UBS Greek Dictionary Article

Notes: οὐ[a] and μή[a] are lexically equivalent in meaning, but they have a syntactic distribution which may be said to give them certain distinctions in so-called class meaning. However, since these differences are based upon syntactic distributions, such distinctions in meaning are beyond the scope of this type of lexical analysis. The form οὐ, of course, tends to occur primarily in indicative clauses, while μή occurs generally in non-indicative clauses.; A question such as μή τινος ὑστερήσατε; (RV LUK 22:35 · LV LUK 22:35 · Read together LUK 22:35) actually suggests agreement with the equivalent of a negative statement, ‘you did not lack anything.’ It is for this reason that in some languages the response to this type of question is with a positive particle meaning ‘yes.’

Form 1

Part of speech: advb.

Sense 1: not

Semantic entry: 69.3

Semantic domains: Affirmation, Negation

Subdomains: Negation

Definition: marker of negative propositions{N:001}

MAT 1:19: RV MAT 1:19 · LV MAT 1:19 · Read together MAT 1:19

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OET-RV MAT 1:19

19 But her husband to be, Yosef, was a godly man, and not wishing to disgrace Maria, he decided to quietly divorce her.

OET-LV MAT 1:19

19 And Yōsaʸf the husband of _her, being righteous and not willing to _expose her, was _counselled to _send_ her _away secretly.

MAT 1:20: RV MAT 1:20 · LV MAT 1:20 · Read together MAT 1:20

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OET-RV MAT 1:20

20 But as he was pondering that, one of Yahweh’s messengers appeared to him in a dream and told him, “Yosef, descendant of King David, don’t be afraid to marry Maria, because the baby in her has been conceived by the holy spirit.

OET-LV MAT 1:20

20 But these things having _been _considered of _him, see, a_messenger of_the_master was _seen to _him in a_dream saying:
Yōsaʸf, son of _Dawid, may_ not _be _afraid to _receive Maria the wife of _you, because/for the one in her having _been _born is from the_ holy _spirit.

All 500 recorded passages for this sense

GAL: RV GAL 2:17 · RV GAL 3:21 · RV GAL 4:8 · RV GAL 4:18 · RV GAL 5:1 · RV GAL 5:7 · RV GAL 5:13 · RV GAL 5:17 · RV GAL 5:26 · RV GAL 6:7 · RV GAL 6:9 · RV GAL 6:14 · LV GAL 2:17 · LV GAL 3:21 · LV GAL 4:8 · LV GAL 4:18 · LV GAL 5:1 · LV GAL 5:7 · LV GAL 5:13 · LV GAL 5:17 · LV GAL 5:26 · LV GAL 6:7 · LV GAL 6:9 · LV GAL 6:14 · Read together GAL 2:17 · Read together GAL 3:21 · Read together GAL 4:8 · Read together GAL 4:18 · Read together GAL 5:1 · Read together GAL 5:7 · Read together GAL 5:13 · Read together GAL 5:17 · Read together GAL 5:26 · Read together GAL 6:7 · Read together GAL 6:9 · Read together GAL 6:14

EPH: RV EPH 2:12 · RV EPH 3:13 · RV EPH 4:26 · RV EPH 4:29–30 · RV EPH 5:7 · RV EPH 5:11 · RV EPH 5:15 · RV EPH 5:17–18 · RV EPH 5:27 · RV EPH 6:4 · RV EPH 6:6 · LV EPH 2:12 · LV EPH 3:13 · LV EPH 4:26 · LV EPH 4:29–30 · LV EPH 5:7 · LV EPH 5:11 · LV EPH 5:15 · LV EPH 5:17–18 · LV EPH 5:27 · LV EPH 6:4 · LV EPH 6:6 · Read together EPH 2:12 · Read together EPH 3:13 · Read together EPH 4:26 · Read together EPH 4:29–30 · Read together EPH 5:7 · Read together EPH 5:11 · Read together EPH 5:15 · Read together EPH 5:17–18 · Read together EPH 5:27 · Read together EPH 6:4 · Read together EPH 6:6

PHP: RV PHP 1:28 · RV PHP 2:4 · RV PHP 2:12 · RV PHP 3:9 · LV PHP 1:28 · LV PHP 2:4 · LV PHP 2:12 · LV PHP 3:9 · Read together PHP 1:28 · Read together PHP 2:4 · Read together PHP 2:12 · Read together PHP 3:9

COL: RV COL 1:23 · RV COL 2:16 · RV COL 2:21 · RV COL 3:2 · RV COL 3:9 · RV COL 3:19 · RV COL 3:21–22 · LV COL 1:23 · LV COL 2:16 · LV COL 2:21 · LV COL 3:2 · LV COL 3:9 · LV COL 3:19 · LV COL 3:21–22 · Read together COL 1:23 · Read together COL 2:16 · Read together COL 2:21 · Read together COL 3:2 · Read together COL 3:9 · Read together COL 3:19 · Read together COL 3:21–22

Sense 2

Semantic entry: 69.15

Semantic domains: Affirmation, Negation

Subdomains: Markers for a Negative Response to Questions

Definition: a marker of a negative response to a question

LUK 11:35: RV LUK 11:35 · LV LUK 11:35 · Read together LUK 11:35

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OET-RV LUK 11:35

35 so take care in case the light in you has gone dark.

OET-LV LUK 11:35

35 Therefore be _looking _out, lest the light which in you is darkness.

LUK 17:9: RV LUK 17:9 · LV LUK 17:9 · Read together LUK 17:9

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OET-RV LUK 17:9

9 And no, slaves don’t get thanked for just doing what they’ve been told to do.

OET-LV LUK 17:9

9 Is_ not _having thankfulness to _the slave, because he _did the things having _been _directed?

All 37 recorded passages for this sense

LUK: RV LUK 11:35 · RV LUK 17:9 · RV LUK 22:35 · LV LUK 11:35 · LV LUK 17:9 · LV LUK 22:35 · Read together LUK 11:35 · Read together LUK 17:9 · Read together LUK 22:35

ACT: RV ACT 7:28 · RV ACT 7:42 · LV ACT 7:28 · LV ACT 7:42 · Read together ACT 7:28 · Read together ACT 7:42

ROM: RV ROM 9:14 · RV ROM 9:20 · RV ROM 11:1 · RV ROM 11:11 · LV ROM 9:14 · LV ROM 9:20 · LV ROM 11:1 · LV ROM 11:11 · Read together ROM 9:14 · Read together ROM 9:20 · Read together ROM 11:1 · Read together ROM 11:11

CO1: RV CO1 1:13 · RV CO1 9:4–5 · RV CO1 9:8–9 · RV CO1 10:22 · RV CO1 11:22 · RV CO1 12:29–30 · LV CO1 1:13 · LV CO1 9:4–5 · LV CO1 9:8–9 · LV CO1 10:22 · LV CO1 11:22 · LV CO1 12:29–30 · Read together CO1 1:13 · Read together CO1 9:4–5 · Read together CO1 9:8–9 · Read together CO1 10:22 · Read together CO1 11:22 · Read together CO1 12:29–30

CO2: RV CO2 3:1 · RV CO2 12:17 · LV CO2 3:1 · LV CO2 12:17 · Read together CO2 3:1 · Read together CO2 12:17

JAM: RV JAM 3:12 · LV JAM 3:12 · Read together JAM 3:12

Sense 3: in order that … not, so that … not, lest

Semantic entry: 89.62

Semantic domains: Relations

Subdomains: Purpose

Definition: marker of negative purpose, often with the implication of apprehension

MRK 13:5: RV MRK 13:5 · LV MRK 13:5 · Read together MRK 13:5

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OET-RV MRK 13:5

5 But Yeshua told them, “Be careful so you all aren’t misled by others.

OET-LV MRK 13:5

5 And the Yaʸsous began to _be _saying to _them:
Be _watching _out, lest anyone may _mislead you _all.

MRK 13:36: RV MRK 13:36 · LV MRK 13:36 · Read together MRK 13:36

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OET-RV MRK 13:36

36 ⇔You certainly don’t want to be caught napping when he comes,

OET-LV MRK 13:36

36 lest having _come suddenly, he _may _find you _all sleeping.

All 21 recorded passages for this sense

MRK: RV MRK 13:5 · RV MRK 13:36 · LV MRK 13:5 · LV MRK 13:36 · Read together MRK 13:5 · Read together MRK 13:36

LUK: RV LUK 21:8 · LV LUK 21:8 · Read together LUK 21:8

JHN: RV JHN 5:14 · LV JHN 5:14 · Read together JHN 5:14

CO1: RV CO1 5:11 · RV CO1 10:12 · LV CO1 5:11 · LV CO1 10:12 · Read together CO1 5:11 · Read together CO1 10:12

CO2: RV CO2 8:20 · RV CO2 12:6 · RV CO2 12:21 · LV CO2 8:20 · LV CO2 12:6 · LV CO2 12:21 · Read together CO2 8:20 · Read together CO2 12:6 · Read together CO2 12:21

GAL: RV GAL 5:15 · RV GAL 6:1 · LV GAL 5:15 · LV GAL 6:1 · Read together GAL 5:15 · Read together GAL 6:1

COL: RV COL 2:8 · LV COL 2:8 · Read together COL 2:8

Sense 4: to do something secretly, to do something without letting the public know

Semantic entry: 28.74

Semantic domains: Know

Subdomains: Not Able To Be Known, Secret

Definition: (an idiom, probably an adage or traditional saying, literally: do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing) an admonition to do something without letting people know about it

Notes: It is rare that one can preserve this idiom, since in its literal form it may seem absurd. For many English-speaking people the meaning has already been twisted by common usage to mean ‘be sure to not let anyone know if you are performing something that is shady or illegal.’ Today’s English Version attempts to represent something of the impact of this idiom by translating “do it in such a way that even your closest friend will not know about it.”

Collocations: μὴ γνώτω ἡ ἀριστερά σου τί ποιεῖ ἡ δεξιά σου

MAT 6:3: RV MAT 6:3 · LV MAT 6:3 · Read together MAT 6:3

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OET-RV MAT 6:3