Greek word · G4284
προέχω
proechō
to excel
Active: "to hold out in front," "to jut out," and so "to excel, surpass, have the lead." Middle (the subject acting for or on itself): "to hold something in front of oneself," as a shield or as a pretext, and so "to put forward as an excuse." Passive: "to be surpassed, outdone."
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
προ-έχω
[in LXX: Job 27:6 A (חָזַק hi.) * ;]
1. Trans., to hold before; mid., to hold something before oneself (Hdt.), hence, metaphorically, to excuse oneself: Romans 3:9, R, mg. (but see Field, Notes, 152 f.; Lft., Notes, 266 f.; ICC and Vau., in l).
2. Intrans.
(a) to project;
(b) in running, to have the start, hence, metaphorically, to excel: pass., Ro, l.with, R, txt. (see reff. supr.).†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
Active: "to hold out in front," "to jut out," and so "to excel, surpass, have the lead." Middle (the subject acting for or on itself): "to hold something in front of oneself," as a shield or as a pretext, and so "to put forward as an excuse." Passive: "to be surpassed, outdone."
- Against the English
KJV, NASB and WEB have "are we better (than they)?" and BSB "are we any better?" ESV, NIV and NLT have versions of "better off / have any advantage." None of these show that the Greek form is middle or passive. A plain "we excel" would normally be active, so the translations are making a choice that the grammar does not settle.
- How it drifted
"Are we better?" in modern English sounds like a question about moral character ("are we better people?"). Paul's question is about position before God's judgment: do Jews hold an edge or exemption, or do they have a defense to raise?
- Used elsewhere in the period
In classical and Hellenistic Greek the middle προέχεσθαι is used for holding something up as a screen or as an excuse (LSJ; BDAG). The middle with the plain active meaning "excel" is poorly attested, which is why commentators debate this verse. The passive "be surpassed" does occur in later Greek. The word appears nowhere else in the New Testament or the Septuagint.
Where it appears
Romans · 1
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Romans 3:9 προεχόμεθα; Are we better?
What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin.
Here: The hardest word in the verse. The form is middle or passive. It can mean "Do we have an advantage / are we better off?", "Are we putting up a shield / making excuses?" or (as a passive) "Are we outdone / at a disadvantage?" Most translations take the first. Whichever is right, "we" most likely means Jews, with Paul counting himself among them.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.