μήποτε

μήποτε

(= μή ποτε, and so written in WH, exc. Matthew 25:9),

negative particle, related to οὔποτε as μή to οὐ.

1. As neg. particle, never: Hebrews 9:17 (R, mg., but see infr.; WH, txt., μή τότε).

2. As conjc., lest ever, lest haply (the idea of chance rather than of time seems to prevail in NT) : Matthew 4:6 (LXX) Matthew 5:25; 7:6; 13:15" (LXX), Matthew 13:29; 15:32; 27:64, Mark 4:12" (LXX) Mark 14:2, Luke 4:11; 12:58; 14:12, 29, Acts 28:27; after verbs of fearing or taking heed, Luke 21:34, Hebrews 2:1; 3:12; 4:1; with ellipse of the verb or ptcp., Luke 14:8, Acts 5:39; in later writers (see M, Pr., 192 f.), perhaps, Matthew 25:9.

3. As interrogative;

(a) in direct questions, like μή, expecting a negative answer: John 7:26, Hebrews 9:17, (R, txt., cf. Westc., in l; but see supr.);

(b) in indirect questions, whether haply, if haply: Luke 3:15, 2 Timothy 2:25.