Greek word · G3654

ὅλως

holōs

at all

"Wholly, altogether, completely." With a negative: "not at all, in no way." Elsewhere in the New Testament only at 1 Cor 5:1, 6:7 and 15:29.

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ὅλως

adv. (ὅλος),

altogether, assuredly, actually (with neg., at all) : Matthew 5:34, 1 Corinthians 5:1 6:7 15:29.†

(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 5:34

Range of meaning

"Wholly, altogether, completely." With a negative: "not at all, in no way." Elsewhere in the New Testament only at 1 Cor 5:1, 6:7 and 15:29.

Against the English

Every major version has "at all," which is accurate. The real question is how far "at all" reaches, and translation cannot settle that.

Used elsewhere in the period

Common in Hellenistic Greek as an intensifier (Philo, Josephus, the papyri). Philo uses similar language, saying it is best to be "altogether unsworn" (Decalogue 84).

From the study of 1 Corinthians 5:1

Range of meaning

Literally "wholly". Used as "altogether, completely", "generally, everywhere", "actually, really", and with a negative "at all" (Matt 5:34; 1 Cor 15:29).

Against the English

KJV "commonly" reads it as "everywhere": the story is common knowledge. Most modern versions read it as "actually": the report is real, unbelievable though it is.

Used elsewhere in the period

Paul uses it in 1 Cor 6:7 ("already it is altogether / actually a defeat for you") and 15:29 ("if the dead are not raised at all").

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 5:34 ὅλως, at all,

    But I tell you not to swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;

    Here: An intensifier that gives the ban its full reach: not some kinds of oath, but oath-taking as such. The rest of the verse shows that the substitute formulas people used to soften an oath are included.

1 Corinthians · 3

  1. 1 Corinthians 5:1 Ὅλως Actually

    It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.

    Here: It opens the chapter with shock: "really" or "actually", as if Paul can hardly believe it. It can also mean "everywhere, generally", the sense behind the KJV's "commonly".

  2. 1 Corinthians 6:7 ὅλως altogether

    The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means that you are thoroughly defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?

    Here: Can mean 'completely' (a total defeat) or 'at all' (to have lawsuits at all is a defeat). Paul uses the same word in 5:1 ('it is actually reported'). Both senses make the same point: the problem is the suing itself, not just how it turns out.

  3. 1 Corinthians 15:29 ὅλως at all

    If these things are not so, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?

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