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Bible Dictionaries
Must
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words
an impersonal verb, signifying "it is necessary" or "one must," "one ought," is found most frequently in the Gospels, Acts and the Apocalypse, and is used (a) of a necessity lying in the nature of the case e.g., John 3:30; 2 Timothy 2:6; (b) of necessity brought about by circumstances, e.g., Matthew 26:35 , RV, "must," AV, "should;" John 4:4; Acts 27:21 , "should;" 2 Corinthians 11:30; in the case of Christ, by reason of the Father's will, e.g., Luke 2:49; 19:5; (c) of necessity as to what is required that something may be brought about, e.g., Luke 12:12 , "ought;" John 3:7; Acts 9:6; 1 Corinthians 11:19; Hebrews 9:26; (d) of a necessity of law, duty, equity, e.g., Matthew 18:33 , "shouldest;" Matthew 23:23 , "ought;" Luke 15:32 , "it was meet;" Acts 15:5 , "it is needful" (RV); Romans 1:27 , RV, "was due," AV, "was meet" (of a recompense due by the law of God); frequently requiring the rendering "ought," e.g., Romans 8:26; 12:3; 1 Corinthians 8:2; (e) of necessity arising from the determinate will and counsel of God, e.g., Matthew 17:10; 24:6; 26:54; 1 Corinthians 15:53 , especially regarding the salvation of men through the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ, e.g., John 3:14; Acts 3:21; 4:12 . See BEHOVE , No. 2 (where see the differences in the meanings of synonymous words), MEET , NEED , NEEDFUL , OUGHT , SHOULD.
"to owe," is rendered "must ... needs" in 1 Corinthians 5:10 . See BEHOVE , No. 1.
Notes: (1) In Mark 14:49 , AV, the conjunction hina with the subjunctive mood, "in order that," is represented by "must" (RV, "that ... might"). (2) In Hebrews 13:17 , AV, the future participle of apodidomi, "to give," is translated "they that must give" (RV, "they that shall give"). (3) In 2 Peter 1:14 , AV, the verb "to be," with apothesis, "a putting off," is translated "I must put off," RV, "(the) putting off ... cometh," lit., "is (swift)." (4) Sometimes the infinitive mood of a verb, with or without the article, is necessarily rendered by a phrase involving the word "must," e.g., 1 Peter 4:17 , AV, "must (begin);" or "should," Hebrews 4:6 , RV, "should" (AV "must"). (5) Sometimes the subjunctive mood of a verb, used as a deliberative, is rendered "must," etc., John 6:28 , "(what) must (we do)," RV (AV, "shall").These files are public domain.
Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Must'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​ved/​m/must.html. 1940.