μικρός

Matthew 10:42 μικρῶν little ones

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

Here: 'Little ones': people of no rank or importance. In Matthew this is Jesus' name for his own humble followers (18:6, 'these little ones who believe in me'), not a word for children here.

Matthew 11:11 μικρότερος the least

Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Here: Comparative in form ('the lesser'). In everyday Greek of the time a comparative often stands for a superlative, so most read it as 'the least'. The literal 'lesser' leaves room for a minority reading discussed under debates.

Matthew 13:32 μικρότερον smallest

Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

Here: Strictly 'smaller'. With 'than all the seeds' it works as 'smallest'. In everyday Greek of the period the 'smaller' form often did the job of 'smallest'. The mustard seed was the proverbial tiny thing.

Matthew 18:6 μικρῶν little ones

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

Here: 'Little ones'. The child Jesus has just stood among them is the picture, but in Matthew the phrase means disciples who are humble, low in status and vulnerable (10:42; 18:10, 14).

Matthew 18:10 μικρῶν little ones

See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.

Here: 'Little ones': people who are small in status or significance. In Matthew this means humble, vulnerable disciples (10:42; 18:6 'who believe in me'), with the child of 18:2 as the model.

Matthew 18:14 μικρῶν little ones

In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

Here: "Little ones": in Matthew, the disciples of low standing, easily overlooked or made to stumble, "these little ones who believe in me" (18:6). It grows out of the child in 18:2–5 but is not limited to children.

Matthew 26:39 μικρὸν a little

Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Here: Used as an adverb: "a short way." Luke 22:41 says "about a stone's throw."

Matthew 26:73 μικρὸν a little while

After a little while, those standing nearby came up to Peter. “Surely you are one of them,” they said, “for your accent gives you away.”

Mark 4:31 μικρότερον smaller than

It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth.

Here: 'Smaller' plus 'than all' is the ordinary Koine Greek way to say 'smallest'. It is neuter, although 'grain' is masculine, probably drawn to the neuter 'seeds' or 'mustard'. This is the first half of the small/great contrast that v.32 completes with 'greater than all'.

Mark 9:42 μικρῶν little ones

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.

Here: 'Little ones': people who are small in size or in status. It points back to the child Jesus held (9:36), but the qualifier 'who believe in me' widens it to lowly, easily overlooked followers.

Mark 14:35 μικρὸν a little

Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour would pass from Him.

Mark 14:70 μικρὸν a little

But he denied it again. After a little while, those standing nearby said once more to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you too are a Galilean.”

Here: “After a little [while].” Only a short gap passes before the third challenge. Luke 22:59 says “about an hour.”

Mark 15:40 μικροῦ least

And there were also women watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.

Here: A nickname to distinguish him from other men called James. It could mean "the short", "the younger" or "little James". It does not mean "less important".

Luke 7:28 μικρότερος the least

I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John, yet even the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

Here: Formally a comparative ('smaller, lesser'), but in everyday Greek of the time comparatives often stood in for superlatives, so most translate 'the least'. It means lowest in rank or importance, the opposite of 'greater'.

Luke 9:48 μικρότερος least

And He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.”

Here: Grammatically 'smaller'. In Koine Greek this comparative form often does the work of 'least'. The word can also mean 'younger', which ties it back to the child.

Luke 12:32 μικρὸν little

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.

Here: Small in number and in standing. It names the disciples' real situation: few, poor and easy to overlook. Here it is said with affection, not as a criticism.

Luke 17:2 μικρῶν little [ones]

It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.

Here: People who are small in size, age or standing. In Luke no child is in the scene, so this most naturally means people of little status or strength, and it does not have to mean children only.

Luke 19:3 μικρὸς small

He was trying to see who Jesus was, but could not see over the crowd because he was small in stature.

John 7:33 μικρὸν a little

So Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me.

Here: 'A short time.' The word *mikron* ('a little while') comes back again and again in John's farewell scenes (12:35; 13:33; 14:19; 16:16–19). It marks the countdown to Jesus' 'hour'.

John 12:35 μικρὸν a little

Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

Here: 'A little' amount of time. 'A little while' (mikron) comes back again and again in John for the short time before Jesus leaves (7:33; 13:33; 14:19; 16:16–19).

John 13:33 μικρὸν a little while

Little children, I am with you only a little while longer. You will look for Me, and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

Here: Used here as an adverb of time: 'a little while'. The same phrase recurs at 7:33, 12:35, 14:19 and 16:16–19, where it sets a countdown running to the hour of Jesus' death and return to the Father.

John 14:19 μικρὸν a little while

In a little while the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live.

Here: Used as a noun of time, 'a little [while]'. It is a fixed phrase in John's account of Jesus' last night (13:33; 16:16–19), where the disciples are confused by it.

John 16:16 μικρὸν μικρὸν A little [while], a little [while]

In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me.”

Here: A neuter adjective used as an adverb of time: "a little [while]". It points to a short, close span of time, not a vague one. It opens the saying with a note of urgency.

John 16:17 μικρὸν μικρὸν A little [while], a little [while]

Then some of His disciples asked one another, “Why is He telling us, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”

Here: The neuter of "small", used for time: "a little while". It is the word that puzzles them most (v.18).

John 16:18 μικρόν; a little [while]’?

They kept asking, “Why is He saying, ‘a little while’? We do not understand what He is saying.”

Here: Literally "little". Used as an adverb with time understood, it means "a short while". This single word is what puzzles them. How short? Short until what? And why are there two "little whiles"?

John 16:19 μικρὸν μικρὸν A little [while], a little [while]

Aware that they wanted to question Him, Jesus said to them, “Are you asking one another why I said, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’?

Here: A neuter adjective used as an adverb of time: "a little," meaning a short time. It is the word that puzzled them (16:18, "What is this 'little'?").

Acts 8:10 μικροῦ small

and all the people, from the least to the greatest, heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.”

Acts 26:22 μικρῷ to small

But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:

Here: "To the small": people of low status. Together with "great" it means everyone, whatever their rank.

1 Corinthians 5:6 μικρὰ a little

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough?

Here: 'A little', a small piece. Set deliberately against 'whole', for the contrast of tiny cause and total effect.

2 Corinthians 11:1 μικρόν little

I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness, but you are already doing that.

2 Corinthians 11:16 μικρόν little

I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

Galatians 5:9 μικρὰ A little

A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough.

Here: It comes first for emphasis. The weight of the proverb rests on how small the starting amount is compared with the result.

Hebrews 8:11 μικροῦ [the] least

No longer will each one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest.

Here: 'The small one': the young, the low-ranking, the unimportant.

Hebrews 10:37 μικρὸν A little

For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.

Here: Used as an adverb of time, 'a little (while).' The same word appears in Jesus' farewell sayings, 'a little while and you will see me' (John 16:16–19).

James 3:5 μικρὸν a small

In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze.

Here: Small in size. It matches the "very small rudder" of verse 4 and sets up the contrast with "great things" a few words later.

Revelation 3:8 μικρὰν little

I know your deeds. Behold, I have placed before you an open door, which no one can shut. I know that you have only a little strength, yet you have kept My word and have not denied My name.

Here: 'Small', placed first for emphasis: 'small is the power you have'. It points to weakness, not to a reserve of strength.

Revelation 6:11 μικρὸν little

Then each of them was given a white robe and told to rest a little while longer until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers, were killed, just as they had been killed.

Here: "A little time." The wait is short from God's point of view. The same phrase is used of Satan's brief release in 20:3.

Revelation 11:18 μικροὺς small

The nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come. The time has come to judge the dead and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and those who fear Your name, both small and great—and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

Here: 'The small': people of low status, the poor and insignificant.

Revelation 13:16 μικροὺς small

And the second beast required all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,

Here: People of low status or no importance. 'Small' here means social standing, not age or physical size.

Revelation 19:5 μικροὶ small

Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you who serve Him, and those who fear Him, small and great alike!”

Here: The lowly: the poor, the powerless, people of little standing.

Revelation 19:18 μικρῶν small

so that you may eat the flesh of kings and commanders and mighty men, of horses and riders, of everyone slave and free, small and great.”

Here: 'Small ones': people of low status and no importance, not children or short people.

Revelation 20:3 μικρὸν for a little

And he threw him into the Abyss, shut it, and sealed it over him, so that he could not deceive the nations until the thousand years were complete. After that, he must be released for a brief period of time.

Here: 'A little': short compared with the thousand years. The same phrase 'a little time' is given to the martyrs as their waiting time in 6:11.

Revelation 20:12 μικρούς, small,

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.

Here: This means small in status: the poor, slaves, people no one notices. 'Great and small' is a Hebrew way of saying 'everyone, of every rank' (by naming two extremes to cover everything between them), used throughout Revelation (11:18; 13:16; 19:5, 18).