ἀπὸ τῶν κρειττόνων

κρείττων, ον, gen. ονος, and κρείσσων (B-D-F §34, 1; W-S. §5, 27c; Mlt-H. 107; JWackernagel, Hellenistica 1907, 12–25; Reinhold 43f; Thackeray 121, 2. The ms. tradition fluctuates in most places betw. ττ and σς. The word occurs Hom.+) in our lit. always a real comp. (cp. κρατύς, but functions as comp. of ἀγαθός).

① pert. to being of high status, more prominent, higher in rank, preferable, better (Pind., Hdt. et al.) of pers. IPhld 9:1; Hb 7:7 (opp. ἐλάττων). τοσούτῳ κ. γενόμενος τῶν ἀγγέλων as much superior to the angels 1:4 (Jos., Ant. 8, 111 τ. ἄλλων … κρείττονες γεγόναμεν).—Of things 7:19, 22; 8:6; 9:23; 10:34; 11:16, 35; IRo 2:1; IPol 4:3. χαρίσματα 1 Cor 12:31a v.l. (for the continuation of vs. 31b here cp. Appian, Mithrid. 60 §247 ἑτέραν ὁδὸν ἔχειν κρείττονα=know another way, a better one). W. gen. foll. better than (LXX; TestJob 27:7; Jos., C. Ap. 1, 273; Tat. 20, 1) Dg 2:2. κρεῖττόν τι someth. better Hb 11:40. ἐν ᾧ κρείσσων ἐστίν in the respect in which he is better off (than the other man) Dg 10:6. ἡ ἀπὸ τῶν κρειττόνων ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω μετάνοια a change of mind from better to worse MPol 11:1.

② pert. to having a relative advantage in value

ⓐ adj., more useful, more advantageous, better πεπείσμεθα περὶ ὑμῶν τὰ κ. we are sure of better things concerning you Hb 6:9. εἰς τὸ κ. συνέρχεσθαι (opp. εἰς τὸ ἧσσον; s. ἥσσων) 1 Cor 11:17. W. gen. better, more advantageous than (Artem. 2, 11 p. 98, 24 κρεῖττον τὸ κακοῦν τοῦ ὑπό τινος κακοῦσθαι) 2 Cl 16:4. κρεῖσσόν ἐστιν (w. inf. foll. it is better [Sir 33:22 =30:30 Ziegler]; Diod S 12, 16, 2 κρεῖττον [v.l.-σς-] γάρ ἐστιν ἀποθανεῖν ἢ … πειρασθῆναι; Demosth., Ep. 2, 21 εἰ …, τεθνάναι με κρεῖττον ἦν) 1 Cor 7:9; cp. 1 Pt 3:17. κρεῖττον ἦν αὐτοῖς w. inf. foll. it would be better for them 2 Pt 2:21 (s. B-D-F §410; Rob. 1084); cp. 1 Cl 46:8. Pleonast. πολλῷ μᾶλλον κ. much better indeed Phil 1:23.

ⓑ adv., better κρεῖσσον ποιεῖν 1 Cor 7:38. κρεῖττον λαλεῖν Hb 12:24 (παρά w. acc. than).—DELG s.v. κράτος 4. M-M. TW.

χείρων, ον, gen. ονος (Hom. et al.; pap, LXX; JosAs 1:13; GrBar, Philo, Joseph.) pl. masc., fem. χείρους (Just., D. 1, 5; Ath. 31, 1) comp. of κακός, superl. χείριστος LXX; adv. χεῖρον (GrBar 4:16), χείριστα (2 Macc 5:23) worse, more severe σχίσμα Mt 9:16; Mk 2:21. τιμωρία Hb 10:29 (Jos., Vi. 172; cp. PGM 2, 54). ἵνα μὴ χεῖρόν σοί τι γένηται that nothing worse may happen to you J 5:14 (cp. Jos., Ant. 4, 142). W. gen. of comparison (1 Km 17:43; Wsd 15:18) γίνεται τὰ ἔσχατα χείρονα τῶν πρώτων Mt 12:45; Lk 11:26; 2 Pt 2:20. Cp. Mt 27:64.—Of a sick woman εἰς τὸ χεῖρον ἐλθεῖν Mk 5:26.—In the moral realm Hs 9, 17, 5; 9, 18, 1. W. gen. of comparison (LXX, JosAs; GrBar 4:16; Ar. 8, 2; Just., A II, 3, 3) ἀπίστου χείρων 1 Ti 5:8. προκόπτειν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον 2 Ti 3:13 (ἐπὶ τὸ χ. as X., Mem. 3, 5, 13; Pla., Rep. 381b; Diod S 15, 88, 4; Strabo 16, 2, 39; Artem. 1, 74 p. 67, 11; UPZ 110, 124 [164 B.C.]; Jos., Ant. 16, 207). Christians know nothing of an ἀπὸ τῶν κρειττόνων ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω μετάνοια MPol 11:1 (Maximus Tyr. 5, 3a εἰ εἰς τὸ χεῖρον ἐκ τοῦ βελτίστου, πονερῶς [sic] μετέθετο=if [a man turns] to the worse from the best, then the change he makes is a bad one). Of a military detachment likened to wild beasts οἳ χείρους γίνονται who (simply) become harsher the more they are kindly treated IRo 5:1 (cp. Philo, Abr. 129).—DELG. M-M.

παρεκ-βαίνω,

A step aside from, deviate from, c. gen.,

δικαίου Hes. Op. 226

;

τοῦ εὖ Arist. EN 1109b19

;

τῆς ἀρετῆς Id.Pol. 1325b6

; π. τῆς ἀριστοκρατίας ἡ τάξις ib. 1273a21;

τοῦ καθήκοντος Plb.12.7.1

;

π. ἐκ τοῦ γένους Arist. GA 767b6

;

ἐκ τῆς τάξεως Plb.8.26.8

;

ἀπὸ τῶν κρειττόνων Procl.Inst. 124

.

2 c. acc., overstep, transgress,

Διὸς σέβας A.Ch. 645

(lyr.);

τὰ πάτρια Arist.Pol. 1310b19

;

ἐπὶ μικρὸν π. τὸ τῆς πολιτείας εἶδος Id.EN 1160b20

;

τὴν φύσιν Id.GA 771a12

;

ῥίς ἐστι παρεκβεβηκυῖα τὴν εὐθύτητα Id.Pol. 1309b23

;

τὸν κοινὸν νοῦν Phld.Po. 5.15

;

ποταμοῦ -βάντος τὸ ῥεῖθρον Thphr.HP3.1.5

.

3 abs., deviate,

ὁ μικρὸν παρεκβαίνων Arist.EN 1126a35

;

αἱ παρεκβεβηκυῖαι πολιτεῖαι Id.Pol. 1275b1

; opp. ὀρθαὶ [πολιτεῖαι], ib. 1282b13;

π. ἐς ἃ μὴ θέμις APl.4.243

(Antist.); prob.l. in Ph.Bel.61.49, 62.51.

II make a digression,

ὅθεν παρεξέβημεν Arist.EN 1095b14

;

περί τινος Id.PA 658b11

;

ἀπό τινος Plb.4.9.1

, al.;

εἰς ταῦτα Id.6.50.1

.

μετάνοια, ας, ἡ (μετανοέω) prim. ‘a change of mind’ (Thu. 3, 36, 4; Polyb. 4, 66, 7; Appian, Mithrid. 16 §57; pap [s. New Docs 4, 160; Spicq II 475, 17]; TestSol 12:3 C; JosAs, ApcSed; ApcMos 32; Jos., C. Ap. 1, 274, Ant. 16, 125; Just., Tat.), also w. the nuance of ‘remorse’ (as regret for shortcomings and errors: Batr. 69; Lycon the Peripatetic [III B.C.], Fgm. 23 Wehrli [in Diog. L. 5, 66]; Polyb. 18, 33, 7; Stoic. III 147, ln. 21f; Cebes 10, 4; 11, 1; Plut., Mor. 56a; 68f; 961d, Alex. 11, 4, Mar. 10, 4; 39, 3; Chariton 1, 3, 7; Appian, Liby. 52 §225; 102 §482; 116 §553; M. Ant. 8, 10; Ps.-Lucian, Calumn. 5; Jos., Ant. 13, 314. Of the ‘remorse’ of Sophia Iren. 1, 3, 1 [Harv. I 24, 7]); in our lit. w. focus on the need of change in view of responsibility to deity (cp. Hierocles 14, 451; Sir 44:16; Wsd 12:10, 19; Prayer of Manasseh [=Odes 12] 8; Philo, Det. Pot. Ins. 96, Spec. Leg. 1, 58, Virt. 175ff [περὶ μετανοίας] al.; EpArist 188; Jos., Ant. 9, 176; TestReub 2:1; TestJud 19:2; TestGad 5:7f; JosAs 15:6ff; 16:7; ApcSed prol.: περὶ ἀγάπης καὶ περὶ μ.; 14:3 ἐν μετανοίαις; SibOr 1, 129; 168; Iren. 1, 21, 2 [Harv. 182, 7]; Orig., C. Cels. 7, 57, 3f; Did., Gen. 97, 15) repentance, turning about, conversion; as a turning away μετάνοια ἀπὸ νεκρῶν ἔργων turning away from dead works Hb 6:1. Mostly of the positive side of repentance, as the beginning of a new relationship with God: ἡ εἰς θεὸυ μ. repentance that leads to God Ac 20:21. ἄξια τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα deeds that are consistent with repentance 26:20. Also καρπὸν ἄξιον τῆς μ. Mt 3:8; cp. Lk 3:8. βαπτίζειν εἰς μ. baptize for repentance Mt 3:11 (s. βαπτίζω 2a; also εἰς 10a). βάπτισμα μετανοίας Mk 1:4; Lk 3:3; cp. Ac 13:24; 19:4 (alt. λουτροῦ … τῆς μ. Just., D. 14, 1) χρείαν ἔχειν μετανοίας need repentance or conversion Lk 15:7. κηρύσσειν μ. εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν preach repentance that leads to the forgiveness of sins 24:47 (μετάνοιαν καὶ ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν διὰ … λουτροῦ παλλιγγενεσίας Theoph. Ant. 2, 16 [p. 140. 8f]); cp. 1 Cl 7:6. ἔχειν καιρὸν μετανοίας still have time for repentance 2 Cl 8:2. τόπον μετανοίας διδόναι give an opportunity for repentance (Wsd 12:10; cp. ἵνα μετάνοια δοθῇ Did., Gen. 169, 4; ἀφορμὴν μετανοίας καὶ ἐξομολογήσεως παράσχειν Theoph. Ant. 2, 29 [p. 170, 17]) 1 Cl 7:5. μετανοίας τόπον εὑρίσκειν Hb 12:17 (cp. μετανοίας τόπον ἔχειν Tat. 15:3). διδόναι τινὶ (τὴν) μ. (cp. Wsd 12:19; M. J. Brutus, Ep. 7) Ac 5:31; 11:18; 2 Ti 2:25; 16:9; cp. Hv 4, 1, 3; Hs 8, 6, 2; 8, 11, 1. τιθέναι τινὶ μετάνοιαν prescribe repentance for someone Hm 4, 3, 4; cp. 5; καλεῖν τινα εἰς μ. Lk 5:32 (ApcSed 15:2; Just., A I, 15, 7; 90, 7); Mt 9:13 v.l.; Mk 2:17 v.l. (cp. καλοῦνται αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ μ. καὶ διόρθωσιν τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτῶν Orig., C. Cels. 3, 62, 3). περὶ μετανοίας λαλεῖν 1 Cl 8:1. ἀκούσαντες ταύτην τὴν μετάνοιαν when they heard of this repentance Hs 8, 10, 3; παιδεύεσθαι εἰς μ. be disciplined so as to repent 1 Cl 57:1. εἰς μ. ἄγειν τινά (EpArist 188; Jos., Ant. 4, 144; cp. Appian, Bell. Civ. 2, 63 §262 θεοῦ σφᾶς ἐπὶ μετάνοιαν ἄγοντος) Ro 2:4; ἀνακαινίζειν εἰς μ. Hb 6:6; χωρῆσαι εἰς μ. come to repentance 2 Pt 3:9. μετάνοιαν λαμβάνειν receive repentance (after denying Christ) Hs 9, 26, 6a. μετανοίας μετασχεῖν 1 Cl 8:5. μετάνοιαν ἔχειν have a possibility of repentance Hm 4, 3, 3; Hs 8, 8, 2. ἐστί τινι μετάνοιαν have a possibility of repentance Hv 2, 2, 5c; 3, 7, 5; Hs 8, 8, 5; 8, 9, 4a; 9, 19, 1; 9, 20, 4. τινὶ μετάνοιά ἐστι μία have (only) one possibility of repentance m 4, 1, 8; cp. 4, 3, 1. μ. κεῖταί τινι repentance is ready, available for someone Hs 9, 19, 2f; 9, 22, 4; 9, 26, 6b. ἐπίκειταί τινι 8, 7, 2a. γίνεταί τινι 9, 26, 5; εἰς μάτην ἐστὶν ἡ μ. is in vain 6, 1, 3. ταχινὴ ὀφείλει εἶναι must follow quickly 8, 9, 4b. ἡ μ. σύνεσίς ἐστιν μεγάλη is great understanding m 4, 2, 2. μ. καθαρά 12, 3, 2; cp. Hs 7:6. μ. ἁμαρτίας rep. for sin 2 Cl 16:4; cp. Hm 4, 3, 3. μ. ζωῆς rep. that leads to life Hs 6, 2, 3; cp. 8, 6, 6. ἐλπὶς μετανοίας hope of repentance or conversion IEph 10:1; Hs 6, 2, 4; 8, 7, 2b; 8, 10, 2. W. πίστις and other Christian virtues 1 Cl 62:2. The ἄγγελος τῆς μ. appears in Hermas as a proclaimer of repentance: v 5:7; m 12, 4, 7; 12, 6, 1; Hs 9, 1, 1; 9, 14, 3; 9, 23, 5; 9, 24, 4; λυπεῖσθαι εἰς μ. feel pain that leads to repentance 2 Cor 7:9, λύπη μετάνοιαν ἐργάζεται (cp. Plut., Mor. 476f) vs. 10.—W. the Christian use of the word in mind Polycarp says ἀμετάθετος ἡμῖν ἡ ἀπὸ τῶν κρειττόνων ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω μετάνοια for us ‘repentance’ from the better to the worse is impossible MPol 11:1.—WHolladay, The Root Šûbh in the OT, ’58.—TRE VII 446–51; RAC II 105–18.—DELG s.v. νόος. M-M. EDNT. TW. Spicq. Sv.