Bible Lexicons

μετά (on its neglect of elision before proper names beginning with a vowel, and before sundry other words (at least in Tdf.s text) see Tdf. Proleg., p. 95; cf. WH. Introduction, p. 146b; Winers Grammar, § 5, 1 a.; Buttmann, p. 10), a preposition, akin to μέσος (as German mit to Mitte, mitten) and hence, properly, in the midst of, amid, denoting association, union, accompaniment; (but some recent etymologists doubt its kinship to μέσος; some connect it rather with ἅμα, German sammt, cf. Curtius, § 212; Vanicek, p. 972). It takes the genitive and accusative (in the Greek poets also the dative). (On the distinction between μετά and σύν, see σύν, at the beginning)

I. with the genitive; (the Sept. for אֵת, עִם, אַחַר, etc.), among, with (cf. Winer's Grammar, 376f (352f));

1. amid, among;

a. properly: μετά τῶν νεκρῶν, among the dead, Luke 24:5 (μετά νεκρῶν κείσομαι, Euripides, Hec. 209; θάψετε με μετά τῶν πατέρων μου, Genesis 49:29, the Sept.; μετά ζώντων εἶναι, to be among the living, Sophocles Phil. 1312); λογίζεσθαι μετά ἀνόμων, to be reckoned, numbered, among transgressor's, Mark 15:28 (G T WH omit; Tr brackets the verse) and Luke 22:37, from Isaiah 53:12 (where the Sept. ἐν ἀνόμοις); μετά τῶν θηρίων εἶναι, Mark 1:13; γογγύζειν μετ' ἀλλήλων, John 6:43; σκηνή τοῦ Θεοῦ μετά τῶν ἀνθρώπων, Revelation 21:3; add, Matthew 24:51; Matthew 26:58; Mark 14:54; Luke 12:46; John 18:5, 1S; Acts 1:26, etc.

b. tropically: μετά διωγμῶν, amid persecutions, Mark 10:30 (μετά κινδύνων, amid perils, Thucydides 1, 18); ἡ ἀγάπη μεθ' ἡμῶν, love among us, mutual love, 1 John 4:17 (others understand μεθ' ἡμῶν here of the sphere or abode, and connect it with the verb; cf. DeWette, or Huther, or Westcott, in the place cited). Hence, used,

2. of association and companionship, with (Latincum; German mit, often alsobei);

a. after verbs of going, coming, departing, remaining, etc., with the genitive of the associate or companion: Matthew 20:20; Matthew 26:36; Mark 1:29; Mark 3:7; Mark 11:11; Mark 14:1; Luke 6:17; Luke 14:31; John 3:22; John 11:54; Galatians 2:1; Jesus the Messiah it is said will come hereafter μετά τῶν ἀγγέλων, Matthew 16:27; Mark 8:38; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 2 Timothy 1:7; on the other band, with the genitive of the person to whom one joins himself as a companion: Matthew 5:41; Mark 5:24.; Luke 2:51; Revelation 22:12; ἄγγελοι μετ' αὐτοῦ, Matthew 25:31; μετά τίνος, contextually equivalent to with one as leader, Matthew 25:10; Matthew 26:47; Mark 14:43; Acts 7:45. περιπατεῖν μετά τίνος, to associate with one as his follower and adherent, John 6:66; γίνομαι μετά τίνος, to come into fellowship and contact with, become associated with, one: Mark 16:10; Acts 7:38; Acts 9:19; Acts 20:18. παραλαμβάνειν τινα μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ, to take with or to oneself as an attendant or companion: Matthew 12:45; Matthew 18:16; Mark 14:33; ἄγειν, 2 Timothy 4:11; ἔχειν μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ, to have with oneself: τινα, Matthew 15:30; Matthew 26:11; Mark 2:19; Mark 14:7; John 12:8; τί, Mark 8:14; λαμβάνειν, Matthew 25:3; ἀκολουθεῖν μετά τίνος, see ἀκολουθέω, 1 and 2 (cf. Winers Grammar, 233f (219)).

b. εἶναι μετά τίνος is used in various senses, α. properly, of those who associate with one and accompany him wherever he goes: in which sense the disciples of Jesus are said to be (or to have been) with him, Mark 3:14; Matthew 26:69, 71; Luke 22:59, cf. Mark 5:18; with ἀπ' ἀρχῆς added, John 15:27; of those who at a particular time associate with one or accompany him anywhere, Matthew 5:25; John 3:26; John 9:40; John 12:17; John 20:24, 26; 2 Timothy 4:11; sometimes the participle ὤν, ὄντα, etc., must be added mentally: Matthew 26:51; Mark 9:8; John 18:26; οἱ (ὄντες) μετά τίνος, his attendants or companions, Matthew 12:4; Mark 2:25; Luke 6:3; Acts 20:34; namely, ὄντες, Titus 3:15. Jesus says that he is or has been with his disciples, John 13:33; John 14:9; and that, to advise and help them, John 16:4; Matthew 17:17 (Mark 9:19 and Luke 9:41 πρός ὑμᾶς), even as one whom they could be said to have with them, Matthew 9:15; Luke 5:34; just as he in turn desires that his disciples may hereafter be with himself, John 17:24. ships also are said to be with one who is travelling by vessel, i. e. to attend him, Mark 4:36. β. tropically, the phrase (to be with, see b.) is used of God, if he is present to guide and help one: John 3:2; John 8:29; John 16:32; Acts 7:9; Acts 10:38; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 4:9; with εἶναι omitted, Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:28; Romans 15:33; here belongs ὅσα ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεός μετ' αὐτῶν namely, ὤν, by being present with them by his divine assistance (cf. Winers Grammar, 376 (353); Green, p. 218), Acts 14:27; Acts 15:4 (cf.

b. below); and conversely, πληρώσεις με εὐφροσύνης μετά τοῦ προσώπου σου namely, ὄντα, i. e. being in thy presence (yet cf. Winer's Grammar, 376 (352) note), Acts 2:28 from Psalm 15:11 (); ἡ χείρ κυρίου is used as a substitute for God himself (by a Hebraism (see χείρ, under the end)) in Luke 1:66; Acts 11:21; of Christ, who is to be present with his followers by his divine power and aid: Matthew 28:20; Acts 18:10 (μένειν μετά is used of the Holy Spirit as a perpetual helper, John 14:16 R G); at the close of the Epistles, the writers pray that there may be with the readers (i. e., always present to help them) — ὁ Θεός, 2 Corinthians 13:11; — ὁ κύριος, 2 Thessalonians 3:16; 2 Timothy 4:22; — ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ (where ἔστω must be supplied (cf. Winers Grammar, § 64, 2 b.; Buttmann, § 129, 22)), Romans 16:20, 24 (B G); 1 Corinthians 16:23; 2 Corinthians 13:13 (14); Galatians 6:18; Philippians 4:23; 1 Thessalonians 5:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:18; Philemon 1:25; Revelation 22:21; — ἡ χάρις simply, Ephesians 6:24; Colossians 4:18; 1 Timothy 6:21(22); Titus 3:15; Hebrews 13:25; 2 John 1:3; — ἡ ἀγάπη μου, 1 Corinthians 16:24; the same phrase is used also of truth, compared to a guide, 2 John 1:2. γ. opposed to εἶναι κατά τίνος, to be with one i. e. on one's side: Matthew 12:30; Luke 11:23, (and often in classical Greek); similarly μένειν μετά τίνος, to side with one steadfastly, 1 John 2:19.

c. with the genitive of the person who is another's associate either in acting or in his experiences; so after verbs of eating, drinking, supping, etc.: Matthew 8:11; Matthew 9:11; Matthew 24:49; Matthew 26:18, 23, 29; Mark 14:18, 20; Luke 5:30; Luke 7:36; Luke 22:11, 15; Luke 24:30; John 13:18; Galatians 2:12; Revelation 3:20, etc.; γρηγορεῖν, Matthew 26:38, 40; χαίρειν, κλαίειν, Romans 12:15; εὐφραίνεσθαι, Romans 15:10; παροικεῖν, Hebrews 11:9; δουλεύειν, Galatians 4:25; βασιλεύειν, Revelation 20:4, 6; ζῆν, Luke 2:36; ἀποθνῄσκειν, John 11:16; βάλλεσθαι εἰς τήν γῆν, Revelation 12:9; κληρονομεῖν, Galatians 4:30; συνάγειν, Matthew 12:30; Luke 11:23, and other examples d. with a genitive of the person with whom one (of two) does anything mutually or by turns: so after συναίρειν λόγον, to make a reckoning, settle accounts, Matthew 18:23; Matthew 25:19; συνάγεσθαι, Matthew 28:12; John 18:2; συμβούλιον ποιεῖν, Mark 3:6; λαλεῖν (see λαλέω, 5); συλλαλεῖν, Matthew 17:3; Acts 25:12; μοιχεύειν, Revelation 2:22; μολύνεσθαι, Revelation 14:4; πορνεύειν, Revelation 17:2; Revelation 18:3, 9; μερίζομαι, Luke 12:13; after verbs of disputing, waging war, contending at law: πολεμεῖν, Revelation 2:16; Revelation 12:7 (where Rec. κατά); (so for פ עִם גִּלְחַם, 1 Samuel 17:33; 1 Kings 12:24, a usage foreign to the native Greeks, who say πολεμεῖν τίνι, also πρός τινα, ἐπί τινα, to wage war against one; but πολεμεῖν μετά τίνος, to wage ware with one as an ally, in conjunction with, Thucydides 1, 18; Xenophon, Hell. 7,1,27; (cf. Buttmann, § 133, 8; Winer's Grammar, § 28, 1; 214 (201); 406 (379) note)); πόλεμον ποιεῖν, Revelation 11:7; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:7; Revelation 19:19 (so in Latinbellare cum etc. Cicero, Verr. 2, 4, 33;bellum gerere, Cicero, de divinat. 1, 46); ζήτησις ἐγένετο, John 3:25; ζητεῖν, John 16:19; κρίνεσθαι, κρίματα ἔχειν, 1 Corinthians 6:6f; after verbs and phrases which indicate mutual inclinations and pursuits, the entering into agreement or relations with, etc.; as εἰρηνεύειν, εἰρήνην διώκειν, Romans 12:18; 2 Timothy 2:22; Hebrews 12:14; φίλος, ; συμφώνειν, Matthew 20:2; μερίς μετά τίνος, 2 Corinthians 6:15; ἔχειν μέρος, John 13:8; συγκατάθεσις, 2 Corinthians 6:16; κοινωνίαν ἔχεινv, 1 John 1:3, 6f; αἰτία (see the word, 3), Matthew 19:10.

e. of divers other associations of persons or things; — where the action or condition expressed by the verb refers to persons or things besides those specified by the dative or accusative (somewhat rare in Greek authors, as ἰσχύν τέ καί κάλλος μετά ὑγιείας λαμβάνειν, Plato, rep. 9, p. 591 b. (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 47, h.)): εἶδον (Rec. εὗρον) τό παιδίον μετά Μαρίας, Matthew 2:11; ἀνταποδοῦναι ... ὑμῖν ... μεθ' ἡμῶν, 2 Thessalonians 1:6f; after ἐκδέχεσθαι, 1 Corinthians 16:11; after verbs of sending, Matthew 22:16; 2 Corinthians 8:18. ἀγάπη μετά πίστεως, Ephesians 6:23; ἐν πίστει ... μετά σωφροσύνης, 1 Timothy 2:15; ἡ εὐσέβεια μετά αὐταρκείας, 1 Timothy 6:6; in this way the term which follows is associated as secondary with its predecessor as primary; but when καί stands between them they are coordinated. Colossians 1:11; 1 Timothy 1:14. of mingling one thing with another, μίγνυμι τί μετά τίνος (in classical authors τί τίνι (cf. Buttmann, § 133, 8)): Luke 13:1; passive Matthew 27:34.

f. with the genitive of mental feelings desires and emotions, of bodily movements, and of other acts which are so to speak the attendants of what is done or occurs; so that in this way the characteristic of the action or occurrence is described — which in most cases can be expressed by a cognate adverb or participle (cf. Winer's Grammar, as above): μετά αἰδοῦς, 1 Timothy 2:9; Hebrews 12:28 (Rec.); αἰσχύνης, Luke 14:9; ἡσυχίας, 2 Thessalonians 3:12; χαρᾶς, Matthew 13:20; Mark 4:16; Luke 8:13; Luke 10:17; Luke 24:52; Philippians 2:29; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Hebrews 10:34; προθυμίας, Acts 17:11; φοβοῦ καί τρόμου, 2 Corinthians 7:15; Ephesians 6:5; Philippians 2:12; φοβοῦ καί χαρᾶς, Matthew 28:8 πραΰτητος καί φοβοῦ, 1 Peter 3:16 (15); παρρησίας, Acts 2:29; Acts 4:29, 31; Acts 28:31; Hebrews 4:16; εὐχαριστίας, Acts 24:3; Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 4:3f; ἀληθινῆς καρδίας, Hebrews 10:22; ταπεινοφροσύνης κτλ., Ephesians 4:2: Acts 20:19; ὀργῆς, Mark 3:5; εὐνοίας, Ephesians 6:7; βίας, Acts 5:26; Acts 24:7 Rec.; μετά διακρυων, with tears, Mark 9:24 (R G WH (rejected) marginal reading); Hebrews 5:7; Hebrews 12:17 (Plato, Apology, p. 34 c.); εἰρήνης, Acts 15:33; Hebrews 11:31; ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν, 1 Timothy 4:14 (Winer's Grammar, as above); φωνῆς μεγάλης, Luke 17:15; νηστειῶν, Acts 14:23; ὅρκου or ὁρκωμοσίας, Matthew 14:7; Matthew 26:72; Hebrews 7:21; θορύβου, Acts 24:18; παρακλήσεως, 2 Corinthians 8:4; παρατηρήσεως, Luke 17:20; σπουδῆς, Mark 6:25; Luke 1:39; ὕβρεως καί ζημίας, Acts 27:10; φαντασίας, ; ἀφροῦ, Luke 9:39; to this head may be referred μετά κουστωδίας, posting the guard, Matthew 27:66 (so Winers Grammar (at the passage cited), et al. (cf. Meyer at the passage); others 'in company with the guard'; cf. James Morison at the passage; Green, p. 218).

g. after verbs of coining, departing, sending, with the genitive of the thing with which one is furnished or equipped: μετά δόξης καί δυνάμεως, Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27; ἐξουσίας καί ἐπιτροπῆς, Acts 26:12; μαχαιρῶν καί ξύλων, Matthew 26:47, 55; Mark 14:43, 48; Luke 22:52; φανῶν καί ὅπλων, John 18:3; μετά σάλπιγγος, Matthew 24:31 (cf. Buttmann, § 132, 10); where an instrumental dative might have been used (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 31, 8 d.), μετά βραχίονος ὑψηλοῦ ἐξάγειν τινα, Acts 13:17. h. in imitation of the Hebrew: ἔλεος ποιεῖν μετά τίνος, to show mercy toward one, and μεγαλύνειν ἐλ. μετά τ'., to magnify, show great, mercy toward one; see τό ἔλεος, 1. To this head many refer ὅσα ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεός μετ' αὐτῶν, Acts 14:27; Acts 15:4, but see above, 2 b. β.

II. with the accusative (Winer's Grammar, § 49, f.);

1. properly, into the middle of, into the midst of, among, after verbs of coming, bringing, moving; so especially in Homer

2. it denotes (following accompaniment), sequence, i. e. the order in which one tiring follows another;

a. in order of place; after, behind, (so from Homer down); once in the N. T. (Winer's Grammar, as above): Hebrews 9:3 (Judith 2:4).

b. in order of Time; after (the Sept. for אַחַר, אַחֲרֵי, מִקֵּץ, etc.): μεθ' ἡμέρας ἕξ, after six days (had passed) Matthew 17:1; Mark 9:2; add, Matthew 26:2; Mark 14:1; Luke 1:24; Luke 2:46, etc., cf. Fritzsche, Commentary on Matthew, p. 22f; μετ' οὐ πολλάς ἡμέρας, Luke 15:13; μετά ... τινας ἡμέρας, Acts 15:36; Acts 24:24; οὐ μετά πολλάς ταύτας ἡμέρας, not long after these days (A. V. not many days hence), Acts 1:5, cf. DeWette at the passage and Winers Grammar, 161 (152); (Buttmann, § 127, 4); μετά τρεῖς μῆνας, Acts 28:11; μετά ἔτη τρία, Galatians 1:18, etc.; μετά χρόνον πολύν, Matthew 25:19; μετά τοσοῦτον χρόνον, Hebrews 4:7. added to the names of events or achievements, and of festivals: μετά τήν μετοικεσίαν Βαβυλῶνος, Matthew 1:12; μετά τήν θλῖψιν, Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24; add, Matthew 27:53; Acts 10:37; Acts 20:29; 2 Peter 1:15; μετά τήν ἀνάγνωσιν, Acts 13:15; μετά μίαν καί δευτέραν νουθεσίαν, Titus 3:10; μετά τό πάσχα, Acts 12:4 cf. Acts 20:6; with the names of persons or things having the notion of time associated with them: μετά τοῦτον, αὐτόν, etc., Acts 5:37; Acts 7:5; Acts 13:25; Acts 19:4; μετά τόν νόμον, Hebrews 7:28; μετά τό ψωμίον, after the morsel was taken, John 13:27 (cf. Buttmann, § 147, 26); followed by the neuter demonstrative pronoun (cf. Winer's Grammar, 540 (503)): μετά τοῦτο. John 2:12; John 11:7, 11; John 19:28; Hebrews 9:27; (Revelation 7:1 L T Tr WH); μετά ταῦτα (cf. Winer's Grammar, 162 (153)), Mark 16:12; Luke 5:27; Luke 10:1; Luke 12:4 (Winer's Grammar, as above); ; Acts 7:7; Acts 13:20; Acts 15:16; Acts 18:1; John 3:22; John 5:1, 14; John 6:1; John 7:1; John 13:7; John 19:38; John 21:1; Hebrews 4:8; 1 Peter 1:11; Revelation 1:19; Revelation 4:1; Revelation 7:1 (Rec.), ; , and very often in Greek writings it stands before the neuter of adjectives of quantity, measure, and time: μετ' οὐ πολύ, not long after (R. V. after no long time), Acts 27:14; μετά μικρόν, shortly after (A. V. after a little while), Matthew 26:73; Mark 14:70; μετά βραχύ, Luke 22:58; also before infinitives with the neuter article (Latinpostquam with a finite verb (cf. Buttmann, § 140, 11; Winer's Grammar, § 44, 6)); — the aorist infinitive: Matthew 26:32; Mark 1:14; Mark 14:28; Mark 16:19; Luke 12:5; Luke 22:20 (WH reject the passage); Acts 1:3; Acts 7:4; Acts 10:41; Acts 15:13; Acts 20:1; 1 Corinthians 11:25; Hebrews 10:26.

III. In Composition, μετά denotes

1. association, fellowship, participation, with: as in μεταδιδόναι, μεταλαμβάνειν, μετέχειν, μετοχή.

2. exchange, transfer, transmutation; (Latintrans, German um): μεταλλάσσω, μεταμέλομαι (Prof. Grimm probably means here μετανοέω; see 3 and in μεταμέλομαι), μετοικίζω, μεταμορφόω, etc.

3. after: μεταμέλομαι. Cf. Viger. edition Herm., p. 639.