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Bible Lexicons

Old & New Testament Greek Lexical DictionaryGreek Lexicon

Strong's #2228 - ἤ

Transliteration

ḗ

Phonetics

Origin

a primary particle of distinction between two connected terms

Parts of Speech

particle

TDNT

None

Definition

Thayer
Strong
Mounce

Thayer's

either, or, than

Frequency Lists

Book
Word
Parsing

Verse Results

ASV (326)

Matthew 62

Mark 31

Luke 44

John 12

Acts 33

Romans 24

1 Corinthians 51

2 Corinthians 10

Galatians 8

Ephesians 7

Philippians 2

Colossians 5

1 Thessalonians 2

2 Thessalonians 1

1 Timothy 7

2 Timothy 1

Titus 2

Philemon 1

Hebrews 4

James 5

1 Peter 7

2 Peter 1

1 John 1

Revelation 5

BSB (305)

Matthew 70

Mark 33

Luke 46

John 12

Acts 35

Romans 27

1 Corinthians 49

2 Corinthians 14

Galatians 8

Ephesians 7

Philippians 1

Colossians 4

1 Thessalonians 3

2 Thessalonians 1

1 Timothy 5

2 Timothy 1

Titus 2

Philemon 1

Hebrews 4

James 8

1 Peter 8

2 Peter 1

1 John 1

Revelation 5

CSB (299)

Matthew 60

Mark 27

Luke 41

John 12

Acts 33

Romans 26

1 Corinthians 41

2 Corinthians 14

Galatians 8

Ephesians 7

Philippians 1

Colossians 4

1 Thessalonians 2

2 Thessalonians 1

1 Timothy 4

2 Timothy 1

Titus 2

Philemon 1

Hebrews 4

James 8

1 Peter 6

2 Peter 1

1 John 1

Revelation 5

ESV (314)

Matthew 66

Mark 32

Luke 46

John 13

Acts 35

Romans 27

1 Corinthians 50

2 Corinthians 14

Galatians 8

Ephesians 7

Philippians 2

Colossians 5

1 Thessalonians 3

2 Thessalonians 1

1 Timothy 6

2 Timothy 1

Titus 2

Hebrews 4

James 8

1 Peter 8

2 Peter 1

1 John 1

Revelation 6

KJV (356)

Matthew 68

Mark 35

Luke 47

John 12

Acts 38

Romans 29

1 Corinthians 52

2 Corinthians 12

Galatians 8

Ephesians 7

Philippians 2

Colossians 5

1 Thessalonians 3

2 Thessalonians 1

1 Timothy 7

2 Timothy 1

Titus 2

Philemon 1

Hebrews 5

James 6

1 Peter 8

2 Peter 1

1 John 1

Revelation 6

LEB (0)

The Lexham English Bible
did not use
this Strong's Number

LSB (340)

Matthew 66

Mark 31

Luke 44

John 14

Acts 35

Romans 27

1 Corinthians 50

2 Corinthians 13

Galatians 8

Ephesians 7

Philippians 1

Colossians 4

1 Thessalonians 2

2 Thessalonians 1

1 Timothy 5

2 Timothy 1

Titus 2

Philemon 1

Hebrews 4

James 8

1 Peter 9

2 Peter 1

1 John 1

Revelation 5

N95 (341)

Matthew 67

Mark 31

Luke 44

John 14

Acts 35

Romans 27

1 Corinthians 50

2 Corinthians 13

Galatians 8

Ephesians 7

Philippians 1

Colossians 4

1 Thessalonians 2

2 Thessalonians 1

1 Timothy 5

2 Timothy 1

Titus 2

Philemon 1

Hebrews 4

James 8

1 Peter 9

2 Peter 1

1 John 1

Revelation 5

NAS (339)

Matthew 67

Mark 31

Luke 44

John 14

Acts 35

Romans 27

1 Corinthians 50

2 Corinthians 13

Galatians 8

Ephesians 7

Philippians 1

Colossians 4

1 Thessalonians 2

2 Thessalonians 1

1 Timothy 5

2 Timothy 1

Titus 2

Philemon 1

Hebrews 4

James 8

1 Peter 9

2 Peter 1

1 John 1

Revelation 5

NLT (271)

Matthew 54

Mark 26

Luke 27

John 9

Acts 34

Romans 20

1 Corinthians 43

2 Corinthians 5

Galatians 10

Ephesians 4

Philippians 1

Colossians 4

1 Thessalonians 3

2 Thessalonians 1

1 Timothy 6

2 Timothy 1

Titus 2

Philemon 1

Hebrews 4

James 8

1 Peter 5

2 Peter 1

1 John 1

Revelation 5

WEB (336)

Matthew 62

Mark 35

Luke 45

John 12

Acts 33

Romans 26

1 Corinthians 52

2 Corinthians 10

Galatians 8

Ephesians 7

Philippians 2

Colossians 5

1 Thessalonians 2

2 Thessalonians 1

1 Timothy 7

2 Timothy 1

Titus 2

Philemon 1

Hebrews 4

James 5

1 Peter 8

2 Peter 1

1 John 1

Revelation 6

YLT (284)

Matthew 57

Mark 26

Luke 40

John 10

Acts 33

Romans 18

1 Corinthians 37

2 Corinthians 10

Galatians 6

Ephesians 7

Philippians 1

Colossians 4

2 Thessalonians 1

1 Timothy 5

2 Timothy 1

Titus 2

Philemon 1

Hebrews 4

James 6

1 Peter 8

2 Peter 1

1 John 1

Revelation 5

ASV (326)

a 1

and 5

at all, or 1

away, than 1

but either 1

doth 1

either 4

except 1

for 1

for well-doing than 1

he foreknew 1

his 1

it may 1

man? or 1

nbsp 5

neither 2

nor 2

or 246

or did 1

or else 4

or is 1

rather 1

rather than 7

than 26

than for 1

that 1

that is named a 1

the 1

the desolate than 1

thee? or 1

thou shalt 1

to join himself or 1

to us than 1

what 1

BSB (305)

and 10

but 1

did 1

either 2

if it is 1

isn''t 1

nor 1

nor can 1

not 1

only 1

or 239

or else 1

or even 1

or if 1

or whether 1

or{are 1

otherwise 1

our 2

than 30

than for 5

unless it was 1

was it 1

whether 1

CSB (299)

and 2

but 1

either 4

or 253

rather 1

than 35

than those 1

that 1

whether 1

ESV (314)

and 3

do 1

does 2

either 3

else 1

except 1

for 1

god 1

is 2

nor 2

not 1

or 253

other 1

rather 1

shall 1

than 39

the 1

KJV (356)

* 8

and 3

be 1

before 4

but 2

do 1

doth 1

either 9

else 4

except 1

have 1

he 1

is 1

know 1

neither 3

nor 5

or 257

rather 1

save 1

shalt 1

than 40

that 2

thinkest 1

what 3

yea 1

LEB (0)

The Lexham English Bible
did not use
this Strong's Number

LSB (340)

either 4

else 4

or 287

other 1

rather 3

than 40

whether 1

N95 (341)

either 4

else 4

nor 1

or 287

other 1

rather 3

than 40

whether 1

NAS (339)

either 4

else 2

nor 1

or 287

other 1

rather 3

than 40

whether 1

NLT (271)

all 1

and 27

are 4

be 1

before 2

but 1

else 2

even 1

except 1

for 1

if 2

nor 1

now 1

of 1

only 1

or 178

than 30

the 9

until 1

what 1

when 1

without 1

you 2

your 1

WEB (336)

* 6

a 1

and 4

but either 1

either 4

for 1

he foreknew 1

is 1

it may 1

join himself or 1

man 1

neither 1

nor 2

olives 1

or 246

or adds to it 1

or did 1

or do 1

or else 4

or is 1

praying 1

rather 1

rather than 7

than 27

than for 1

the 2

the desolate than 1

to have his 1

to us than 1

unless 1

well than 1

what 1

who is a 1

you 1

YLT (284)

able now 1

and 8

but 2

either 4

except 2

it, or 1

nor 3

of, and 1

one or 1

or 213

or - not knowing 1

or and 1

or wife, or 2

rather 1

rather than 4

shall an ass or 1

than 33

that 1

things? and 1

things? or 2

thou?' or 1

RAH

The
did not use
this Strong's Number

SWE

PRT 245

ANT

PRT 358

BEZ

CONJ 352

BGB

PRT 355

BMT

PRT 355

BYZ

PRT 358

ELZ

ADV 1

CONJ 290

I-ASN 1

N-DSM 2

N-GSM 1

T-NSF 23

T-VSF 1

V-AAD-2S 1

V-AAI-1P 1

V-AAS-1P 1

V-FAI-1S 1

V-FAI-3S 1

V-IAI-3P 1

V-PAN 1

V-PAS-3S 3

V-PMI-1P 1

NA26

C 346

SBL

PRT 358

SCV

PRT 356

STV

PRT 346

TIS

PRT 359

CONJ 347

TRG

CONJ 290

I-ASN 1

N-DSM 2

N-GSM 1

T-NSF 23

V-AAI-1P 1

V-AAS-1P 1

V-FAI-1S 1

V-FAI-3S 1

V-IAI-3P 1

V-PAN 1

V-PAS-3S 3

V-PMI-1P 1

The
did not use
this Strong's Number

Liddell-Scott-Jones Definitions

ἤ

(A), also ἠέ (in signf. A. 11 ἤ (or ἠέ) folld. by ἦ (or ἦε), v. infr.), Conj. with two chief senses, Disj. (or) and Comp. (than).

DISJUNCTIVE,

1. or, ἐγὼ.. ἢ ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν Il. 2.231, cf. 397, 800, 4.142, 7.236, al.; θεόσυτος ἢ βρότειος ἢ κεκραμένη A. Pr. 116.

2. ἢ.. ἤ either.. or, ἢ νῦν δηθύνοντ' ἢ ὕστερον αὖτις ἰόντα Il. 1.27, cf. 151, 5.484, etc.; so ἢ.. ἤτοι.. Pi. N. 6.4, Fr. 138; ἤτοι.. ἤ.. A. Ag. 662, S. Ant. 1182, Th. 2.40, etc. (in Classical Gr. the alternative introduced by ἤτοι is emphasized, later no distn. is implied, Romans 6:16; ἤτοι.. ἢ.. ἤ.. PTeb. 5.59 (ii B.C.)); ἤ repeated any number of times, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι ἢ τεὸν ἢ Αἴαντος ἰὼν γέρας ἢ Ὀδυσῆος Il. 1.138, cf. Od. 15.84, S. Ant. 707; ἤ is prob. wrongly accented in codd. of Il. 2.289, Od. 3.348, 19.109, v. ἦ Adv. 1.3: ἢ πόλις βροτός θ' ὁμοίως A. Eu. 524 (lyr.) is exceptional.

3. or else, otherwise, εἰδέναι δεῖ περὶ οὗ ἂν ᾖ ἡ βουλή, ἢ παντὸς ἁμαρτάνειν ἀνάγκη Pl. Phdr. 237c; μή με λυπεῖτε, ἢ φεύξομ' ἐκ τῆς οἰκίης Herod. 5.74; ζῶντα κακῶς λέγειν ἐκώλυσε.., ἢ τρεῖς δραχμὰς ἀποτίνειν ἔταξε Lex Sol. ap. Plu. Sol. 21, cf. 24, IG 12.94.10, Them. Or. 21.260a.

II in Questions or Deliberations in Disj. form(the accentuation is ἢ (ἠέ) folld. by ἦ (ἦε), Hdn. Gr. 2.24, al., A.D. Conj. 224.28):

1 Direct questions, introduced by ἢ (ἠέ), ἢ δολιχὴ νοῦσος ἦ Ἄρτεμις ἰοχέαιρα.. κατέπεφνεν; Od. 11.172; ἤ τι κατὰ πρῆξιν ἦ μαψιδίως ἀλάλησθε..; 3.72, cf. 1.408, 16.462, Il. 6.378, 15.735, 16.12, etc. without an introductory Particle, θεός νύ τις ἦ βροτός ἐσσι; art thou a goddess or a mortal? Od. 6.149, cf. 1.226, 4.314, 372, 643, 20.130, 21.194, Il. 10.63, 425, 534, 15.203: accented ἦ, Hdn.Gr. 2.145, al., but ἤ freq. in codd. of Hom. and always in codd. of later writers: ἤκουσας ἢ οὐκ ἤκουσας ἢ κωφῇ λέγω; A. Th. 202; ἄρτι δὲ ἥκεις ἢ πάλαι; Pl. Cri. 43a; κακουργεῖν δεῖ ἢ οὔ; ib. 49c; preceded by πότερον, πότερον δοκεῖ σοι κάκιον εἶναι, τὸ ἀδικεῖν ἢ τὸ ἀδικεῖσθαι; Id. Grg. 474c, etc.

2. Indirect questions, freq. epexegetic of a preceding question and identical in form with direct questions. εἴπ' ἄγε,.. ἤ ῥ' ἐθέλει.., ἦ ἀπέειπε.. Il. 9.674; ὄφρα δαῶμεν ἢ ἐτεὸν Κάλχας μαντεύεται ἦε καὶ οὐκί 2.300; διάνδιχα μερμήριξεν ἢ ὅ γε.. ἐναρίζοι ἦε χόλον παύσειεν 1.190; later with εἰ.. ἤ A. Ch. 890, Ag. 478, S. OC 80, etc.; πότερον or πότερα.. ἤ.. Id. Pers. 148, 352, Ag. 630, etc.; sts. εἴτε.. ἤ E. El. 897; ἢ.. εἴτε S. Aj. 177. without introductory Particle, οὐδέ τι οἶδα ζώει ὅ γ' ἦ τέθνηκε Od. 11.464, cf. Il. 10.546, Od. 24.238.

COMPARATIVE,

1. than, as, after a Comp., Il. 11.162, etc.: after positive Adjs. which imply comparison, ἄλλος, ἕτερος ἤ.., S. OT 595, Tr. 835 (lyr.); ἐναντίος ἤ Pl. Grg. 481c; ἴδιόν τι πάσχειν πάθος ἢ οἱ ἄλλοι ibid.: after Advbs. or adverbial phrases, πλήν, πρίν, πρόσθεν, χωρίς (qq. v.), ἀλλά (v. ἀλλ' ἤ) ; τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ἤ.. Id. Cri. 44a (f.l. in Smp. 173a); ἐν τῷ πέμπτῳ καὶ δεκάτῳ ϝέτει ἀπὸ τῶ ποτεχεῖ ϝέτεος ἢ Ἀριστίων ἐφορεύει Tab.Heracl. 1.121; παρὰ δόξαν ἢ ὡς αὐτὸς κατεδόκεε Hdt. 1.79, cf. 8.4; διαφερόντως ἤ.. Pl. Phd. 85b; οὐδ' ὅσον ἤ.. not so much as.., not more than.., Theoc. 9.21: after Verbs implying comparison, βούλεσθαι ἤ.. to wish rather than.., v. βούλομαι IV, αἱρέω B. 11.1b; so φθάνειν ἤ.. to come sooner than.., Il. 23.445, Od. 11.58; ἐπιθυμεῖν ἤ.. X. Cyr. 1.4.3; δέχεσθαι ἤ.. Lys. 10.21: less freq. after a word not implying comparison, δίκαιον ἡμέας ἔχειν.. (sc. μᾶλλον) ἤ περ Ἀθηναίους Hdt. 9.26; ἐμοὶ πικρὸς.. ἢ κείνοις γλυκύς S. Aj. 966 (s.v.l.); δεδικαιωμένος ἢ ἐκεῖνος Luke 18:14.

2. joining two Comparatives which refer to the same subject, πάντες κ' ἀρησαίατ' ἐλαφρότεροι πόδας εἶναι ἢ ἀφνειότεροι Od. 1.165; ταχύτερα ἢ σοφώτερα Hdt. 3.65; μανικώτεροι ἢ ἀνδρειότεροι Pl. Tht. 144b, cf. Ar. Ach. 1078.

3. rarely after a Sup., πλεῖστα θωμάσια ἔχει Αἴγυπτος ἢ ἄλλη πᾶσα χώρη Hdt. 2.35 (s.v.l.); πίθοιτό κεν ὔμμι μάλιστα ἢ ἐμοί A.R. 3.91.

4. ἢ οὐ is used when a neg. precedes, οὐδέν τι μᾶλλον ἐπ' ἡμέας ἢ οὐ καὶ ἐπ' ὑμέας Hdt. 4.118, cf. 5.94, Th. 2.62, etc.: after an implied neg., ὠμὸν.. πόλιν ὅλην διαφθεῖραι μᾶλλον ἢ οὐ τοὺς αἰτίους Id. 3.36.

5. freq. omitted with numerals after πλείων, ἐλάττων, μείων, ἔτη.. πλείω ἑβδομήκοντα v.l. in Pl. Revelation 17:1-18 d; οὐ μεῖον πεντακοσίους X. An. 6.4.24: sts. with an inf. or conditional clause, τί γὰρ ἀνδρὶ κακὸν μεῖζον ἁμαρτεῖν E. Alc. 879; τίς εὐπραξία σπανιωτέρα.., εἰ [δύναμις] πάρεστιν (for ἢ δύναμιν παρεῖναι); Th. 1.33.

6. pleon. with a gen., τίς ἂν αἰσχίων εἴη ταύτης δόξα, ἢ δοκεῖν.. Pl. Cri. 44c, cf. Lys. 10.28.

7. the Disj. and Comp. uses are found together in Il. 15.511 βέλτερον, ἢ ἀπολέσθαι ἕνα χρόνον ἠὲ βιῶναι, ἢ δηθὰ στρεύγεσθαι ἐν αἰνῆ δηϊοτῆτι better, either to die once for all or win life, than long to toil in battle. [ ἢ οὐ, ἢ οὐκ combine by Synizesis into one syll. in Trag. and Com., A. Pr. 330, S. Aj. 334, Ar. Lys. 128; so usually in , Od. 1.298, al.; ἢ αὐτός Hes. Fr. 194; ἢ εἰ Alex. 201.]

ἤ

(B),

1. an exclamation expressing disapproval, ἢ ἢ σιώπα Ar. Nu. 105; ἢ ἤ· τί δρᾶς; E. HF 906 (lyr.), cf. Suid.

2. to call attention, ποῦ Ξανθίας; ἢ Ξανθία where's Xanthias? hi, Xanthias! Ar. Ra. 271.

Thayer's Expanded Definition

ἤ, a disjunctive conjunction (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 53, 6). Used

1. to distinguish things or thoughts which either mutually exclude each other, or one of which can take the place of the other: or (Latinaut,vel);

a. to distinguish one thing from another in words of the same construction: Matthew 5:17 (τόν νόμον ἤ τούς προφήτας), Matthew 5:36 (λευκήν ἤ μέλαιναν); Matthew 6:31; Matthew 7:16; Mark 6:56; Mark 7:11; Luke 2:24; Luke 9:25; John 7:48; John 13:29; Acts 1:7; Acts 3:12; Acts 4:7; Romans 1:21; Romans 3:1; 1 Corinthians 4:3; 1 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 10:19; Galatians 1:10, etc.

b. after an interrogative or a declarative sentence, before a question designed to prove the same thing in another way: Matthew 7:4, 9; Matthew 12:29; Matthew 16:26; Matthew 26:53; Mark 8:37; Luke 13:4; Luke 14:31; Luke 15:8; Romans 9:21; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 6:16.

c. before a sentence contrary to the one just preceding, to indicate that if one be denied or refuted the other must stand: Matthew 20:15 (i. e. or, if thou wilt not grant this, is thine eye etc.); Romans 3:29; 1 Corinthians 9:6; 1 Corinthians 10:22; 1 Corinthians 11:14 (Rec.); ; 2 Corinthians 11:7; ἤ ἀγνοεῖτε etc., Romans 6:3; Romans 7:1 (cf. Romans 6:14); ἤ οὐκ ὀικατε etc., Romans 11:2; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 16, 19.

d. ἤ ... ἤ, either ... or, Matthew 6:24; Matthew 12:33; Luke 16:13; Acts 24:20; 1 Corinthians 14:6.

2. in a disjunctive question it corresponds to the Latinan afterutrum;

a. preceded by πότερον, John 7:17; cf. Klotz ad Dev. 2:2, p. 574f; preceded by the interrogative μή, 1 Corinthians 9:8; preceded by μήτι, 2 Corinthians 1:17.

b. without an intertog. particle in the first member of the interrogation: τί ἐστι εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν ... ἤ εἰπεῖν, Matthew 9:5; Mark 2:9; Luke 5:23; add, Matthew 21:25; Matthew 23:17, 19; Matthew 27:17; Mark 3:4; Luke 7:19; Acts 8:34.

c. ἤ ... ἤ ... ἤ, Mark 13:35.

3. as a comparative conjunction, than;

a. after comparatives: Matthew 10:15; Matthew 11:22; Luke 9:13; Luke 16:17; John 3:19; John 4:1 (Tr marginal reading omits; WH brackets ἤ); Acts 4:19; Romans 13:11, and often. ἤ is lacking after πλείους followed by a noun of number: Matthew 26:53 T Tr WH; Acts 4:22; Acts 23:13, 21; Acts 24:11 (where Rec. adds ἤ); cf. Matthiae, § 455 note 4; Kühner, ii., p. 847; (Jelf, § 780 Obs. 1); Winers Grammar, 595 (554); (Buttmann, 168 (146)); Lob. ad Phryn., p. 410f.

b. after ἕτερον: Acts 17:21.

c. πρίν ἤ, before that, before, followed by accusative with an infinitive (cf. Buttmann, § 139, 35; Winer's Grammar, § 44, 6, also, p. 297 (279)): Matthew 1:18; Mark 14:30; Acts 2:20 R G WH marginal reading; Acts 7:2; followed by the aorist subjunc, Luke 2:26 Tr text omits; WH brackets ἤ; R G (others ἕως); followed by present optative, Acts 25:16.

d. after θέλω equivalent to to prefer: 1 Corinthians 14:19 (followed by ἤπερ, 2 Macc. 14:42); examples from Greek authors are given in Klotz ad Devar. 2:2, p. 589f; Winers Grammar, § 35, 2 c.; (Buttmann, § 149, 7); Kühner, ii., p. 841; (Jelf, § 779 Obs. 3).

e. after οὐ: John 13:10 R G, where after οὐ χρείαν ἔχει the sentence goes on as though the writer had said οὐκ ἄλλου τίνος χρείαν ἔχει, (cf. Winers Grammar, 508 (478)).

f. after positive notions, to which in this way a comparative force is given: after καλόν ἐστι (it is good ... rather than) equivalent to it is better, Matthew 18:8; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; cf. Menander's saying καλόν τό μή ζῆν, ἤ ζῆν ἀθλιως, and Plautus rud. 4, 4, 70 tacita mulier est bona semper, quam loquens; similar examples in the O. T. are Genesis 49:12; Psalm 117:8 (); Jonah 4:3, 8; Tobit 6:13 Tobit 12:8; Sir. 20:25 Sir. 22:15; 4 Macc. 9:1; also after λυσιτελεῖ (it is gain ... rather than) equivalent to it is better (Tobit 3:6), Luke 17:2; after χαρά ἐστι (there will be joy ... more than), Luke 15:7; see examples from Greek authors in Alexander Buttmann (1873) Gram. § 149, 7; (Buttmann, p. 360 (309)); Winer, Kühner, others, as above.

4. with other particles;

a. ἀλλ' ἤ, see ἀλλά, I. 10, p. 28a.

b. ἤ γάρ, see γάρ, I. at the end c. ἤ καί (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 53, 6 note), α. or even, or also (Latinaut etiam,vel etiam): (Matthew 7:10 L T Tr WH); Luke 11:11 G L T Tr WH; Luke 11:12; Luke 18:11; Romans 2:15; 1 Corinthians 16:6; 2 Corinthians 1:13. β. or also (Latinan etiam) (in a disjunctive question): Luke 12:41; Romans 4:9.

d. ἤπερ, than at all (Latinquam forte; German als etwa), after a comparitive (cf. Jelf, § 779 Obs. 5): John 12:43 (L ἤ περ, WH marginal reading ὑπέρ) (2 Macc. 14:42; Homer, Hesiod).

e. ἤτοι ... ἤ, either indeed (cf. Kühner, § 540, 5) ... or: Romans 6:16 (Wis. 11:19; Herodotus and following).

Abbott-Smith Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament

ἤ ,

disjunctive and comparative particle (Bl., § 36, 12; 77, 11);

1. disjunctive, or;

(a) between single words: Matthew 5:17, Mark 6:56, Luke 2:24, John 6:19, Romans 1:21, al.;

(b) before a sentence expressing a variation, denial or refutation of a previous statement, freq. in interrog. form: Matthew 7:4; Matthew 7:9 Mark 12:14, Luke 13:4, Romans 3:29; Romans 6:3; Romans 9:21, 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Corinthians 6:16; 1 Corinthians 9:6, 2 Corinthians 11:7; ἢ . . . ἤ , either . . . or, Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13, 1 Corinthians 14:6;

(c) in a disjunctive question (as Lat. an after utrum): Matthew 9:5, Mark 2:9, Luke 7:19, al.; after πότερον , John 7:17; μή , 1 Corinthians 9:8; μήτι , 2 Corinthians 1:17; ἢ . . . ἢ . . . ἤ , Mark 13:35.

2. Comparative, than: after comparatives, Matthew 10:16, Luke 9:13, John 3:19, Romans 13:11, al.; after ἕτερον , Acts 17:21; θέλω (Kühner3, iv, 303), 1 Corinthians 14:19; πρὶν ἤ , before, seq. acc et inf., Matthew 1:18, Mark 14:30; after a positive adj. (Genesis 49:12; cf. Robertson, Gr., 661), Matthew 18:8-9, Mark 9:43; Mark 9:45; Mark 9:47.

3. With other particles: ἀλλ᾿ ἤ , see ἀλλά ; ἢ γάρ , see γάρ ; ἢ καί , or even, or also, Matthew 7:10, Luke 11:11-12, Romans 2:15; Romans 4:9, al.; ήτοι . . . ή , Romans 6:16 (cf. Wisdom of Solomon 11:19).

Abbott-Smith Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament.
Copyright © 1922 by G. Abbott-Smith, D.D., D.C.L.. T & T Clarke, London.

Vocabulary of the Greek NT

For this particle in interrogative sentences, where we should accent ἦ, and for which from ii/B.C. εἶ is a graphic equivalent, cf. the questions to the oracle, P Fay 137.2 f. (i/A.D.) (= Selections, p. 69) χρημάτισόν μοι, ἦ μείνωι ἐν Βακχιάδι; ἦ μέλω (l. μέλλω) ἐντυνχάνιν; ";answer me, Shall I remain in Bacchias? Shall I meet (him)";, BGU I. 229.8 (ii/iii A.D.) (see Berichtigungen i. p. 27) ἠ μὲν σοθήσωμαι (l. εἰ μὲν σωθήσομαι) ταύτης, ἧς ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀσθενίας, τοῦτόν μοι ἐξένικον (l. τοῦτό μοι ἐξένεγκον). For ἤ = ";or,"; see BGU IV. 1141.6 (B.C. 14) ἔπεμψας. . . ἵνα ἐπιγνῶσιν πρὸς ἃ ἔγραψά σοι ἠ (= εἰ) ἔστιν ἢ οὐ, and for ἢ. . . ἤ PSI IV 324.2 (B.C. 261–0) ἐάν τινες. . . διαγράφωσιν ὑμῖν ἢ τὰς τιμὰς ἢ τὸ παραβόλιον, παραλαμβάνετε κτλ. : the alternative is emphasized by the addition of τε. . . καί in IG XII. 2, 562.5 (Rom. time) εἰ δέ τις τολμήσ [ῃ ἐπι ]βαλέσθαι πτῶμα ἤτε ἀπὸ τοῦ γένους μου ἢ καὶ ἕτερός τις, δώσει κτλ. (cited by Radermacher Gr. p. 27). Ἤτοι. . ἤ, while found in classical Greek, is characteristic of Hellenistic speech (Radermacher ut s.), see e.g. P Tebt I. 5.59 (B.C. 118) ἤιτοι κώ (μας) ἢι γᾶς ἢ ἄλλας ἱερὰς πρ (οσόδους), P Ryl II. 154.85 (a contract of marriage—A.D. 66) ἤτοι τοῦ Χαιρήμονος ἀποπέμποντος τ [ὴ ]ν Θαισάριον ἢ καὶ αὐτῆς ἑκουσίω [ς ἀ ]παλλασσομέν [η ]ς [ἀ ]π᾽ αὐτοῦ : cf. Romans 6:16. The combination is common in Vett. Val. (e.g. p. 58.20), who also uses ἤπερ (P. 141.26) and ἤγουν (P. 138.12) for simple ἤ. Ἤτοι stands alone in PSI IV. 314.12 (A.D. 195) δραχμὰς ἑξακισχει [λί ]α ̣ς ἤ [τ ]οι τάλαντο ̣ν, P Oxy VI. 888.5 (iii/iv A.D.) διὰ τὸ μὴ παρεῖναι τοῖς ὀρφανοῖς ἐπιτρόπους ἤτοι κου [ράτορας. In PSI III. 158.68 (iii/A.D.?) the place of the particles is reversed—δ ̣ι ̣κ ̣ογράφους ἢ δικολόγους ἤτοι τούτων παραπλ [η ]σίους. For ἢ καί suggesting an afterthought, see P Lond 962.5 (A.D. 254 or 261) (= III. p. 210) δέξαι παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ δραχμὰς διακοσίας καὶ ἔχε αὐτὰς εἴς τε περιχωματισμὸν ἢ καὶ λόγον ὀψωνίων ὡς ἐὰν θέλῃς, ";receive from him two hundred drachmas and employ them for banking-up or (for that matter) for the payment of supplies, as you may wish,"; and for ἀλλ᾽ ἤ, as in 2 Corinthians 1:13, see s.v. ἀλλά, and cf. Blass-Debrunner Gr. § 448. 8.

A good parallel to θέλω. . . ἤ in 1 Corinthians 14:19 (cf. 2 Maccabees 14:42) is found in BGU III. 846.16 (ii/A.D.) (= Selections, p. 95) οὐκ οἶδες, ὅτι θέλω πη ̣ρο ̣̣ς γενέσται (l. γενέσθαι), εἲ (= ἢ) γνοῦναι, ο ̣̓́π ̣ως ἀνθρόπῳ [ἔ ]τ [ι ] ὀφείλω ὀβολόν; ";do you not know that I would rather be a cripple than be conscious that I am still owing any one an obolus?";

On the Semitic use of the positive of an adj. followed by ἤ, as in Mark 9:43 ff., see Wellhausen Einl..2 p. 21, where reference is also made to the corresponding use of ἤ after a verb with μᾶλλον implied in Mark 3:4, Luke 15:7 : in Matthew 18:13 μᾶλλον is expressed.

Πρὶν ἤ with inf., as in Matthew 1:18 al. (cf. Blass-Debrunner Gr. § 395) may be illustrated by PSI III. 171.25 (ii/B.C.) πρὶν ἢ τὰ λοι [π ]ὰ τη ̣̑[ς οἰ ]κοδομῆς τοῦ ὅρμου συντελεσθῆνα ̣ι ̣.

For πρότερον ἤ see PSI IV. 330.2 (B.C. 258–7) ὤ [ι ]μην οὖν σοὶ με ̣, ν ̣ γράφειν πρότερον ἢ ἀντιτεῖναι, and cf. ib. 343.3 (B.C. 256–5) μὴ θαυμάσηις ἐπὶ τῶι Νικόλαον ἀπελθεῖν προτοῦ ἢ τὸν λόγον συνθεῖναι, where the editor points out that προτοῦ = πρὸ τοῦ, and compares Syll 300.22 (B.C. 170) πρὸ τοῦ ἢ Γάϊος Λοκρέτιος τὸ στρατόπεδον πρὸς τὴν πόλιν Θίσβας προσήγαγεν = ";antequam . . . admovit.";

List of Word Forms

η ἤ ἢ e ē ḗ ḕ