς with modesty 1 Ti 2:9. μ. αἰσχύνης with shame (s. αἰσχύνη 2) Lk 14:9. μ. εὐνοίας Eph 6:7. μ. εὐχαριστίας Phil 4:6; 1 Ti 4:3f; cp. Ac 24:3. μετὰ χαρᾶς (2 Macc 15:28; 3 Macc 5:21; 6:34; En 10:16; PsSol 8:16 al.; s. χαρά 1a) 1 Th 1:6; Hb 10:34; 13:17; cp. Phil 2:29. μ. φόβου καὶ τρόμου 2 Cor 7:15; Eph 6:5; Phil 2:12. μ. φόβου καὶ χαρᾶς Mt 28:8. μ. πραΰτητος καὶ φόβου 1 Pt 3:16. μ. παρρησίας (Lev 26:13; 1 Macc 4:18; s. παρρησία 3a) Ac 2:29; 4:29, 31; 28:31; Hb 4:16. μ. πεποιθήσεως 1 Cl 31:3. μ. σπουδῆς (3 Macc 5:24, 27; Mel., P. 12, 80) Mk 6:25; Lk 1:39. μ. ταπεινοφροσύνης Eph 4:2a; cp. Ac 20:19. μ. ὀργῆς (3 Macc 6:23; TestJob 4:4) Mk 3:5. μ. δακρύων in tears (3 Macc 1:16; 4:2; 5:7; TestAbr A 9 p. 86, 19 [Stone p. 20]; 14 p. 94, 21 [St. p. 36]; JosAs 28:8; ApcEsdr 6:23; s. δάκρυον) Mk 9:24 v.l.; Hb 5:7; 12:17. μ. εἰρήνης (s. εἰρήνη 1b) Ac 15:33; Hb 11:31.

ⓑ of other accompanying phenomena (Antig. Car. 148 μετὰ φλογὸς καίεσθαι) μ. διωγμῶν though with persecutions Mk 10:30. μ. ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν 1 Ti 4:14. μ. νηστειῶν Ac 14:23. μ. θορύβου (Jos., Ant. 5, 216) 24:18. μ. παρακλήσεως 2 Cor 8:4. μ. παρατηρήσεως Lk 17:20. μ. ὕβρεως καὶ πολλῆς ζημίας Ac 27:10 (s. ὕβρις 3). μ. φαντασίας 25:23. μ. δυνάμεως καὶ δόξης Mt 24:30; Mk 13:26; Lk 21:27 (Just., A I, 50, 1 al. μ. δόξης, D. 132, 1 w. δυνάμεως). μ. ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπιτροπῆς Ac 26:12 (Jos., Ant. 20, 180 μετʼ ἐξουσίας). μ. βραχίονος ὑψηλοῦ ἐξάγειν τινά (s. βραχίων) Ac 13:17. μ. φωνῆς μεγάλης w. a loud voice Lk 17:15 (cp. EpArist 235; 281; JosAs 28:9). μ. σάλπιγγος with a trumpet call Mt 24:31 (Plut., Mor. 1135f μετʼ αὐλῶν=with the sound of flutes). σφραγίσαντες τ. λίθον μετὰ τ. κουστωδίας makes the stationing of the guard an accompaniment to the sealing of the stone Mt 27:66 (another possibility here is the instrumental use of μετά [Lycurgus the orator 124 μ. παραδειγμάτων διδάσκειν; SEG VIII, 246, 8 μετὰ κυνῶν—an instrument of torture—βασανίσαι; CWessely, Neue griech. Zauberpap. 1893, 234 γράφε μ. μέλανος; 2 Macc 6:16]: secure the stone by means of a guard; s. σφραγίζω 1).

ⓒ of concrete objects, which serve as equipment (Appian, Maced. 9 §4 μετὰ χρυσῶν στεφάνων; POxy 123, 15; 19 μετὰ τῶν χλαμύδων εἰσβῆναι; 1 Esdr 5:57; Jdth 15:13; TestJob 24:10 μ. ψαλίδος; JosAs 7:4 μ. χρυσίου καὶ ἀργύριου; ParJer 9:31 μ. πολλῶν λίθων; ApcSed 7:10 μ. χαλιναρίου; ApcMos 40 μ. τῶν σινδόνων) μ. μαχαιρῶν καὶ ξύλων Mt 26:47; 55; Mk 14:43, 48; Lk 22:52. μ. φανῶν καὶ λαμπάδων καὶ ὅπλων (Xenophon Eph. p. 336, 20 μ. λαμπάδων) J 18:3.

B. w. acc. In our lit. only in the mng. after, behind

① marker of position that is behind someth., behind (Hom.+; Polyb.; Just., A I, 13, 4; Tat. 2, 2; not LXX) μ. τὸ δεύτερον καταπέτασμα behind the second curtain Hb 9:3.

② marker of time after another point of time, after (Hom.+; ins, pap, LXX)

ⓐ with the time expressly given μ. πολὺν χρόνον (2 Macc 6:1.—μετʼ οὐ πολὺν χρ.: Hero Alex. I p. 340, 6; SIG 1169, 54; Jos., Vi. 407) Mt 25:19. μ. τοσοῦτον χρόνον (4 Macc 5:7; ParJer 5:18) Hb 4:7. μ. χρόνον τινά (Diod S 9, 10, 2; Witkowski 26, 9 [III B.C.]; Jos., Ant. 8, 398; cp. En 106:1 μ. δὲ χρόνον; ApcSed 13:3 μ. χρόνον) Hv 1, 1, 2f; Hs 5, 2, 5; 9, 13, 8. μ. ἡμέρας ἕξ after six days Mt 17:1; Mk 9:2 (ApcMos 42 μ. τὰς ἓξ ἡμέρας). μ. τρεῖς ἡμέρας (Artem. 4, 33 p. 224, 5; Polyaenus 6, 53; 8, 62; EpArist 301; TestJob 52:1f; 53:7; ParJer 9:14; Jos., Ant 7, 280) Mt 27:63; Mk 8:31; 10:34; Lk 2:46; cp. μ. τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας AcPlCor 2:30. μ. δύο ἡμέρας Mt 26:2; Mk 14:1 (cp. Caesar, Bell. Gall. 4, 9, 1 post tertiam diem=on the third day). μ. τινας ἡμέρας Ac 15:36; 24:24. μετʼ οὐ πολλὰς ἡμέρας (Artem. 1, 78 p. 72, 30; Jos., Ant. 5, 328, Vi. 309) Lk 15:13. οὐ μ. πολλὰς ταύτας ἡμέρας not long after these days = within a few days Ac 1:5 (B-D-F §226; 433, 3; Rob. 612; 1158; Dssm., ZVS 45, 1913, 60). W. gen. foll. μ. ἡμέρας εἴκοσι τῆς προτέρας ὁράσεως twenty days after the former vision Hv 4, 1, 1 (cp. Biogr. p. 31 μετὰ ξ´ ἔτη τοῦ Ἰλιακοῦ πολέμου; Gen 16:3). μ. τρεῖς μῆνας Ac 28:11. μ. τρία ἔτη Gal 1:18. ὁ μ. τετρακόσια καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη γεγονὼς νόμος 3:17.

ⓑ w. designations that are general, but include the idea of time: μ. τὴν ἄφιξίν μου Ac 20:29. μ. τὸ πάσχα after the Passover 12:4. μ. τὴν μετοικεσίαν Βαβυλῶνος Mt 1:12.

ⓒ gener. μ. τὴν θλῖψιν after the (time of) tribulation Mk 13:24; cp. μ. τὴν θλῖψιν τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐκείνων Mt 24:29. μ. τὴν ἔγερσιν 27:53. μ. τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν Ac 13:15. μ. τὸ βάπτισμα 10:37. μ. μίαν καὶ δευτέραν νουθεσίαν Tit 3:10. μ. τὸ ψωμίον after he had eaten the piece of bread J 13:27.—Quite gener. μ. τοῦτο after this, afterward (Lucian, Hermot. 31; Gen 18:5; Lev 14:19; EpArist 258; TestJob 11:4; TestReub 1:9; TestLevi 6:3; Just., D. 57, 4) J 2:12; 11:7, 11; 19:28; Hb 9:27; Rv 7:1. μ. ταῦτα after this (Aeneas Tact. 240; 350; Diod S 1, 7, 1; Ex 3:20; 11:8 and oft.; TestJob 21:4; TestLevi 6:5; TestJos 19:5; JosAs 10:15; ParJer 3:10; ApcEsdr 4:36; ApcMos 2; Just., A I, 32, 6) Mk 16:12; Lk 5:27; 10:1 and oft. μ. οὐ πολύ (Dio Chrys. 56 [73], 8; Lucian, Scyth. 1; Herodian 1, 9, 7; BGU 614, 14; Mitt-Wilck. II/2, 96 II, 9; 1 Esdr 3:22; Jos., Ant. 12, 132) not long afterward Ac 27:14. μ. μικρόν a short while afterward Mt 26:73; Mk 14:70 (Just., D. 56, 17). Also μ. βραχύ Lk 22:58 (cp. μετʼ ὀλίγον: Lucian, Dial, Mort. 15, 3; PRyl 77, 41; Wsd 15:8; Jdth 13:9; TestAbrA 7 p. 84, 8 [Stone p. 16]; GrBar 9:3; Jos., Ant. 12, 136; 10:15; Just., D. 56, 18).

ⓓ w. subst. aor. inf. foll.

α. w. acc. (SIG 633, 105; 640, 13; 695, 78; 1233, 1; Sir 46:20; Jdth 16:25; Bar 1:9; 1 Macc 1:1, 9; TestAbr B 12 p. 116, 11 [Stone p. 80]; 117, 5 [St. p. 82]; TestJob 5:2; TestLevi 18:1; ApcMos 1; Just., A I, 50, 12.—B-D-F §406, 3; Rob. 979) μ. τὸ ἐγερθῆναί με after I am raised up Mt 26:32; Mk 14:28. μ. τὸ παραδοθῆναι τὸν Ἰωάννην after John was arrested Mk 1:14.—Ac 1:3; 7:4; 10:41; 15:13; 19:21; 20:1; Hv 2, 1, 3; m 4, 1, 7; Hs 8, 1, 3; 8, 2, 5.

β. without acc. (Aelian, VH 12, 1 p. 118, 27; Herodian 2, 9, 5; SIG 976, 39; UPZ 110, 193 [164 B.C.]; Sir 23:20; 32:18 v.l.; 1 Macc 1:20; ApcMos 26:42f; Just., A I, 14, 1; Tat. 16, 1) μ. τὸ λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς after he had spoken to them Mk 16:19.—Lk 12:5; 1 Cor 11:25; Hb 10:26.—W. perf. inf. 10:15.—M-M. EDNT. TW.

μέσος, η, ον (Hom.+). The distinction between ‘middle’ and ‘among’ for μ. is sometimes rather fluid, and some of the passages here cited may fit equally well under 1 or 2.

① pert. to a middle position spatially or temporally, middle, in the middle.

ⓐ as adj. (of intermediate terms: Pla., Rep. 330b, Pol. 303a) ὁ μέσος αὐτῶν ἀνήρ the man in their midst, apparently surrounded by them Hs 9, 12, 7. μέσης νυκτός at midnight (3 Km 3:20.—B-D-F §270, 2; Rob. 495; Lobeck, Phryn. p. 53; 54; 465) Mt 25:6. ἡμέρας μέσης at midday (Jos., Bell. 1, 651, Ant. 17, 155) Ac 26:13. εἰς μέσην τὴν οἰκοδομήν into the middle of the building Hs 9, 7, 5; cp. 9, 8, 2; 4; 6 (cp. Philo, Fuga 49 εἰς μέσον τὸν ποταμόν; Jos., Ant. 4, 80 εἰς μέσον τὸ πῦρ). ἐσταύρωσαν … μέσον τὸν Ἰησοῦν they crucified Jesus between (them) J 19:18. ἐσχίσθη τὸ καταπέτασμα μέσον the curtain was torn in two Lk 23:45 (cp. Artem. 4, 30 τὸ ἱμάτιον μέσον ἐρρωγέναι). ἐλάκησεν μέσος Ac 1:18 (cp. Aristoph., Ran. 955). ἐν μέσοις τοῖς ὀργάνοις τοῦ διαβόλου in the midst of the tools of the devil 2 Cl 18:2 (for the syntax cp. Gen 2:9 ἐν μέσῳ τῷ παραδείσῳ).

ⓑ as subst. neut. τὸ μ. the middle (on the absence of the art. s. B-D-F §264, 4; cp. Rob. 792) ἀνὰ μέσον τινός (s. ἀνά 1) ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν ὁρίων within or through the region Mk 7:31. ἀνὰ μ. αὐτῶν between them GPt 4:10; Hs 9, 2, 3; 9, 15, 2. ἀνὰ μ. ἐκκλησίας ἁγίων B 6:16; 4:10; διακρῖναι ἀνὰ μ. τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ between one (congregation) member and another 1 Cor 6:5 (s. ἀνά 1b. Perh. μέσος prompted a shortening of the sentence tending to obscurity; cp. the Stoic expr. μέσα καθήκοντα = καθήκοντα ἃ ἐν μέσῳ ἐστὶ κατορθωμάτων κ. ἁμαρτημάτων: MPohlenz, D. Stoa II ’49, 73f). τὸ ἀρνίον τὸ ἀ. μ. τοῦ θρόνου the lamb who is (seated) on the center of the throne Rv 7:17. ἀνὰ μ. τῆς ὁδοῦ (they made) half their journey GJs 17:3.—διὰ μέσου αὐτῶν through the midst of them (X., An. 1, 4, 4; Aesop. Fab. 147 P.=247 H./201a Ch./152 [I, II] H-H.; Am 5:17; Jer 44:4; Jdth 11:19; 1 Macc 5:46; Ath. 18, 3 ‘between’) Lk 4:30; J 8:59 v.l. διὰ μέσον Σαμαρείας καὶ Γαλιλαίας Lk 17:11 prob. can only mean through Samaria and Galilee; but this raises a practical difficulty, since we should expect to find the provinces mentioned in the opposite order. Perh. the text is damaged (cp. the vv.ll. διὰ μέσου and μέσον; s. B-D-F §222; Rob. 648; JBlinzler, AWikenhauser Festschr. ’54, 46ff. If the v.l. διὰ μέσου Σ. καὶ Γ. should be correct, we could compare Maximus Tyr. 28, 4a διὰ μέσου πίστεως κ. ἀπιστίας=throughout between). For the view that μέσον signifies the area betw. S. and G. s. the comm. Cp. δια B1.—εἰς τὸ μέσον into the middle or center (X., Cyr. 3, 1, 6; Dio Chrys. 19 [36], 24; 3 Km 6:8; Jos., Ant. 9, 149) Mk 3:3; Lk 4:35; 5:19; 6:8; J 20:19, 26 (ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον as Vi. Aesopi G 82 P.); Hs 9, 8, 5; also in the middle 9, 6, 1. W. gen. (X., An. 1, 5; 14a; Jer 21:4; 48:7; Sb 6270, 13) εἰς τὸ μ. αὐτῶν in the midst of them 9, 11, 7. Without the art. (LXX; Jos., Vi. 334; SibOr 3, 674) εἰς μ. τοῦ πεδίου in the middle of the plain Hs 9, 2, 1 (εἰς μ.=‘in the middle’, as Ps.-Clem., Hom. 3, 30 p. 44, 21 Lag.). τί … τὸ ἔριον εἰς μ. τῶν ἀκανθῶν τιθέασιν; Why do they place the wool in the middle of the thorns? 7:11. ἀναστὰς εἰς μ. he arose (and came) forward Mk 14:60 (cp. Theocr. 22, 82 ἐς μέσον=into the middle; Himerius, Or. 63 [=Or. 17], 2 εἰς μέσον ἔρχεσθαι=come into the open; X., Cyr. 4, 1, 1 στὰς εἰς τὸ μ.).—ἐν τῷ μ. among, before (more closely defined by the context, or = in public [so Clearch., Fgm. 45 οἴκοι καὶ μὴ ἐν τῷ μέσῳ; Appian, Liby. 15 §63]) Mt 14:6 (Dio Chrys. 30 [79], 39 ὀρχεῖσθαι ἐν τῷ μέσω; Lucian, Pereg. 8) and into the middle, before (them) (Vi. Aesopi W c. 86 στὰς ἐν τῷ μέσῳ ἔφη) Ac 4:7. Without the art. (LXX) ἐν μέσῳ (on the spelling ἐμ μέσῳ, which occurs several times as v.l., s. B-D-F §19, 1; Mlt-H. 105) abs. into the middle, before (someone) (Appian, Hann. 16 §67, Liby. 14 §59; Jos., Ant. 7, 278) J 8:3; MPol 18:1 and in the middle (Pla., Rep. 558a; Herm. Wr. 4, 3; PLille 1 recto, 5 [259 B.C.]; GrBar 13:4) J 8:9. W. gen. of place (Aeneas Tact. 1529; 1532; TestAbr A 12 p. 90, 21 [Stone p. 28], B 8 p. 113, 3 [St. p. 74]; ParJer 1:2; GrBar 10:2) τῆς θαλάσσης (En 97:7) in the middle of the lake Mk 6:47. τῆς πλατείας through the middle of the street Rv 22:2. ἐν μ. τῆς αὐλῆς in the middle of the courtyard Lk 22:55a; τοῦ τάφου GPt 13:55. ἐν μ. αὐτῆς within it (the city of Jerusalem) Lk 21:21; cp. Dg 12:3; MPol 12:1; 12:2(?). ἐν μ. τοῦ θρόνου καὶ τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων on the center of the throne and among the four living creatures Rv 5:6a (w. double gen. also between: Appian, Hann. 14 §60, Bell. Civ. 5, 23 §92; Arrian, Anab. 1, 20, 2; 3, 28, 8 al.; Lucian, Fugit. 10 ἐν μ. ἀλαζονείας κ. φιλοσοφίας). ἐν μέσῳ τ. θρόνου around (on every side of) the throne 4:6 (but between the throne and a more remote point: RBrewer, JBL 71, ’52, 227–31).—ἐν μέσῳ ἐκκλησίας Hb 2:12 (Ps 21:23); cp. Ac 17:22. κατὰ μέσον (Jos., Bell. 5, 207; SibOr 3, 802 κατὰ μέσσον=‘in the middle’ [of the day]) κατὰ μ. τῆς νυκτός about midnight Ac 16:25 D; 27:27.

ⓒ The neut. μέσον serves as adv. (e.g., Appian, Bell. Civ. 3, 43 §175 μ.=meanwhile) ἦν μέσον ὡς he was in the center of it as MPol 15:2; and is used as prep. w. gen. (B-D-F §215, 3; Rob. 644. Cp. Hdt. 9, 107, 2; Polyb. 8, 25, 1; Epict. 2, 22, 10; LXX, TestSol; TestAbr A 4 p. 80, 31 [Stone p. 8]; JosAs 24:21; Jos., Ant. 6, 65; SibOr 3, 319) μ. τῆς θαλάσσης in the middle of the lake Mt 14:24 v.l.; μ. γενεᾶς σκολιᾶς in the midst of a crooked generation Phil 2:15 (cp. Maximus Tyr. 36, 5a ἐν μέσῳ τῷ σιδηρῷ τούτῳ γένει).

② pert. to a position within a group, without focus on mediate position, among.

ⓐ as adj. ἐκάθητο ὁ Πέτρος μέσος αὐτῶν Peter was sitting among them Lk 22:55 (the point being not as center of attention but inconspicuously in the group; cp. Jos., Ant. 9, 107). μέσος ὑμῶν ἕστηκεν J 1:26 (Jos., Ant. 14, 23). τοῦ πύργου μέσου Hs 9, 8, 2. εἶδον … μέσον αὐτῶν τὸν Παῦλον AcPl Ha 11, 14.

ⓑ as subst. neuter ἀνὰ μέσον τινός (s. ἀνά 1) among someth. Mt 13:25. W. gen. pl. (TestJob 32:6 ἐν μέσῳ τῶν τέκνων σου) in the midst of, among in answer to the questions where and whither (B-D-F §215, 3 app.) Mt 18:2, 20; Mk 9:36; Lk 2:46; 24:36; Ac 1:15; 2:22; 6:15 D; 27:21; Rv 5:6b; cp. 6:6. Of close personal relationship ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν among you = in communion with you Lk 22:27; 1 Th 2:7.—ἐν μ. λύκων among wolves Mt 10:16; Lk 10:3; 2 Cl 5:2.—W. gen. pl. of things (Alciphron 3, 24, 3) Lk 8:7; Rv 1:13; 2:1. ἐκ (τοῦ) μ. from among (X., An. 1, 5, 14b; oracular response in Diod S 9, 3, 2; LXX=מִתּוֹךְ): αἴρειν τι (or τινά) ἐκ (τοῦ) μέσου (τινῶν) Col 2:14; 1 Cor 5:2 (s. αἴρω 3). ἁρπάσαι αὐτὸν ἐκ μ. αὐτῶν Ac 23:10 (s. ἁρπάζω 2a). ἀφορίζειν τοὺς πονηροὺς ἐκ μ. τῶν δικαίων Mt 13:49 (s. ἀφορίζω 1). γίνεσθαι ἐκ μ. 2 Th 2:7 (s. γίνομαι 6b). ἐξέρχεσθαι ἐκ μ. αὐτῶν from among them Ac 17:33; cp. 2 Cor 6:17 (cp. Is 52:11). κύριος λαμβάνει ἑαυτῷ ἔθνος ἐκ μ. ἐθνῶν 1 Cl 29:3 (cp. Dt 4:34).—B. 864. DELG. M-M. EDNT. TW. Sv.