UBS Greek Dictionary Article

Notes: The series of expressions indicating relative shortness of time may very well differ slightly, at least in connotative meaning, but on the basis of existing NT contexts it is not possible to determine significant denotative differences. The phrases in this series may be technically regarded as idioms, but functionally they are better classed as frozen phrases, which act essentially like morphological units.

Form 1

Part of speech: adjc.

Inflections: μικρός; -ά, -όν

Sense 1: little, few, limited amount of

Semantic entry: 59.15

Semantic domains: Quantity

Subdomains: Much, Little [Masses, Collectives, Extensions]

Definition: pertaining to a particularly limited quantity

LUK 12:32: RV LUK 12:32 · LV LUK 12:32 · Read together LUK 12:32

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OET-RV LUK 12:32

32 “Don’t be afraid, little flock, because actually your father takes pleasure in giving you the entire kingdom.

OET-LV LUK 12:32

32 Be_ not _fearing, the little flock, because the father of _you _all took _pleasure, to _give to _you _all the kingdom.

JHN 12:35: RV JHN 12:35 · LV JHN 12:35 · Read together JHN 12:35

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OET-RV JHN 12:35

35 Yeshua answered them, “The light will be among you all for just a little bit longer, so get walking while you have the light so that you won’t have to deal with darkness. Anyone walking in the dark doesn’t know where they’re going.

OET-LV JHN 12:35

35 Therefore the Yaʸsous said to _them:
The light is with you _all still a_little time.
be _walking while you _all _are _having the light, in _order _that you _all may_ not _grasp darkness, and the one walking in the darkness, has_ not _known where he _is _going.

All 4 recorded passages for this sense

LUK: RV LUK 12:32 · LV LUK 12:32 · Read together LUK 12:32

JHN: RV JHN 12:35 · LV JHN 12:35 · Read together JHN 12:35

CO1: RV CO1 5:6 · LV CO1 5:6 · Read together CO1 5:6

GAL: RV GAL 5:9 · LV GAL 5:9 · Read together GAL 5:9

Sense 2: small, little

Semantic entry: 79.125

Semantic domains: Features of Objects

Subdomains: Large, Small

Definition: a small size, relative to the norm for the class of objects in question

MAT 13:32: RV MAT 13:32 · LV MAT 13:32 · Read together MAT 13:32

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OET-RV MAT 13:32

32 Even though it’s a very small seed, it grows larger than most garden plants, and becomes such a large bush that birds even come and nest in its branches.”

OET-LV MAT 13:32

32 which on _one _hand it _is smaller of _all the seeds, on _the _other _hand whenever it _may _be _grown is greater than the garden _plants and is _becoming a_tree, so _that the birds of _the sky to _come and to _be _nesting in the branches of _it.

MRK 4:31: RV MRK 4:31 · LV MRK 4:31 · Read together MRK 4:31

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OET-RV MRK 4:31

31 It’s like planting a mustard seed in the ground—a very small seed.

OET-LV MRK 4:31

31 As to_a_seed of _mustard, which whenever it _may _be _sown on the earth, being smaller than all the seeds which on the earth,

All 8 recorded passages for this sense

MAT: RV MAT 13:32 · LV MAT 13:32 · Read together MAT 13:32

MRK: RV MRK 4:31 · LV MRK 4:31 · Read together MRK 4:31

LUK: RV LUK 7:28 · RV LUK 19:3 · LV LUK 7:28 · LV LUK 19:3 · Read together LUK 7:28 · Read together LUK 19:3

CO2: RV CO2 11:1 · RV CO2 11:16 · LV CO2 11:1 · LV CO2 11:16 · Read together CO2 11:1 · Read together CO2 11:16

HEB: RV HEB 8:11 · LV HEB 8:11 · Read together HEB 8:11

JAM: RV JAM 3:5 · LV JAM 3:5 · Read together JAM 3:5

Sense 3: little, very little

Semantic entry: 78.9

Semantic domains: Degree

Subdomains: Much, Little [Positive-Negative Degree]

Definition: a very low point on a scale of extent

Notes: In RV REV 3:8 · LV REV 3:8 · Read together REV 3:8 it would seem that μικρός might very well be classified as indicating quantity (see 59.15: μικρός), but it is probably better understood as indicating the extent of a state of being powerful, expressed in a number of languages in a negative form, for example, ‘you are not very powerful.’

HEB 8:11: RV HEB 8:11 · LV HEB 8:11 · Read together HEB 8:11

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OET-RV HEB 8:11

11 Then they certainly won’t teach each citizen and their neighbours,
⇔ saying ‘Know Yahweh,’
⇔ because all of them from the smallest to the greatest will all know me.

OET-LV HEB 8:11

11 And by _no _means not they _may _teach each the citizen of _him, and each the brother of _him saying:
Know the the_master, because all will _have _been _knowing me, from the_little to great of _them.

REV 3:8: RV REV 3:8 · LV REV 3:8 · Read together REV 3:8

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OET-RV REV 3:8

8 “I know everything you’ve been doing. Listen, I have placed an opened door in front of you that no one can shut. You aren’t very strong, yet you’ve obeyed my instructions and you haven’t disowned knowing me.

OET-LV REV 3:8

8 I _have _known of _you the works.
Behold, I _have _given before you a_door having _been _opened _up, which no _one is _able to _shut it, because little you _are _having power, and _yet you _kept of _me the message, and not you _disowned the name of _me.

All 4 recorded passages for this sense

HEB: RV HEB 8:11 · LV HEB 8:11 · Read together HEB 8:11

REV: RV REV 3:8 · RV REV 6:11 · RV REV 20:3 · LV REV 3:8 · LV REV 6:11 · LV REV 20:3 · Read together REV 3:8 · Read together REV 6:11 · Read together REV 20:3

Sense 4: a little while, for a little while, a short time, brief, briefly

Semantic entry: 67.106

Semantic domains: Time

Subdomains: Duration of Time without Reference to Points or Units of Time: Time, Spend Time, Always, Eternal, Old, Immediately, Young

Definition: pertaining to a relatively brief extent of time{N:001}

MAT 26:73: RV MAT 26:73 · LV MAT 26:73 · Read together MAT 26:73

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OET-RV MAT 26:73

73 A little while later, another person stood up and went to Kefa, “You must be one of them because we can tell by your accent.”

OET-LV MAT 26:73

73 And after a_little, the ones having _stood having _approached said to_ the _Petros:
Truly also you are of them, because/for even the speech of _you is _making you evident.

MRK 14:70: RV MRK 14:70 · LV MRK 14:70 · Read together MRK 14:70

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OET-RV MRK 14:70

70 But again Kefa denied it.
¶ A little while later, some of those standing there said the same thing to him, “You must be one of them because you’re from Galil.”

OET-LV MRK 14:70

70 But again he was _disowning him.
And after a_little, again the ones having _stood _by were _saying to_ the _Petros:
Truly you _are from them, because/for you _are also a_Galilaios,

All 10 recorded passages for this sense

MAT: RV MAT 26:73 · LV MAT 26:73 · Read together MAT 26:73

MRK: RV MRK 14:70 · LV MRK 14:70 · Read together MRK 14:70

JHN: RV JHN 7:33 · RV JHN 13:33 · RV JHN 14:19 · RV JHN 16:16–19 · LV JHN 7:33 · LV JHN 13:33 · LV JHN 14:19 · LV JHN 16:16–19 · Read together JHN 7:33 · Read together JHN 13:33 · Read together JHN 14:19 · Read together JHN 16:16–19

HEB: RV HEB 10:37 · LV HEB 10:37 · Read together HEB 10:37

Sense 5: short

Semantic entry: 81.13

Semantic domains: Spacial Dimensions

Subdomains: Long, Short, Far

Definition: pertaining to being short, in a horizontal or vertical dimension

MAT 26:39: RV MAT 26:39 · LV MAT 26:39 · Read together MAT 26:39

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OET-RV MAT 26:39

39 He went on a little further, and knelt with his face to the ground, saying, “My father, if it’s possible, let me avoid this suffering. However, it’s not what I want because I want to do what you want.”

OET-LV MAT 26:39

39 And having _approached a_little, he _fell on the_face of _him, praying and saying:
father of _me, if it _is possible, let_ the this cup _pass _by from me.
However not as I am _wanting, but as you.

MRK 14:35: RV MRK 14:35 · LV MRK 14:35 · Read together MRK 14:35

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OET-RV MRK 14:35

35 He went ahead a little way, where he knelt on the ground with his head down and prayed—asking if it was possible to avoid what was ahead of him.

OET-LV MRK 14:35

35 And having _gone _ahead a_little, he _was _falling on the ground and he _was _praying that if it _is possible, the hour may _pass _by from him.

All 4 recorded passages for this sense

MAT: RV MAT 26:39 · LV MAT 26:39 · Read together MAT 26:39

MRK: RV MRK 14:35 · RV MRK 15:40 · LV MRK 14:35 · LV MRK 15:40 · Read together MRK 14:35 · Read together MRK 15:40

LUK: RV LUK 19:3 · LV LUK 19:3 · Read together LUK 19:3

Sense 6: young, younger

Semantic entry: 67.116

Semantic domains: Time

Subdomains: Duration of Time without Reference to Points or Units of Time: Time, Spend Time, Always, Eternal, Old, Immediately, Young

Definition: pertaining to a living being who is relatively young, often the younger of two objects

Notes: It is possible, however, that μικρός in RV MRK 15:40 · LV MRK 15:40 · Read together MRK 15:40 denotes small size rather than being younger (see 81.13: μικρός).

MRK 15:40: RV MRK 15:40 · LV MRK 15:40 · Read together MRK 15:40

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OET-RV MRK 15:40