Definition
ἄν,
conditional particle,
which cannot usually be separately translated in English, its force depending on the constructions which contain it (see further, LS, see word; WM, §xlii; M, Pr., 165 ff.; MM, VGT, see word).
1. In apodosis,
(i) with indic, imperfect or aor., expressing what would be or would have been if (εἰ with impf., aor. or plpf.) some condition were or had been fulfilled: Luke 7:39; 17:6, John 5:46, Galatians 1:10, Matthew 12:7; 24:43, 1 Corinthians 2:8, Acts 18:14, 1 John 2:19, al. The protasis is sometimes understood (as also in cl.): Matthew 25:27, Luke 19:23. In hypothetical sentences, expressing unreality, ἄν (as often in late writers, more rarely in cl.) is omitted: John 8:39; 15:24; 19:11, Romans 7:7, Galatians 4:15;
(ii) with opt., inf., ptcp. (cl.; see LS, see word; M, Int., §275; M, Pr., 167:4).
2. In combination with conditional, relative, temporal, and final words;
(i) as in cl., with subj.,
(a) in protasis with εἰ, in Attic contr. ἐάν, which see;
(b) in conditional, relative, and temporal clauses (coalescing with ὅτε, ἐπεί, etc.; see: ὅταν, ἐπάν, etc.), ever, soever;
(α) with pres., ἡνίκα, 2 Corinthians 3:15; ὃς ἄν, Romans 9:15 (LXX) 16:2, al.; ὅσοι ἄν, Luke 9:5; ὡς ἄν, Romans 15:24 (M, Pr., 167);
(β) with aor., ὃς ἄν, Matthew 5:21, 22, 31; ἕως ἄν, until, Matthew 2:13, Mark 6:10, al.; ὡς ἄν, as soon as (M, Pr., 167), 1 Corinthians 11:34, Philippians 2:23. On the frequently use of ἐάν for ἄν with the foregoing words, see: ἐάν;
(ii) in late Gk., when some actual fact is spoken of, with indic.: ὅταν (which see); ὅπου ἄν, Mark 6:56 (M, Pr., 168); καθότι ἄν, Acts 2:45; 4:35; ὡς ἄν, 1 Corinthians 12:2.
3. in iterative construction, with imperfect and aor. indic. (M, Pr., 167): Acts 2:45; 4:35, 1 Corinthians 12:2.
4. with optative, giving a potential sense to a question or wish: Acts 8:31; 26:29.
5. Elliptical constructions: εἰ μή τι ἄν (M, Pr., 169), 1 Corinthians 7:5; ὡς ἄν, with inf., as it were (op. cit. 167), 2 Corinthians 10:9.
Usage patterns
Occurrences
- When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”
- Matthew 5:18ἂν; ἂνFor I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
- So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
- You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
- Matthew 5:22ἂν; ἂνBut I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.
- Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
- It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’
- Matthew 10:11ἂν; ἂνWhatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy there and stay at his house until you move on.
- And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.
- When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
- But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.
- And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”
- “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
- And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.
- If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.
- A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory.
- Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the one to come.
- For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
- But you say that if anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’
- For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
- Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
- Matthew 18:6ἂν · ifBut if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
- Now I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
- …and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—
- If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
- He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
- ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.”’
- Matthew 23:16ἂν; ἂνWoe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
- Matthew 23:18ἂν; ἂνAnd you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’
- And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
- For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
- If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.
- Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.
- Matthew 24:43ἂν; ἂνBut understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
- Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest.
- Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him.”
- But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.”
- For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.”
- And He told them, “When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area.
- Mark 6:11ἂν · anyoneIf anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that place, as a testimony against them.”
- Mark 6:56ἂν; ἂν · whoAnd wherever He went—villages and towns and countrysides—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him just to let them touch the fringe of His cloak. And all who touched Him were healed.
- For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.
- Mark 9:1ἂνThen Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God arrive with power.”