Greek word · G4278

προενάρχομαι

proenarchomai

to begin beforehand

"To begin beforehand" or "make a prior start". It is a rare compound: pro (before) + en (in) + archomai (begin).

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

προ-ενάρχομαι

to begin before: 2 Corinthians 8:6; with accusative, τὸ θέλειν, 2 Corinthians 8:10 (not elsewhere).†

(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 2 Corinthians 8:10

Range of meaning

"To begin beforehand" or "make a prior start". It is a rare compound: pro (before) + en (in) + archomai (begin).

Against the English

KJV "have begun before", BSB and WEB "were the first", ESV "started", NASB "were the first to begin". "The first" commits to a particular reading: before others, especially the Macedonians. "Began beforehand" leaves open whether it means before others or before now.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the New Testament it appears only here and in 2 Corinthians 8:6, where Titus "had begun beforehand" the work among them. It is very rare elsewhere in Greek literature.

From the study of 2 Corinthians 8:6

Range of meaning

To begin beforehand, to make an earlier start. It is a double compound: προ- ('before') + ἐν- + ἄρχομαι ('begin').

Against the English

Most versions say 'had begun' (KJV, BSB) or 'had made a beginning before / earlier' (WEB, NIV, NASB). 'Before' is the part easily lost: it signals that the collection already had a history at Corinth.

Used elsewhere in the period

Extremely rare in Greek. It does not occur in the LXX, and its only New Testament uses are here and 8:10, where Paul says the Corinthians 'began beforehand a year ago' (προενήρξασθε ἀπὸ πέρυσι). 1 Corinthians 16:1–4 shows the earlier instructions for setting money aside weekly.

Where it appears

2 Corinthians · 2

  1. 2 Corinthians 8:6 προενήρξατο he had begun

    So we urged Titus to help complete your act of grace, just as he had started it.

    Here: 'He had previously made a beginning.' The prefix προ- ('before') points back to an earlier stage of the collection at Corinth. The same rare verb in 8:10 describes the Corinthians themselves: 'you began a year ago.'

  2. 2 Corinthians 8:10 προενήρξασθε you began before

    And this is my opinion about what is helpful for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give, but even to have such a desire.

    Here: "You made a start beforehand." It may mean before the Macedonians or simply before now. The same rare verb is used of Titus in verse 6, so the Corinthians' earlier start and Titus's earlier start belong together.

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