πρόδηλος

From the study of 1 Timothy 5:25

Range of meaning

"Clearly evident, plain to see, known to everyone" (BDAG). It is built from dēlos ("clear, visible") plus pro-. In ordinary Koine Greek the prefix here means "before the eyes," that is, in public view, not "in advance" in time. Classical and Hellenistic writers use it for facts that are obvious or openly known.

Against the English

KJV and YLT have "manifest beforehand," taking pro- to mean "ahead of time." Modern versions have "obvious," "evident," "conspicuous," or "quite evident" (NASB).

How it drifted

The KJV rendering follows the Latin-influenced habit of reading prepositional prefixes by their basic meaning. Koine usage does not support the time sense as the main one. However, v. 24 pairs prodēloi with proagousai ("going before"), so a faint echo of "ahead" may be intended as wordplay.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the NT it appears only in 1 Tim 5:24, 5:25 and Heb 7:14 ("it is evident that our Lord sprang from Judah"), where it plainly means "clear, well known," not "known beforehand." Greek literary and documentary texts use it in the same way.

From the study of Hebrews 7:14

Range of meaning

Clearly visible, obvious, publicly known. The prefix pro- means 'in front of, before the eyes', not 'in advance' in a predictive sense. The word is used for facts nobody can deny.

Against the English

'Evident' and 'clear' are accurate. The word carries the sense 'everybody knows this'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Also in 1 Timothy 5:24–25 (sins and good works that are 'conspicuous'). It is common in Hellenistic Greek, for example in Josephus and the papyri, for matters of public knowledge. Hebrews pairs it with katadēlon, 'even more evident', in 7:15.