I will ask you a question

λόγος, ου, ὁ (verbal noun of λέγω in the sense ‘pick’; Hom.+).

① a communication whereby the mind finds expression, word

ⓐ of utterance, chiefly oral.

α. as expression, word (oratorical ability plus exceptional performance were distinguishing marks in Hellenic society, hence the frequent association of λ. and ἔργον ‘deed’; a sim. formulation as early as Il. 9, 443 μύθων τε ῥητῆρʼ ἔμεναι πρηκτῆρά τε ἔργων; Polystrat. p. 33 μὴ λόγῳ μόνον ἀλλʼ ἔργω; Just., A II, 4, 2 ἢ λόγῳ ἢ ἔργῳ and D. 35, 7 λόγον ἢ πρᾶξιν) δυνατὸς ἐν ἔργῳ κ. λόγῳ, i.e. an exceptional personage Lk 24:19; pl. of Moses Ac 7:22 (the contrast expressed w. a verb Choix 20, 6–8 ποιεῖ ἀγαθὸν ὄτι δύναται καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ of Apollordorus, a benefactor in Cyzicus, a flourishing city in Phrygia; sim. New Docs 7, 233, no. 10, 8f πολιτευόμενος … λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ; cp. IKourion 32, 8; without contrast Diod S 13, 101, 3 ἄνδρας λόγῳ δυνατούς; for sim. constructions using λέγω and πράσσω s. Danker, Benefactor 339–43). Cp. Ro 15:18; 2 Cor 10:11; Col 3:17; 2 Th 2:17; Hb 13:21 v.l.; 1J 3:18 (cp. Theognis 1, 87f Diehl³ μή μʼ ἔπεσιν μὲν στέργε κτλ.—For the contrast λόγῳ … ἀληθείᾳ cp. Diod S 13, 4, 1). In contrast to a sinful deed we also have the λόγος ἁμαρτίας sinful word Judaicon 172, 9. W. γνῶσις: ἐν παντὶ λόγῳ κ. πάσῃ γνώσει 1 Cor 1:5. ἰδιώτης τῷ λόγῳ, ἀλλʼ οὐ τῇ γνώσει 2 Cor 11:6. (Opp. δύναμις ‘revelation of power’) 1 Cor 4:19, 20. τὸ εὐαγγέλιον οὐκ ἐγενήθη ἐν λόγῳ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν δυνάμει 1 Th 1:5 (cp. Ar. 13, 7 of mythical accounts οὐδέν εἰσιν εἰ μὴ μόνον λόγοι ‘they’re nothing but words’). W. ἐπιστολή: 2 Th 2:2, 15. W. ἀναστροφή: 1 Ti 4:12; 1 Pt 3:1b. Opp. ‘be silent’: IRo 2:1.—μόνον εἰπὲ λόγῳ just say the word Mt 8:8; cp. Lk 7:7 (Ath. 17, 1 ὡς λόγῳ εἰπεῖν; 29, 2; Phalaris, Ep. 121, 1 λόγῳ λέγειν; cp. schol. on Pla. 341a ἐν λόγῳ μόνον εἰπεῖν). οὐδεὶς ἐδύνατο ἀποκριθῆναι αὐτῷ λόγον no one was able to answer him a (single) word Mt 22:46; cp. 15:23 (cp. TestAbr A 16 p. 98, 11 [Stone p. 44] οὐκ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ λόγον).— The (mighty) word (of one who performs miracles) ἐξέβαλεν τὰ πνεύματα λόγῳ Mt 8:16 (a rare use of λ. as ‘single utterance’, s. L-S-J-M s.v. VII).—διὰ λόγου by word of mouth (opp. ‘by letter’) Ac 15:27.—In the textually uncertain pass. Ac 20:24 the text as it stands in N., οὐδενὸς λόγου (v.l. λόγον) ποιοῦμαι τὴν ψυχὴν τιμίαν, may well mean: I do not consider my life worth a single word (cp. λόγου ἄξιον [ἄξιος 1a] and our ‘worth mention’; s. Conzelmann ad loc.).

β. The expression may take on a variety of formulations or topical nuances: what you say Mt 5:37; statement (PGM 4, 334) Lk 20:20; question (Sext. Emp., Math. 8, 295; 9, 133; Diog. L. 2, 116) ἐρωτήσω ὑμᾶς λόγον I will ask you a question (cp. TestJob 36:5; GrBar 5:1; ApcSed 13:6; Jos., Ant. 12, 99) Mt 21:24; cp. Mk 11:29; Lk 20:3; prayer (PGM 1, 25; 4, 90; 179; 230 al.; 5, 180; 196 al.) Mt 26:44; Mk 14:39. ἡγούμενος τοῦ λ. principal speaker Ac 14:12. W. epexeget. gen. λ. παρακλήσεως 13:15. W. κήρυγμα our manner of presentation and our proclamation 1 Cor 2:4a (but s. comm.). (W. διδασκαλία) preaching 1 Ti 5:17; prophecy (Biogr. p. 364 [Pythia]) J 2:22; 18:32. Command (Aeschyl., Pers. 363) Lk 4:36; 2 Pt 3:5, 7; via a letter 2 Th 3:14. Report, story (X., An. 1, 4, 7; Diod S 3, 40, 9; 19, 110, 1 λ. διαδιδόναι=spread a report; Appian, Iber. 80 §346, Maced. 4 §1 [both=rumor]; Diod S 32, 15, 3 ἦλθεν ὁ λ. ἐπί τινα=the report came to someone; Arrian, Anab. 7, 22, 1 λόγος λέγεται τοιόσδε=a story is told like this, Ind. 9, 2; Diod S 3, 18, 3 λ.=story, account; Jos., Ant. 19, 132; Tat. 27, 2 τοῦ καθʼ Ἡρακλέα λόγου) Mt 28:15; Mk 1:45; Lk 5:15 (λ. περί τινος as X., An. 6, 6, 13; Jos., Ant. 19, 127) 7:17; J 21:23. ἠκούσθη ὁ λόγος εἰς τὰ ὦτα τ. ἐκκλησίας the report came to the ears of the assembly in Jerusalem Ac 11:22. λόγον ἔχειν σοφίας have the appearance of wisdom, pass for wisdom Col 2:23 (cp. Pla., Epinomis 987b ἔχει λόγον; Demosth., C. Lept. 462 [20, 18] λόγον τινʼ ἔχον; but mng. 2f is possible). Proverb (Pla., Phdr. 17, 240c, Symp. 18, 195b, Gorg. 54, 499c, Leg. 6, 5, 757a; Socrat., Ep. 22, 1) J 4:37 (Ps.-Callisth. 1, 13, 7 ἀληθῶς ἐν τούτῳ ὁ λ. foll. by a proverb). Proclamation, instruction, teaching, message Lk 4:32; 10:39; J 4:41; 17:20; Ac 2:41; 4:4; 10:44; 20:7; 1 Cor 1:17; 2:1. In Ac18:15 ζητήματα περὶ λόγου καὶ ὀνομάτων καὶ νόμου the sense appears to be someth. like this: controversial issues involving disputes about words and your way of life with λ. prob. referring to the presentation of controversial subjects, which in turn arouses heated ζητήματα debates. λόγος σοφίας proclamation of wisdom, speaking wisely 1 Cor 12:8a (Ps.-Phoc. 129 τῆς θεοπνεύστου σοφίης λ.); corresp. λ. γνώσεως vs. 8b. Cp. 14:9; 15:2; 2 Cor 1:18; 6:7; 10:10. λ. μαρτυρίας word of witness Rv 12:11. ὁ κατὰ τ. διδαχὴν πιστὸς λ. the message of faith, corresponding to the teaching Tit 1:9; the opp. 2 Ti 2:17. A speech (Aristot. p. 14b, 2; Diod S 40, 5a) διὰ λόγου πολλοῦ in a long speech Ac 15:32; cp. 20:2. λ. κολακείας flattering speech 1 Th 2:5. Speaking gener. 2 Cor 8:7; Eph 6:19; Col 4:6; D 2:5. ἐν λόγῳ πταίειν make a mistake in what one says Js 3:2.—Of God’s word, command, commission (LXX; ParJer 5:19 κατηχῆσαι αὐτοὺς τὸν λόγον; SyrBar 13:2; ApcSed 14:10; Just., D. 84, 2; Ael. Aristid. hears a ἱερὸς λ. at night fr. a god: 28, 116 K.=49, p. 529 D.; Sextus 24) ἠκυρώσατε τ. λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ Mt 15:6 (v.l. νόμον, ἐντολήν); cp. Mk 7:13.—J 5:38; 8:55; 10:35; Ro 3:4 (Ps 50:6). Of God’s promise Ro 9:6, 9 (but these two vss., and Gal 5:14 below, prob. fit better under 2a), 28 (Is 10:22f). Cp. Hb 2:2; 4:2 (s. ἀκοή 4b); 7:28; 12:19. For B 15:1 see 1aδ. The whole law (as the expr. εἴ τι ἑτέρα ἐντολή indicates not limited to a narrow list of commandments), acc. to Ro 13:9. In what is prob. a play on words (s. 2a and b), Gal 5:14 (s. 2a below) is summed up in the λόγος as expressed in Lev 19:18.—That which God has created ἁγιάζεται διὰ λόγου θεοῦ 1 Ti 4:5; in line w. the context, this hardly refers to God’s creative word (so SibOr 3, 20; PtK 2; πάντα γὰρ λόγῳ ποιήσας ὁ θεός Theoph. Ant. 2, 18 [144, 8]), but to table prayers which use biblical expressions. The divine word as judge of thoughts Hb 4:12. τελεσθήσονται οἱ λ. τοῦ θεοῦ Ac 17:17; cp. 19:9.—Of the divine revelation through Christ and his messengers (Just., A I, 61, 9 λόγον … παρὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐμάθομεν τοῦτον) θεὸς ἐφανέρωσεν τὸν λ. αὐτοῦ ἐν κηρύγματι Tit 1:3. δέδωκα αὐτοῖς τὸν λ. σου J 17:14; cp. vss. 6, 17; 1J 1:10; 2:14. ἵνα μὴ ὁ λ. τοῦ θεοῦ βλασφημῆται Tit 2:5. The apostles and other preachers, w. ref. to the λόγος of God, are said to: λαλεῖν Ac 4:29, 31; 13:46; Phil 1:14; Hb 13:7; καταγγέλλειν Ac 13:5; 17:13; διδάσκειν 18:11; μαρτυρεῖν Rv 1:2. Of their hearers it is said: τὸν λ. τοῦ θεοῦ ἀκούειν Ac 13:7; δέχεσθαι 8:14; 11:1. Of the λ. τοῦ θεοῦ itself we read: ηὔξανεν Ac 6:7; 12:24; 19:20; οὐ δέδεται 2 Ti 2:9. In these places and many others ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ is simply the Christian message, the gospel: Lk 5:1; 8:11, 21; 11:28 (Simplicius in Epict. p. 1, 20 μὴ μόνον ἀκουόντων ἀλλὰ πασχόντων καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν λόγων=let the message have its effect on oneself); Ac 6:2 (s. καταλείπω 7c; for prob. commercial metaph. s. 2a below); 13:44 v.l. (for κυρίου); 16:32 v.l.; 1 Cor 14:36; 2 Cor 2:17; 4:2; Col 1:25; 1 Pt 1:23; Rv 1:9; 6:9; 20:4; IPhld 11:1. Cp. 1 Th 2:13ab; 1J 2:5.—Since this ‘divine word’ is brought to humanity through Christ, his word can be used in the same sense: ὁ λόγος μου J 5:24; cp. 8:31, 37, 43, 51f; 12:48; 14:23f; 15:3, 20b; Rv 3:8. ὁ λόγος τοῦ Χριστοῦ Col 3:16; cp. Hb 6:1. ὁ λ. τοῦ κυρίου Ac 8:25; 12:24 v.l.; 13:44, 48f; 14:25 v.l.; 15:35, 36; 16:32 (cp. λ. θεοῦ); 19:10; 1 Th 1:8; 2 Th 3:1. Pl. Mk 8:38 (Lk 9:26); 1 Ti 6:3; cp. Lk 24:44; s. also 1aδ.—Or it is called simply ὁ λόγος=the ‘Word’, for no misunderstanding would be possible among Christians: Mt 13:20–23; Mk 2:2; 4:14–20, 33; 8:32 (s. 1aε below); 16:20; Lk 1:2; 8:12f, 15; Ac 6:4; 8:4; 10:36 (on the syntax s. FNeirynck, ETL 60, ’84, 118–23); 11:19; 14:25 (cp. λ. κυρίου above); 16:6; 17:11; 18:5; Gal 6:6; Phil 1:14; Col 4:3; 1 Th 1:6; 2 Ti 4:2; Js 1:21ff; 1 Pt 2:8; 3:1; 1J 2:7; AcPl Ha 7, 6 (so also Mel., HE 4, 26, 13; Ath. 2, 3).—Somet. the ‘Word’ is more closely defined by a gen.: ὁ λ. τῆς βασιλείας the word of the reign/rule (of God) Mt 13:19. τῆς σωτηρίας Ac 13:26. τῆς καταλλαγῆς 2 Cor 5:19. τοῦ σταυροῦ 1 Cor 1:18. δικαιοσύνης (q.v. 3a) Hb 5:13. ζωῆς Phil 2:16. (τῆς) ἀληθείας (Theoph. Ant. 3, 4 [p. 212, 2]; cp. περὶ ἀληθείας Hippol., Ref. 10, 6, 1) Eph 1:13; Col 1:5; 2 Ti 2:15; Js 1:18; AcPl Ha 8, 8 (Just., D. 121, 2). τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ (=τοῦ κυρίου) Ac 14:3; 20:32. (Differently the pl. οἱ λόγοι τ. χάριτος gracious words Lk 4:22; cp. Marcellinus, Vi. Thu. 57 Hude λόγοι εἰρωνείας.) ὁ λ. τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ac 15:7; ὁ τοῦ Χριστιανισμοῦ λ. MPol 10:1. In Rv 3:10 the gospel is described by the ‘One who has the key of David’ as ὁ λ. τῆς ὑπομονῆς μου my word of endurance (W-S. §30, 12c). λ. τῶν ὑ[πο]μονῶν AcPl Ha 6, 11. παρελάβετε τὸν λ. ὅτι AcPl Ha 8, 25.—The pastoral letters favor the expr. πιστὸς ὁ λόγος (sc. ἐστίν, and s. πιστός 1b) 1 Ti 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Ti 2:11; Tit 3:8; cp. Rv 21:5; 22:6. λ. ὑγιής sound preaching Tit 2:8; cp. the pl. ὑγιαίνοντες λόγοι 2 Ti 1:13 (on medicinal use of words for the mind or soul s. VLeinieks, The City of Dionysos ’96, 115–22, on Eur.).—The pl. is also used gener. of Christian teachings, the words of the gospel Lk 1:4 (s. κατηχέω 2a); 1 Th 4:18. οἱ λ. τῆς πίστεως 1 Ti 4:6. On λόγοι κυριακοί for λόγια κυριακά in the title of the Papias document s. ἐξήγησις 2.—JSchniewind, Die Begriffe Wort und Evangelium bei Pls, diss. Bonn 1910; RAsting (εὐαγγέλιον, end).

γ. of an individual declaration or remark: assertion, declaration, speech ἀκούσαντες τὸν λ. when they heard the statement Mt 15:12; cp. 19:11, 22; 22:15; Mk 5:36. διὰ τοῦτον τὸν λ. because of this statement of yours 7:29 (TestAbr A 15 p. 95, 29 [Stone p. 38] τὸν λ. τοῦτον; ApcMos 25 εἰς τὸν λόγον σου κρινῶ σε). Cp. 10:22; 12:13; Lk 1:29; 22:61 v.l. (for ῥήματος); J 4:39, 50; 6:60; 7:36, 40 v.l.; 15:20a; 18:9; 19:8; Ac 6:5; 7:29; 20:38; 22:22; 1 Th 4:15. ὸ̔ς ἐὰν εἴπῃ λόγον κατὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου whoever utters a (defamatory) word against the Son of Humanity Mt 12:32 (λ. εἰπεῖν κατά τινος as Jos., Ant. 15, 81); cp. Lk 12:10. λόγος σαπρός unwholesome talk Eph 4:29. λόγον ποιεῖσθαι make a speech Ac 11:2 D (cp. Hyperid. 3, 20; Jos., Ant. 11, 86).

δ. the pl. (οἱ) λόγοι is used, on the one hand, of words uttered on various occasions, of speeches or instruction given here and there by humans or transcendent beings (TestAbr A 14 p. 94, 19 [Stone p. 36]; Jos., Ant. 4, 264; Just., D. 100, 3) ἐκ τῶν λόγων σου δικαιωθήσῃ (καταδικασθήσῃ) Mt 12:37ab; 24:35; Mk 13:31; Lk 21:33; Ac 2:40; 7:22 (ἐν λόγοις καὶ ἔργοις αὐτοῦ. On the word-deed pair cp. Dio Chrys. 4, 6 the λόγοι and ἔργα of Diogenes; s. α above). οἱ δέκα λόγοι the ten commandments (Ex 34:28; Dt 10:4; Philo, Rer. Div. Her. 168, Decal. 32; Jos., Ant. 3, 138; cp. 91f; Did., Gen. 36, 10) B 15:1. Ac 15:24; 20:35; 1 Cor 2:4b, 13; 14:19ab; κενοὶ λ. Eph 5:6; AcPl Ox 6, 13 (cp. Aa 1, 241, 14); Dg 8:2; πλαστοὶ λ. 2 Pt 2:3. λ. πονηροί 3J 10.—Also of words and exprs. that form a unity, whether it be connected discourse (Jos., Ant. 15, 126; Just., A II, 12, 6, D. 11, 5; 81, 3 al.), a conversation, or parts of one and the same teaching, or expositions on the same subject (Diod S 16, 2, 3 μετέσχε τῶν Πυθαγορίων λόγων; Dio Chrys. 37 [54], 1; Ael. Aristid. 50, 55 K.=26 p. 519 D.: οἱ Πλάτωνος λόγοι; PsSol 17:43 [words of the Messiah]; AscIs 3:12 οἱ λόγοι τοῦ Βελχειρά) πᾶς ὅστις ἀκούει μου τοὺς λόγους τούτους Mt 7:24; cp. vss. 26, 28; 10:14; 19:1; 26:1; Mk 10:24; Lk 1:20; 6:47; 9:28, 44. ἐπηρώτα αὐτὸν ἐν λόγοις ἱκανοῖς he questioned him at some length 23:9. τίνες οἱ λ. οὗτοι οὓς ἀντιβάλλετε; what is this conversation that you are holding? 24:17; J 7:40 (s. γ); 10:19; J 14:24a; 19:13; Ac 2:22; 5:5, 24; 16:36; 2 Ti 4:15; 1 Cl 13:1; 46:7. λόγοις φθοριμαίοις AcPlCor 1:2.

ε. the subject under discussion, matter, thing gener. (Theognis 1055 Diehl; Hdt. 8, 65 μηδενὶ ἄλλῳ τὸν λόγον τοῦτον εἴπῃς. Cp. Hebr. דָּבָר) τὸν λ. ἐκράτησαν they took up the subject Mk 9:10; cp. Mt. 21:24 (s. 1aβ beg.). οὐκ ἔστιν σοι μερὶς ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ you have no share in this matter Ac 8:21. ἰδεῖν περὶ τ. λόγου τούτου look into this matter 15:6. ἔχειν πρός τινα λόγον have a complaint against someone (cp. Demosth. 35, 55 ἐμοὶ πρὸς τούτους ὁ λόγος; PIand 16, 3 δίκαιον λόγον ἔχει πρὸς σέ) 19:38. παρεκτὸς λόγου πορνείας Mt 5:32; 19:9 v.l. (2d is also prob.).—Perh. also Mk 8:32 he discussed the subject quite freely (but s. 1aβ above).

ⓑ of literary or oratorical productions: of the separate books of a work (Hdt. 5, 36 ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ τ. λόγων; Pla., Parmen. 2, 127d ὁ πρῶτος λόγος; Philo, Omn. Prob. Lib. 1 ὁ μὲν πρότερος λόγος ἦν ἡμῖν, ὦ Θεόδοτε, περὶ τοῦ …) treatise Ac 1:1 (s. on the prologue to Ac: AHilgenfeld, ZWT 41, 1898, 619ff; AGercke, Her 29, 1894, 373ff; RLaqueur, Her 46, 1911, 161ff; Norden, Agn. Th. 311ff; JCreed, JTS 35, ’34, 176–82; Goodsp., Probs. 119–21). Παπίας … πέντε λόγους κυριακῶν λογίων ἔγραψεν Papias (11:1; cp. 3:1 e; 11:2; 12:2).—περὶ οὗ πολὺς ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος about this we have much to say Hb 5:11. Hb is described as ὁ λ. τῆς παρακλήσεως a word of exhortation (in literary form) 13:22. Of writings that are part of Holy Scripture ὁ λ. Ἠσαί̈ου J 12:38. ὁ λ. ὁ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ γεγραμμένος 15:25; ὁ προφητικὸς λ. 2 Pt 1:19; 2 Cl 11:2 (quot. of unknown orig.); AcPl Ha 8, 27/BMM recto 35 (Just., D. 77, 2 al.). ὁ ἅγιος λ. the holy word 1 Cl 56:3. ὁ λ. ὁ γεγραμμένος 1 Cor 15:54 (Is 25:8 and Hos 13:14 follow). Pl. οἱ λόγοι τ. προφητῶν Ac 15:15. ὡς γέγραπται ἐν βίβλῳ λόγων Ἠσαί̈ου Lk 3:4 (Pla., 7th Epistle 335a πείθεσθαι ἀεὶ χρὴ τοῖς παλαιοῖς καὶ ἱεροῖς λόγοις; TestJob 1:1 βίβλος λόγων Ἰώβ; ParJer 9:32 v.l. τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν λόγων Ἱερεμίου; ApcEsdr 1:1 καὶ ἀποκάλυψις τοῦ … Ἐσδράμ; ApcSed prol.; Just., D. 72, 3f).—Of the content of Rv: ὁ ἀναγινώσκων τ. λόγους τῆς προφητείας 1:3. οἱ λόγοι (τ. προφητείας) τ. βιβλίου τούτου 22:7, 9f, 18f.

② computation, reckoning

ⓐ a formal accounting, esp. of one’s actions, and freq. with fig. extension of commercial terminology account, accounts, reckoning λόγον δοῦναι (Hdt. 8, 100; X., Cyr. 1, 4, 3; Diod S 3, 46, 4; SIG 1099, 16; BGU 164, 21; Jos., Ant. 16, 120; Just., D. 115, 6) give account, make an accounting ἕκαστος περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λόγον δώσει τ. θεῷ Ro 14:12. Also λ. ἀποδοῦναι abs. (Just., D. 116, 1 al.; Diod S 16, 56, 4; 19, 9, 4) Hb 13:17. τινί to someone (Diod S 16, 27, 4; Plut., Alcib. 7, 3; Chariton 7, 6, 2; SIG 631, 13 τᾷ πόλει; 2 Ch 34:28; Da 6:3 Theod.; Jos., Bell. 1, 209) τῷ ἑτοίμως ἔχοντι κρῖναι 1 Pt 4:5. τινὸς of someth. (SIG 1044, 46; 1105, 10 τοῦ ἀναλώματος; Jos., Ant. 19, 307) Lk 16:2 (here λ. w. the art.; on the subject of undergoing an audit cp. Aeschin. 3, 22). Likew. περί τινος (Diod S 18, 60, 2 δοὺς αὑτῷ περὶ τούτων λόγον=taking account [considering] with himself; BGU 98, 25 περὶ τούτου) Mt 12:36; Ac 19:40. ὑπέρ τινος concerning someone Hv 3, 9, 10.—αἰτεῖν τινα λόγον περί τινος call someone to account for someth. 1 Pt 3:15 (cp. Pla., Pol. 285e; Dio Chrys. 20 [37], 30; Apc4Esdr Fgm. b ἕκαστος ὑπὸ τοῦ οἰκείου ἔργου τὸν λόγον ἀπαιτηθήσεται; Just., A I, 17, 4. For another perspective s. d below.).—Of banking responsibility ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ (PStras 72, 10 [III A.D.] ὁ τῶν θεῶν λ.; PHerm 108 [III A.D.] λ. τοῦ Σαραπείου) in wordplay Ac 6:2 (w. τράπεζα q.v. 1c); s. also 1aβ.—Of a ledger heading (POxy 1333 [II/III A.D.] δὸς αὐτῳ λόγῳ θεωρικῶν=credit him under ‘festivals’; for others s. Preisig., Wörterbuch s.v. λ. 14; s. also Fachwörter 119) Ro 9:6 (the point is that God’s ‘list’ of Israelites is accurate; on ἐκπίπτω in the sense ‘is not deficient’ s. s.v. 4); vs. 9 (the ‘count’ is subsumed by metonymy in divine promise); Gal 5:14 (all moral obligations come under one ‘entry’: ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself’; for commercial association of ἀναλίσκω vs. 15, which rounds out the wordplay, s. s.v.). The contexts of these three passages suggest strong probability for commercial associations; for another view s. 1aβ.

ⓑ settlement (of an account) (εἰς λόγον commercial t.t. ‘in settlement of an account’ POxy 275, 19; 21) εἰς λόγον δόσεως κ. λήμψεως in settlement of a mutual account (lit., ‘of giving and receiving’, ‘of debit and credit’) Phil 4:15 (cp. Plut., Mor. 11b λόγον δοῦναι καὶ λαβεῖν; a parallel formulation POxy 1134,10 [421 A.D.] λ. λήμματος καὶ ἐξοδιασμοῦ=ledger of income and expenditures); for the linked accounting terms δόσις and λήμψις s. PCairMasp 151, 208 [VI A.D.]. The same ideas are in the background of εἰς λόγον ὑμῶν credited to your account vs 17.—συναίρειν λόγον settle accounts (BGU 775, 18f. The mid. in the same mng. PFay109, 6 [I A.D.]; POxy 113, 27f.—Dssm., LO 94 [LAE 118f]) μετά τινος Mt 18:23; 25:19.

ⓒ reflection, respect, regard εἰς λόγον τινός with regard to, for the sake of (Thu. 3, 46, 4; Demosth. 19, 142 εἰς ἀρετῆς λόγον; Polyb. 11, 28, 8; Ath. 31, 1; Ael. Aristid. 39 p. 743 D.: εἰς δεινότητος λ.) εἰς λ. τιμῆς IPhld 11:2. εἰς λ. θεοῦ ISm 10:1.

ⓓ reason for or cause of someth., reason, ground, motive (Just., D. 94, 3 δότε μοι λόγον, ὅτου χάριν … ; Ath. 30, 3 τὶς γὰρ … λόγος; Dio Chrys. 64 [14], 18 ἐκ τούτου τ. λόγου; Appian, Hann. 29 §126 τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ; Iambl., Vi. Pyth. 28, 155) τίνι λόγω; for what reason? Ac 10:29 (cp. Pla., Gorg. 512c τίνι δικαίῳ λ.; Appian, Mithrid. 57 §232 τίνι λόγῳ;). λόγον περὶ τῆς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐλπίδος 1 Pt 3:15 (but s. a above); κατὰ λόγον Ac 18:14 (s. κατά B 5bβ). παρεκτὸς λόγου πορνείας Mt 5:32; 19:9 v.l. (though 1aε is also poss.).

ⓔ πρὸς ὸ̔ν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος (ἐστίν) with whom we have to do (i.e. to reckon) (Dio Chrys. 31, 123; other exx. in FBleek, Hb II/1, 1836, 590ff), in his capacity as judge (Libanius, Legat. Ulixis [=Declamatio IV] 2 F. τοῖς δὲ ἀδίκως ἀποκτενοῦσι καὶ πρὸς θεοὺς καὶ πρὸς ἀνθρώπους ὁ λόγος γίγνεται) Hb 4:13. οὐ πρὸς σάρκα ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ πρὸς θεόν he has to do not with flesh, but with God IMg 3:2.

ⓕ In Col 2:23 (s. 1aβ) λόγον μὲν ἔχοντα σοφίας may= make a case for wisdom (cp. λόγος ἡμῖν οὐδείς Plut., Mor. 870b).

③ the independent personified expression of God, the Logos. Our lit. shows traces of a way of thinking that was widespread in contemporary syncretism, as well as in Jewish wisdom lit. and Philo, the most prominent feature of which is the concept of the Logos, the independent, personified ‘Word’ (of God): GJs 11:2 (word of the angel to Mary) συνλήμψῃ ἐκ Λόγου αὐτοῦ (sc. τοῦ πάντων Δεσπότου). J 1:1abc, 14 (cp. Just., A I, 23, 2; Mel., P. 9, 61 and oft. by all apolog., exc.. Ar.). It is the distinctive teaching of the Fourth Gospel that this divine ‘Word’ took on human form in a historical person, that is, in Jesus (s. RSeeberg, Festgabe für AvHarnack ’21, 263–81.—Λόγος w. ζωή in gnostic speculation: Iren.1, 1, 1 [Harv. 1, 10, 4]; Aelian, VH 4, 20 ἐκάλουν τὸν Πρωταγόραν Λόγον. Similarly Favorinus [II A.D.]: Vorsokr. 80 A 1 ln. 22 [in Diog. L. 9, 50] of Democritus: ἐκαλεῖτο Σοφία. Equating a divinity with an abstraction that she personifies: Artem. 5, 18 φρόνησις εἶναι νομίζεται ἡ θεός [Athena]). Cp. 1J 1:1; Rv 19:13. εἷς θεός ἐστιν, ὁ φανερώσας ἑαυτὸν διὰ Ἰ. Χριστοῦ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, ὅς ἐστιν αὐτοῦ λόγος, ἀπὸ σιγῆς προελθών there is one God, who has revealed himself through Jesus Christ his Son, who is his ‘Word’ proceeding from silence (i.e., without an oral pronouncement: in a transcendent manner) IMg 8:2 (s. σιγή). The Lord as νόμος κ. λόγος PtK 1. Cp. Dg 11:2, 3, 7, 8; 12:9.—HClavier, TManson memorial vol., ’59, 81–93: the Alexandrian eternal λόγος is also implied in Hb 4:12; 13:7.—S. also the ‘Comma Johanneum’ (to the bibliography in RGG³ I, ’54 [HGreeven] add AJülicher, GGA 1905, 930–35; AvHarnack, SBBerlAk 1915, 572f [=Studien I ’31, 151f]; MMeinertz, Einl. in d. NT⁴ ’33, 309–11; AGreiff, TQ 114, ’33, 465–80; CDodd, The Joh. Epistles ’46; WThiele, ZNW 50, ’59, 61–73) ὁ πατήρ, ὁ λόγος καὶ τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα 1J 5:7 v.l. (s. N. app.; Borger, TRu 52, ’87, 57f). (Such interpolations were not unheard of. According to Diog. L. 1, 48 some people maintain that Solon inserted the verse mentioning the Athenians after Il. 2, 557.—τῆς τριάδος, τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ λόγου αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς σοφίας αὐτοῦ Theoph. Ant. 2, 15 [p. 138, 19].)—On the Logos: EZeller, D. Philosophie der Griechen III 2⁴ 1903, 417–34; MHeinze, D. Lehre v. Logos in d. griech. Philosophie 1872; PWendland, Philo u. d. kynisch-stoische Diatribe (Beiträge z. Gesch. der griech. Philosophie u. Religion by Wendl. and OKern 1895, 1–75); AAall, Gesch. d. Logosidee 1896, 1899; MPohlenz, D. Stoa ’48f, I 482; 490 (index); LDürr, D. Wertung des göttl. Wortes im AT u. im ant. Orient ’38 (§9 of the Joh. Logos); EBréhier, Les idées philosophiques et religieuses de Philon d’Alexandrie 1907, 83–111; (² ’25); JLebreton, Les théories du Logos au début de l’ère chrétienne 1907; ESchwartz, NGG 1908, 537–56; GVos, The Range of the Logos-Title in the Prologue of the Fourth Gospel: PTR 11, 1913, 365–419; 557–602; RHarris, The Origin of the Prologue to St. John’s Gospel 1917, Athena, Sophia and the Logos: BJRL 7, 1, 1922 p. 56–72; M-JLagrange, Vers le Logos de S. Jean: RB 32, 1923, 161–84, Le Logos de Philon: ibid. 321–71; HLeisegang, Logos: Pauly-W. XIII 1926, 1035–81; TGlasson, Heraclitus’ Alleged Logos Doctr., JTS 3, ’52, 231–38.—NWeinstein, Z. Genesis d. Agada 1901, 29–90; Billerb. II 302–33.—Rtzst., Zwei religionsgeschichtl. Fragen 1901, 47–132, Mysterienrel.³ 1927, 428 index; WBousset, Kyrios Christos² 1921, 304ff; 316f; JKroll, D. Lehren d. Hermes Trismegistos1914, 418 index.—RBultmann, D. religionsgesch. Hintergrund des Prol. z. Joh.: HGunkel Festschr., 1923, II 1–26, Comm. ’41, 5ff; AAlexander, The Johannine Doctrine of the Logos: ET 36, 1925, 394–99; 467–72; (Rtzst. and) HSchaeder, Studien z. antiken Synkretismus 1926, 306–37; 350; GAvdBerghvanEysinga, In den beginne was de Logos: NThT 23, ’34, 105–23; JDillersberger, Das Wort von Logos ’35; RBury, The 4th Gosp. and the Logos-Doctrine ’40; EMay, CBQ 8, ’46, 438–47; GKnight, From Moses to Paul ’49, 120–29. TW IV 76–89; 126–40 (on this s. SLyonnet, Biblica 26, ’45, 126–31); CStange, ZST 21, ’50, 120–41; MBoismard, Le Prologue de St. Jean ’53; HLangkammer, BZ 9, ’65, 91–94; HRinggren, Word and Wisdom [hypostatization in Near East] ’47; WEltester, Haenchen Festschr., ’64, 109–34; HWeiss, Untersuchungen zur Kosmologie etc., TU 97, ’66, 216–82; MRissi, Die Logoslieder im Prolog des vierten Evangeliums, TZ 31, ’75, 321–36; HLausberg, NAWG, Ph. ’87, 1 pp. 1–7.—B. 1262. DELG s.v. λέγω B 1. M-M. EDNT. TW.

λέγω (Hom.+; on the mng. of the word ADebrunner, TW IV 71–73) impf. ἔλεγον (3 pl. ἔλεγαν s. B-D-F §82 app.; Mlt-H. 194; KBuresch, RhM 46, 1891, 224). Only pres. and impf. are in use; the other tenses are supplied by εἶπον (q.v., also B-D-F §101 p. 46; Mlt-H. 247), but the foll. pass. forms occur: fut. 3 sg. λεχθήσεται; aor. ptc. fem. sg. λεχθεῖσα (SyrBar 14:1), neut. pl. τὰ λεχθέντα (Jos. 24, 27; Esth 1:18; Papias, Just.), 3 sg. ἐλέχθη and pl. ἐλέχθησαν; pf. 3 sg. λέλεκται; plupf. ἐλέλεκτο; pf. ptc. λελεγμένος (all Just.; B-D-F §101) ‘say’ (beginning w. Hes. [Hom. uses the word in the senses ‘gather, collect’, as Il. 11, 755 al., and mid. ‘select’, as Il. 21, 27, and esp. of stories that one elects to ‘tell over’ or ‘recount’, as Od. 14, 197] and more freq. in Pind.; the usual word since the Attic writers; ins, pap, LXX, pseudepigr., Philo, Joseph., apolog.).

① to express oneself orally or in written form, utter in words, say, tell, give expression to, the gener. sense (not in Hom., for this εἶπον, ἐν[ν]έπω, et al.)

ⓐ w. an indication of what is said

α. in the acc. ταύτην τ. παραβολήν Lk 13:6. (τὴν) ἀλήθειαν (Teles p. 4, 14; TestAbr A 16 p. 97, 27 [Stone p. 42]) J 8:45f; Ro 9:1; 1 Ti 2:7. ἀληθῆ (cp. Herodian 4, 14, 4) J 19:35. παροιμίαν οὐδεμίαν 16:29. τὶ καινότερον Ac 17:21 (w. ἀκούω as Pla., Prot. 310a; Dio Chrys. 3, 28; 4, 37). τί λέγουσιν what they say Mt 21:16; cp. Lk 18:6; 1 Cor 14:16. τί λέγω; what shall I say? Hb 11:32. ὸ̔ λέγει Lk 9:33; cp. 2 Ti 2:7; Phlm 21. ἃ λέγουσιν 1 Ti 1:7; AcPlCor 1:9. ταῦτα (τοῦτο) λ. (Jos., Vi. 291) Lk 9:34; 11:45b; 13:17; J 2:22; τοιαῦτα λ. Hb 11:14. τὸ αὐτὸ λέγειν be in agreement (not only in words: Thu. 4, 20, 4; 5, 31, 6; Polyb. 2, 62, 4; 5, 104, 1; Jos., Ant. 18, 375; 378) 1 Cor 1:10.—Also τινί τι tell someone someth. παραβολὴν αὐτοῖς Lk 18:1. μυστήριον ὑμῖν 1 Cor 15:51. τ. ἀλήθειαν ὑμῖν J 16:7. ὸ̔ λέγω ὑμῖν Mt 10:27. μηδενὶ λ. τοῦτο Lk 9:21. οὐδὲν αὐτῷ λέγουσιν they say nothing to him J 7:26. ταῦτα ἔλεγον ὑμῖν 2 Th 2:5.—τὶ πρός τινα (Pla, Gorg. 465a) παραβολὴν πρὸς αὐτούς Lk 5:36; cp. 14:7; 20:9.—24:10; 11:53 v.l. W. double acc. ἀδύνατα ταῦτα εἴρηκας Hm 11:19.

β. by direct discourse or direct question foll., mostly abs. (extremely freq.) Mt 9:34; 12:44; Mk 3:30; Lk 5:39; J 1:29, 36; 1 Cor l2:3; Js 4:13. Also oft. introduced by recitative ὅτι Mt 9:18; Mk 1:15; 2:12; 3:21f; 5:28; 6:14f (on the textual problem s. FNeirynck, ETL 65, ’89, 110–18), 35; 7:20; Lk 1:24; 4:41; 17:10; 21:8 v.l.; J 6:14; 7:12; 8:33; Ac 2:13; 11:3 and oft.—καὶ ἔλεγεν Mk 4:21, 24, 26, 30 may = he used to say (so that they might memorize): WEssame, ET 77, ’66, 121.

γ. by indirect discourse or indirect question foll.; abs. Mt 21:27; Mk 11:33c; Lk 20:8.—Introduced by ὅτι (Diod S 11, 4, 3; 11, 6, 2; 14, 4, 3; Petosiris, Fgm. 14c; Jos., Bell. 4, 543) Lk 22:70; Ac 20:23.—In acc. w. inf. τίνα λέγουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι τ. υἱὸν τ. ἀνθρώπου; Mt 16:13; cp. vs. 15; Lk 9:20; 11:18; 23:2b; 24:23b; J 12:29a; Ac 4:32; 8:9; 17:7.—W. the inf. only Lk 24:23a; Js 2:14; 1J 2:6, 9.

ⓑ w. indication of the pers. or thing about which someth. is said, or that is meant by someth.

α. by a prep. περί τινος (Soph., Thu. et al.) οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ἔγνωσαν ὅτι περὶ αὐτῶν λέγει the Pharisees perceived that he was talking about them Mt 21:45. λέγει περὶ αὐτοῦ he said concerning him J 1:47; cp. 2:21; 11:13; 13:18, 22. εἴς τινα (Eur., Med. 453; X., Mem. 1, 5, 1) Ac 2:25; Eph 5:32. ἐπί τινα Hb 7:13. πρός τινα Lk 12:41; Hb 1:7.

β. by the acc. alone mean someone or someth. (Demosth. 18, 88; Diod S 15, 23, 5; Phalaris, Ep. 142, 1 ἣν λέγω; Ael. Aristid. 48, 35 K.=24 p. 474 D.: τὸν Φιλάδελφον λέγων; Aelian, NA 8, 3 ὸ̔ δὲ λέγω, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν, VH 3, 36; Lucian, Dial. Deor. 3; 10, 2; 2 Macc 14:7; Jos., Ant. 6, 86; TestSol 4:6 D τὸν δύστηνον λέγω γέροντα; Just., D. 130, 2 μετὰ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ, λέγω Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ …) τ. ἄνθρωπον τοῦτον ὸ̔ν λέγετε this man whom you mean Mk 14:71. ἔλεγεν τὸν Ἰούδαν J 6:71. συνείδησιν λέγω οὐχὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ I mean not your own conscience 1 Cor 10:29. τοῦτο δὲ λέγω but this is what I mean Gal 3:17; cp. 1 Cor 1:12a (Ptolem., Apotel. 2, 3, 12; 2, 11, 1 λέγω δέ … but I mean).—Mt 26:70; Mk 14:68; Lk 22:60. Cp. 4 end.

γ. w. an indication of the one to whom someth. is said (on the synoptics and Ac s. WLarfeld, Die ntl. Ev. 1925, 237f); mostly in dat. (Aeschyl., Ag. 103; Herodas 4, 42 σοί; POxy 413, 99; s. also 1aα above) Mt 8:7; Mk 2:8, 17f; Lk 3:7; 5:24; J 1:39, 41, 43 and oft.—πρός τινα (Epict. 2, 17, 34 πρὸς ἄλλους ἐρεῖς; TestSol 1:6 D λέγει Νάθαν πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον; ApcEsdr 6:16; s. also 1aα above) Mk 4:41; 16:3; Lk 4:21; 8:25 (λ. πρὸς ἀλλήλους as Jos., Ant. 2, 108; 9, 239); 9:23; 12:1; 16:1; J 2:3; 3:4; Ac 2:12; 28:4. μετά τινος: ἔλεγον μετʼ ἀλλήλων they said to each other J 11:56.

δ. in other (s. 1aα, 1bα, 1bγ) prep. uses ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ (=ἀπὸ σεαυτοῦ v.l.) σὺ τοῦτο λέγεις; do you say this of your own accord? J 18:34 (TestAbr A 15 p. 95, 26 [Stone p. 38] al.). εἴς τινα against someone Lk 22:65. τὶ περί τινος say someth. about or concerning someone J 1:22; Ac 8:34; Tit 2:8. λ. περὶ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, ὅτι say, with reference to the temple, that Lk 21:5. τί σὺ λέγεις περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι; what have you to say about him, since? J 9:17b (λ. τι περί τινος, ὅτι as Jos., Bell. 7, 215). τινὶ περί τινος say to someone about someone w. direct discourse foll. Mt 11:7. Also πρός τινα περί τινος (Jos., C. Ap. 1, 279 πρὸς αὐτὸν περὶ Μωϋσέως) Lk 7:24. πρός τινα ἐπί τινος bring charges against someone before someone Ac 23:30 (λ. ἐπί τινος as Jos., Vi. 258). λ. περί (v.l. ὑπέρ) τινος say (someth.), speak in someone’s defense 26:1.

ε. in connection w. adverbs and adv. exprs.: Λυκαονιστὶ λ. say in (the) Lycaonian (language) Ac 14:11. καλῶς correctly (X., Mem. 2, 7, 11; 3, 3, 4; TestJob 7:8; EpArist 125; 196) J 8:48; 13:13. ὡσαύτως in the same way Mk 14:31. ἀληθῶς λέγω ὑμῖν truly, I tell you Lk 12:44; 21:3. κατὰ ἄνθρωπον (s. ἄνθρωπος 2b) Ro 3:5; Gal 3:15. κατὰ συγγνώμην, οὐ κατʼ ἐπιταγήν (s. ἐπιταγή) 1 Cor 7:6; cp. 2 Cor 8:8. καθʼ ὑστέρησιν Phil 4:11.

ζ. w. emphasis on a certain kind of saying: φωνῇ μεγάλῃ in a loud voice Rv 5:12; 8:13 (cp. TestSol 16:1). Also ἐν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ 14:7; 9. ἄγγελος ἐν φωνῇ λέγων GJs 20:4 (pap, s. deStrycker p. 387f). Opp. ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ (cp. Ps 13:1) 18:7. Also ἐν ἑαυτῷ (TestAbr B 3 p. 107, 11 [Stone p. 62]; TestJob 23:8) Mt 3:9; 9:21; Lk 3:8; 7:39, 49; GJs 1:1,4; 3:1; 5:1; cp. 1:3 (codd.); 2:1 v.l.; 14:1 v.l.

η. in quotations fr. scripture (but s. also Epict. 1, 28, 4 ὡς λέγει Πλάτων with a quotation) Ἠσαί̈ας λέγει Isaiah says Ro 10:16, 20; 15:12. Μωϋσῆς λέγει 10:19. Δαυὶδ λέγει 11:9. ἡ γραφὴ λέγει (Just., D. 56, 17; cp. Paus. 2, 16, 4 τὰ ἔπη λέγει=the epic poets say) 4:3; 10:11; Gal 4:30; 1 Ti 5:18; Js 4:5; cp. 2:23; J 19:24; 2 Cl 14:2. In the case of the quot. formula λέγει without the subj. expressed, ἡ γραφή or ὁ θεός is easily understood (B-D-F §130, 3; Rob. 392.—On the omission of the subj. [Just., D. 101, 1 al.] cp. Epict. 1, 24, 12 λέγει σοι ‘θὲς κτλ.’=someone says to you ‘lay aside [this and that sign of prestige]’). It could prob. be translated indefinitely it says: Ro 15:10; 2 Cor 6:2; Gal 3:16; Eph 4:8; 5:14. ὁ θεός is obviously the subj. (Clearch., Fgm. 69c; Epict. 1, 1, 10 λέγει ὁ Ζεύς, followed by a divine revelation to Epictetus) Hb 5:6. λέγει ὁ κύριος 2 Cl 13:2; cp. Hb 8:8–10 (λέγει κύριος Am 5:27; Is 1:18; Jer 9:24; ParJer 6:16 al.). W. the passage more definitely indicated (schol. on Pind., O. 7, 66 ἐν τοῖς Μουσαίου λέγεται; schol. on Apollon. Rhod. 3, 1179 Wendel v.l. ἐν τῇ γ´ τῆς Μουσαίου Τιτανογραφίας λέγεται ὡς) ἐν Ἠλίᾳ τί λέγει ἡ γραφή Ro 11:2 (Epict. 2, 17, 34 τί λέγει Χρύσιππος ἐν τοῖς περὶ τοῦ ψευδομένου). Δαυὶδ λέγει ἐν βίβλῳ ψαλμῶν Lk 20:42 (Epict. 2, 19, 14 Ἑλλάνικος λέγει ἐν τοῖς Αἰγυπτιακοῖς with quot.). ἐν τ. Ὡσηὲ λέγει Ro 9:25. λέγει ἐν τῷ Ἠσαί̈ᾳ 2 Cl 3:5 (Just., D. 123, 8); cp. ἐν Δαυίδ Hb 4:7. ὁ νόμος λέγει (cp. Pla., Crito 12, 50c; Epict. 3, 24, 43 τί γὰρ λέγει; [i.e. ὁ νόμος θεῖος]) 1 Cor 14:34. λέγει τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον Hb 3:7 (Just., D. 124, 1). Of words of Jesus: λέγει ὁ κύριος ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ 2 Cl 8:5. λέγει ὁ κύριος 5:2; 6:1. λέγει αὐτός (i.e. ὁ Χριστός 2:7) 3:2. λέγει 4:2.

θ. Hebraistic, though by no means limited to the OT (s. EKieckers, IndogF 35, 1915, 34ff; B-D-F §420; Mlt-H. 454), is the freq. use of λ. to introduce

א. direct discourse (like לֵאמֹר), even though it is preceded by a verb of saying, or one that includes the idea of saying. Esp. λέγων is so used, as in the LXX, e.g. after ἀναβοᾶν, ἀνακράζειν Mk 1:23 (cp. Phlegon: 257 Fgm. 36, 3, 9 Jac. ἀνεκεκράγει λέγων), ἀπαγγέλλειν, ἀποκρίνεσθαι, ἀρνεῖσθαι, βοᾶν, γογγύζειν, διαγογγύζειν, διαλογίζεσθαι, διαμαρτύρεσθαι, διαστέλλεσθαι, διδάσκειν, δοξάζειν, εἰπεῖν Mt 22:1; Lk 12:16; 20:2 (s. B-D-F §101, p. 46; s. Rob. 882f; Kieckers, loc. cit. 36f), ἐμβριμᾶσθαι, ἐντέλλεσθαι, ἐπερωτᾶν, ἐπιτιμᾶν, ἐπιφωνεῖν, ἐρωτᾶν, κατηγορεῖν, κηρύσσειν, κράζειν, κραυγάζειν, λαλεῖν, μαρτυρεῖν, μεριμνᾶν, παραινεῖν, παρακαλεῖν, παρατιθέναι παραβολήν, προσεύχεσθαι, προσφωνεῖν, προφητεύειν, συζητεῖν, συλλαλεῖν, φωνεῖν, ψευδομαρτυρεῖν; s. these entries. Also after such verbs as denote an action accompanied by a statement of some kind: ἄγγελος κυρίου … ἐφάνη αὐτῷ λέγων appeared to him and said Mt 1:20; cp. 2:13; προσεκύνει αὐτῷ λ. fell before him and said 8:2; 9:18; cp. 14:33. ἅπτεσθαι 8:3; 9:29. ἔρχεσθαι Mk 5:35; Lk 18:3; 19:18 al.; cp. Lk 1:66; 5:8; 8:38; 15:9; Ac 8:10, 19; 12:7; 27:23f; 1 Cor 11:25 al.

ב. the content of a written document (2 Km 11:15; 4 Km 10:6.—1 Macc 8:31; 11:57; Jos., Ant. 11, 26) ἔγραψεν λέγων (=יִכְתֹּב לֵאמֹר) he wrote as follows Lk 1:63.

ג. orders or instructions to be carried out by other persons: ἔπεμψεν λέγων he sent and had them say Lk 7:19. ἀπέστειλεν λ. (Judg 11:14f; Jdth 3:1; JosAs 3:2; ParJer 3:21 al.) Mt 22:16; 27:19; Lk 7:20; 19:14; J 11:3. If the persons carrying out the orders are named, the ptc. can refer to them Mt 22:16 v.l.

ד. When it is used w. the ptc. λ. appears in its finite forms ἐμπαίζοντες ἔλεγον they mocked and said Mt 27:41. προσελθὼν αὐτῷ λέγει he approached him and said Mk 14:45. διαρρήξας … λέγει he tore his clothes as he said vs. 63; cp. vs. 67; 15:35; Lk 6:20; J 1:36; Hb 8:8a al.—Also pleonastically (TestSol 2:2; TestJob 23:4; cp. Homeric ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπε Il. 3, 437 al., προσηύδα 14, 270 al.) ἀποκριθεὶς λέγει he answered Mk 8:29b; 9:5, 19; 10:24; 11:22; Lk 3:11; 11:45; 13:8. κράξας λέγει he cried out Mk 5:7; 9:24 (cp. TestAbr B 6 p. 109, 29 [Stone p. 66] κράζων καὶ λέγων; ApcEsdr 1:2 κράξας λέγων).

ι. Now and then short exprs. with λ. are inserted as parentheses (B-D-F §465, 2; Rob. 434): πολλοί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ζητήσουσιν many, I tell you, will seek Lk 13:24. ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ λέγω 2 Cor 11:21b. ὡς τέκνοις λέγω 6:13.

κ. ptc. w. the article τὰ λεγόμενα what was said (EpArist 215, 298; TestSol 15:13; ApcEsdr 2:15; Jos., Ant. 3, 85; 207; Just., D. 46, 4; 115, 1) Lk 18:34. προσεῖχον τ. λεγομένοις ὑπὸ τ. Φιλίππου (προσέχω 2b) Ac 8:6 (προσέχ. τοῖς λεγ. as Jos., Ant. 13, 303; τὰ λ. ὑπό τινος as Bell. 7, 56; 423; Esth 3:3, also Nicol. Dam.: 90 Fgm. 24, p. 408, 19 ὑπὸ τῶν μάντεων; Fgm. 30 p. 417, 23 Jac.; Epict. 1, 18, 1; SIG 679, 87). τὰ ἢ λεχθέντα ἢ πραχθέντα (Ps.-Libanius, Charact. Ep. p. 48, 18; 64, 18; Jos., C. Ap. 1, 55) Papias (2:15) in Eus., HE 3, 39, 15 (=Geb., Harn., Zahn 15, p. 72, 17).

② to express oneself in a specific way, say

ⓐ ask w. direct question foll: Mt 9:14; 15:1; 18:1; Mk 5:30f. ὁ διδάσκαλος λέγει the Master asks 14:14. W. dat. of pers. and a direct question foll.: Mt 9:28a; 15:34; 16:15; 20:6.

ⓑ answer (Lucian, Syr. Dea 18; TestSol 5:8 al.; ApcMos 5) Mt 17:25; Mk 8:24; J 1:21; 18:17b. W. dat. of pers. and direct discourse: Mt 4:10; 8:26; 9:28b; 14:17; 15:33; 18:22; 19:7, 20 al. W. dat of pers. and direct discourse introduced by ὅτι Mt 19:8.

ⓒ order, command, direct, enjoin, recommend more or less emphatically (Syntipas p. 9, 4; Num 32:27; TestSol 4:7 D; TestAbr A 17 p. 98, 21 [Stone p. 44]) τὶ someth. 2 Cl 6:4. ἃ λέγω Lk 6:46. τί τινι command someone (to do) someth. ὅ τι ἂν λέγῃ ὑμῖν J 2:5b (TestAbr A 4 p. 81, 8 [Stone p. 10]); cp. Ac 21:23 (s. Num 32:31). ὅ ὑμῖν λέγω, πᾶσιν λέγω, γρηγορεῖτε the order I give to you I give to everyone: be on your guard! Mk 13:37 (for the formal nuance cp. reff. at end of this parag.). Gener. w. dat. of pers. and direct discourse foll.: Mt 5:44; 6:25; 8:4, 9; 26:52; Mk 3:3, 5; 5:8; 6:10; Lk 6:27; 7:8; J 2:7f. W. dat. of pers. and inf. foll.: Rv 10:9; 13:14; w. an inf. and a negative forbid (X., An. 7, 1, 40) Mt 5:34, 39.—Here belongs χαίρειν τινὶ λέγειν (Epict. 3, 22, 64) extend a greeting to someone, since the greeting consists in saying χαῖρε=‘may you prosper’ 2J 10f. W. ἵνα foll. recommend that, tell to τῷ λαῷ λέγων … ἵνα πιστεύσωσιν Ac 19:4. οὐ περὶ ἐκείνης λέγω ἵνα ἐρωτήσῃ I do not recommend that anyone should pray about that (sin) 1J 5:16. W. inf. foll.: Ro 2:22.—τάδε λέγει is the formal style of one who is giving an order (introductory formula for the edicts of the Persian kings [IMagnMai 115, 4]; in the OT a favorite method of introducing a prophetic statement [Thackeray p. 11]) Ac 21:11, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14 (s. Gerhard, Philol. 64, 1905, 27ff; Thieme 23; GRudberg, Eranos 11, 1911, 177f; LLafoscade, De epistulis imperatorum 1902, 63 and 77. Roman edicts gener. use the simple λέγει as in the praescriptio of SEG IX, 8 I, 1–3 αὐτοκράτωρ Καίσαρ Σεβαστὸς … λέγει; also by Augustus: Jos., Ant., 16, 162; s. MBenner, The Emperor Says ’75).

ⓓ assure, assert; w. direct discourse foll. Esp. in the formulas λέγω σοι, λ. ὑμῖν, ἀμὴν (ἀμὴν) λ. ὑμῖν (TestAbr A 8 p. 85, 19f [Stone p. 18]) Mt 11:22; 12:31; 19:24; 23:39; Mk 11:24; Lk 4:25; 7:9, 28; 9:27.—Mt 5:26; 6:2, 5; 8:10; Mk 3:28; 9:41; 10:15; Lk 4:24; 18:17, 29; 23:43; J 1:51; 3:3, 5, 11; 5:19, 24f; 6:26, 32 al.

ⓔ maintain, declare, proclaim as teaching, w. direct discourse foll.: Gal 4:1; 1J 2:4. Foll. by acc. and inf. (X., Symp. 5, 5) Mt 22:23; Mk 12:18; Lk 20:41; 23:2b; Ro 15:8; 2 Ti 2:18. Foll. by ὅτι and direct discourse Mk 12:35b; 1 Cor 15:12. W. dat. of pers. and direct discourse after ὅτι Mt 5:20, 22, 28, 32; 8:11 al. Someth. like interpret εἰς w. ref. to Eph 5:32.—σὺ λέγεις (that is what) you maintain Mt 27:11; Mk 15:2; Lk 23:3 (cp. σὺ εἶπας Mt 26:25 and s. εἶπον 1a). Cp. also Lk 22:70; J 18:37 (s. OMerlier, RevÉtGr 46, ’33, 204–19; Goodsp., Probs. 64–68 [strong affirmative, yes]; MSmith, JBL 64, ’45, 506–10 [intentionally ambiguous, so you say, Tannaitic Parallels to the Gospels, ’51, 27–30]; DCatchpole, NTS 17, ’70/71, 213–26). τί λέγει ἡ γνῶσις; what does Gnosis teach about this? With the answer in direct discourse B 6:9 (cp. Epict. 3, 13, 11 καὶ τί λέγει [i.e., ὁ λόγος ὁ τῶν φιλοσόφων=philosophy]; direct discourse follows).

ⓕ of written communications (Hdt. 3, 40; 122; 8, 140; UPZ 68, 5 [152 B.C.]; Jos., Ant. 13, 80) 1 Cor 6:5; 7:6; 15:51; 2 Cor 6:13; 8:8; Gal 5:2; Phil 4:11; Col 2:4; Phlm 21, al. in Paul.

③ to inform about / tell of someth., speak, report (Diog. L. 1, 31) τινί to someone Mk 7:36. τὶ about someth. (X., Cyr. 1, 2, 16 νῦν λέξομεν τὰς Κύρου πράξεις) τὴν ἔξοδον αὐτοῦ of his death (lit., departure) Lk 9:31. τὰ περὶ τ. βασιλείας Ac 1:3. τὰ γινόμενα ὑπʼ αὐτῶν αἰσχρόν ἐστιν καὶ λέγειν it is a disgrace even to speak of the things they do Eph 5:12 (Demosth. 10, 27 ὸ̔ … οὔτε λέγειν ἄξιον). τινὶ περί τινος bring a report about someone to someone Mk 1:30; 8:30. Likew. τινί τινα Phil 3:18.

④ to identify in a specific manner, call, name (Aeschyl. et al.) w. double acc. (Epict. 2, 19, 19 τί Στωικὸν ἔλεγες σεαυτόν; Diog. L. 8, 88 τὴν ἡδονὴν λέγειν τὸ ἀγαθόν=call pleasure the [real] good; 2 Macc 4:2; Just., D. 61, 1 ἀρχηστρατηγὸν ἑαυτὸν λέγει) τινά τι describe someone as someth. τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; why do you call me good? Mk 10:18; Lk 18:19. Δαυὶδ λέγει αὐτὸν κύριον David calls him Lord Mk 12:37. πατέρα ἴδιον ἔλεγεν τὸν θεόν he called God his Father J 5:18. οὐκέτι λέγω ὑμᾶς δούλους I no longer call you slaves 15:15; cp. Ac 10:28; Rv 2:20. Pass. be called, named Mt 13:55; Hb 11:24. ὁ λεγόμενος the so-called (Epict. 4, 1, 51 οἱ βασιλεῖς λεγόμενοι; Socrat., Ep. 14, 7 ὁ λ. θάνατος) λεγόμενοι θεοί so-called gods 1 Cor 8:5 (Herm. Wr. 2, 14 the λεγόμενοι θεοί in contrast to μόνος ὁ θεός. Somewhat differently Jos., Ant. 12, 125 Ἀντίοχος ὁ παρὰ τοῖς Ἕλλησιν θεὸς λεγόμενος). οἱ λεγόμενοι ἀκροβυστία ὑπὸ τῆς λ. περιτομῆς those who are called ‘the uncircumcised’ (i.e. gentiles) by the so-called circumcision (i.e. Jews) Eph 2:11. ὁ λεγόμενος (B-D-F §412, 2; Rob. 1107; cp. BGU 1117, 9 [13 B.C.]; PRyl 133, 11; 137, 19; 2 Macc 12:17; 14:6; 3 Macc 1:3; TestAbr B 13 p. 118, 14 [Stone p. 84]; TestJob 46:5; 47:1; Just., A I, 22, 1, D. 32, 1) who is called … Mt 1:16; 27:17; whose surname is (Appian, Liby. 49 §213 Ἄννων ὁ μέγας λεγόμενος; Jos., Ant. 13, 370, Vi. 4) 10:2; Col 4:11; by name Mt 9:9; 26:3, 14; 27:16; Mk 15:7; Lk 22:47; J 9:11.—Of things: of the name of a star Rv 8:11. Of place-names (BGU 326, 19 [II A.D.]; 2 Macc 9:2; 12:21) Mt 2:23; 26:36; J 4:5; 11:54; 19:13; Ac 3:2; 6:9; Hb 9:3. Of the local, vernacular name λ. Ἑβραϊστί J 5:2 v.l.; 19:17b.—In the transl. of foreign words (which) means: ὅ ἐστιν κρανίου τόπος λεγόμενος which means ‘Place of a Skull’ Mt 27:33b. Cp. also J 4:25; 11:16; 20:24; 21:2. Also ὸ̔ λέγεται 20:16. ὸ̔ λ. μεθερμηνευόμενον which, when translated, means 1:38. ἣ διερμηνευομένη λέγεται Ac 9:36.—Other exx. of the significance mean (Aeschyl. et al.) are Gal 4:1; 2 Cl 6:4; 8:6 Cp. 1bβ.—B. 1253f; 1257; 1277. DELG. M-M. EDNT. TW. Sv. S. λόγος, ῥῆμα, λαλέω.

ἐπερωτάω (s. ἐρωτάω); impf. ἐπηρώτων; fut. ἐπερωτήσω; 1 aor. ἐπηρώτησα. Pass.: 1 aor. subj. 2 sg. ἐπερωτηθῇς Sir 32:7; Just., D. 50, 1; ptc. ἐπερωτηθείς (Hdt., Thu.+).

① to put a question to, ask

ⓐ gener. τινά Mk 9:32; 12:34; Mt 22:46; Lk 2:46; 1 Cor 14:35. τινά τι someone about someth. (Aeschines 1, 79) αὐτὸν τὴν παραβολήν they asked him about the parable Mk 7:17; cp. 11:29; Lk 20:40; Hm 4, 1, 4. τινὰ περί τινος (Hdt. 1, 32; Demosth. 43, 66; PFlor 331, 3) Mk 10:10; J 16:19 D. W. acc. of pers. and foll. by a question introduced by λέγων (TestJos 11:2) Mt 12:10; 17:10; 22:23; Mk 9:11; 12:18; Lk 3:10 al. Foll. by εἰ and a dir. question εἴ τι βλέπεις; do you see someth.? Mk 8:23 or an indirect question (PHib 72, 15 [241 B.C.]; Jos., Ant. 12, 163) Mk 10:2; 15:44; Lk 6:9; 23:6 (ἐρωτάω P⁷⁵ but s. ed. note); Ac 5:8 D. Followed by other questions, direct Mk 5:9; 7:5; 9:16, 28 al. and indirect (X., Hell. 6, 4, 2; Oec. 6, 6) Lk 8:9; 17:20; Ac 23:34; 2 Cl 12:2. τί ἄρα ἔσται αὐτοῖς what will happen to them Hm 11:2. Abs. Ox 654, 23 (=GTh 4; ASyn. 256, 54; context mutilated, s. Fitzmyer, Oxy 523).

ⓑ of a judge’s questioning (interrogation) in making an investigation (cp. PYadin 17, 38 of contractual process) Mt 27:11; Mk 14:60f; 15:2, 4; J 9:19 v.l., 23; 18:21 v.l.; Ac 5:27.

ⓒ The usage of the word w. regard to questioning deities (Hdt. 1, 53, 1 and oft.; SIG 977, 24; 1160; 1168, 16; Jos., Ant. 6, 123) approaches the mng. in the LXX: ἐ. τὸν θεόν, τὸν κύριον etc. inquire after God, i.e. after the thought, purpose, or will of God Ro 10:20 (Is 65:1).

② to make a request, ask for τινά τι ask someone for someth. (Ps 136:3) αὐτὸν σημεῖον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ Mt 16:1.—DELG s.v. ἐρέω. M-M. TW.

ἄν (A), [pron. full] [ᾰ], [dialect] Ep., Lyr., [dialect] Ion., Arc., [dialect] Att.; also κεν) [dialect] Ep., [dialect] Aeol., Thess., κᾱ [dialect] Dor., [dialect] Boeot., El.; the two combined in [dialect] Ep. (infr. D. 11.2) and Arc.,

A

εἰκ ἄν IG5(2).6.2

, 15 (iv B. C.):—modal Particle used with Verbs to indicate that the action is limited by circumstances or defined by conditions. In Hom. κε is four times as common as ἄν, in Lyr. about equally common. No clear distinction can be traced, but κε as an enclitic is somewhat less emphatic; ἄν is preferred by Hom. in negative clauses, κε ([etym.] ν) with the relative.

A In Simple Sentences, and in the Apodosis of Compound Sentences; here ἄν belongs to the Verb, and denotes that the assertion made by the Verb is dependent on a condition, expressed or implied: thus ἦλθεν he came, ἦλθεν ἄν he would have come (under conditions, which may or may not be defined), and so he might have come; ἔλθοι may he come, ἔλθοι ἄν he would come (under certain conditions), and so he might come.

I WITH INDICATIVE:

1 with historical tenses, generally [tense] impf. and [tense] aor., less freq. [tense] plpf., never [tense] pf., v. infr.,

a most freq. in apodosis of conditional sentences, with protasis implying nonfulfilment of a past or present condition, and apod. expressing what would be or would have been the case if the condition were or had been fulfilled. The [tense] impf. with ἄν refers to continued action, in Hom. always in past time, exc. perh.

καί κε θάμ' ἐνθάδ' ἐόντες ἐμισγόμεθ' Od.4

. 178; later also in [tense] pres. time, first in Thgn.905; πολὺ ἂν θαυμαστότερον ἦν, εἰ ἐτιμῶντο it would be far more strange if they were honoured, Pl.R. 489a; οὐκ ἂν νήσων ἐκράτει, εἰ μή τι καὶ ναυτικὸν εἶχεν he would not have been master of islands if he had not had also some naval power, Th.1.9. The [tense] aor. strictly refers only to past time, Pi.N.11.24, etc.; εἰ τότε ταύτην ἔσχε τὴν γνώμην, οὐδὲν ἂν ὧν νυνὶ πεποίηκεν ἔπραξεν if he had then come to this opinion, he would have accomplished nothing of what he has now done, D.4.5, al., but is used idiomatically with Verbs of saying, answering, etc., as we say I should have said,

εἰ μὴ πατὴρ ἦσθ', εἶπον ἄν σ' οὐκ εὖ φρονεῖν S.Ant. 755

, cf. Pl.Smp. 199d, Euthphr. 12d, etc.: the [tense] plpf. refers to completed actions, as ὃ εἰ ἀπεκρίνω, ἱκανῶς ἂν ἤδη παρὰ σοῦ τὴν ὁσιότητα ἐμεμαθήκη I should have already learnt.., ib. 14c;

εἰ ὁ ἀνὴρ ἀπέθανεν, δικαίως ἂν ἐτεθνήκει Antipho 4.2.3

.

b the protasis is freq. understood: ὑπό κεν ταλασίφρονά περ δέος εἷλεν fear would have seized even the stout-hearted (had he heard the sound), Il.4.421; τὸ γὰρ ἔρυμα τῷ στρατοπέδῳ οὐκ ἂν ἐτειχίσαντο they would not have built the wall (if they had not won a battle), Th.1.11; πολλοῦ γὰρ ἂν ἦν ἄξια for (if that were so) they would be worth much, Pl.R. 374d; οὐ γὰρ ἦν ὅ τι ἂν ἐποιεῖτε for there was nothing which you could have done, i. e. would have done (if you had tried), D.18.43.

c with no definite protasis understood, to express what would have been likely to happen, or might have happened in past time: ἢ γάρ μιν ζωόν γε κιχήσεαι, ἤ κεν Ὀρέστης κτεῖνεν ὑποφθάμενος for either you will find him alive, or else Orestes may already have killed him before you, Od.4.546; ὃ θεασάμενος πᾶς ἄν τις ἀνὴρ ἠράσθη δάϊος εἶναι every man who saw this (the 'Seven against Thebes') would have longed to be a warrior, Ar. Ra. 1022; esp. with τάχα, q. v., ἀλλ' ἦλθε μὲν δὴ τοῦτο τοὔνειδος τάχ' ἂν ὀργῇ βιασθὲν μᾶλλον ἢ γνώμῃ φρενῶν, i. e. it might perhaps have come, S.OT 523; τάχα ἂν δὲ καὶ ἄλλως πως ἐσπλεύσαντες (sc. διέβησαν ) and they might also perhaps have crossed by sea (to Sicily) in some other way, Th.6.2, cf. Pl.Phdr. 265b.

d ἄν is freq. omitted in apodosi with Verbs expressing obligation, propriety, or possibility, as ἔδει, ἐχρῆν, εἰκὸς ἦν, etc., and sts. for rhetorical effect, εἰ μὴ.. ᾖσμεν, φόβον παρέσχεν it had caused (for it would have caused) fear, E.Hec. 1113. This use becomes more common in later Gk.

2 with [tense] fut. ind.:

a frequently in [dialect] Ep., usu. with κεν, rarely ἄν, Il.9.167, 22.66, indicating a limitation or condition, ὁ δέ κεν κεχολώσεται ὅν κεν ἵκωμαι and he will likely be angry to whom- soever I shall come, ib.1.139; καί κέ τις ὧδ' ἐρέει and in that case men will say, 4.176;

ἐγὼ δέ κέ τοι καταλέξω Od.3.80

; so in Lyr.,

μαθὼν δέ τις ἂν ἐρεῖ Pi.N.7.68

, cf. I.6(5).59.

b rarely in codd. of [dialect] Att. Prose writers,

σαφὲς ἂν καταστήσετε Th.1.140

;

οὐχ ἥκει, οὐδ' ἂν ἥξει δεῦρο Pl.R. 615d

, cf. Ap. 29c, X.An.2.5.13; dub. in Hp.Mul.2.174: in later Prose, Philostr. V A2.21, S E.M.9.225: also in Poetry, E.El. 484, Ar.Av. 1313;

οὐκ ἂν προδώσω Herod.6.36

(corr. - δοίην):— for ἄν with [tense] fut. inf. and part. v. infr.

II WITH SUBJUNCTIVE, only in [dialect] Ep., the meaning being the same as with the [tense] fut. ind. (1.2a), freq. with [ per.] 1st pers., as εἰ δέ κε μὴ δώῃσιν, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι in that case I will take her myself, Il.1.324; πείθευ, ἐγὼ δέ κέ τοι εἰδέω χάριν obey and if so I will be grateful, 14.235 (the subj. is always introduced by δέ in this usage); also with other persons, giving emphasis to the future,

οὐκ ἄν τοι χραίσμῃ κίθαρις 3.54

, al.

III WITH OPTATIVE (never [tense] fut., rarely [tense] pf. πῶς ἂν λελήθοι [με]; X.Smp.3.6):

a in apodosis of conditional sentences, after protasis in opt. with εἰ or some other conditional or relative word, expressing a [tense] fut. condition:

ἀλλ' εἴ μοί τι πίθοιο, τό κεν πολὺ κέρδιον εἴη Il.7.28

;

οὐ πολλὴ ἂν ἀλογία εἴη, εἰ φοβοῖτο τὸν θάνατον; Pl.Phd. 68b

:—in Hom. [tense] pres. and [tense] aor. opt. with κε or ἄν are sts. used like [tense] impf. and [tense] aor. ind. with ἄν in Attic, with either regular ind. or another opt. in the protasis: καί νύ κεν ἔνθ' ἀπόλοιτο.. εἰ μὴ.. νόησε κτλ., i. e. he would have perished, had she not perceived, etc., Il.5.311, cf. 5.388, 17.70; εἰ νῦν ἐπὶ ἄλλῳ ἀεθλεύοιμεν, ἦ τ' ἂν ἐγὼ.. κλισίηνδε φεροίμην if we were now contending in another's honour, I should now carry.., ib.23.274: so rarely in Trag., οὐδ' ἂν σὺ φαίης, εἴ σε μὴ κνίζοι λέχος (for εἰ μὴ ἔκνιζε) E.Med. 568.

b with protasis in [tense] pres. or [tense] fut., the opt. with ἄν in apodosi takes a simply future sense: φρούριον δ' εἰ ποιήσονται, τῆς μὲν γῆς βλάπτοιεν ἄν τι μέρος they might perhaps damage, Th.1.142, cf. 2.60, Pl.Ap. 25b, R. 333e;

ἢν οὖν μάθῃς.. οὐκ ἂν ἀποδοίην Ar.Nu. 116

, cf. D.1.26, al.

c with protasis understood:

φεύγωμεν· ἔτι γάρ κεν ἀλύξαιμεν κακὸν ἦμαρ Od.10.269

; οὔτε ἐσθίουσι πλείω ἢ δύνανται φέρειν· διαρραγεῖεν γὰρ ἄν for (if they should do so) they would burst, X. Cyr.8.2.21; τὸν δ' οὔ κε δύ' ἀνέρε.. ἀπ' οὔδεος ὀχλίσσειαν two men could not heave the stone from the ground, i. e. would not, if they should try, Il.12.447;

οὐδ' ἂν δικαίως ἐς κακὸν πέσοιμί τι S.Ant. 240

, cf. D.2.8: in Hom. sts. with ref. to past time,

Τυδεΐδην οὐκ ἂν γνοίης ποτέροισι μετείη Il.5.85

.

d with no definite protasis implied, in potential sense: ἡδέως δ' ἂν ἐροίμην Λεπτίνην but I would gladly ask Leptines, D.20.129; βουλοίμην ἄν I should like , Lat. velim (but ἐβουλόμην ἄν I should wish, if it were of any avail, vellem); ποῖ οὖν τραποίμεθ' ἄν; which way then can we turn? Pl.Euthd. 290a; οὐκ ἂν μεθείμην τοῦ θρόνου I will not give up the throne, Ar.Ra. 830; idiomatically, referring to the past, αὗται δὲ οὐκ ἂν πολλαὶ εἶεν but these would not (on investigation) prove to be many, Th.1.9; εἴησαν δ' ἂν οὗτοι Κρῆτες these would be (i. e. would have been) Cretans, Hdt.1.2: used in order to soften assertions by giving them a less positive form, as οὐκ ἂν οὖν πάνυ γέ τι σπουδαῖον εἴη ἡ δικαιοσύνη, i.e. it would not prove to be, etc. (for, it is not, etc.), Pl.R. 333e.

e in questions, expressing a wish:

τίς ἂν θεῶν.. δοίη; S.OC 1100

, cf.A.Ag. 1448;

πῶς ἂν θάνοιμι; S.Aj. 389

: hence (with no question) as a mild command, exhortation, or entreaty,

τλαίης κεν Μενελάῳ ἐπιπροέμεν ταχὺν ἰόν Il.4.94

; σὺ μὲν κομίζοις ἂν σεαυτὸν ᾗ θέλεις you may take yourself off (milder than κόμιζε σεαυτόν), S.Ant. 444; χωροῖς ἂν εἴσω you may go in, El. 1491; κλύοις ἂν ἤδη, Φοῖβε hear me now, Phoebus, ib. 637; φράζοις ἄν, λέγοις ἄν, Pl.Phlb. 23c, 48b.

f in a protasis which is also an apodosis: εἴπερ ἄλλῳ τῳ ἀνθρώπων πειθοίμην ἄν, καὶ σοὶ πείθομαι if I would trust any (other) man (if he gave me his word), I trust you, Id.Prt. 329b; εἰ μὴ ποιήσαιτ' ἂν τοῦτο if you would not do this (if you could), D.4.18, cf. X.Mem.1.5.3, Plot.6.4.16.

g rarely omitted with opt. in apodosis:

ῥεῖα θεός γ' ἐθέλων καὶ τηλόθεν ἄνδρα σαώσαι Od.3.231

, cf. 14.123, Il.5.303; also in Trag.,

θᾶσσον ἢ λέγοι τις E.Hipp. 1186

;

τεὰν δύνασιν τίς.. κατάσχοι; S.Ant. 605

.

h ἄν c. [tense] fut. opt. is prob. always corrupt (cf. 1.2b), as τὸν αὐτὸν ἂν ἐπαινέσοι ( ἐπαινέσαι Bekk.) Pl.Lg. 719e; εἰδὼς ὅτι οὐδέν' ἂν καταλήψοιτο ( οὐδένα Bekk.) Lys.1.22.

IV WITH INF. and PART. (sts. ADJ. equivalent to part.,

τῶν δυνατῶν ἂν κρῖναι Pl.R. 577b

) representing ind. or opt.:

1 [tense] pres. inf. or part.:

a representing [tense] impf. ind., οἴεσθε τὸν πατέρα.. οὐκ ἂν φυλάττειν; do you think he would not have kept them safe? ([etym.] οὐκ ἂν ἐφύλαττεν), D.49.35; ἀδυνάτων ἂν ὄντων [ὑμῶν] ἐπιβοηθεῖν when you would have been unable, Th.1.73, cf. 4.40.

b representing [tense] pres. opt., πόλλ' ἂν ἔχων (representing ἔχοιμ' ἄν)

ἕτερ' εἰπεῖν παραλείπω D. 18.258

, cf. X.An.2.3.18: with Art.,

τὸ ἐθέλειν ἂν ἰέναι ἄκλητος ἐπὶ δεῖπνον Pl.Smp. 174b

.

2 [tense] aor. inf. or part.:

a representing [tense] aor. ind., οὐκ ἂν ἡγεῖσθ' αὐτὸν κἂν ἐπιδραμεῖν; do you not think he would even have run thither? ([etym.] καὶ ἐπέδραμεν ἄν), D.27.56; ἴσμεν ὑμᾶς ἀναγκασθέντας ἄν we know you would have been compelled, Th.1.76, cf. 3.89; ῥᾳδίως ἂν ἀφεθείς when he might easily have been acquitted, X.Mem.4.4.4.

b representing [tense] aor. opt., οὐδ' ἂν κρατῆσαι αὐτοὺς τῆς γῆς ἡγοῦμαι I think they would not even be masters of the land ([etym.] οὐδ' ἂν κρατήσειαν), Th.6.37, cf. 2.20; ὁρῶν ῥᾳδίως ἂν αὐτὸ ληφθέν ([etym.] ληφθείη ἄν) Id.7.42; οὔτε ὄντα οὔτε ἂν γενόμενα, i.e. things which are not and never could happen ([etym.] ἃ οὔτε ἂν γένοιτο), Id.6.38.

3 [tense] pf. inf. or part. representing:

a [tense] plpf. ind., πάντα ταῦθ' ὑπὸ τῶν βαρβάρων ἂν ἑαλωκέναι ([etym.] φήσειεν ἄν ) he would say that all these would have been destroyed by the barbarians ([etym.] ἑαλώκη ἄν), D.19.312.

b [tense] pf. opt., οὐκ ἂν ἡγοῦμαι αὐτοὺς δίκην ἀξίαν δεδωκέναι, εἰ.. καταψηφίσαισθε I do not believe they would (then) have suffered ([etym.] δεδωκότες ἂν εἶεν) punishment enough, etc., Lys.27.9.

4 [tense] fut. inf.or part., never in [dialect] Ep., and prob. always corrupt in [dialect] Att., νομίζων μέγιστον ἂν σφᾶς ὠφελήσειν (leg. - ῆσαι) Th.5.82, cf. 6.66, 8.25,71; part. is still more exceptional,

ὡς ἐμοῦ οὐκ ἂν ποιήσοντος ἄλλα Pl.Ap. 30c

(codd.), cf. D.19.342 (v. l.); both are found in later Gk.,

νομίσαντες ἂν οἰκήσειν οὕτως ἄριστα Plb.8.30.8

, cf. Plu.Marc.15, Arr.An.2.2.3; with part., Epicur. Nat.14.1, Luc.Asin.26, Lib.Or.62.21, dub. l. in Arr.An.6.6.5.

B IN DEPENDENT CLAUSES.

I In the protasis of conditional sentences with εἰ, regularly with the subjunctive. In Attic εἰ ἄν is contracted into ἐάν, ἤν, or ἄν ([etym.] ᾱ) (q. v.): Hom. has generally εἴ κε (or αἴ κε), sts. ἤν, once

εἰ δ' ἄν Il.3.288

, twice

εἴπερ ἄν 5.224

, 232. The protasis expresses either future condition (with apod. of [tense] fut. time) or general condition (with apod. of repeated action): εἰ δέ κεν ὣς ἔρξῃς καί τοι πείθωνται Ἀχαιοί, γνώσῃ ἔπειθ' ὅς .. if thus thou shalt do.., ib.2.364; ἢν ἐγγὺς ἔλθῃ θάνατος, οὐδεὶς βούλεται θνῄσκειν if death (ever) come near.., E.Alc. 671.

2 in relative or temporal clauses with a conditional force; here ἄν coalesces with ὅτε, ὁπότε, ἐπεί, ἐπειδή, cf. ὅταν, ὁπόταν, ἐπήν or ἐπάν ([dialect] Ion. ἐπεάν) , ἐπειδάν: Hom. has ὅτε κε (sts. ὅτ' ἄν) , ὁππότε κε (sts. ὁπότ' ἄν or ὁππότ' ἄν) , ἐπεί κε (

ἐπεὶ ἄν Il.6.412

), ἐπήν, εὖτ' ἄν; v. also εἰσόκε ([etym.] εἰς ὅ κε):—τάων ἥν κ' ἐθέλωμι φίλην ποιήσομ' ἄκοιτιν whomsoever of these I may wish.., Il.9.397; ὅταν δὴ μὴ σθένω, πεπαύσομαι when I shall have no strength.., S.Ant.91; ἐχθρὸς γάρ μοι κεῖνος.. ὅς χ' ἕτερον μὲν κεύθῃ ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ἄλλο δὲ εἴπῃ who ever conceals one thing in his mind and speaks another, Il.9.312, cf. D.4.6, Th.1.21. —Hom. uses subj. in both the above constructions (1 and 2 ) without ἄν; also Trag. and Com., S.Aj. 496, Ar.Eq. 805; μέχρι and πρίν occasionally take subj. without ἄν in prose, e.g. Th.1.137,4.16 ([etym.] μέχρι οὗ), Pl.Phd. 62c, Aeschin.3.60.

3 in final clauses introduced by relative Advbs., as ὡς, ὅπως (of Manner), ἵνα (of Place), ὄφρα, ἕως, etc. (of Time), freq. in [dialect] Ep.,

σαώτερος ὥς κε νέηαι Il.1.32

;

ὄφρα κεν εὕδῃ Od.3.359

;

ὅπως ἂν εἰδῇ.. φράσω A.Pr. 824

;

ὅπως ἂν φαίνηται κάλλιστος Pl.Smp. 198e

;

μηχανητέον ὅπως ἂν διαφύγῃ Grg. 481a

(where ὅπως with [tense] fut. ind. is the regular constr.); also after ὡς in Hdt., Trag., X.An.2.5.16, al., once in Th.6.91 (but [tense] fut. ind. is regular in [dialect] Att.); ἵνα final does not take ἄν or κε exc.

ἵνα εἰδότες ἤ κε θάνωμεν ἤ κεν.. φύγοιμεν Od.12.156

( ἵνα = where in S.OC 405). μή, = lest, takes ἄν only with opt. in apodosis, as S.Tr. 631, Th.2.93.

II in [dialect] Ep. sts. with OPTATIVE as with subj. (always κε ([etym.] ν), exc.

εἴ περ ἂν αὐταὶ Μοῦσαι ἀείδοιεν Il.2.597

),

εἴ κεν Ἄρης οἴχοιτο Od.8.353

; ὥς κε.. δοίη ᾧ κ' ἐθέλοι that he might give her to whomsoever he might please, ib.2.54: so in Hdt. in final clauses, 1.75,99:—in Od.23.135 ὥς κέν τις φαίη, κέν belongs to Verb in apod., as in

ὡς δ' ἂν ἥδιστα ταῦτα φαίνοιτο X.Cyr.7.5.81

.

2 rarely in oratio obliqua, where a relat. or temp. word retains an ἄν which it would have with subj. in direct form, S.Tr. 687, X.Mem.1.2.6, Isoc.17.15;

ἐπειδὰν δοκιμασθείην D.30.6

:—similarly after a preceding opt.,

οὐκ ἀποκρίναιο ἕως ἂν.. σκέψαιο Pl.Phd. 101d

.

III rarely with εἰ and INDICATIVE in protasis, only in [dialect] Ep.:

1 with [tense] fut. ind. as with subj.:

αἴ κεν Ἰλίου πεφιδήσεται Il.15.213

:—so with relat.,

οἵ κέ με τιμήσουσι 1.175

.

2 with εἰ and a past tense of ind., once in Hom.,

εἰ δέ κ' ἔτι προτέρω γένετο δρόμος Il.23.526

; so Ζεὺς γάρ κ' ἔθηκε νῆσον εἴ κ' ἐβούλετο Orac. ap. Hdt.1.174, cf. Ar.Lys. 1099 (cod. R), A.R.1.197.

IV in later Greek, ἄν with relative words is used with INDICATIVE in all tenses, as

ὅπου ἂν εἰσεπορεύετο Ev.Marc.6.56

;

ὅσ' ἂν πάσχετε PFay. 136

(iv A. D.);

ἔνθ' ἂν πέφυκεν ἡ ὁλότης εἶναι Phlp. in Ph.436.19

; cf. ἐάν, ὅταν.

C with [tense] impf. and more rarely [tense] aor. ind. in ITERATIVE construction, to express elliptically a condilion fulfilled whenever an opportumty offered; freq. in Hdt. (not in Pi. or A.), κλαίεσκε ἂν καὶ ὀδυρέσκετο she would (i. e. used to) weep and lament, 3.119;

εἶτα πῦρ ἂν οὐ παρῆν S.Ph. 295

; εἴ τινες ἴδοιεν.., ἀνεθάρσησαν ἄν whenever they saw it, on each occasion, Th.7.71;

διηρώτων ἂν αὐτοὺς τί λέγοιεν Pl.Ap. 22b

: inf. representing [tense] impf. of this constr., ἀκούω Λακεδαιμονίους τότε ἐμβαλόντας ἂν.. ἀναχωρεῖν, i. e. I hear they used to retire ([etym.] ἀνεχώρουν ἄν), D.9.48.

D GENERAL REMARKS:

I POSITION OF ἄν.

1 in A, when ἄν does not coalesce with the relat. word (as in ἐάν, ὅταν), it follows directly or is separated only by other particles, as μέν, δέ, τε, ga/r, kai/, νυ, περ, etc.; as

εἰ μέν κεν.. εἰ δέ κε Il.3.281

-4; rarely by τις, as

ὅποι τις ἄν, οἶμαι, προσθῇ D.2.14

:—in Hom. and Hes. two such Particles may precede κε, as

εἴ περ γάρ κεν Od.8.355

, cf. Il.2.123; εἰ γάρ τίς κε, ὃς μὲν γάρ κε, Hes.Op. 280, 357; rarely in Prose,

ὅποι μὲν γὰρ ἄν D.4.45

;

ὁπότερος οὖν ἄν Ar.Ra. 1420

: also

ὁπόσῳ πλέον ἄν Pl.Lg. 647e

, cf. 850a;

ὅπου τὸ πάλαι λεγόμενον ἂν γίγνηται 739c

.

2 in apodosis, ἄν may stand either next to its Verb (before or after it), or after some other emphatic word, esp. an interrog., a negative (e. g. οὐδ' ἂν εἷς, οὐκ ἂν ἔτι, etc.), or an important Adjective or Adverb; also after a participle which represents the protasis, λέγοντος ἄν τινος πιστεῦσαι οἴεσθε; do you think they would have believed it if any one had told them? ([etym.] εἴ τις ἔλεγεν, ἐπίστευσαν ἄν), D.6.20.

3 ἄν is freq. separated from its inf. by such Verbs as οἴομαι, δοκέω, φημί, οἶδα, etc., οὐκ ἂν οἴει .. ; freq. in Pl., Grg. 486d, al.; καὶ νῦν ἡδέως ἄν μοι δοκῶ κοινωνῆσαι I think that I should, X.Cyr.8.7.25;

οὕτω γὰρ ἄν μοι δοκεῖ ἥ τε πόλις ἄριστα διοικεῖσθαι Aeschin.3.2

; ἃ μήτε προῄδει μηδεὶς μήτ' ἂν ᾠήθη τήμερον ῥηθῆναι (where ἄν belongs to ῥηθῆναι) D. 18.225:—in the phrase οὐκ οἶδ' ἂν εἰ, or οὐκ ἂν οἶδ' εἰ, ἄν belongs not to οἶδα, but to the Verb which follows, οὐκ οἶδ' ἂν εἰ πείσαιμι, for οὐκ οἶδα εἰ πείσαιμι ἄν, E.Med. 941, cf. Alc.48;

οὐκ ἂν οἶδ' εἰ δυναίμην Pl. Ti. 26b

;

οὐκ οἶδ' ἂν εἰ ἐκτησάμην X.Cyr.5.4.12

.

4 ἄν never begins a sentence, or even a clause after a comma, but may stand first after a parenthetic clause,

ἀλλ', ὦ μέλ', ἄν μοι σιτίων διπλῶν ἔδει Ar. Pax

<*>37.

II REPETITION OF ἄν:—in apodosis ἄν may be used twice or even three times with the same Verb, either to make the condition felt throughout a long sentence, or to emphasize certain words,

ὥστ' ἄν, εἰ σθένος λάβοιμι, δηλώσαιμ' ἄν S.El. 333

, cf. Ant.69, A.Ag. 340, Th.1.76 (fin.), 2.41, Pl.Ap. 31a, Lys.20.15;

ἀφανεῖς ἂν ὄντες οὐκ ἂν ὑμνήθημεν ἄν E.Tr. 1244

, cf. S.Fr. 739; attached to a parenthetical phrase, ἔδρασ' ἄν, εὖ τοῦτ' ἴσθ' ἄν, εἰ .. Id.OT 1438.

2 ἄν is coupled with κε ([etym.] ν ) a few times in Hom., as Il.11.187, 202, Od.5.361, al.; cf. ἤν περ γάρ κ' ἐθέλωσιν v.l. ib.18.318.

III ELLIPSIS OF VERB:—sts. the Verb to which ἄν belongs must be supplied, in Hom. only εἰμί, as τάτ' ἔλδεται ὅς κ' ἐπιδευής (sc. ᾖ) Il.5.481; ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν πρὸ τοῦ (sc. ἔρρεγκον) Ar.Nu.5; τί δ' ἂν δοκεῖ σοι Πρίαμος (sc. πρᾶξαι)

, εἰ τάδ' ἤνυσεν; A.Ag. 935

:—so in phrases like πῶς γὰρ ἄν; and πῶς οὐκ ἄν (sc. εἴη); also in ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ (or ὡσπερανεί), as φοβούμενος ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ παῖς (i. e. ὥσπερ ἂν ἐφοβήθη εἰ παῖς ἦν) Pl.Grg. 479a; so τοσοῦτον ἐφρόνησαν, ὅσον περ ἂν (sc. ἐφρόνησαν)

εἰ.. Isoc.10.48

:—so also when κἂν εἰ ( = καὶ ἂν εἰ) has either no Verb in the apod. or one to which ἄν cannot belong, Pl.R. 477a, Men. 72c; cf. κἄν:—so the Verb of a protasis containing ἄν may be understood, ὅποι τις ἂν προσθῇ, κἂν μικρὰν δύναμιν (i. e. καὶ ἐὰν προσθῇ) D.2.14; ὡς ἐμοῦ οὖν ἰόντος ὅπῃ ἂν καὶ ὑμεῖς (sc. ἴητε) X.An.1.3.6.

IV ELLIPSIS OF ἄν:—when an apodosis consists of several co-ordinate clauses, ἄν is generally used only in the first and understood in the others:

πείθοι' ἂν εἰ πείθοι'· ἀπειθοίης δ' ἴσως A.Ag. 1049

: even when the construction is continued in a new sentence, Pl.R. 352e, cf. 439b codd.: but ἄν is repeated for the sake of clearness or emphasis, ib. 398a, cf. D.19.156 (where an opt. is implied with the third ὡς): rarely expressed with the second of two co-ordinate Verbs and understood with the first, τοῦτον ἂν.. θαρσοίην ἐγὼ καλῶς μὲν ἄρχειν, εὖ δ' ἂν ἄρχεσθαι θέλειν (i. e. καλῶς μὲν ἂν ἄρχοι, εὖ δ' ἂν θέλοι ἄρχεσθαι) S.Ant. 669.

------------------------------------

ἄν (B), [pron. full] [ᾱ], [dialect] Att.,

A = ἐάν, ἤν, Th.4.46 codd., al.; freq. in Pl.,

ἂν σωφρονῇ Phd. 61b

; ἂν θεὸς θέλῃ ib. 80d, cf. D.4.50;

ἄν τ'.. ἄν τε Arist. Ath.48.4

: not common in earlier [dialect] Att. Inscrr., IG1.2a5, 2.179b49, al.: but freq. later, SIG1044.27 (iv/iii B. C.), PPetr.2p.47 (iii B. C.), PPar.32.19 (ii B. C.), PTeb.110.8 (i B. C.), Ev.Jo.20.23, etc.

------------------------------------

ἄν (C) or [full] ἀν, Epic form of ἀνά, q. v.

------------------------------------

ἄν (D), shortened from ἄνα, v. sub ἀνά G.

εἶπον (Hom.+) used as 2 aor. of λέγω ‘say’ (B-D-F §101, p. 46); subj. εἴπω, impv. εἶπον; inf. εἰπεῖν, ptc. εἰπών. Somet. takes 1 aor. endings (Meisterhans³-Schw. 184, 6; Schweizer 182; Mayser 331; EpArist index) εἶπα, εἶπας, εἶπαν; impv. εἰπόν Mk 13:4; Lk 22:67; Ac 28:26 (on the accent s. W-S. §6, 7d; Mlt-H. 58. On the other hand, εἶπον acc. to PKatz, TLZ 61, ’36, 284 and B-D-F §81, 1), εἰπάτω, εἴπατε (GrBar 13:2), εἰπάτωσαν; ptc. εἴπας Ac 7:37, fem. εἴπασα J 11:28 v.l.; Hv 3, 2, 3; 4, 3, 7. Fut. ἐρῶ; pf. εἴρηκα, 3 pl. εἰρήκασιν and εἴρηκαν (Rv 19:3), inf. εἰρηκέναι; plpf. εἰρήκειν. Pass. 1 aor. ἐρρέθην (ἐρρήθην v.l. Ro 9:12, 26; Gal 3:16), ptc. ῥηθείς; pf. εἴρηται, ptc. εἰρημένος (B-D-F §70, 1; 81, 1; 101 p. 46; W-S. §13, 13; Rob. index) ‘say, speak’

① to express a thought, opinion, or idea, say, tell

ⓐ w. direct or indirect obj. or equivalent τὸν λόγον Mt 26:44. ὅσα Lk 12:3. τί vs. 11; a parable tell (Artem. 4, 80 Μενεκράτης εἶπεν ὄνειρον) 19:11; the truth 2 Cor 12:6 and oft. τοῦτο ἀληθές this as someth. true= this truly J 4:18. τί εἴπω; what shall I say? J 12:27. As a rhetor. transition formula (s. also 3 below) τί ἐροῦμεν; what shall we say or conclude? what then? Ro 3:5; 6:1; 7:7; 9:14, 30. λόγον εἴς τινα say someth. against someone Lk 12:10; also κατά τινος Mt 5:11; 12:32. τί τινι say someth. to someone Gal 3:16. ἔχω σοί τι εἰπεῖν I have someth. to say to you (cp. Lucian, Tim. 20) Lk 7:40. τί εἴπω ὑμῖν; what shall I say to you? 1 Cor 11:22. τὶ πρός τινα say someth. to someone (Pla., Prot. 345c; Herodas 2, 84; Philostrat., Vi. Apoll. 6, 20, 6; Ex 23:13; Jos., Vi. 205) a parable Lk 12:16; speak w. reference to someone Mk 12:12; Lk 20:19. Also πρὸς ταῦτα to this Ro 8:31. τὶ περί τινος say someth. about someone or someth. (X., Vect. 4, 13) J 7:39; 10:41. εἰρήκει περὶ τοῦ θανάτου he had referred to death 11:13. ὑπὲρ (περὶ v.l.) οὗ ἐγὼ εἶπον of whom I spoke J 1:30 (introducing dir. speech). W. acc. of pers. ὸ̔ν εἶπον of whom I said vs. 15; cp. ὁ ῥηθείς the one who was mentioned Mt 3:3. εἰπεῖν τινα καλῶς speak well of someone Lk 6:26. κακῶς speak ill of someone Ac 23:5 (Ex 22:27). W. omission of the nearer obj., which is supplied fr. the context Lk 22:67; J 9:27 al. As an answer σὺ εἶπας sc. αὐτό you have said it is evasive or even a denial (as schol. on Pla. 112e Socrates says: σὺ ταῦτα εἶπες, οὐκ ἐγώ. S. also the refusal to give a clearly affirmative answer in Const. Apost. 15, 14, 4 οὐκ εἶπεν ὁ κύριος ‘ναί’, ἀλλʼ ὅτι ‘σὺ εἶπας’.—λέγω 2e end) Mt 26:25, 64.—W. indication of the pers., to whom someth. is said: in the dat. Mt 5:22; 8:10, 13, 19, 21 and oft. τινὶ περί τινος tell someone about someth. 17:13; J 18:34. Also πρός τινα for the dat. (Lucian, Dial. Mort. 1; Jos., Ant. 11, 210) Mk 12:7; Lk 1:13, 34, 61 and very oft. (w. acc. εἶπον τὸν ἄγγελον GrBar 6:3; 10:7).

ⓑ w. direct discourse foll.: Mt 2:8; 9:22; 12:24, 49; 14:29; 15:16, 32; 17:17 and very oft. οὐδὲ ἐροῦσιν= nor will they be able to say Lk 17:21 (cp. Herodas 4, 73 οὐδʼ ἐρεῖς, with direct discourse foll. as in Lk); of someth. said in the past J 14:28.—As a formula introducing an objection (Diod S 13, 21, 5 ἐροῦσί τινες ἴσως; Dio Chrys. 14 [31], 47 ἴσως οὖν ἐρεῖ τις) ἀλλὰ ἐρεῖ τις (X., Cyr. 4, 3, 10; Appian, Bell. Civ. 3, 16 §59 ἀλλὰ … ἐρεῖ τις; Ps.-Clem., Hom. 9, 16 p. 98, 1; 5 Lag.) 1 Cor 15:35; Js 2:18 (on various views, DVerseput, NTS 43, ’97, 108 n. 22). ἐρεῖς οὖν Ro 11:19; w. μοι added 9:19. πρὸς ἡμᾶς Ac 21:13 D. Inserted τίς οὖν αὐτῶν, εἰπέ, πλεῖον ἀγαπήσει αὐτόν; which one, tell me, will love him more? Lk 7:42 v.l.

ⓒ w. ὅτι foll. (Diod S 12, 16, 5; 12, 74, 3; Jos., Vi. 205) Mt 28:7, 13; J 7:42; 8:55; 16:15; 1J 1:6, 8, 10; 1 Cor 1:15; 14:23 al.

ⓓ w. acc. and inf. foll. Ro 4:1 (text uncertain).

ⓔ regularly used w. quotations: Tit 1:12; usually fr. the OT ἐρρέθη Ro 9:12; καθὼς εἴρηκεν Hb 4:3. τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου Mt 1:22. ὑπὸ τ. θεοῦ 22:31. διὰ τοῦ προφήτου Ac 2:16; cp. Mt 2:17, 23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 24:15 (Just., D. 27, 1 διὰ … Ἠσαίου οὕτως εἴρηται) al. τὸ εἰρημένον what is written Lk 2:24; Ac 13:40; Ro 4:18.—EHowind, De ratione citandi in Ciceronis Plutarchi Senecae Novi Testamenti scriptis obvia, diss. Marburg 1921.

ⓕ with questions w. direct discourse foll. (Epict. 3, 23, 18a=ask; Zech 1:9a) Mt 9:4; 17:19, 24; 18:21; 20:32; 26:15 al. W. dat. of pers. Mt 13:10, 27.

ⓖ w. adv. modifier ὁμοίως Mt 26:35. ὡσαύτως 21:30; or an adv. expr. ἐν παραβολαῖς in parables= parabolically 22:1. διὰ παραβολῆς using a parable Lk 8:4. W. καθὼς of someth. said in the past (Jos., Ant. 8, 273 καθὼς εἶπεν ὁ προφήτης; cp. Dt 1:21; 19:8; Is 41:22 τὰ ἐπερχόμενα εἴπατε ἡμῖν) Mt 28:6; Mk 14:16; Lk 22:13; cp. J 16:4. εἰπὲ λόγῳ say the word Lk 7:7; Mt 8:8. διὰ φωνῆς πνεύματος ἁγίου through the voice of the Holy Spirit AcPl Ha 11, 5.

② to answer a question, answer, reply (Ps.-Pla., De Virt. 2, 376d οὐκ ἔχω εἰπεῖν=I cannot answer that; Ps.-Pla., Eryx. 21 p. 401D ἔχειν εἰπεῖν=be able to answer) Mt 15:34; 16:14; 26:18 al. On its use w. ἀποκρίνεσθαι, freq. in narrative to denote transition, s. ἀποκρ. 2. Also without a preceding question in conversation Mt 14:18; 15:27; Mk 9:39; Lk 1:38 and oft.

③ to reach a conclusion by reasoning, conclude, as in the transitional formula τί ἐροῦμεν; what conclusion are we to draw? Ro 3:5; 6:1; 9:14, 30; on Ro 4:1 s. FDanker, in Gingrich Festschr. ’72, 103f. S. also 1a.

④ to apply a name or term to someone, call w. double acc. (Maximus Tyr. 14, 5c κόλακα τὸν Ὀδυσσέα; Diog. L. 6, 40 Diogenes the Cynic is called a ‘dog’; SibOr 4, 140) ἐκείνους εἶπεν θεούς J 10:35. ὑμᾶς εἴρηκα φίλους 15:15 (cp. Od. 19, 334; X., Apol. 15; Lucian, Tim. 20).

⑤ to give instructions or orders, tell, order (Ex 19:8b; 2 Ch 24:8; w. inf. foll.: Ex 35:1b; Wsd 9:8; Epict. 1, 14, 3 ὅταν [ὁ θεὸς] εἴπῃ τοῖς φυτοῖς ἀνθεῖν, ἀνθεῖ; Aberciusins. 17) εἶπεν δοθῆναι αὐτῇ φαγεῖν he ordered that she be given someth. to eat Mk 5:43. εἶπεν καὶ ταῦτα παρατιθέναι he told them to place this also before (the people) 8:7. W. ἵνα foll. Mt 4:3; Mk 9:18; Lk 4:3.

⑥ to tell oneself someth., think. Corresp. to אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ the expr. εἰπεῖν ἐν ἑαυτῷ (Esth 6:6; Tob 4:2 BA; S has ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ) means say to oneself or quietly, think (to oneself) Mt 9:3; Lk 7:39; 16:3; 18:4; also ἐν τῃ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ (Dt 8:17; 9:4; Ps 9:27; 13:1; s. above) Lk 12:45; Ro 10:6.—In mss. and edd. εἶπον freq. interchanges w. λαλέω, λέγω, φημί, and is v.l. in Mt 19:18; Mk 6:16; Lk 19:30; J 7:45, 50; 9:10; 13:24; Ac 23:7.—B. 1253f. DELG s.v. ἔπος 2. Frisk s.v. εἶπον and ἔπος. M-M. TW. Also s. λέγω.

ὑπέρ (Hom.+) prep. w. gen. and acc. (lit. s.v. ἀνά, beg. In addition to this, for ὑπέρ: LWenger, Die Stellvertretung im Rechte der Papyri 1896; ARobertson, The Use of ὑπέρ in Business Documents in the Papyri: Exp. 8th ser., 28, 1919, 321–27). The loc. sense ‘over, above’ is not found in our lit. (not in the LXX either, but in JosAs 14:4; ApcEsdr 1:9; Just., Tat., Ath.) but does appear in nonliteral senses. The mss. oft. fluctuate between ὑπέρ and περί; see A3 below.

A. w. gen.

① a marker indicating that an activity or event is in some entity’s interest, for, in behalf of, for the sake of someone/someth.

ⓐ w. gen. of pers. or human collective

α. after words that express a request, prayer, etc. After the verbs δέομαι (q.v. b), εὔχομαι (q.v. 1), προσεύχομαι (q.v.), ἐντυγχάνω (q.v. 1a; cp. b), ὑπερεντυγχάνω (q.v.), λιτανεύω (q.v.) etc. After the nouns δέησις (q.v., end) and προσευχή (q.v. 1). S. also 1 Ti 2:1f.

β. after words and expressions that denote working, caring, concerning oneself about. After the verbs ἀγρυπνέω (q.v. 2), ἀγωνίζομαι (q.v. 2b), μεριμνάω (q.v. 2), πρεσβεύω (q.v.) etc. After the nouns ζῆλος (q.v. 1), σπουδή (q.v. 2), ἔχειν πόνον (πόνος 1). ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν διάκονος Col 1:7.

γ. after expressions having to do w. sacrifice: ἁγιάζω (q.v. 2), ἁγνίζομαι (s. ἁγνίζω 3). τὸ πάσχα ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἑτύθη Χριστός 1 Cor 5:7 v.l. ἕως οὗ προσηνέχθη ὑπὲρ ἑνὸς ἑκάστου αὐτῶν ἡ προσφορά Ac 21:26 (προσφέρω 2a).—Eph 5:2; Hb 9:7.

δ. gener. εἶναι ὑπέρ τινος be for someone, be on someone’s side (PIand 16, 8 τὸ νόμιμον ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐστιν.—Opp. εἶναι κατά τινος) Mk 9:40; Lk 9:50; Ro 8:31.—ἐπιτρέπεταί σοι ὑπὲρ σεαυτοῦ λέγειν Ac 26:1 v.l. (for περί). ἵνα μὴ εἷς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἑνὸς φυσιοῦσθε κατὰ τοῦ ἑτέρου 1 Cor 4:6b. Cp. 2 Cor 1:11ab; 5:20b (δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ=as helpers of Christ we beg you. Also prob. is we beg you by or in the name of Christ [Apollon. Rhod. 3, 701 λίσσομʼ ὑπὲρ μακάρων=by the gods, in imitation of Il. 22, 338.—Theaetetus, III B.C.: Anth. Pal. 7, 499, 2]). τοῦτο φρονεῖν ὑπὲρ πάντων ὑμῶν to be thus minded in behalf of you all Phil 1:7 (perh. simply=about; s. 3 below); cp. 4:10 (think of me = care for, be interested in me).

ε. after expressions of suffering, dying, devoting oneself, etc. (JosAs 28:1 κύριος πολεμεῖ καθʼ ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ Ἀσενεθ ‘against us in behalf of Aseneth’; ApcEsdr 6:18 p. 31, 28 Tdf. δικάζεσθαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ γένους τῶν ἀνθρώπων) ἀποθνῄσκειν ὑπέρ τινος die for someone or someth. (ἀποθνῄσκω 1aα; also Jos., Ant. 13, 6) J 11:50–52; 18:14; Ro 5:7ab. τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ τίθησιν ὑπὲρ τινος (cp. Jos., Bell. 2, 201; Sir 29:15; ApcSed 1:5; Ar. 15, 10; Mel., P. 103, 791) J 10:11, 15; 13:37f; 15:13; 1J 3:16b.—Ro 16:4; 2 Cor 12:15; Eph 3:1, 13; Col 1:24a.—So esp. of the death of Christ (already referred to at least in part in some of the passages already mentioned. S. also above 1aγ and below 1c) for, in behalf of humanity, the world, etc.: Mk 14:24; Lk 22:19f; Ro 5:6, 8; 8:32; 14:15; 1 Cor 1:13 (where the hypothetical question μὴ Παῦλος ἐσταυρώθη ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν; was chosen for no other reason than its ref. to the redeeming death of Christ); 11:24; 15:3; Gal 2:20; 3:13; Eph 5:25; 1 Th 5:10 (v.l. περί); 1 Ti 2:6; Tit 2:14; Hb 2:9; 6:20; 1 Pt 2:21 (v.l. περί); 3:18a v.l.; 18b; 1J 3:16a; MPol 17:2ab (Just., A I, 50, 1 ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος).—AMetzinger, Die Substitutionstheorie u. das atl. Opfer, Biblica 21, ’40, 159–87, 247–72, 353–77; EBlakeney, ET 55, ’43/44, 306.

ⓑ w. gen. of thing, in which case it must be variously translated ὑπὲρ (τῶν) ἁμαρτιῶν in order to atone for (the) sins or to remove them 1 Cor 15:3; Gal 1:4; Hb 5:1b; 7:27; 9:7 (here ὑπὲρ … τῶν ἀγνοημάτων); 10:12; B 7:3, 4 (prophetic saying of unknown origin), 5f.—ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ζωῆς to bring life to the world J 6:51. ὑπὲρ τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ to reveal the glory of God 11:4. ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ (cp. Sb 7681, 7 [312 A.D.] ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματός μου=in behalf of) to spread his name Ro 1:5; cp. 3J 7. ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας θεοῦ=in order to show that God’s promises are true Ro 15:8. ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν παρακλήσεως in order to comfort you 2 Cor 1:6ab. Cp. 12:19. ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν for the strengthening of your faith 1 Th 3:2.

ⓒ in place of, instead of, in the name of (Eur.; Polyb. 3, 67, 7; ApcEsdr 1:11 p. 25, 3 Tdf.; Jos., C. Ap. 2, 142; Just., D. 95, 2.—In pap very oft. ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ to explain that the writer is writing ‘as the representative of’ an illiterate pers.; Dssm. LO 285, 2 [LAE 335, 4]; other exx. of pap in DWallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics ’96, 384–86) ἵνα ὑπὲρ σοῦ μοι διακονῇ Phlm 13. Somet. the mng. in place of merges w. on behalf of, for the sake of Ro 9:3. οἱ βαπτιζόμενοι ὑπὲρ τῶν νεκρῶν 1 Cor 15:29a is debated; cp. 29b (s. the lit. s.v. βαπτίζω 2c; also KBornhäuser, Die Furche 21, ’34, 184–87; JWhite, JBL 116, ’97, 487–99 [esp. 497f] favors a causal sense). εἷς ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀπέθανεν 2 Cor 5:14; cp. 15ab, 21 (Eur., Alc. 701 κατθανεῖν ὑπέρ σου).

② marker of the moving cause or reason, because of, for the sake of, for (Diod S 10, 21, 2 τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τιμωρίαν; schol. on Pind., O. 6, 154b [=OxfT 91]), w. verbs of suffering, giving the reason for it ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος Ac 5:41; 9:16; 21:13; ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ Phil 1:29ab; cp. 2 Th 1:5; ὑπὲρ θεοῦ ἀποθνῄσκω IRo 4:1. Likew. used w. nouns that denote suffering ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ for Christ’s sake 2 Cor 12:10.—εὐχαριστεῖν ὑπέρ τινος give thanks for someth. 1 Cor 10:30; Eph 5:20; D 9:2; 10:2 (cp. Sb 3926, 12 [I B.C.] τὸ κατεσκευασμένον ὑπὲρ [=in gratefulness for] τῆς ἡμετέρας σωτηρίας Ἰσιδεῖον; Just., A I, 65, 3). δοξάζειν τὸν θεὸν ὑπέρ τινος praise God for someth. Ro 15:9.—ὑπὲρ τούτου with reference to someth. (Synes., Ep. 67 p. 209c) 2 Cor 12:8.—This is prob. the place for ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐδοκίας with (God’s) good pleasure in view Phil 2:13 (εὐδοκία 1).

③ marker of general content, whether of a discourse or mental activity, about, concerning (about equivalent to περί [τινος], w. which it is freq. interchanged in the mss.; s. Kühner-G. I p. 487 [w. exx. fr. Hom., Pla. et al.]. Also quite common in Polyb., Diod S, Dionys. Hal., Joseph., ins [e.g. ISardGauthier 2, 3 ‘write about’] and pap [Schmidt 396]; but Ath. differentiates between λόγος ὑπὲρ [in defense of] τῆς ἀληθείας and λόγος περὶ [about] τῆς ἀληθείας R 1 p. 48, 19; Mlt. 105; Rdm.² p. 140; Johannessohn, Präp 216–21; LDeubner, Bemerkungen z. Text der Vita Pyth. des Iamblichos: SBBerlAk ’35, XIX 27; 71), oft. at the same time in the sense ‘in the interest of’ or ‘in behalf of’ οὗτός ἐστιν ὑπὲρ οὗ ἐγὼ εἶπον J 1:30 (v.l. περί). Ἠσαί̈ας κράζει ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ Ro 9:27 (v.l. περί). Cp. 2 Cor 1:8 (v.l. περί); 5:12; 7:4, 14; 8:24; 9:2f; 12:5ab (in all the passages in 2 Cor except the first dependent on καυχάομαι, καύχημα, καύχησις); 2 Th 1:4 (ἐγκαυχᾶσθαι). With reference to (Demosth. 21, 121) 2 Cor 8:23; 2 Th 2:1. ἡ ἐλπὶς ἡμῶν βεβαία ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν our hope with reference to you is unshaken 2 Cor 1:7 (ἐλπὶς ὑ. τινος ‘for someth.’ Socrat., Ep. 6, 5 [p. 234, 28 Malherbe]).

B. w. acc. marker of a degree beyond that of a compared scale of extent, in the sense of excelling, surpassing, over and above, beyond, more than (so always PsSol; TestAbr A 4 p. 81, 29 [Stone p. 10] al.; TestJob 38:6 τὰ ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς; JosAs 1:6 al.; Ath. 17, 1; 32, 1) κεφαλὴ ὑπὲρ πάντα the supreme Head Eph 1:22 (Appian, Bell. Civ. 5, 74 §314 ὑπὲρ ἅπαντα). ὑπὲρ δύναμιν beyond one’s strength 2 Cor 1:8; cp. 8:3 v.l. (OGI 767, 19f ὑπὲρ δύναμιν; Cyranides p. 63, 22 ὑπὲρ λόγον). Also ὑπὲρ ὸ̔ δύνασθε 1 Cor 10:13. μὴ ὑπὲρ ἃ γέγραπται not (to go) beyond what is written 1 Cor 4:6a (s. WLütgert, Freiheitspredigt u. Schwarmgeister in Korinth 1908, 97ff; ASchlatter, Die korinth. Theologie 1914, 7ff; OLinton, StKr 102, 1930, 425–37; LBrun, ibid. 103, ’31, 453–56; PWallis, TLZ 75, ’50, 506–8; ALegault, NTS 18, ’71/72, 227–31; PMarshall, Hybrists Not Gnostics in Corinth: SBLSP 23, 84, 275–87; on the prob. imagery of a school exercise in which children learn to stay between the lines, s. RTyler, CBQ 60, ’98, 97–103; a public foundational document containing bylaws, JHanges, JBL 117, ’98, 275–98 [pap and ins]). ὑπὲρ ἃ λέγω ποιήσεις you will do even more than I ask Phlm 21. ὑπέρ τι καὶ καθʼ ὑπερβολὴν ὑπερευφραίνομαι I feel an exceeding and overwhelming joy B 1:2.—After an adj. in comp. or superl. for ἤ than: mostly so after the comp. (Judg 11:25 B; 15:2 B; 18:26 B; 3 Km 19:4; Ps 18:11; Hab 1:8) τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν Hb 4:12. Cp. Lk 16:8; J 12:43 v.l.; MPol 18:2. In an unusually compressed statement: τοὺς ἀποστόλους ὄντας ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν ἁμαρτίαν ἀνομωτέρους the apostles, who were more lawless than (people who commit) any and every sin B 5:9; rarely after the superl. (TestAbr A 2 p. 78, 25 [Stone p. 4]) γλυκυτάτη ὑπὲρ τὸ μέλι Hm 5, 1, 6. Likew. after verbs that express the idea of comparison ἡσσώθητε (=ἐγένεσθε ἥσσονες) ὑπὲρ τὰς λοιπὰς ἐκκλησίας, were you treated worse than the other churches? 2 Cor 12:13.—‘More than’ also takes on the sense more exalted or excellent or glorious than; as the timeless one (ἄχρονος), Christ is called ὁ ὑπὲρ καιρόν the one who is exalted beyond time IPol 3:2. ὑπὲρ θάνατον exalted above death ISm 3:2. οὐκ ἔστιν μαθητὴς ὑπὲρ τὸν διδάσκαλον a disciple is not superior to his teacher Mt 10:24a; Lk 6:40.—Mt 10:24b; Ac 26:13; Phil 2:9. οὐκέτι ὡς δοῦλον ἀλλὰ ὑπὲρ δοῦλον no longer as a slave, but as someth. better than a slave Phlm 16. τῷ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι to (God) who is able to do greater things than all (we can ask or imagine) Eph 3:20.— More than (PsSol 17:43; TestGad 7:1) ἀγαπᾶν ὑμᾶς ὑπὲρ τὴν ψυχήν μου (JosAs 13:11) B 1:4; cp. 4:6; 19:5; D 2:7. φιλεῖν Mt 10:37ab. ἀρέσει αὐτῷ ὑπὲρ μόσχον 1 Cl 52:2 (Ps 68:32). λάμπειν IEph 19:2. προκόπτειν Gal 1:14. στίλβειν Hs 9, 2, 2.

C. adv. use even more. The adv. use of ὑπέρ is, so far, almost unknown outside the NT (but s. L-S-J-M s.v. ὑπέρ E; Schwyzer II 518; Ursing 49 cites fr. an Aesop-ms. ὅπερ ἔτι ὑπὲρ ἀπεδέξατο, where all the other mss. have μᾶλλον [Phil 3:4 ἐγὼ μᾶλλον]. On the adv. use of other prepositions s. Kühner-G. I p. 526f). διάκονοι Χριστοῦ εἰσιν; ὑπὲρ ἐγώ are they assistants of of Christ? I am so even more (than they) 2 Cor 11:23 (W-H. accent ὕπερ; s. Mlt-Turner 250). Wallis (s. B above) classes 1 Cor 4:6 here.—RBieringer: The Four Gospels, Festschr. FNeirynck, ed. FvanSegbroeck et al. ’92, I 219–48. On ὑπὲρ ἄγαν, ὑπὲρ ἐκεῖνα, ὑπὲρ ἐκπερισσοῦ, ὑπὲρ λίαν s. ὑπεράγαν, ὑπερέκεινα, ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ (-ῶς), ὑπερλίαν.—DELG. M-M. EDNT. TW.

ζητέω impf. ἐζήτουν; fut. ζητήσω; 1 aor. ἐζήτησα. Pass.: impf. sg. ἐζητεῖτο Hb 8:7; 1 fut. ζητηθήσομαι; aor. ἐζητήθην (LXX; AcPlCor 2:8; 1) (s. two next entries; Hom.+).

① try to find someth., seek, look for in order to find (s. εὑρίσκω 1a)

ⓐ what one possessed and has lost, w. acc. τινά Mt 28:5; Mk 1:37; Lk 2:48f; J 6:24, 26; 7:34, 36. τί Mt 18:12; Lk 19:10; AcPlCor 2:8 (ParJer 5:12). Abs. Lk 15:8.

ⓑ what one desires somehow to bring into relation w. oneself or to obtain without knowing where it is to be found τινά 2 Ti 1:17; J 18:4, 7f; Ac 10:19, 21. ζητεῖν τ. θεόν, εἰ ἄρα γε αὐτὸν εὕροιεν search for God, in the hope that they may find him 17:27 (cp. Wsd 1:1; 13:6; Philo, Spec. Leg. 1, 36; Tat. 13, 2); Ro 10:20 (Is 65:1). τί Mt 2:13; 12:43; 13:45 (in the special sense seek to buy as X., Cyr. 2, 2, 26; Theophr., Char. 23, 8 ἱματισμὸν ζητῆσαι εἰς δύο τάλαντα); Lk 11:24. τὶ ἔν τινι someth. on someth. fruit on a tree 13:6f. Abs. Mt 7:7f; Lk 11:9f (ζήτει καὶ εὑρήσεις Epict. 4, 1, 51).

ⓒ be on the search for look for, search out τινά someone Mk 3:32; Ac 9:11; IPol 4:2. For the purpose of arrest, pass. GPt 7:26; MPol 3:2.

② to seek information, investigate, examine, consider, deliberate (X., Cyr. 8, 5, 13; Lucian, Hermot. 66; Aelian, VH 2, 13; 4 Macc 1:13; Just., D. 28, 1 τὸ ζητούμενον ‘question, problem’; cp. דרשׁ in post-bibl. Hebr. and Aram.: Dalman, Aram.-neuhebr. Handwörterbuch² 1922; HStrack, Einleitg. in Talmud u. Midraš⁵ 1921, 4) παραλόγως ζ. engage in irrational investigations Dg 11:1. ἐν ἑαυτῷ ζ. περί τινος ponder someth. Hs 2:1. περὶ τούτου ζητεῖτε μετʼ ἀλλήλων ὅτι; are you deliberating with each other on the fact that? J 16:19 (Just., D. 19, 1 al.). W. indir. discourse foll. consider (Diod S 1, 51, 6 πόσαι …; Tat. 26, 1 τίς ὁ θεός; 29, 1 ὅτῳ τρόπῳ) πῶς Mk 11:18; 14:1, 11. τί Lk 12:29. τὸ πῶς 22:2. εἰ B 11:1.—As legal t.t. investigate (Dinarchus 1, 8; POxy 237 VI, 41; 726, 16; O. Theb 134, 4; EBickermann, RHR 112, ’35, 214f) ἔστιν ὁ ζητῶν κ. κρίνων there is one who investigates and judges J 8:50b (cp. Philo, De Jos. 174). J 11:56 may also have this technical sense.

③ to devote serious effort to realize one’s desire or objective, strive for, aim (at), try to obtain, desire, wish (for)

ⓐ desire to possess τὶ someth. (Lucian, Hermot. 66 τ. εὐδαιμονίαν; Just., D. 102, 6 σωτηρίαν καὶ βοήθειαν) τ. βασιλείαν Mt 6:33; Lk 12:31. εὐκαιρίαν Mt 26:16; Lk 22:6. ψευδομαρτυρίαν Mt 26:59; cp. Mk 14:55. τὴν δόξαν J 5:44; 7:18; 8:50a. τιμὴν κ. ἀφθαρσίαν Ro 2:7; cp. 1 Cor 7:27b; 2 Cor 12:14; Col 3:1; 1 Pt 3:11 (Ps 33:15).

ⓑ wish for, aim at τὶ someth. τὸν θάνατον Rv 9:6. λύσιν 1 Cor 7:27a. τὸ θέλημά τινος be intent on someone’s will=aim to satisfy it J 5:30. τὸ σύμφορόν τινος someone’s benefit (Hermogenes 283 p. 301, 11 R. v.l. ἐμοῦ … οὐ τὸ Φιλίππου συμφέρον ζητοῦντος [a citation of Dem. 18, 30, which reads Φιλίππῳ]) 1 Cor 10:33; τὰ (τὸ) ἑαυτοῦ ζητεῖν strive for one’s own advantage 10:24; 13:5; Phil 2:21.

ⓒ w. interrog. pron. τί ζητεῖτε; (cp. Gen 37:15) what do you want? J 1:38; cp. 4:27 (JFoster, ET 52, ’40/41, 37f).

ⓓ w. inf. foll. (Hdt. 3, 137) mostly aor. (Plut., Thes. 35, 6; SIG 372, 7; Wsd 8:2; Sir 7:6; 27:1; Tob 5:14 BA; TestSol 15:7; Jos., Ant. 11, 174; 13, 7) Mt 12:46; 21:46; Mk 12:12; Lk 5:18; 9:9; 11:54 v.l.; 17:33; J 5:18; 7:1; Ac 13:7 D, 8; 16:10 (cp. 3 Km 11:22); Ro 10:3; Gal 2:17. Rarely the pres. inf. (X., An. 5, 4, 33; Esth 8:12c) Lk 6:19; Gal 1:10 (ζ. ἀρέσκειν as Ael. Aristid. 34, 39 K.=50 p. 560 D.)—ἵνα for the inf. 1 Cor 14:12.

ⓔ OT lang. apparently is reflected in ζ. τὴν ψυχήν τινος seek the life of someone Mt 2:20 (cp. Ex 4:19); Ro 11:3 (3 Km 19:10); cp. also 3 Km 19:14; Sir 51:3; Ps 34:4; 37:13; 39:15; 53:5; 62:10; 85:14.

④ ask for, request, demand τὶ someth. σημεῖον Mk 8:12. σοφίαν 1 Cor 1:22. δοκιμήν 2 Cor 13:3. τινά J 4:23. τὶ παρά τινος demand someth. fr. someone (Demosth. 4, 33; Sir 7:4; 28:3; 1 Esdr 8:50; Tob 4:18) Mk 8:11; Lk 11:16; 12:48. Also τὶ ἀπό τινος B 21:6. ζητεῖται ἐν τ. οἰκονόμοις ἵνα it is required of managers that 1 Cor 4:2 (AFridrichsen, ConNeot 7, ’42, 5).—B. 655; 764. DELG. M-M. EDNT. TW. Sv.