Greek word · G247
ἄλλως
allōs
otherwise
Echō with an adverb is a common Greek idiom for "to be in a certain state" (kalōs echei, "it is well"; eschatōs echei, "is at the point of death," Mark 5:23). Allōs echein means "to be otherwise, to stand differently."
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
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 1 Timothy 5:25
- Range of meaning
Echō with an adverb is a common Greek idiom for "to be in a certain state" (kalōs echei, "it is well"; eschatōs echei, "is at the point of death," Mark 5:23). Allōs echein means "to be otherwise, to stand differently."
- Against the English
KJV, YLT, WEB and NASB keep the Greek's ambiguity with "(those) that are otherwise." BSB, NIV, ESV and NLT settle it in one direction: good deeds that are "inconspicuous," "not obvious," or "done in secret."
- Used elsewhere in the period
The idiom is well established in classical and Koine Greek. Allōs itself appears only here in the NT.
Where it appears
1 Timothy · 1
-
1 Timothy 5:25 ἄλλως otherwise
In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even the ones that are inconspicuous cannot remain hidden.
Here: "Otherwise" compared with what was just said. Most likely it means works that are not obvious, though it could mean works that are not good (see debates). This is its only appearance in the New Testament.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.