explain a parable

παραβολή, ῆς, ἡ (παραβάλλω; Pla., Isocr.+; ins, pap, LXX; En; TestSol 20:4; Just.; Mel., P.—JWackernagel, Parabola: IndogF 31, 1912/13, 262–67)

① someth. that serves as a model or example pointing beyond itself for later realization, type, figure παραβολὴ εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τὸν ἐνεστηκότα a symbol (pointing) to the present age Hb 9:9. ἐν παραβολῇ as a type (of the violent death and of the resurrection of Christ) 11:19. λέγει ὁ προφήτης παραβολὴν κυρίου B 6:10, where the mng. may be the prophet is uttering a parable of the Lord (Goodsp.), or the prophet speaks of the Lord in figurative language (Kleist), or the prophet speaks in figurative language given him by the Lord. W. αἴνιγμα PtK 4 p. 15, 31. The things of the present or future cannot be understood by the ordinary Christian διὰ τὸ ἐν παραβολαῖς κεῖσθαι because they are expressed in figures B 17:2.

② a narrative or saying of varying length, designed to illustrate a truth especially through comparison or simile, comparison, illustration, parable, proverb, maxim.

ⓐ in the synoptics the word refers to a variety of illustrative formulations in the teaching of Jesus (in Mt 17 times, in Mk 13 times, in Lk 18 times; cp. Euclides [400 B.C.] who, acc. to Diog. L. 2, 107, rejected ὁ διὰ παραβολῆς λόγος; Aristot., Rhet. 2, 20, 2ff; Περὶ ὕψους 37; Vi. Aesopi II p. 307, 15 Eb.; Biogr. p. 87 Ὁμήρου παραβολαί; Philo, Conf. Lingu. 99; Jos., Ant. 8, 44. The Gk. OT also used παραβολή for various words and expressions that involve comparison, including riddles [s. Jülicher below: I² 32–40].—En 1:2; 3. Cp. π. κυριακαί Iren. 1, 8, 1 [Harv I 67, 1]). For prob. OT influence on the use of comparison in narrative s. Ezk 17. λέγειν, εἰπεῖν παραβολήν: Lk 13:6; 16:19 D; 19:11 (begins the longest ‘parable’ in the synoptics: 17 verses). τινί to someone 4:23 (the briefest ‘parable’: 3 words; here and in the next passage π.=proverb, quoted by Jesus); 6:39; 18:1; 21:29. πρός τινα to someone 5:36; 12:16, 41; 14:7; 15:3; 18:9; 20:9; with reference to someone Mk 12:12; Lk 20:19. παραβολὴν λαλεῖν τινι Mt 13:33. παραβολὴν παρατιθέναι τινί put a parable before someone vss. 24, 31. τελεῖν τὰς παραβολάς finish the parables vs. 53. διασαφεῖν (v.l. φράζειν) τινι τὴν παραβολήν vs. 36. φράζειν τινὶ τὴν παρ. explain the parable 15:15. ἀκούειν Mt 13:18; 21:33, 45. γνῶναι and εἰδέναι understand Mk 4:13b et al. μαθεῖν τὴν παρ. ἀπό τινος learn the parable from someth. Mt 24:32; Mk 13:28. (ἐπ)ἐρωτᾶν τινα τὴν παρ. ask someone the mng. of the parable Mk 7:17 (in ref. to vs. 15); cp. 4:10. Also ἐπερωτᾶν τινα περὶ τῆς παρ. 7:17 v.l.; ἐπηρώτων αὐτὸν τίς εἴη ἡ παρ. they asked him what the parable meant Lk 8:9; the answer to it: ἔστιν δὲ αὕτη ἡ παρ. but the parable means this vs. 11.—παραβολαῖς λαλεῖν τινί τι Mk 4:33. W. the gen. of that which forms the subj. of the parable ἡ παρ. τοῦ σπείραντος Mt 13:18. τῶν ζιζανίων vs. 36 (cp. ἡ περὶ τοῦ … τελώνου παρ. Orig., C. Cels. 3, 64, 11).—W. a prep.: εἶπεν διὰ παραβολῆς Lk 8:4 (Orig., C. Cels. 1, 5, 11).—χωρὶς παραβολῆς οὐδὲν ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς Mt 13:34b; Mk 4:34.—Mostly ἐν: τιθέναι τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν παραβολῇ present the Reign of God in a parable vs. 30. ἐν παραβολαῖς λαλεῖν τινι Mt 13:10, 13; Mk 12:1. ἐν παραβολαῖς λέγειν τινί Mt 22:1; Mk 3:23. λαλεῖν τινί τι ἐν παραβολαῖς Mt 13:3, 34a. διδάσκειν τινά τι ἐν παραβολαῖς Mk 4:2. ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου Mt 13:35 (Ps 77:2). γίνεταί τινί τι ἐν παραβολαῖς someth. comes to someone in the form of parables Mk 4:11; cp. Lk 8:10. According to Eus. (3, 39, 11), Papias presented some unusual parables of the Savior, i.e. ascribed to Jesus: Papias (2:11).—AJülicher, Die Gleichnisreden Jesu I² 1899; II 1899 [the older lit. is given here I 203–322]; GHeinrici, RE VI 688–703, XXIII 561f; CBugge, Die Hauptparabeln Jesu 1903; PFiebig, Altjüdische Gleichnisse und d. Gleichnisse Jesu 1904, D. Gleichnisse Jesu im Lichte der rabb. Gleich. 1912, D. Erzählungsstil der Ev. 1925; LFonck, Die Parabeln des Herrn³ 1909 (w. much lit. on the individual parables), The Parables of the Gospel³ 1918; JKögel, BFCT XIX 6, 1915; MMeinertz, Die Gleichnisse Jesu 1916; 4th ed. ’48; HWeinel, Die Gleichnisse Jesu⁵ 1929; RBultmann, D. Geschichte der synoptischen Tradition² ’31, 179–222; MDibelius, D. Formgeschichte des Ev.² 33; EBuonaiuti, Le parabole di Gesù: Religio 10–13, ’34–37; WOesterly, The Gospel Parables in the Light of Their Jewish Background ’36; EWechssler, Hellas im Ev. ’36, 267–85; CDodd, The Parables of the Kgdm.³ ’36; BSmith, The Par. of the Syn. Gosp. ’37; WMichaelis, Es ging e. Sämann aus. zu säen ’38; OPiper, The Understanding of the Syn. Par.: EvQ 14, ’42, 42–53; CMasson, Les Paraboles de Marc IV ’45; JJeremias, D. Gleichn. Jesu⁴ ’56 (Eng. tr. ’55); ELinnemann, Jesus of the Parables, tr. JSturdy, ’66; AWeiser, D. Knechtsgleichnisse der synopt. Evv. ’71; JKingsbury, The Parables of Jesus in Mt 13, ’69; FDanker, Fresh Persp. on Mt, CTM 41, ’70, 478–90; JKingsbury, ibid. 42, ’71, 579–96; TManson, The Teaching of Jesus, ’55, 57–86; JSider, Biblica 62, ’81, 453–70 (synoptists); ECuvillier, Le concept de ΠΑΡΑΒΟΛΗ dans le second évangile ’93.

ⓑ Apart fr. the Syn. gospels, παρ. is found in our lit. freq. in Hermas (as heading: Hs 1:1; 2:1; 3:1; 4:1; 5:1; [6:1; 7:1; 8:1]) but not independently of the synoptic tradition. Hermas uses παρ. only once to designate a real illustrative (double) parable, in m 11:18. Elsewh παρ. is for Hermas an enigmatic presentation that is somet. seen in a vision, somet. expressed in words, but in any case is in need of detailed interpretation: w. gen. of content (s. a above) τοῦ πύργου about the tower Hv 3, 3, 2. τοῦ ἀγροῦ about the field Hs 5, 4, 1. τῶν ὀρέων 9, 29, 4. δηλοῦν τὴν παραβολήν 5, 4, 1a. παρ. ἐστιν ταῦτα 5, 4, 1b. ἀκούειν τὴν παραβολήν v 3, 3, 2; 3, 12, 1; Hs 5, 2, 1. παραβολὰς λαλεῖν τινι 5, 4, 2a. τὰ ῥήματα τὰ λεγόμενα διὰ παραβολῶν 5, 4, 3b; γράφειν τὰς παρ. v 5:5f; Hs 9, 1, 1; συνιέναι τὰς παρ. m 10, 1, 3. γινώσκειν Hs 5, 3, 1a; 9, 5, 5. νοεῖν m 10, 1, 4; Hs 5, 3, 1b. ἐπιλύειν τινὶ παρ. 5, 3, 1c; 5, 4, 2b; 3a. συντελεῖν 9, 29, 4. ἡ ἐπίλυσις τῆς παρ. explanation, interpretation of the parable 5, 6, 8; αἱ ἐπιλύσεις τῶν παρ. 5, 5, 1. ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς δούλου τρόπον κεῖται ἐν τῇ παρ. the Son of God appears in the parable as a slave 5, 5, 5. ἡ παρ. εἰς τοὺς δούλους τοῦ θεοῦ κεῖται the par. refers to the slaves of God 2:4.—S. also the headings to the various parts of the third division of Hermas (the Parables) and on Hermas gener. s. Jülicher, op. cit. I 204–209.—εἰ δὲ δεῖ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν σπερμάτων μὴ ποιεῖσθαι τὴν παρ. but if we are not to draw our comparison from the (action of) the seeds AcPlCor 2:28.—BScott, Profiles of Jesus, Parables: The Fourth R 10, ’97, 3–14.—B. 1262. DELG s.v. βάλλω. M-M. EDNT. TW. Sv.

δηλόω fut. δηλώσω; 1 aor. ἐδήλωσα, impv. δήλωσον pf. δεδήλωκα (Just.) Pass.: 1 aor. ἐδηλώθην; pf. δεδήλωμαι (Hom.+)

① to make some matter known that was unknown or not communicated previously, reveal, make clear, show τὶ someth. Secrets 1 Cl 18:6 (Ps 50:8); future things (Polyaenus 5, 12, 1 νίκην οἱ θεοὶ δηλοῦσιν ἡμῖν; SibOr 3, 819) 1 Cor 3:13; PtK 3 p. 15, 21. ApcPt Rainer, 14; cp. Hv 3, 12, 3; Hs 9, 1, 2 (PGM 13, 614f δήλου μοι πάντα, addressed to an angel). Report (Diod S 15, 25, 3) τινί to someone ITr 1:1; IPol 7:1; set forth MPol 22:3. Preceded by a ὅτι-clause (as Demetr.: 722 Fgm. 1, 13 Jac.) and w. ὡς λέγει foll. Lk 20:37 D. Give information τινὶ περί τινος w. ὅτι foll. 1 Cor 1:11 (cp. PGrenf II, 73, 18); τινί τι to someone about someth. (Jos., C. Ap. 1, 101) the Colossians’ affection Col 1:8. Notify w. acc. and ptc. foll. (Lucian, Dial. Deor. 7, 1; Just., D. 76, 1; 103, 3) οἷς δηλώσατε ἐγγύς με ὄντα notify them that I am nearby IRo 10:2.

② to make someth. clear to the understanding, explain, clarify τινί 2 Pt 1:14. τινί τι: explain a parable Hs 5, 4, 1; pass. 5, 4, 2; 5. σοι δηλώσω I will explain to you m 4, 3, 3; indicate, refer to τινά someone B 9:8; τὶ someth. τὸ ἔτι ἅπαξ δηλοῖ τὴν μετάθεσιν the phrase ‘once again’ indicates the removal Hb 12:27. ἡμέρα καὶ νὺξ ἀνάστασιν ἡμῖν δηλοῦσιν day and night point out a resurrection to us 1 Cl 24:3. Also εἴς τι 1 Pt 1:11. Give information τινί B 17:1; Hs 6, 4, 1; 3. W. acc. and inf. foll. Hb 9:8 (Just., D. 33, 2; 86, 2).—DELG s.v. δῆλος. M-M. TW. Sv.

διασαφέω fut. 1 pl. διασαφήσομεν (Just.); 1 aor. διεσάφησα; pf. 3 sg. διασεσάφηκε (Aristobul., PE 13, 12, 12 [= Denis p. 225; Holladay p. 184 lines 79f]), pf. pass. 3 sg. διασεσάφηται (Mel., P. 1, 4) gener. to cause someth. to be clear to the understanding.

① to clarify someth. that is obscure, explain, lit. ‘make clear’ (Eur., Phoen. 398; Pla., Leg. 6, 754a; Polyb. 2, 1, 1; 3, 52, 5; Lucian, M. Peregr. 11; Da 2:6; EpArist 171; Jos., Ant. 2, 12; PYale 41, 9; Just., A I, 33, 3 al.) τινί τι: a parable to someone Mt 13:36 (cp. Jos., Ant. 5, 293).

② to inform by relating someth. in detail, tell plainly, tell in detail, report (Polyb. 1, 46, 4; 2, 27, 3; Vett. Val. index; ins; PEleph 18, 3; UPZ 59, 7; 64, 10 al.; 1 Macc 12:8; 2 Macc 1:18; 2:9; 11:18; TestSol C prol. 2; EpArist 51; 297; Aristobul., PE VIII 10, 5 [Denis p. 218; Holladay p. 136 ln. 34]; Jos., Ant. 18, 199, Vi. 374; Mel., P. 1, 4) what had happened Mt 18:31.—W. acc. and inf. Ac 10:25 D. τινὶ περί τινος GJs 21:2.—On allegorical assoc. s. NWalter, Der Thoraausleger Aristobulos, TU 86, ’64, 136.—DELG s.v. σάφα. M-M. Sv.

φράζω fut.1 pl. φράσομεν; 1 aor. ἔφρασα, impv. φράσον (Hom. +) in our lit. only in the sense explain, interpret someth. mysterious (X., Oec. 16, 8; Cebes 33, 1; Herm. Wr. 380, 2 Sc. θεόν; Job 6:24 φράσατέ μοι) a parable Mt 13:36 v.l. (for διασάφησον); 15:15.—DELG. M-M.

ἀπό (Hom.+) prep. w. gen. (see the lit. on ἀνά, beg., also for ἀπό: KDieterich, IndogF 24, 1909, 93–158; LfgrE s.v.). Basic sense ‘separation from’ someone or someth., fr. which the other uses have developed. In the NT it has encroached on the domain of Att. ἐκ, ὑπό, παρά, and the gen. of separation; s. Mlt. 102; 246; Mlt-Turner 258f.

① a marker to indicate separation from a place, whether person or thing, from, away from

ⓐ w. all verbs denoting motion, esp. those compounded w. ἀπό: ἀπάγεσθαι, ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι, ἀπελαύνειν, ἀπέρχεσθαι, ἀπολύεσθαι, ἀποπλανᾶσθαι, ἀποστέλλειν, ἀποφεύγειν, ἀποχωρεῖν, ἀποχωρίζεσθαι; but also w. ἀνίστασθαι, διαστῆναι, διέρχεσθαι, ἐκδημεῖν, ἐκκινεῖν, ἐκπλεῖν, ἐκπορεύεσθαι, ἐξέρχεσθαι, ἐξωθεῖν, ἐπιδιδόναι, μεταβαίνειν, μετατίθεσθαι, νοσφίζειν, παραγίνεσθαι, πλανᾶσθαι, πορεύεσθαι, ὑπάγειν, ὑποστρέφειν, φεύγειν; s. the entries in question.

ⓑ w. all verbs expressing the idea of separation ἐκβάλλειν τὸ κάρφος ἀ. τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ remove the splinter fr. the eye Mt 7:4 v.l. (for ἐκ). ἐξέβαλον ἀπὸ τῆς πήρας αὐτῶν δῶρα they set forth gifts out of their travel bags GJs 21:3. ἀπολύεσθαι ἀ. ἀνδρός be divorced fr. her husband Lk 16:18, cp. Ac 15:33. ἀποκυλίειν, ἀπολαμβάνεσθαι, ἀποστρέφειν, ἐπιστρέφεσθαι, ἐπανάγειν, αἴρειν, ἀφαιρεῖν, ἀπολέσθαι, μερίζειν et al., s. the pertinent entries. So also κενὸς ἀ. τινος Hs 9, 19, 2. ἔρημος ἀ. τινος (Jer 51:2) 2 Cl 2:3. W. verbs which express the concept of separation in the wider sense, like loose, free, acquit et al. ἀπορφανίζειν, ἀποσπᾶν, διεγείρεσθαι, δικαιοῦν, ἐκδικοῦν, ἐλευθεροῦν, λούειν, λύειν, λυτροῦν, ῥαντίζειν, σαλεύειν, στέλλειν, σῴζειν, φθείρειν, s. the entries; hence also ἀθῷος (Sus 46 Theod. v.l.) Mt 27:24. καθαρὸς ἀ. τινος (Tob 3:14; but s. Dssm. NB 24 [BS 196; 216]) Ac 20:26; cp. Kuhring 54.

ⓒ verbs meaning be on guard, be ashamed, etc., take ἀπό to express the occasion or object of their caution, shame, or fear; so αἰσχύνεσθαι, βλέπειν, μετανοεῖν, προσέχειν, φοβεῖσθαι, φυλάσσειν, φυλάσσεσθαι; s. 5 below.

ⓓ w. verbs of concealing, hiding, hindering, the pers. from whom someth. is concealed is found w. ἀπό; so κρύπτειν τι ἀπό τινος, παρακαλύπτειν τι ἀπό τινος, κωλύειν τι ἀπό τινος; s. the entries.

ⓔ in pregnant constr. like ἀνάθεμα εἶναι ἀ. τοῦ Χριστοῦ be separated fr. Christ by a curse Ro 9:3. μετανοεῖν ἀ. τ. κακίας (Jer 8:6) Ac 8:22. ἀποθνῄσκειν ἀ. τινος through death become free from Col 2:20. φθείρεσθαι ἀ. τ. ἁπλότητος be ruinously diverted from wholehearted commitment 2 Cor 11:3. Cp. Hs 6, 2, 4.

ⓕ as a substitute for the partitive gen. (Hdt. 6, 27, 2; Thu. 7, 87, 6; PPetr III, 11, 20; PIand 8, 6; Kuhring 20; Rossberg 22; Johannessohn, Präp. 17) τίνα ἀ. τῶν δύο; Mt 27:21, cp. Lk 9:38; 19:39 (like PTebt 299, 13; 1 Macc 1:13; 3:24; Sir 6:6; 46:8). τὰ ἀ. τοῦ πλοίου pieces of the ship Ac 27:44. ἐκχεῶ ἀ. τοῦ πνεύματός μου Ac 2:17f (Jo 3:1f). λαμβάνειν ἀ. τ. καρπῶν get a share of the vintage Mk 12:2 (cp. Just., A I, 65, 5 μεταλαβεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ … ἄρτου).—Of foods (as in Da 1:13, 4:33a; 2 Macc 7:1) ἐσθίειν ἀ. τ. ψιχίων eat some of the crumbs Mt 15:27; Mk 7:28. χορτάζεσθαι ἀ. τινος eat one’s fill of someth. Lk 16:21. αἴρειν ἀ. τῶν ἰχθύων pick up the remnants of the fish Mk 6:43. ἐνέγκατε ἀ. τ. ὀψαρίων bring some of the fish J 21:10 (the only instance of this usage in J; s. M-EBoismard, Le chapitre 21 de Saint Jean: RB 54 [’47] 492).—Of drink (cp. Sir 26:12) πίνειν ἀπὸ τ. γενήματος τῆς ἀμπέλου drink the product of the vine Lk 22:18.

② to indicate the point from which someth. begins, whether lit. or fig.

ⓐ of place from, out from (Just., D. 86, 1 ἀπὸ τῆς πέτρας ὕδωρ ἀναβλύσαν ‘gushing out of the rock’) σημεῖον ἀ. τ. οὐρανοῦ a sign fr. heaven Mk 8:11. ἀ. πόλεως εἰς πόλιν from one city to another Mt 23:34. ἀπʼ ἄκρων οὐρανῶν ἕως ἄκρων αὐτῶν (Dt 30:4; Ps 18:7) from one end of heaven to the other 24:31, cp. Mk 13:27. ἀπʼ ἄνωθεν ἕως κάτω from top to bottom Mt 27:51. ἀρξάμενοι ἀ. Ἰερουσαλήμ beginning in Jerusalem Lk 24:47 (s. also Lk 23:5; Ac 1:22; 10:37). ἀφʼ ὑμῶν ἐξήχηται ὁ λόγος τ. κυρίου the word of the Lord has gone out from you and sounded forth 1 Th 1:8. ἀπὸ βορρᾶ, ἀπὸ νότου in the north, in the south (PCairGoodsp 6, 5 [129 B.C.] ἐν τῷ ἀπὸ νότου πεδίῳ; Mitt-Wilck. I/2, 11A col. 1, 12f [123 B.C.] τὸ ἀπὸ νότου τῆς πόλεως χῶμα; ln. 7 ἀπὸ βορρᾶ τῆς πόλεως; 70, 16 al.; Josh 18:5; 19:34; 1 Km 14:5) Rv 21:13.

ⓑ of time from … (on), since (POxy 523, 4; Mel., HE 4, 26, 8; s. Kuhring 54ff).

α. ἀ. τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάννου from the days of John Mt 11:12. ἀ. τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης 9:22. ἀπʼ ἐκείνης τ. ἡμέρας (Jos., Bell. 4, 318, Ant. 7, 382) Mt 22:46; J 11:53. ἔτη ἑπτὰ ἀ. τῆς παρθενίας αὐτῆς for seven years fr. the time she was a virgin Lk 2:36. ἀ. ἐτῶν δώδεκα for 12 years 8:43. ἀ. τρίτης ὥρας τῆς νυκτός Ac 23:23. ἀ. κτίσεως κόσμου Ro 1:20. ἀ. πέρυσι since last year, a year ago 2 Cor 8:10; 9:2.—ἀπʼ αἰῶνος, ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς, ἀπʼ ἄρτι (also ἀπαρτί and ἄρτι), ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου, ἀπὸ τότε, ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν; s. the pertinent entries.

β. w. the limits defined, forward and backward: ἀπὸ … ἕως (Jos., Ant. 6, 364) Mt 27:45. ἀπὸ … ἄχρι Phil 1:5. ἀπὸ … μέχρι Ac 10:30; Ro 5:14; 15:19.

γ. ἀφʼ ἧς (sc. ὥρας or ἡμέρας, which is found Col 1:6, 9; but ἀφʼ ἧς became a fixed formula: ParJer 7:28; Plut., Pelop. [285] 15, 5; s. B-D-F §241, 2) since Lk 7:45 (Renehan ’75, 36f); Ac 24:11; 2 Pt 3:4 (cp. X., Hell. 4, 6, 6; 1 Macc 1:11). ἀφʼ οὗ (sc.—as in X., Cyr. 1, 2, 13—χρόνου; Att. ins in Meisterhans.³-Schw. and s. Witkowski, index 163; ἀφʼ οὗ is also a formula) since, when once (X., Symp. 4, 62; Demetr.: 722 Fgm. 1, 16 Jac.; Lucian, Dial. Mar. 15, 1; Ex 5:23 GrBar 3:6) Lk 13:25; 24:21; Rv 16:18 (cp. Da 12:1; 1 Macc 9:29; 16:24; 2 Macc 1:7; TestAbr B 13 p. 117, 23; GrBar; Jos., Ant. 4, 78). τρία ἔτη ἀφʼ οὗ (cp. Tob 5:35 S) Lk 13:7. ἀφότε s. ὅτε 1aγ end.

ⓒ the beg. of a series from … (on).

α. ἀρξάμενος ἀ. Μωϋσέως καὶ ἀ. πάντων τ. προφητῶν beginning w. Moses and all the prophets Lk 24:27. ἕβδομος ἀ. Ἀδάμ Jd 14 (Diod S 1, 50, 3 ὄγδοος ὁ ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρός [ancestor]; Appian, Mithrid. 9 §29 τὸν ἕκτον ἀπὸ τοῦ πρώτου Μιθριδάτην; Arrian, Anab. 7, 12, 4; Diog. L. 3, 1: Plato in the line of descent was ἕκτος ἀπὸ Σόλωνος; Biogr. p. 31: Homer δέκατος ἀπὸ Μουσαίου). ἀ. διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω Mt 2:16 (cp. Num 1:20; 2 Esdr 3:8).

β. w. both beg. and end given ἀπὸ … ἕως (Sir 18:26; 1 Macc 9:13) Mt 1:17; 23:35; Ac 8:10. Sim., ἀ. δόξης εἰς δόξαν fr. glory to glory 2 Cor 3:18.

③ to indicate origin or source, from

ⓐ lit., with verbs of motion

α. down from πίπτειν ἀ. τραπέζης Mt 15:27. καθεῖλεν δυνάστας ἀ. θρόνων God has dethroned rulers Lk 1:52.

β. from ἔρχεσθαι ἀ. θεοῦ J 3:2; cp. 13:3; 16:30. παραγίνεται ἀ. τῆς Γαλιλαίας Mt 3:13; ἀ. ἀνατολῶν ἥξουσιν 8:11 (Is 49:12; 59:19); ἀ. τοῦ ἱεροῦ ἐπορεύετο 24:1; ἀ. Παμφυλίας Ac 15:38. ἐγείρεσθαι ἀ. τ. νεκρῶν be raised from the dead Mt 14:2.

ⓑ lit., to indicate someone’s local origin from (Hom. et al.; Soph., El. 701; Hdt. 8, 114; ins [RevArch 4 sér. IV 1904 p. 9 ἀπὸ Θεσσαλονίκης]; pap [HBraunert, Binnenwanderung ’64, 384, s.v.; PFlor 14, 2; 15, 5; 17, 4; 22, 13 al.]; Judg 12:8; 13:2; 17:1 [all three acc. to B]; 2 Km 23:20 al.; Jos., Bell. 3, 422, Vi. 217; Just., A I, 1 τῶν ἀπὸ Φλαουί̈ας Νέας πόλεως; s. B-D-F §209, 3; Rob. 578) ἦν ἀ. Βηθσαϊδά he was from B. J 1:44; cp. 12:21. ὄχλοι ἀ. τῆς Γαλιλαίας crowds fr. Galilee Mt 4:25. ἄνδρες ἀ. παντὸς ἔθνους Ac 2:5. ἀνὴρ ἀ. τοῦ ὄχλου a man fr. the crowd Lk 9:38. ὁ προφήτης ὁ ἀ. Ναζαρέθ Mt 21:11. οἱ ἀ. Κιλικίας the Cilicians Ac 6:9. οἱ ἀδελφοὶ οἱ ἀ. Ἰόππης 10:23 (Musaeus 153 παρθένος ἀπʼ Ἀρκαδίας; Just., A I, 58, 1 Μακρίωνα … τὸν ἀπὸ Πόντου). οἱ ἀ. Θεσσαλονίκης Ἰουδαῖοι 17:13. οἱ ἀ. τῆς Ἰταλίας the Italians Hb 13:24, who could be inside as well as outside Italy (cp. Dssm., Her. 33, 1898, 344, LO 167, 1 [LAE 200, 3]; Mlt. 237; B-D-F §437).—Rather denoting close association οἱ ἀ. τῆς ἐκκλησίας members of the church Ac 12:1; likew. 15:5 (cp. Plut., Cato Min. 4, 2 οἱ ἀπὸ τ. στοᾶς φιλόσοφοι; Ps.-Demetr. c. 68 οἱ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ=his [Isocrates’] pupils; Synes., Ep. 4 p. 162b; 66 p. 206c; PTebt 33, 3 [112 B.C.], Ῥωμαῖος τῶν ἀπὸ συγκλήτου; Ar. 15, 1 Χριστιανοὶ γενεαλογοῦνται ἀπὸ … Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ; Ath.).—To indicate origin in the sense of material fr. which someth. is made (Hdt. 7, 65; Theocr. 15, 117; IPriene 117, 72 ἀπὸ χρυσοῦ; 1 Esdr 8:56; Sir 43:20 v.l.) ἔνδυμα ἀ. τριχῶν καμήλου clothing made of camel’s hair Mt 3:4.

ⓒ fig., w. verbs of asking, desiring, to denote the pers. of or from whom a thing is asked (Ar. 11, 3): δανίσασθαι ἀπό τινος borrow fr. someone Mt 5:42. ἐκζητεῖν ἀ. τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης Lk 11:51. ἀπαιτεῖν τι ἀπό τινος Lk 12:20. ζητεῖν τι ἀπό τινος 1 Th 2:6. λαμβάνειν τι ἀπό τινος Mt 17:25f; 3J 7.

ⓓ fig., w. verbs of perceiving, to indicate source of the perception (Lysias, Andoc. 6; Ps.-Aristot., De Mundo 6, 399b ἀπʼ αὐτῶν τῶν ἔργων θεωρεῖται ὁ θεός; Appian, Liby. 104 §493 ἀπὸ τῆς σφραγῖδος=[recognize a corpse] by the seal-ring; Demetr.: 722 Fgm. 2, 1 στοχάζεσθαι ἀπὸ τῶν ὀνομάτων; Just., D. 60, 1 τοῦτο νοοῦμεν ἀπὸ τῶν λόγων τῶν προλελεγμένων; 100, 2 ἀπὸ τῶν γραφῶν): ἀ. τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς by their fruits you will know them Mt 7:16, 20. μανθάνειν παραβολὴν ἀ. τῆς συκῆς learn a lesson from the fig tree 24:32; Mk 13:28. ἀπὸ τῶν σπερμάτων μὴ ποιεῖσθαι τὴν παραβολήν if we are not to derive our parable solely from reference to seeds (cp. 1 Cor 15:37) AcPlCor 2:28.—Also μανθάνειν τι ἀπό τινος learn someth. fr. someone Gal 3:2; Col 1:7.

ⓔ γράψαι ἀφʼ ὧν ἠδυνήθην, lit., write from what I was able, i.e. as well as I could B 21:9 (cp. Tat. 12, 5 οὐκ ἀπὸ γλώττης οὐδὲ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰκότων οὐδὲ ἀπʼ ἐννοιῶν etc.).

④ to indicate distance fr. a point, away from, for μακρὰν ἀ. τινος far fr. someone, ἀπὸ μακρόθεν fr. a great distance s. μακράν, μακρόθεν. ἀπέχειν ἀπό τινος s. ἀπέχω 4. W. detailed measurements (corresp. to Lat. ‘a’, s. B-D-F §161, 1; Rob. 575; WSchulze, Graeca Latina 1901, 15ff; Hdb. on J 11:18; Appian, Bell. Civ. 3, 12 §42; CB I/2, 390 no. 248) ἦν Βηθανία ἐγγὺς τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ὡς ἀπὸ σταδίων δεκατέντε Bethany was near Jerusalem, about 15 stades (less than 3 km.) away J 11:18. ὡς ἀπὸ πηχῶν διακοσίων about 200 cubits (c. 90 meters) 21:8. ἀπὸ σταδίων χιλίων ἑξακοσίων about 1600 stades (c. 320 km.) Rv 14:20; cp. Hv 4, 1, 5 (for other examples of this usage, s. Rydbeck 68).—Hebraistically ἀπὸ προσώπου τινός (Gen 16:6; Jer 4:26; Jdth 2:14; Sir 21:2; 1 Macc 5:34; En 103:4; Just., A I, 37, 1 ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ πατρὸς ἐλέχθησαν διὰ Ἠσαίου … οἵδε οἱ λόγοι ‘in the name of the father … through Isaiah’; 38, 1 al.)=מִפְּנֵי פ׳ ( away) from the presence of someone 2 Th 1:9 (Is 2:10, 19, 21); Rv 12:14 (B-D-F §140; 217, 1; Mlt-H. 466).

⑤ to indicate cause, means, or outcome

ⓐ gener., to show the reason for someth. because of, as a result of, for (numerous ref. in FBleek on Hb 5:7; PFay 111, 4; POxy 3314, 7 [from falling off a horse]; Jdth 2:20; 4 [6] Esdr [POxy 1010]; AscIs 3:13; Jos., Ant. 9, 56) οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀ. τοῦ ὄχλου he could not because of the crowd Lk 19:3; cp. Mk 2:4 D. οὐκ ἐνέβλεπον ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τοῦ φωτός I could not see because of the brilliance of the light Ac 22:11. ἀ. τοῦ πλήθους τ. ἰχθύων J 21:6 (M-EBoismard, ad loc.: s. 1f end). ἀ. τοῦ ὕδατος for the water Hs 8, 2, 8. ἀ. τῆς θλίψεως because of the persecution Ac 11:19. οὐαὶ τῷ κόσμῳ ἀ. τ. σκανδάλων Mt 18:7 (s. B-D-F §176, 1; Mlt. 246). εἰσακουσθεὶς ἀ. τῆς εὐλαβείας heard because of his piety Hb 5:7 (but the text may be corrupt; at any rate it is obscure and variously interpr.; besides the comm. s. KRomaniuk, Die Gottesfürchtigen im NT: Aegyptus 44, ’64, 84; B-D-F §211; Rob. 580; s. on εὐλάβεια).

ⓑ to indicate means with the help of, with (Hdt. et al.; Ael. Aristid. 37, 23 K.=2 p. 25 D.; PGM 4, 2128f σφράγιζε ἀπὸ ῥύπου=seal with dirt; En 97:8) γεμίσαι τὴν κοιλίαν ἀ. τ. κερατίων fill one’s stomach w. the husks Lk 15:16 v.l. (s. ἐκ 4aζ; cp. Pr 18:20). οἱ πλουτήσαντες ἀπʼ αὐτῆς Rv 18:15 (cp. Sir 11:18).

ⓒ to indicate motive or reason for, from, with (Appian, Bell. Civ. 5, 13 §52 ἀπʼ εὐνοίας=with goodwill; 1 Macc 6:10; pap exx. in Kuhring 35) κοιμᾶσθαι ἀ. τῆς λύπης sleep from sorrow Lk 22:45. ἀ. τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτοῦ Mt 13:44; cp. Lk 24:41; Ac 12:14. ἀ. τοῦ φόβου κράζειν Mt 14:26, ἀ. φόβου καὶ προσδοκίας with fear and expectation Lk 21:26. Hence verbs of fearing, etc., take ἀ. to show the cause of the fear (s. above 1c) μὴ φοβεῖσθαι ἀ. τ. ἀποκτεννόντων τὸ σῶμα not be afraid of those who kill only the body Mt 10:28; Lk 12:4 (cp. Jdth 5:23; 1 Macc 2:62; 3:22; 8:12; En 106:4).

ⓓ to indicate the originator of the action denoted by the verb from (Trag., Hdt. et al.) ἀ. σοῦ σημεῖον ἰδεῖν Mt 12:38. γινώσκειν ἀπό τινος learn fr. someone Mk 15:45. ἀκούειν ἀ. τοῦ στόματός τινος hear fr. someone’s mouth, i.e. fr. him personally Lk 22:71 (Dionys. Hal. 3, 8 ἀ. στόματος ἤκουσεν); cp. Ac 9:13; 1J 1:5. τὴν ἀ. σοῦ ἐπαγγελίαν a promise given by you Ac 23:21 (cp. Ath. 2, 3 ταῖς ἀπὸ τῶν κατηγόρων αἰτίαις ‘the charges made by the accusers’). ἀφʼ ἑνὸς ἐγενήθησαν Hb 11:12. Prob. παραλαμβάνειν ἀ. τοῦ κυρίου 1 Cor 11:23 is to be understood in the same way: Paul is convinced that he is taught by the Lord himself (for direct teaching s. EBröse, Die Präp. ἀπό 1 Cor 11:23: StKr 71, 1898, 351–60; Dssm.; BWeiss; Ltzm.; H-DWendland. But for indirect communication: Zahn et al.). παραλαβὼν ἀπὸ τῶν θυγατέρων Φιλίππου, ὅτι Papias (11:2); opp. παρειληφέναι ὑπὸ τῶν θ. Φ. (2:9).—Of the more remote cause ἀπʼ ἀνθρώπων from human beings (as opposed to transcendent revelation; w. διʼ ἀνθρώπου; cp. Artem. 1, 73 p. 66, 11 ἀπὸ γυναικῶν ἢ διὰ γυναικῶν; 2, 36 p. 135, 26) Gal 1:1. ἀ. κυρίου πνεύματος fr. the Lord, who is the Spirit 2 Cor 3:18. ἔχειν τι ἀπό τινος have (received) someth. fr. someone 1 Cor 6:19; 1 Ti 3:7; 1J 2:20; 4:21.—In salutation formulas εἰρήνη ἀ. θεοῦ πατρός ἡμῶν peace that comes from God, our father Ro 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2; cp. 6:23; Phil 1:2; Col 1:2; 1 Th 1:1 v.l.; 2 Th 1:2; 1 Ti 1:2; 2 Ti 1:2; Tit 1:4; Phlm 3. σοφία ἀ. θεοῦ wisdom that comes fr. God 1 Cor 1:30. ἔπαινος ἀ. θεοῦ praise fr. God 4:5. καὶ τοῦτο ἀ. θεοῦ and that brought about by God Phil 1:28. The expr. εἰρήνη ἀπὸ ‘ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος’ Rv 1:4 is quite extraordinary. It may be an interpretation of the name Yahweh already current, or an attempt to show reverence for the divine name by preserving it unchanged, or simply one more of the grammatical peculiarities so frequent in Rv (Meyer⁶-Bousset 1906, 159ff; Mlt. 9, note 1; cp. PParis 51, 33 ἀπὸ ἀπηλιότης; Mussies 93f, 328).

ⓔ to indicate responsible agents for someth., from, of

α. the self, st. Gk. usage (Thu. 5, 60, 1; X., Mem. 2, 10, 3; Andoc., Orat. 2, 4 οὗτοι οὐκ ἀφʼ αὑτῶν ταῦτα πράττουσιν; Diod S 17, 56; Num 16:28; 4 Macc 11:3; En 98:4; TestAbr A 15 p. 95, 26 [Stone p. 38]; 18 p. 101, 6 [Stone p. 50]; Just., A I, 43, 8) the expr. ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ (pl. ἀφʼ ἑαυτῶν) of himself and ἀπʼ ἐμαυτοῦ of myself are common Lk 12:57; 21:30; 2 Cor 3:5, esp. so in J: 5:19, 30; 8:28; 10:18; 15:4.—7:17f; 11:51; 14:10; 16:13; 18:34. So also ἀπʼ ἐμαυτοῦ οὐκ ἐλήλυθα I did not come of myself (opp. the Father sent me) 7:28; 8:42.

β. fr. others. W. verbs in the pass. voice or pass. mng. ὑπό is somet. replaced by ἀπό (in isolated cases in older Gk. e.g. Thu. 1, 17 et al. [Kühner-G. II/1 p. 457f]; freq. in later Gk.: Polyb. 1, 79, 14; Hero I 152, 6; 388, 11; Nicol. Dam.: 90 Fgm. 130, 130 Jac.; IG XII/5, 29, 1; SIG 820, 9; PLond III, 1173, 12 p. 208; BGU 1185, 26; PFlor 150, 6 ἀ. τῶν μυῶν κατεσθιόμενα; PGM 4, 256; Kuhring 36f; 1 Macc 15:17; Sir 16:4; ParJer 1:1 ᾐχμαλωτεύθησαν … ἀπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως; Philo, Leg. All. 3, 62; Just., A I, 68, 6 ἐπιστολὴν … γραφεῖσάν μοι ἀπὸ Σερήνου, D. 121, 3 ἀπὸ παντὸς [γένους] μετάνοιαν πεποιῆσθαι. See B-D-F §210; Rob. 820; GHatzidakis, Einl. in d. neugriech. Gramm. 1892, 211; AJannaris, An Histor. Gk. Grammar 1897, §1507). Yet just at this point the textual tradition varies considerably, and the choice of prep. is prob. at times influenced by the wish to express special nuances of mng. Lk 8:29b v.l. (ὑπό text); 43b (ὑπό v.l.); 10:22 D; ἀποδεδειγμένος ἀ. τ. θεοῦ attested by God Ac 2:22. ἐπικληθεὶς Βαρναβᾶς ἀ. (ὑπό v.l.) τ. ἀποστόλων named B. by the apostles 4:36. κατενεχθεὶς ἀ. τοῦ ὕπνου overcome by sleep 20:9. ἀθετούμενος ἀπὸ τῶν παραχαρασσόντων τὰ λόγια αὐτοῦ inasmuch as (Jesus) is being rejected by those who falsify his words AcPlCor 2:3. νεκροῦ βληθέντος ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ἐπʼ αὐτά when a corpse was cast upon them (the bones of Elisha) 2:32. In such cases ἀπό freq. denotes the one who indirectly originates an action, and can be transl. at the hands of, by command of: πολλὰ παθεῖν ἀ. τ. πρεσβυτέρων suffer much at the hands of the elders Mt 16:21; cp. Lk 9:22; 17:25, where the emphasis is to be placed on παθεῖν, not on ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι. In ἀ. θεοῦ πειράζομαι the thought is that the temptation is caused by God, though not actually carried out by God Js 1:13. ἡτοιμασμένος ἀ. τοῦ θεοῦ prepared by God’s command, not by God in person Rv 12:6.

⑥ In a few expr. ἀπό helps to take the place of an adverb. ἀπὸ μέρους, s. μέρος 1c.—ἡμέρᾳ ἀφʼ ἡμέρας day by day GJs 12:3.—ἀπὸ μιᾶς (acc. to Wlh., Einl.² 26, an Aramaism, min ḥădā˒=at once [s. MBlack, An Aramaic Approach³, ’67, 113]; but this does not explain the fem. gender, found also in the formulaic ἐπὶ μιᾶς Maxim. Tyr. 6, 3f En 99:9 [s. SAalen, NTS 13, ’67, 3] and in Mod. Gk. μὲ μιᾶς at once [Thumb §162 note 2]. PSI 286, 22 uses ἀπὸ μιᾶς of a payment made ‘at once’; on the phrase s. New Docs 2, 189. Orig. γνώμης might have been a part of the expr. [Philo, Spec. Leg. 3, 73], or ὁρμῆς [Thu. 7, 71, 6], or γλώσσης [Cass. Dio 44, 36, 2], or φωνῆς [Herodian 1, 4, 8]; cp. ἀπὸ μιᾶς φωνῆς Plut., Mor. 502d of an echo; s. B-D-F §241, 6) unanimously, alike, in concert Lk 14:18. Sim. ἀπὸ τ. καρδιῶν fr. (your) hearts, sincerely Mt 18:35.—Himerius, Or. 39 [=Or. 5], 6 has as a formula διὰ μιᾶς, probably = continuously, uninterruptedly, Or. 44 [=Or. 8], 2 fuller διὰ μιᾶς τῆς σπουδῆς=with one and the same, or with quite similar zeal.—M-M.