Greek word · G2260

ἤπερ

ēper

than

An emphatic form of ἤ ('than'): 'than indeed, much rather than.' It is found in literary Greek and is rare in everyday Koine.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἤπερ, see: ἤ.

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, frequently in interrog. form: Matthew 7:4, 9 Mark 12:14, Luke 13:4, Romans 3:29 6:3 9:21, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 16 9:6, 2 Corinthians 11:7; ἤ . . . ἤ, either . . . or, Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13, 1 Corinthians 14:6;

(with) 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; ἤ . . . ἤ . . . ἤ, Mark 13:35.

2. Comparative, than: after comparatives, Matthew 10:15, Luke 9:13, John 3:19, Romans 13:11, al.; after ἕτερον, Acts 17:21; θέλω (Khüner 3, iv, 303), 1 Corinthians 14:19; πρὶν ἤ, before, before accusative and 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, 45 47.

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

(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 John 12:43

Range of meaning

An emphatic form of ἤ ('than'): 'than indeed, much rather than.' It is found in literary Greek and is rare in everyday Koine.

Against the English

English 'than' cannot carry the extra emphasis. The force comes through better in a phrase like 'far more than.'

Used elsewhere in the period

Used only here in the New Testament. It appears occasionally in the Septuagint (e.g., 2 Maccabees) and in literary prose.

Where it appears

John · 1

  1. John 12:43 ἤπερ than

    For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

    Here: A strengthened form of 'than,' used only here in the New Testament. It sharpens the contrast: 'more, much more than.'

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