Bible Lexicons

πρός, a preposition, equivalent to the epic προτί, from πρό and the adverbial suffix τί (cf. the German vor ... bin (Curtius, § 381)); it is joined

I. with the accusative, to, toward, Latinad, denoting direction toward a thing, or position and state looking toward a thing (Winer's Grammar, § 49 h., p. 404 (378)); it is used

1. of the goal or limit toward which a movement is directed: πρός τινα or τί, a. properly, after verbs of going, departing, running, coming, etc.: ἄγω, John 11:15; ἀναβαίνω, Mark 6:51; John 20:17; Acts 15:2; ἀνακάμπτω, Matthew 2:12; Acts 18:21; ἀνέρχομαι, Galatians 1:17 (L Tr marginal reading ἀπῆλθον); ἀπέρχομαι, Matthew 14:25 (Rec.); Mark 3:13, etc.; πρός ἑαυτόν, to his house, Luke 24:12 (T omits; L Tr brackets; WH reject the verse; Tr reads πρός αὐτοῦ; some connect the phrase with θαυμάζων (see 2 b. below)); John 20:10 (T Tr αὐτούς, WH αὑτούς (cf. under the word αὑτοῦ, at the end)); γίνεσθαι πρός τινα, to come to one, 1 Corinthians 2:3; 1 Corinthians 16:10; διαπεράω, Luke 16:26; ἐγγίζω, Mark 11:1; Luke 19:29; εἰσέρχομαι, Mark 6:25; Luke 1:28; Acts 10:3; (πρός τήν Λυδίαν, into the house of Lydia, Acts 16:40 (Rec. εἰς)); etc.; Revelation 3:20; εἰσπορεύομαι, Acts 28:30; ἐκπορεύομαι, Matthew 3:5; Mark 1:5; ἐξέρχομαι, John 18:29, 38; 2 Corinthians 8:17; Hebrews 13:13; ἐπιστρέφω, to turn (oneself), Acts 9:40; 2 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; ἐπισυνάγεσθαι, Mark 1:33; ἔρχομαι, Matthew 3:14; Matthew 7:15, and often; ἥκω, John 6:37; Acts 28:23 (Rec.); καταβαίνω, Acts 10:21; Acts 14:11; Revelation 12:12; μεταβαίνω, John 13:1; ὀρθρίζω, Luke 21:38; παραγίνομαι, Matthew 3:13; Luke 7:4, 20; Luke 8:19; Luke 11:6; ( Tdf.); πορεύομαι, Matthew 10:6; Luke 11:5; John 14:12, etc.; συνάγεσθαι, Matthew 13:2; Matthew 27:62; Mark 4:1; Mark 6:30; Mark 7:1; συντρέχειν, Acts 3:11; ὑπάγω, Matthew 26:18; Mark 5:19; John 7:33; John 13:3; John 16:5, 10, 16 (T Tr WH omit; L brackets the clause), ; κατευθύνειν τήν ὁδόν,1 Thessalonians 3:11; also after (kindred) nouns: εἴσοδος, 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:1; προσαγωγή, Ephesians 2:18. after verbs of moving, leading, sending, drawing, bringing, directing: ἄγω, Mark 11:7 (R L); Luke 18:40; John 1:42 (43); (John 18:13 L T Tr WH); Acts 9:27, etc.; ἀπάγω, Matthew 26:57 (R. V. to the house of C. (cf. Acts 16:40 above)); Mark 14:53; John 18:13 (R G); Acts 23:17; 1 Corinthians 12:2; (ἐξάγω ἕως πρός (see ἕως, II. 2 c.), Luke 24:50 L text T Tr WH); κατασύρω, Luke 12:58; ἁρπάζω, Revelation 12:5; ἑλκύω, John 12:32; παραλαμβάνω, John 14:3; φέρω, Mark 1:32; Mark 9:17, 19, 20; (Mark 11:7 T Tr WH); πέμπω, Luke 7:(not T WH),19; Acts 25:21 (L T Tr WH ἀναπέμψω), etc. (see πέμπω); ἀναπέμπω, Luke 23:7, 15; ἀποστέλλω, Matthew 23:34, etc. (see ἀποστέλλω, 1b. and d.); στρέφομαι, Luke 7:44; Luke 23:28. after verbs of falling: πίπτειν πρός τούς πόδας τίνος, Mark 5:22; Mark 7:25; (Acts 5:10 L T Tr WH); Revelation 1:17. after other verbs and substantives with which the idea of direction is connected: as ἐπιστολή πρός τινα, Acts 9:2; Acts 22:5; 2 Corinthians 3:1; ἐντολή, Acts 17:15; ἀνάδειξις, Luke 1:80; κάμπτω τά γόνατα, Ephesians 3:14; ἐκπετάννυμι τάς χεῖρας, Romans 10:21 (from Isaiah 65:2); πρόσωπον πρός πρόσωπον, face (turned) to face, i. e. in immediate presence, 1 Corinthians 13:12 (after the Hebrew, Genesis 32:30; Judges 6:22); στόμα πρός στόμα, mouth (turned) to mouth, i. e. in each other's presence, 2 John 1:12; 3 John 1:14 (see στόμα, 1); λαλεῖν πρός τό οὖς, the mouth being put to the ear, Luke 12:3. after verbs of adding, joining to: προστιθεναι τινα πρός τούς πατέρας, to lay one unto, i. e. bury him by the side of, his fathers, Acts 13:36 (after the Hebrew, 2 Kings 22:20; Judges 2:10); θάπτειν τινα πρός τινα, Acts 5:10. after verbs of saying (because speech is directed toward someone), invoking, swearing, testifying, making known: with an accusative of the person, ἀνοίγω τό στόμα, 2 Corinthians 6:11; Luke 1:13, and very often by Luke; John 4:48; John 7:3, etc.; Hebrews 1:13; λαλέω, Luke 1:19, 55; Luke 2:18, etc.; 1 Thessalonians 2:2; Hebrews 5:5; Hebrews 11:18; λέγω, Luke 5:36, etc.; John 2:3; John 4:15, etc.; Hebrews 7:21; φημί, Luke 22:70; Acts 2:38 (R G); , etc.; διαλέγομαι, Acts 24:12; ἀποκρίνομαι, Luke 4:4; Acts 3:12; δέομαι, Acts 8:24; βοάω, Luke 18:7 (R G L); αἴρειν φωνήν, Acts 4:24; εὔχομαι, 2 Corinthians 13:7; ὄμνυμι, Luke 1:73; μάρτυς εἰμί, Acts 13:31; Acts 22:15; δημηγορέω, Acts 12:21; κατηγορέω, to accuse to, bring, as it were, to the judge by accusation, John 5:45; ἐμφανίζω, Acts 23:22; γνωρίζεται, be made known unto, Philippians 4:6. also after (kindred) substantives (and phrases): ἀπολογία, addressed unto one, Acts 22:1; λόγος, 2 Corinthians 1:18; λόγος παρακλήσεως, Acts 13:15; ὁ λόγος γίνεται πρός τινα, John 10:35 (Genesis 15:1, 4; Jeremiah 1:2, 11; Jeremiah 13:8; Ezekiel 6:1; Hosea 1:1); γίνεται φωνή, Acts 7:31 Rec.; ; γίνεται ἐπαγγελία, Acts 13:32 and Rec. in (where L T Tr WH εἰς); προσευχή, Romans 15:30; δέησις, Romans 10:1; προσφέρειν δεήσεις, Hebrews 5:7. πρός ἀλλήλους after ἀντιβάλλειν λόγους, Luke 24:17; Luke 8taXaXe(p, Luke 6:11; διαλέγεσθαι, Mark 9:34; διαλογίζεσθαι, Mark 8:16; εἰπεῖν, Luke 2:15 ((L marginal reading T WH λαλεῖν)); ; John 16:17; John 19:24; λέγειν, Mark 4:41; Luke 8:25; John 4:33; Acts 28:4; ὁμιλεῖν, Luke 24:14; συλλαλεῖν, Luke 4:36. πρός ἑαυτούς equivalent to πρός ἀλλήλους: after συζητεῖν, Mark 1:27 (T WH text read simply αὐτούς (as subjunctive)); ; Luke 22:23; εἰπεῖν, Mark 12:7; John 12:19; λέγειν, Mark 16:3; ἀγανακτεῖν (R. V. had indignation among themselves. saying), Mark 14:4 T WH (cf. Tr); see 2 b. below.

b. of a time drawing toward a given time (cf.

f. below): πρός ἑσπέραν ἐστιν, toward evening, Luke 24:29 (Genesis 8:11; Zechariah 14:7; Plato, de rep. 1, p. 328a.; Josephus, Antiquities 5, 4, 3; πρός ἡμέραν, Xenophon, ahab. 4, 5, 21; Plato, conviv., p. 223 c.); (πρός σάββατον, Mark 15:42 LTr text).

c. metaphorically, of mental direction, with words denoting desires and emotions of the mind, to, toward: ἐνδεικνύειν πραΰτητα, Titus 3:2; μακροθύμειν, 1 Thessalonians 5:14; ἤπιος, 2 Timothy 2:24; ἔχθρα, Luke 23:12; πεποίθησιν ἔχειν, 2 Corinthians 3:4; (ἐλπίδα ἔχων, Acts 24:15 Tdf.); πίστις, 1 Thessalonians 1:8; παρρησία, 2 Corinthians 7:4; 1 John 3:21; 1 John 5:14; with verbs signifying the mode of bearing oneself toward a person, ἐργάζεσθαι τό ἀγαθόν, Galatians 6:10; τά αὐτά, Ephesians 6:9 (Xenophon, mem. 1, 1, 6). of a hostile direction, agdainst; so after ἀνταγωνιζεσθα, Hebrews 12:4; στῆναι, Ephesians 6:11; λακτίζειν, Acts 9:5 Rec.; (see κέντρον, 2); πάλη, Ephesians 6:12; μάχεσθαι, John 6:52; διακρίνομαι, Acts 11:2; γογγυσμός, Acts 6:1; βλασφημία, Revelation 13:6; πικραίνεσθαι, Colossians 3:19; (ἔχειν τί, Acts 24:19; ἔχειν ζήτημα, ; μομφήν, Colossians 3:13; πρᾶγμα, 1 Corinthians 6:1; λόγον (see λόγος, I. 6), Acts 19:38; πρός τινα, to have something to bring against one (R. V. wherewith to answer), 2 Corinthians 5:12; τά (which Tr text WH omit) πρός τινα, the things to be said against one, Acts 23:30 (R G Tr WH; here may be added πρός πλησμονήν σαρκός, against (i. e. to check) the indulgence of the flesh, Colossians 2:23 (see πλησμονή)).

d. of the issue or end to which anything tends or leads: ἡ ἀσθένεια οὐκ ἐστι πρός θάνατον, John 11:4; ἁμαρτάνειν, ἁμαρτία πρός θάνατον, 1 John 5:16f; ἅ στρεβλουσι πρός τήν ἰδίαν αὐτῶν ἀπώλειαν, 2 Peter 3:16; τά πρός τήν εἰρήνην namely, ὄντα — now, the things which tend to the restoration of peace (A. V. conditions of peace), Luke 14:32; now, which tend to the attainment of safety (A. V. which belong unto peace), Luke 19:42; τά πρός ζωήν, καί εὐσέβειαν (A. V. that pertain unto), 2 Peter 1:3; πρός δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ, 2 Corinthians 1:20; τοῦ κυρίου, 2 Corinthians 8:19.

e. of an intended end or purpose: πρός νουθεσίαν τίνος, 1 Corinthians 10:11; as other examples add, Matthew 26:12; Romans 3:26; Romans 15:2; 1 Corinthians 6:5; 1 Corinthians 7:35; 1 Corinthians 12:7; 1 Corinthians 14:12, 26; 1 Corinthians 15:34; 2 Corinthians 4:6; 2 Corinthians 7:3; 2 Corinthians 11:8; Ephesians 4:12; 1 Timothy 1:16; Hebrews 6:11; Hebrews 9:13; πρός τί, to what end, for what intent, John 13:28; πρός τήν ἐλεημοσύνην, for the purpose of asking alms, Acts 3:10; πρός τό with an infinitive in order to, etc.: Matthew 5:28; Matthew 6:1; Matthew 13:30; Matthew 23:5; Matthew 26:12; Mark 13:22; 2 Corinthians 3:13; Ephesians 6:11; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8, also R G in James 3:3.

f. of the time for which a thing has been, as it were, appointed, i. e. during which it will last; where we use our for (German für orauf) (cf.

b. above): πρός καιρόν (Latinad tempus, Cicero, de off. 1, 8, 27; de amicitia 15, 53; Livy 21, 25, 14), i. e. for a season, for a while, Luke 8:13; 1 Corinthians 7:5; πρός καιρόν ὥρας (R. V. for a short season), 1 Thessalonians 2:17; πρός ὥραν, for a short time, for an hour, John 5:35; 2 Corinthians 7:8; Galatians 2:5; Philemon 1:15; πρός ὀλίγας ἡμέρας, Hebrews 12:10 πρός τό παρόν, for the present, ibid. 11 (Thucydides 2, 22; Plato, legg. 5, p. 736 a.; Josephus, Antiquities 6, 5, 1; Herodian, 1, 3, 13 (5 edition, Bekker); Dio Cassius, 41, 15); πρός ὀλίγον, for a little time, James 4:4 (Lucian, dial. deor. 18, 1; Aelian v. h. 12, 63).

2. it is used of close proximity — the idea of direction, though not entirely lost, being more or less weakened;

a. answering to our at or by (German an); after verbs of fastening, adhering, moving (to): δεδέσθαι πρός τήν θύραν, Mark 11:4; προσκολλᾶσθαι, Mark 10:7 R G Tr (in marginal reading brackets); Ephesians 5:31 R G WH text; προσκόπτειν, Matthew 4:6; Luke 4:11; κεῖσθαι, equivalent to to be brought near to, Matthew 3:10; Luke 3:9 ((cf. 2 Macc. 4:33)); τιθέναι, Acts 3:2; (Acts 4:37 Tdf. (others παρά)); add, βεβλησθαι, Luke 16:20; τά πρός τήν θύραν, the forecourt (see θύρα, a.), Mark 2:2; εἶναι πρός τήν θάλασσαν (properly, toward the sea (A. V. by the sea)), Mark 4:1; θερμαίνεσθαι πρός τό φῶς, turned to the light (R. V. in the light), Mark 14:54; καθῆσθαι πρός τό φῶς, Luke 22:56; πρός τό μνημεῖον, John 20:11 Rec.; cf. Fritzsche on Mark, p. 201f b. equivalent to (Latinapud) with, with the accusative of a person, after verbs of remaining, dwelling, tarrying, etc. (which require one to be conceived of as always turned toward one), cf. Fritzsche as above: after εἶναι, Matthew 13:56; Mark 6:3; Mark 9:19; Mark 14:49; Luke 9:41; John 1:1; 1 John 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 3:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:5; 2 Thessalonians 3:10; παρεῖναι, Acts 12:20; 2 Corinthians 11:9 (8); Galatians 4:18, 20; παρουσία, Philippians 1:26; διαμενεῖν, Galatians 2:5; παραμένειν, 1 Corinthians 16:6; ἐπιμένειν, 1 Corinthians 16:7; Galatians 1:18; καθέζεσθαι, Matthew 26:55 (R G L Tr brackets); ἐνδήμειν, 2 Corinthians 5:8; κατέχειν τινα πρός ἑαυτόν, Philemon 1:13. πρός ἐμαυτόν, etc. (apud animum meum), with myself, etc. (2 Macc. 11:13; examples from Greek writings are given in Passow, under the word, I. 2, p. 1157a; (Liddell and Scott, under the word C. I. 5)), συλλογίζομαι, Luke 20:5; προσεύχομαι, Luke 18:11 (Tdf. omits πρός ἑαυτόν, Griesbach connects it with σταθείς); ἀγανακτεῖν, Mark 14:4 ((cf. 1 a. at the end); θαυμάζειν, Luke 24:12 (according to some; see above, 1 a. at the beginning)). Further, ποιεῖν τί πρός τινα, Matthew 26:18; ἔχω χάριν πρός τινα, Acts 2:47; ἔχει καύχημα ... πρός Θεόν to have whereof to glory with one (properly, turned 'toward' one), Romans 4:2; παράκλητον πρός τινα, 1 John 2:1.

3. of relation or reference to any person or thing; thus a. of fitness: joined to adjectives, ἀγαθός, Ephesians 4:29; ἕτοιμος, Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 3:15; ἱκανός, 2 Corinthians 2:16; δυνατός, 2 Corinthians 10:4; ἐξηρτισμένος, 2 Timothy 3:17; ὠφέλιμος, 1 Timothy 4:8; 2 Timothy 3:16; ἀδόκιμος, Titus 1:16; ἀνεύθετος, Acts 27:12; λευκός, white and so ready for, John 4:35; τά πρός τήν χρείαν namely, ἀναγκαῖά (R. V. such things as we needed,), Acts 28:10.

b. of the relation or close connection entered (or to be entered) into by one person with another: περιπατεῖν πρός (German im Verkehr mit (in contact with (A. V. toward)); cf. Bernhardy (1829), p. 265; Passow, under the word, I. 2, p. 1157a; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, C. I. 5)) τινα, Colossians 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:12; ἀναστρέφεσθαι, 2 Corinthians 1:12; of ethical relationship (where we use with), ἀσύμφωνος πρός ἀλλήλους, Acts 28:25; κονωνια, συμφώνησις πρός τινα or τί, 2 Corinthians 6:15f; εἰρήνην ἔχειν (see εἰρήνη, 5), Romans 5:1; συνείδησιν ἔχειν πρός τόν Θεόν, Acts 24:16; διαθήκην ἐντέλλομαι πρός τινα, Hebrews 9:20 (see ἐντέλλω, at the end); διαθήκην διατίθημι, Acts 2:25 (in Greek writings συνθήκας, σπονδάς, συμμαχίαν ποιεῖσθαι πρός τινα, and similar expressions; cf. Passow (or Liddell and Scott) as above); μή ταπεινώσῃ ... πρός ὑμᾶς, in my relation to you (R. V. before), 2 Corinthians 12:21; πρός ὅν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος (see λόγος, II. 5), Hebrews 4:13. Here belongs also 2 Corinthians 4:2 (A. V. to every man's conscience).

c. with regard to (any person or thing), with respect to, as to; after verbs of saying: πρός τινα, Mark 12:12; Luke 12:41; Luke 18:9; Luke 19:9; Luke 20:19; Romans 10:21; Hebrews 1:7f; πρός τό δεῖν προσεύχεσθαι, Luke 18:1; ἐπιτρέπειν, γράφειν τί πρός τί, Matthew 19:8; Mark 10:5; ἀποκριθῆναι τί πρός τί, Matthew 27:14; ἀνταποκριθῆναι, Luke 14:6' τί ἐροῦμεν πρός ταῦτα, Romans 8:31 (Xenophon, mem. 3, 9, 12; anab. 2, 1, 20).

d. pertaining to: τά πρός τόν Θεόν (see Θεός, 3 γ.), Romans 15:17; Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 5:1; τί πρός ἡμᾶς; namely, ἐστιν, what is that to us? i. e. it is none of our business to care for that, Matthew 27:4; also τί πρός σε; John 21:22, 23 (here Tdf. omits).

e. in comparison (like Latinad) equivalent to in comparison with: so after ἄξιος (which see in a.), Romans 8:18 (οὐ λογισθήσεται ἕτερος πρός αὐτόν, Baruch 3:36 (35); cf. Viger. edition, Herm., p. 666; (Buttmann, § 147, 28)).

f. agreeably to, according to: πρός ἅ (i. e. πρός ταῦτα ἅ) ἔπραξε, 2 Corinthians 5:10; ποιεῖν πρός τό θέλημα τίνος, Luke 12:47; ὀρθοπόδειν πρός τήν ἀλήθειαν, Galatians 2:14. Here belong Ephesians 3:4; Ephesians 4:14.

g. akin to this is the use of πρός joined to nouns denoting desires, emotions, virtues, etc., to form a periphrasis of the adverbs (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 51, 2 h.): πρός φθόνον, enviously, James 4:5 ((on this passage see φθόνος); πρός ὀργήν equivalent to ὀργίλως, Sophocles El. 369; πρός βίαν equivalent to βιαίως, Aeschylus (Prom. 208, 353, etc.) Eum. 5; others; πρός ἡδονήν καί πρός χάριν, pleasantly and graciously, Josephus, Antiquities 12, 10, 3; (other examples in Liddell and Scott, under C. III. 7)).

II. with the dative, at, near, hard by, denoting close local proximity (Winers Grammar, 395 (369f)); so six times in the N. T. (much more frequent in the Sept. and in the O. T. Apocrypha): Mark 5:11 G L T Tr WH (R. V. on the mountain side); Luke 19:37; John 18:16; John 20:11 (where Rec. has πρός τό μν,.); John 20:12; Revelation 1:13.

III. with the genitive,

a. properly, used of that from which something proceeds;

b. (Latina parte i. e.) on the side of; hence, tropically πρός τίνος εἶναι or ὑπάρχειν, to pertain to one, lie in one's interests, be to one's advantage: so once in the N. T. τοῦτο πρός τῆς ὑμετέρας σωτηρίας ὑπάρχει, conduces to (A. V. is for) your safety, Acts 27:34. (Κροισος ἐλπισας πρός ἑωυτοῦ τόν χρησμον εἶναι, Herodotus 1, 75; οὐ πρός τῆς ὑμετέρας δόξης, it will not redound to your credit, Thucydides 3, 59; add, Plato, Gorgias, p. 459 c.; Lucian, dial. deor. 20, 3; Dionysius Halicarnassus, Antiquities 10, 30; Arrian exp. Alex. 1, 19, 6; cf. Viger. edition, Herm., p. 659f; Matthiae, p. 1385f; (Liddell and Scott, under the word A. IV.); Winer's Grammar, 374 (350).)

IV. in Composition πρός signifies

1. direction or motion to a goal: προσάγω, προσεγγίζω, προσέρχομαι, προστρέχω.

2. addition, accession, besides: προσανατίθημι, προσαπειλέω, προσοφείλω.

3. vicinity: προσεδρεύω, προσμένω.

4. our on, at, as in προσκόπτω; and then of things which adhere to or are fastened to others, as προσηλόω, προσπήγνυμι.

5. to or for, of a thing adjusted to some standard: πρόσκαιρος. Cf. Zeune ad Viger. edition, Herm., p. 666.