Greek word · G3796

ὀψέ

opse

late

An adverb meaning 'late': late in the day, in the evening, late in time (Mark 11:19; 13:35, 'in the evening'). When followed by a genitive it can mean either 'late in X' or, in later Greek, 'after X'.

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ὀψέ, adv. of time

[in LXX: Genesis 24:11, Exodus 30:8 (עֶרֶב, עֶרֶב בֵּין), Jeremiah 2:23; τὸ ὀ., Isaiah 5:11 (נֶשֶׁף)* ;]

1. long after, late.

2. late in the day, at evening (opposite to πρωί); in late writers used almost as an indecl. noun (see MM, xviii): Mark 11:11, 19 13:35.

3. C. genitive, late in or on; and, in late writers also after (M, Pr., 72 f.), a sense which seems to be required in Matthew 28:1.†

(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 28:1

Range of meaning

An adverb meaning 'late': late in the day, in the evening, late in time (Mark 11:19; 13:35, 'in the evening'). When followed by a genitive it can mean either 'late in X' or, in later Greek, 'after X'.

Against the English

KJV has 'In the end of the sabbath', YLT 'on the eve of the sabbaths', and the Latin Vulgate vespere sabbati ('in the evening of the Sabbath'). These keep the 'late' sense. BSB, WEB, NIV, ESV and NASB have 'after the Sabbath'.

How it drifted

Older translations followed the Latin 'evening of the Sabbath', so English readers can picture Saturday evening, or even think the women came while it was still the Sabbath. Modern versions moved to 'after' once the later Greek usage was recognised.

Used elsewhere in the period

'Late in the day' with a genitive is classical (Thucydides 4.93, opse tēs hēmeras). The 'after' sense appears in imperial-era Greek, e.g. Philostratus, Life of Apollonius 4.18, opse mystēriōn, 'after the mysteries', and 6.10, opse toutōn, 'after these things' (cited by BDAG s.v. ὀψέ 3).

From the study of Mark 13:35

Range of meaning

Popular names for the four watches of the night in the Roman way of dividing it, each about three hours: 'late/evening' (about 6–9 p.m.), 'midnight' (9–12), 'cockcrow' (12–3), 'early/dawn' (3–6). ἀλεκτοροφωνία ('rooster-sounding') matches the Latin gallicinium.

Against the English

Translations mostly agree (evening, midnight, cockcrow or 'when the rooster crows', morning or dawn). Few readers notice that these are four named periods covering the whole night, not four scattered points in time.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Hebrew Bible divides the night into three watches (Judg 7:19 'middle watch'; Exod 14:24 and 1 Sam 11:11 'morning watch'; Lam 2:19). The Roman army and Roman society used four (vigiliae). Mark uses the four-watch system elsewhere too ('fourth watch of the night', 6:48). Later rabbis disagreed about whether the night has three or four watches (Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 3a). Luke's version mentions only the 'second or third watch' (Luke 12:38).

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 28:1 Ὀψὲ Late

    After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

    Here: Normally an adverb meaning 'late', but here it is followed by a genitive and most likely works like a preposition: 'after'. It opens the scene with a time marker. Whether it means 'late on the Sabbath' or 'after the Sabbath' is discussed below.

Mark · 2

  1. Mark 11:19 ὀψὲ evening

    And when evening came, Jesus and His disciples went out of the city.

  2. Mark 13:35 ὀψὲ at evening

    Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the master of the house will return—whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning.

    Here: The first watch of the night, from about sunset to 9 p.m. Mark uses the related word for the evening of the Last Supper (14:17).

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