Bible Lexicons

γάρ ,

co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα ,

verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.;

1. explicative and epexegetic: Matthew 4:18; Matthew 19:12, Mark 1:16; Mark 5:42; Mark 16:4, Luke 11:30, Romans 7:1, 1 Corinthians 16:5, al.

2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Matthew 9:5; Matthew 27:23, Luke 9:25; Luke 22:27, John 9:30, Acts 8:31; Acts 16:37; Acts 19:35, Romans 15:26, 1 Corinthians 9:10, Philippians 1:18 (Ellie., in l), 1 Thessalonians 2:20, al.

3. Causal: Matthew 1:21; Matthew 2:2; Matthew 2:5-6, Mark 1:22; Mark 9:6, Luke 1:15; Luke 1:18, John 2:25, Acts 2:25, Romans 1:9-11, 1 Corinthians 11:5, Revelation 1:3, al.; giving the reason for a command or prohibition, Matthew 2:20; Matthew 3:9, Romans 13:11, Colossians 3:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, al.; where the cause is contained in an interrog. statement, Luke 22:27, Romans 3:3; Romans 4:3, 1 Corinthians 10:29; καὶ γάρ , for also, Mark 10:45, Luke 6:32, 1 Corinthians 5:7, al.; id. as in cl. = etenim, where the καὶ loses its connective force (El., § 78, 6; Kühner3, ii, 854 f.), Mark 14:70, Luke 1:66; Luke 22:37, 2 Corinthians 13:4. The proper place of γάρ is after the first word in a clause, but in poets it often comes third or fourth, and so in late prose: 2 Corinthians 1:19. Yet "not the number but the nature of the word after which it stands is the point to be noticed" (v. Thayer, s.v.).

For the ascensive force of καὶ γάρ , as in Romans 11:1, cf. P Passalacqua .9 (iii/B.C.) (= Witkowski .2, p. 54) φρόντισον οὖν , ὅπως μὴ ἀδικηθῆι ὁ ἄνθρωπος · καὶ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐστὶν ἐνταῦθα περὶ Π ., where Letronne (P Par p. 401) renders, ";aie soin qu’il ne soit fait aucun tort à cet homme; car, de plus, son père est employé ici auprès de P."; In P Oxy IV. 743.22 (B.C. 2) καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ ὅλος διαπον [ο ]ῦμαι εἰ Ἕλενος χαλκοὺς ἀπόλε [σ ]εν , ";I am quite upset at Helenos’ loss of the money"; (Edd.), the same phrase seems to do little more than introduce a new subject. In P Flor III. 367.6 (iii/A.D.) καὶ γὰρ καὶ πολλάκις μου ἐπιστείλαντός σοι κτλ ., the locution introduces the ground of a complaint just conveyed in the mention of the addressee’s ἀπάνθρωποι . ἐπιστολαί . The ordinary uses of γάρ need not be illustrated, unless we give one example of the γάρ beginning an exposition of a matter just announced, where our idiom omits : thus P Rein 77 (? B.C. 141) h̔̓ν ̣άγ ̣κασμαι τ ̣η ̣̣ν ἐφ᾽ ὑμα ̣̑ς καταϕ ̣υγη ̣̣ν π [οι ]ήσασθ ̣αι ἵν ̣α τ ̣ύχω βοηθείας . Το ̣ῦ γα ̣̣ρ κτλ . (the statement of grievance follows).

[Supplemental from 1930 edition]

For γάρ , as in Mark 16:8, cf. P Amh II. 133.4 (early ii/A.D.), P Oxy IX. 1223.33 (late iv/A.D.).