Greek word · G4280

προερέω

proereō

to predict

From the stem pro-eipon / pro-eirēka: (1) 'say beforehand, predict, foretell'; (2) 'say earlier, mention above' (e.g. in letters and documents, 'as I said before').

Appears 9 times in 9 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

προ-ερέω, -ῶ, see: προεῖπον.

προ-εῖπον 2 aor. from unused Pres. (see: εἶπον, and pf., -είρηκα (3Ma.6:35 *), pass., -είρημαι (2Ma.2:32, 3Ma.1:26, al.),

1. to say before: Galatians 1:9, 1 Thessalonians 4:6 (on the form -αμεν, see WH, App., 164), Hebrews 4:7; before ὅτι, 2 Corinthians 7:3 13:2, Galatians 5:21; of prophecy, Matthew 24:25, Mark 13:23, Acts 1:16, Romans 9:29, 2 Peter 3:2, Jude 1:17.

2. to proclaim publicly, declare openly or plainly (cl.): so R, mg., in 2 Corinthians 13:2, Galatians 5:21, 1 Thessalonians 4:6 (cf. προλέγω; but see supr., and cf. M, Th., 38).†

(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 Jude 1:17

Range of meaning

From the stem pro-eipon / pro-eirēka: (1) 'say beforehand, predict, foretell'; (2) 'say earlier, mention above' (e.g. in letters and documents, 'as I said before').

Against the English

BSB 'foretold' and similar renderings choose sense (1). KJV 'spoken before', WEB 'spoken before', YLT 'spoken before' keep the ambiguity. The perfect tense ('have been spoken and still stand') is kept best by WEB's 'have been spoken before'.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the NT: Matthew 24:25 / Mark 13:23 ('I have told you beforehand'), where Jesus warns about false messiahs and false prophets. Galatians 5:21 and 1 Thessalonians 4:6 use the same verb for Paul repeating earlier warnings. 2 Peter 3:2 uses the same participle.

From the study of Matthew 24:25

Range of meaning

Built from pro- ('before') and the verb for 'say.' It has two uses: (1) to say something before it happens, so to predict or forewarn; (2) to say something earlier in a speech or letter ('as I said before'). Which one applies depends on context. Here the context is about future events, so the first sense fits: forewarning.

Against the English

BSB 'in advance', ESV and WEB 'beforehand' and NIV 'ahead of time' all give the forewarning sense clearly. KJV 'told you before' is accurate, but a modern reader can take it as 'I've already said this' or even 'I told you so.' YLT 'I did tell you' uses a plain past tense and loses the sense that the warning is still in force.

How it drifted

Not a real drift in the word itself. The only risk comes from the KJV, because in modern English 'before' tends to mean 'on an earlier occasion' and less often 'ahead of the event.'

Used elsewhere in the period

Paul uses the word for repeating an earlier warning (Gal 1:9; 5:21; 2 Cor 13:2; 1 Thess 4:6). In Acts and Romans it is used of Scripture or prophets speaking ahead of events (Acts 1:16; Rom 9:29). The Markan parallel has the same form: proeirēka humin panta, 'I have told you everything beforehand' (Mark 13:23). John has the same idea in other words: 'I tell you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe' (John 13:19; 14:29; 16:4).

From the study of Romans 9:29

Range of meaning

To say beforehand. It covers (a) predicting the future and (b) saying something earlier in the same speech or text, i.e. "as I said before."

Against the English

BSB has "foretold." KJV, WEB and YLT have "said before." "Foretold" makes it a prediction. "Said before" may simply mean "earlier in Isaiah."

Used elsewhere in the period

Galatians 1:9 ("as we have said before") points back to the previous verse. 2 Corinthians 13:2 and 1 Thessalonians 4:6 refer to Paul's earlier warnings. Matthew 24:25 and Mark 13:23 use it of Jesus telling things ahead of time (BDAG).

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 24:25 προείρηκα I have foretold [it]

    See, I have told you in advance.

    Here: 'I have told you ahead of time.' The Greek tense (the perfect) presents the warning as given once and still in force. Whenever the false signs appear, the disciples are already holding the warning.

Mark · 1

  1. Mark 13:23 προείρηκα I have foretold

    So be on your guard; I have told you everything in advance.

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 9:29 προείρηκεν has foretold

    It is just as Isaiah foretold: “Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.”

    Here: Literally "has said before." It can mean "foretold" or simply "said earlier" (Isaiah 1:9 comes before Isaiah 10:22 in the scroll). The perfect tense shows the words were spoken in the past and still stand on record.

2 Corinthians · 2

  1. 2 Corinthians 7:3 προείρηκα I have before said

    I do not say this to condemn you. I have said before that you so occupy our hearts that we live and die together with you.

  2. 2 Corinthians 13:2 προείρηκα I have warned

    I already warned you the second time I was with you. So now in my absence I warn those who sinned earlier and everyone else: If I return, I will not spare anyone,

    Here: "I have said it ahead of time." The perfect tense presents the earlier warning as a fact still on record. Here the "pro-" means in advance of the coming visit. It is a warning, not a prediction.

Galatians · 1

  1. Galatians 1:9 προειρήκαμεν, we have said before,

    As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!

    Here: 'We have said before.' It does not mean 'predict' here (the dictionary gloss); it means 'said on an earlier occasion.' The Greek perfect tense means the earlier statement still stands on record. The 'we' is Paul together with his co-workers (1:2), or Paul using 'we' for himself.

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 4:7 προείρηται, it has been predicted,

    God again designated a certain day as “Today,” when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

    Here: 'It has been said before,' meaning the author already quoted these words in 3:7–8 and 3:15. In this verse it does not mean 'predicted.' The perfect tense means the words were said and still stand.

2 Peter · 1

  1. 2 Peter 3:2 προειρημένων spoken beforehand

    by recalling what was foretold by the holy prophets and commanded by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

    Here: A perfect passive participle: words that were spoken earlier and still stand. 'Before' can mean simply 'earlier' or 'in advance, as prediction'. Both senses fit here, because verse 3 goes straight on to what was predicted about the last days.

Jude · 1

  1. Jude 1:17 προειρημένων spoken beforehand

    But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ

    Here: Perfect passive participle: 'having been said in advance', and still standing. Since verse 18 gives a prediction, 'foretold' fits. But the word also simply means 'said before': the warning came before the trouble arrived, so they should not be shaken by it.

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