Consider helping today!
Bible Lexicons
Old & New Testament Greek Lexical Dictionary
Strong's #3173 - μέγας
- Thayer
- Strong
- Mounce
- Book
- Word
- Parsing
μέγᾰς, μεγάλη [ᾰ], me/ga, gen. μεγάλου, ης, ου, dat. μεγάλῳ, ῃ, ῳ, acc. μέγᾰν, μεγάλην, μέγᾰ; dual μεγάλω, α, w; pl. μεγάλοι, μεγάλαι, μεγάλα, etc.: the stem μεγάλο - is never used in sg. nom. and acc. masc. and neut., and only once in voc. masc., ὦ μεγάλε Ζεῦ A. Th. 822 (anap.).
I
1. big, of bodily size: freq. of stature, εἶδος.. μ. ἦν ὁράασθαι Od. 18.4; κεῖτο μ. μεγαλωστί Il. 16.776; ἠΰς τε μ. τε Od. 9. 508; φῶτα μέγαν καὶ καλόν ib. 513; καλή τε μεγάλη τε 15.418; κάρτα μεγάλη καὶ εὐειδής Hdt. 3.1; φύσιν τίν' εἶχε φράζε; Answ. μέγας S. OT 742. full-grown, of age as shown by stature, νῦν δ' ὅτε δὴ μ. εἰμί Od. 2.314; μήτε μέγαν μήτ' οὖν νεαρῶν τινα A. Ag. 358 (anap.); later, elder of two persons of the same name, Wilcken Chr. 305 (iii B. C.); Σκιπίων ὁ μ. Plb. 18.35.9. of animals, μ. ἵπποι, βοῦς, σῦς, Il. 2.839, 18.559, Od. 19.439; αἰετός Pi. I. 6(5).50.
2. generally, vast, high, οὐρανός, ὄρος, πύργος, Il. 1.497, 16.297, 6.386; wide, πέλαγος, λαῖτμα θαλάσσης, Od. 3.179, 5.174; long, ἠϊών, αἰγιαλός, Il. 12.31, 2.210: sts. opp. ὀλίγος, κῦμα οὔτε μέγ' οὔτ' ὀ. Od. 10.94; but usu. opp. μικρός or σμικρός, πρὸς ἑαυτὸ ἕκαστον καὶ μ. καὶ σμικρόν Anaxag. 3; τὸ ἄπειρον ἐκ μεγάλου καὶ μικροῦ Arist. Metaph. 987b26, etc.
II of quality or degree,
1. great, mighty, freq. epith. of gods, ὁ μ. Ζεύς A. Supp. 1052 (lyr.), etc.; μεγάλα θεά, of Demeter and Persephone, S. OC 683 (lyr.); θεοὶ μεγάλοι, of the Cabiri, IG 12(8).71 (Imbros), etc.; Μήτηρ μ., of Cybele, SIG 1014.83 (Erythrae, iii B. C.), 1138.3 (Delos, ii B. C.); Μήτηρ θεῶν μ. OGI 540.6 (Pessinus), etc.; Ἴσιδος μ. μητρὸς θεῶν PStrassb. 81.14 (ii B.C.); μ. ἡ Ἄρτεμις Ἐφεσίων Acts 19:28; τίς θεὸς μ. ὡς ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν; LXX Psalms 77:13(76).13; ὁ μ. θεός Titus 2:13; of men, μ. ἠδὲ κραταιός Od. 18.382; ὀλίγος καὶ μ. Callin. 1.17, etc.; μέγας ηὐξήθη rose to greatness, D. 2.5; ἤρθη μ. ib.8; βασιλεὺς ὁ μ., i. e. the King of Persia, Hdt. 1.188, etc. (θεῶν β. ὁ μ., of Zeus, Pi. O. 7.34); βασιλεὺς μ. A. Pers. 24 (anap.); as a title of special monarchs, Ἀρδιαῖος ὁ μ. Pl. R. 615c; ὁ μ. Ἀλέξανδρος Ath. 1.3d; ὁ μ. ἐπικληθεὶς Ἀντίοχος Plb. 4.2.7, etc.; μ. φίλος E. Med. 549; πλούτῳ τε κἀνδρείᾳ μ. Id. Tr. 674; ἐπὶ μέγα ἦλθεν ἰσχύος Th. 2.97.
2. strong, of the elements, etc., ἄνεμος, λαῖλαψ, Ζέφυρος, Od. 19.200, 12.408, 14.458; of properties, passions, qualities, feelings, etc., of men, θάρσος, πένθος, ποθή, etc., 9.381, Il. 1.254, 11.471, etc.; ἀρετή Od. 24.193, Pi. O. 8.5; θυμός Il. 9.496, E. Or. 702; κλέος Il. 6.446; ἄχος 9.9; πυρετός Luke 4:38 (incorrect acc. to Gal. 7.275); ἡ μ. νοῦσος epilepsy, Hp. Epid. 6.6.5, cf. Gal. 17(2).341.
3. of sounds, great, loud, ἀλαλητός, ἰαχή, πάταγος, ὀρυμαγδός, Il. 12.138, 15.384, 21.9, 256; θόρυβοι, κωκυτός, S. Aj. 142 (anap.), E. Med. 1176; οὐκ ἔστι ὅκως τι νεῖκος ἔσται ἢ μέγα ἢ σμικρόν Hdt. 3.62; μὴ φώνει μέγα S. Ph. 574.
4. generally, great, mighty, ὅρκος Il. 19.113; ὄλβος, τιμά, Pi. O. 1.56, P. 4.148; μ. λόγος, μῦθος, a great story, rumour, A. Pr. 732, S. Aj. 226 (lyr.); ἐρώτημα a big, i. e. difficult, question, Pl. Euthd. 275d, Hp.Ma. 287b; weighty, important, τόδε μεῖζον Od. 16.291; μέγα ποιέεσθαί τι to esteem of great importance, Hdt. 3.42, cf. 9.111; μέγα γενέσθαι εἴς τι X. HG 7.5.6; μ. ὑπάρχειν πρός τι Id. Mem. 2.3.4; μέγα διαφέρειν εἴς τι Pl. Lg. 78o c; οὐκ ἂν εἴη παρὰ μέγα τὸ δικολογεῖν not of great importance, Phld. Rh. 2.85 S.; τὸ δὲ μέγιστον and what is most important, Th. 4.70, cf. 1.142; οἱ μέγιστοι καιροί the most pressing emergencies, D. 20.44; μ. ὠνησάμενοι χρημάτων for large sums, Plb. 4.50.3, etc.
5. with a bad sense, over-great, μέγα εἰπεῖν to speak big, and so provoke divine wrath, Od. 22.288; λίην μέγα εἶπες 3.227, 16.243; μέγα ἔργον 3.261, Pi. N. 10.64; ἔργων μ. A. Ag. 1546 (anap.); ὠμὸν τὸ βούλευμα καὶ μ. Th. 3.36; ἔπος μ., μ. λόγοι, S. Aj. 423 (lyr.), Ant. 1350 (anap.); μ. γλῶσσα ib. 127 (anap.); μηδὲν μέγ' εἴπῃς Id. Aj. 386; μὴ μέγα λέγε Pl. Phd. 95b; μὴ μεγάλα λίαν λέγε Ar. Ra. 835; μέγα φρονεῖν S. OT 1078, E. Hipp. 6; μεγάλα φρονεῖν Ar. Ach. 988; μεγάλα, μεῖζον ἢ δικαίως πνεῖν, E. Andr. 189, A. Ag. 376 (lyr.); μέγα τι παθεῖν X. An. 5.8.17; μὴ μέγα λέγων μεῖζον πάθῃς E. HF 1244.
6. of style. impressive, Demetr. Eloc. 278; μεῖζον more striking, ib. 103.
7. of days, long, Gal. 12.714. Adv. μεγάλως [ᾰ ] greatly, mightily, Od. 16.432, Hes. Th. 429, Hdt. 1.16, 30, al., X. Cyr. 8.2.10, Parth. 28.1, etc.; strengthd., μάλα μ. Il. 17.723; δμαθέντες μ. A. Pers. 907 (lyr.); with Adjs., Hdt. 1.4, 7.190.
III more freq. neut. sg. μέγα as
1. Adv., very much, exceedingly, μ. χαῖρε all hail!, v. l. for μάλα in Od. 24.402; esp. with Verbs expressing strong feeling, μ. κεν κεχαροίατο Il. 1.256; μ. κήδεται 2.27, etc.: with Verbs expressing power, might, μ. πάντων.. κρατέει 1.78; ὃς μ. πάντων.. ἤνασσε 10.32; πατρὸς μ. δυναμένοιο Od. 1.276, cf. Hom. Epigr. 15.1, A. Eu. 950 (anap.), E. Hel. 1358 (lyr.), Ar. Ra. 141, Pl. R. 366a; μ. δύνασθαι παρά τινι Th. 2.29; πλουτέειν μ. Hdt. 1.32; or those expressing sound, loudly, μ. ἰάχειν, ἀῧσαι, βοῆσαι, εὔξασθαι, ἀμβῶσαι, Il. 2.333, 14.147, 17.334, Od. 17.239, Hdt. 1.8 (also pl., μεγάλ' εὔχετο Il. 1.450; μ. αὐδήσαντος, μ. ἤπυεν, Od. 4.505, 9.399): strengthd., μάλα μ. Il. 15.321; μ. δ' ἔβραχε φήγινος ἄξων 5.838, etc.: so in Trag. with all kinds of Verbs, μ. στένειν, σθένειν, χλίειν, A. Ag. 711 (lyr.), 938, Ch. 137: also in pl., μεγάλα.. δυστυχεῖς Id. Eu. 791 (lyr.).
2. of Space, far, μέγα προθορών Il. 14.363; ἄνευθε μέγα far away, 22.88; οὐκ ἂν μέγα τι τῆς ἀληθείας παρεξέλθοις Pl. Phlb. 66b.
3. with Adjs., as μέγ' ἔξοχος, μέγα νήπιος, Il. 2.480, 16.46; μ. νήπιε Orac. ap. Hdt. 1.85; μ. πλούσιος Id. 1.32, 7.190; ὦ μέγ' εὔδαιμον κόρη A. Pr. 647: with Comp. and Sup., by far, μέγ' ἀμείνονες, ἄριστος, φέρτατος, Il. 4.405, 2.82, 16.21. degrees of Comparison (regul. μεγαλώτερος, -ώτατος late, EM 780.1, 2): 1 Comp. μείζων, ον, gen. ονος, , Att. (also Delph., SIG 246 H 260 (iv B. C.)); Ion., Arc., Dor., Aeol. μέζων, ον, Heraclit. 25, Hp. Acut. 44, Hdt. 1.26, IG 7.235.16 (Oropus), 5(2).3.18 (Tegea), Epich. 62 (also early Att., IG 12.22.65, but [ με] ίζων ib.6.93, by analogy of ὀλείζων ib.76,95); dat. pl. μεζόνεσσι Diotog. ap. Stob. 4.7.62: written μέσδων in Sapph. Supp. 7.6, Plu. Lyc. 19: cf. μέττον· μεῖζον, Hsch. (dub.); later μειζότερος 3 John 1:4 (used as title, elder, POxy. 943.3 (vi A. D.), etc.); μειζονώτερος A. Fr. 434: —
1. greater, longer, taller, Il. 3.168, 9.202, etc.; freq. also, too great, γέρας Pl. Sph. 231a; Μηνόφιλος μείζων M. the elder, Ostr.Bodl. v C 2 (ii A. D.); as title, μειζων κώμης headman of a village, POxy. 1626.5 (iv A. D.), etc.: generally, the higher authority, PLond. 2.214.22 (iii A. D.), POxy. 1204.17 (pl., iii A. D.); οὔτε μεῖζον οὔτε ἔλαττον, a strong form of denial, nothing whatever, D.H. Comp. 4; οὐδαμὰ προὔφηνεν οὔτε μείζον' οὔτ' ἐλάττονα S. Tr. 324. Adv. μειζόνως E. Hec. 1121, Th. 1.130, X. Cyn. 13.3, Isoc. 9.21, etc.; Ion. μεζόνως Hdt. 3.128, Herod. 4.80, etc.: neut. as Adv., μεῖζον σθένειν S. Ph. 456, E. Supp. 216; μ. ἰσχύειν D. 3.28; ἐπὶ μ. ἔρχεται S. Ph. 259.
2. Sup. μέγιστος, η, ον, Il. 2.412, etc.: neut. as Adv., μέγιστον ἴσχυσε S. Aj. 502; δυνάμενος μ., c. gen., Hdt. 7.5, 9.9: with another Sup., μέγιστον ἐχθίστη E. Med. 1323: in pl., χαῖρ' ὡς μέγιστα S. Ph. 462; θάλλει μ. Id. OC 700 (lyr.); τὰ μέγιστ' ἐτιμάθης Id. OT 1203 (lyr.); ἐς μέγιστον ib. 521; ἐς τὰ μ. Hdt. 8.111: — late Sup. μεγιστότατος PLond. 1.130.49 (i/ii A. D.). (Cf. Skt. majmán - 'greatness', Lat. magnus, Goth. mikils 'great'.)
μέγας , μεγάλη , μέγα ,
[in LXX chiefly for H1419, also for H7227, H4766 (incl. μείζων ), H7230 (μέγιστος );]
great;
1. of external form, bodily size, measure, extent: λίθος , Matthew 27:60; δράκων , Revelation 12:3; ἰχθῦς , John 21:11; πόλις , Revelation 11:8; μάχαιρα , Revelation 6:4, al.
2. Of intensity and degree : δύναμις , Acts 4:33; φόβος , Mark 4:41; ἀγάπη , John 15:13; ἄνεμος , John 6:18; κραυγή , Acts 23:9; φῶς , Matthew 4:16; πυρετός , Luke 4:38; θλίψις , Matthew 24:21.
3. Of rank;
(a) of persons: θεός (MM, xvi), Titus 2:13; Ἄρτεμις , Acts 19:27; compar. (v. infr.), Matthew 18:1 (cf. Dalman, Words, 113 f.); neut. for masc. (B1., § 32, 1), Matthew 12:6;
(b) of things : ἁμαρτία , John 19:11; μυστήριον , Ephesians 5:32; = μεγίστη (v. infr., and cf. Field, Notes, 16 f.), Matthew 22:36; compar. for superl. (M, Pr., 78), 1 Corinthians 13:13.
4. (a) Compar., μείζων : Matthew 11:11; Matthew 23:17, al.; neut. pl., μείζονα , contr. μείζω , John 1:51; double compar., μειζότερος (M, Pr., 236; B1., § 11, 4), 3 John 1:4;
(b) superl., μέγιστος (Deiss., BS, 365), 2 Peter 1:4.
Copyright © 1922 by G. Abbott-Smith, D.D., D.C.L.. T & T Clarke, London.
The frequency with which μέγας is employed as a predicate of heathen gods and goddesses, e.g. P Strass II.81.14 (B.C. 115) Ἴσιδος μεγάλης μητρὸς θεῶν, P Oxy VI. 886.2 (a magical formula–iii/A.D.) μεγάλη Ἶσις ἡ κυρία (cf. Acts 19:28 μεγάλη ἡ Ἄρτεμις Ἐφεσίων), makes it the more noticeable that only once in the NT is the same epithet applied to the true God (Titus 2:13) : see Thieme p. 36 f. For the repeated μέγας μέγας = a superlative, imitated from the Egyptian (Wilcken), see the question to the oracle in P Fay 137.1 (i/A.D.)(= Selections, p. 69) Σοκωννω ̣κοννῖ θεῶι μελο (l. μεγάλωι) μεγάλωι. χρημάτισόν μοι, ἦ μείνωι ἐν Βακχιάδι; ";to Sokanobkoneus the great great god. Answer me, Shall I remain in Bacchias?"; : cf. BGU III. 748iii. 6 (A.D. 48), ib. II. 590.7 (A.D. 177–8) al. In a Eumeneian inscr. published in C. and B. ii. p. 386, No. 232.5, we hear of Ῥουβῇ μεγάλοιο θ [εοῦ ] θεράποντι, and Ramsay regards the name Roubes as a Grecized form of the Jewish Reuben (Ῥουβήν), and the ";great god"; as Jehovah. For μέγας used of the Ptolemaic kings, cf. OGIS 94.2 with reference to Ptolemy V. Epiphanes—ὑπὲρ βασιλέως Πτολεμαίου, θεοῦ Ἐπιφανοῦς μεγάλου Εὐχαρίστου, and the other exx. cited by Dittenberger ad l.
In P Magd 36.1 (iii/B.C.) (= Chrest. I. p. 365) Μαρρῆς μέγας, the epithet is used to distinguish the ";older"; of two persons bearing the same name, like our own ";senior"; : so in P Petr II. 25 (i).9 (iii/B.C.) Μάνρης μέγας, not ";long Manres,"; as Mahaffy ad l., cf. also ib. pp. 32, 42. Similarly μικρός means ";junior.";
In P Hib I. 29 (a) recto.9 (c. B.C. 265) (= Chrest. I. p. 306) provision is made that a proclamation shall be inscribed on a white notice-board—γράψ ̣ας εἰς λεύκωμα μ [ε ]γάλο ̣ι ̣ς γράμ ̣μ ̣α ̣σ ̣ι ̣ν ̣, where the adj. points to ";large"; distinct letters, in order to draw attention to what was written : cf. P Oxy VIII. 1100.8 (A.D. 206) εὐδήλοις γράμμασι, with the editor’s note. [This is probably the meaning to be attached to the πηλίκα γράμματα of Galatians 6:11 : cf. Milligan Documents, p. 23 f.]. An interesting use of the adj. is also afforded by the illiterate P Oxy VII. 1069.27 (iii/A.D.) σπούδασον γὰρ τὸ κειθώνειν μου γενέστε (l. γενέσθαι) πρὸ λόγον, καί κ [α ]λὰ μέτρα αὐτῷ βαλέτωσαν καὶ μεγάλε (l. μεγάλαι ?) ἔστωσαν ἐπ ̣εὶ ῥείδης (l. ῥίζης) αὐτοῦ, ";be careful to have my tunic made properly, and let them put good measure into it, and be large–handed (i.e. generous, unstinting) in the colouring"; (Ed.). See further s.vv. μείζων and μέγιστος. In MGr the nom. is altered by the stem to μεγάλος.
Copyright © 1914, 1929, 1930 by James Hope Moulton and George Milligan. Hodder and Stoughton, London.
Derivative Copyright © 2015 by Allan Loder.
the Sixth Week after Easter