Greek word · G188

ἀκμήν

akmēn

still

Originally the accusative of akmē, “point, edge, peak,” used as an adverb meaning “at this very point.” In everyday Koine Greek, the common spoken Greek of the period, it was a synonym of eti: “still, even now, yet.”

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἀκμήν, accusative of ἀκμή,

a point, used as adv., at the present point of time, even now, even yet: Matthew 15:16.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 15:16

Range of meaning

Originally the accusative of akmē, “point, edge, peak,” used as an adverb meaning “at this very point.” In everyday Koine Greek, the common spoken Greek of the period, it was a synonym of eti: “still, even now, yet.”

Against the English

KJV/YLT “yet” is archaic English for “still.” Modern readers may hear “yet” as “but,” though KJV readers would have taken it correctly. “Still” (BSB, WEB, ESV, NIV) is accurate.

Used elsewhere in the period

Found in Xenophon (Anabasis 4.3.26), in Hellenistic historians such as Polybius, and in papyri. The Atticist grammarian Phrynichus (2nd c. AD), who policed “pure” classical style, condemned it as vulgar and said eti should be used instead. That tells us it was a living word in ordinary speech. BDAG also notes it in Josephus.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 15:16 ἀκμὴν Still

    “Do you still not understand?” Jesus asked.

    Here: Placed first for emphasis: “Even at this point…?” It assumes the disciples have had plenty of time and teaching and should have got it by now. The only occurrence of the word in the New Testament.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.