προγράφω

From the study of Jude 1:4

Range of meaning

(1) To write beforehand or earlier. (2) To set out in a public notice, to post up. In Roman-era Greek this second sense included posting the names of people condemned or outlawed (the 'proscription' lists).

Against the English

KJV 'before of old ordained' turns a verb of writing into a verb of decreeing. ESV 'designated' and NASB 'marked out' lean on the 'public notice' sense. NIV ('whose condemnation was written about long ago'), WEB ('written about') and YLT ('written beforehand') keep the plain sense of writing.

How it drifted

In 1611 'ordain' could mean 'appoint, set down' more broadly, but to modern ears, and in later debates about predestination, it sounds like 'decreed by God to be this way'. The Greek verb itself is about something being put in writing.

Used elsewhere in the period

Elsewhere in the New Testament it means 'written earlier': 'whatever was written beforehand' (Rom 15:4) and 'as I wrote before' (Eph 3:3). It means 'publicly portrayed' in Gal 3:1. Greek historians use the related noun prographē for the Roman proscription lists.

From the study of Ephesians 3:3

Range of meaning

(1) To write earlier or above, in the same document or an earlier one. (2) To post up publicly as a notice or placard. (3) To designate beforehand, as on an official list (Jude 4).

Against the English

The KJV's 'as I wrote afore' and the BSB's 'as I have already written' are both accurate. The KJV's archaic wording, though, can lead readers to think of an earlier, lost letter.

Used elsewhere in the period

Romans 15:4 ('whatever was written beforehand'). Galatians 3:1, where most take it as 'publicly portrayed' as on a placard. In the papyri it is used for public notices and for items written above in a document.

From the study of Romans 15:4

Range of meaning

(1) To write earlier or beforehand (temporal sense). (2) To write up publicly, post a notice or placard. (3) To designate or list in advance. BDAG separates the temporal sense (Rom 15:4; Eph 3:3) from the public-display sense (Gal 3:1, Christ "publicly portrayed").

Against the English

KJV "written aforetime", WEB "written before", BSB "written in the past": all accurate. What the English cannot easily show is the compound itself, pro-graphō, set beside the plain graphō: "written before… written for us". The before-ness is part of the point.

Used elsewhere in the period

In papyri and inscriptions the verb is used for public notices and for things "written above" in a document. In Paul, Eph 3:3 ("as I wrote before briefly"); Jude 4 (people "long ago written down/designated" for judgment). In Jewish interpretation a close parallel in thought is the Habakkuk commentary from Qumran (1QpHab 7:1–5): God told the prophet to write what would come upon "the last generation", but its full meaning was revealed only to the community's Teacher.