UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: (in the singular) person, human being, individual, (in the plural) people, persons, mankind

Semantic entry: 9.1

Semantic domains: People

Subdomains: Human Beings

Definition: a human being (normally an adult)

Notes: In RV MAT 14:35 · LV MAT 14:35 · Read together MAT 14:35 (ἐπιγνόντες αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου ‘when the people of that place recognized him’) one may argue that οἱ ἄνδρες refers specifically to males, but the context would seem to indicate that the reference is to people in general. In translation a pronominal expression may frequently be employed when ἀνήρ[b] occurs in the text, for example, ‘when those who lived in that place recognized him’.|It is not uncommon in languages for a term which is often used to refer to an adult male to be employed also in a generic sense of ‘person.’ This is especially true when such terms are used in the plural form.|In a number of instances, generic meanings of receptor languages have not been recognized as such, since translators have assumed that such receptor-language terms refer only to members of a particular tribe or group (because they have been found only in specific contexts), while in reality such terms often designate people in general. One must, however, be on the alert for seemingly generic terms which refer only to the so-called ‘in-group,’ that is to say, members of a particular tribe, society, or community.

Sense 2: man

Semantic entry: 9.24

Semantic domains: People

Subdomains: Males

Definition: an adult male person of marriageable age{N:001}

Sense 3: husband

Semantic entry: 10.53

Semantic domains: Kinship Terms

Subdomains: Kinship Relations Based upon Marriage

Definition: a man who is married to a woman

Notes: ἀνήρ in the meaning of ‘husband’ is normally clearly marked by context, usually involving a so- called ‘possessive marker,’ though in some contexts such as RV JHN 4:17 · LV JHN 4:17 · Read together JHN 4:17 and RV MAT 19:10 · LV MAT 19:10 · Read together MAT 19:10, the distinctions in meaning are quite clear, but it is only from each individual context that one can determine whether ἀνήρ means simply ‘man’ (see 9.24: ἀνήρ / 9.24: ἄνθρωπος) or ‘husband.’ See also discussion at 10.54: γυνή.

Sense 4: body, physical form

Semantic entry: 8.3

Semantic domains: Body, Body Parts, and Body Products

Subdomains: Body

Definition: (an idiom, literally: the outside person) the physical nature or aspect of a person

Notes: The phrase ὁ ἔξω ἄνθρωπος is to be understood in direct contrast with ὁ ἔσω (ἄνθρωπος) in the same verse, which refers to the psychological or spiritual nature of human personality (see 26.1: ἄνθρωπος / 26.1: ἔσω / 26.1: κρυπτός).

Collocations: ὁ ἔξω ἄνθρωπος

Sense 5: the inner being, the inmost being, inwardly

Semantic entry: 26.1

Semantic domains: Psychological Faculties

Definition: (idioms, literally: the inner (person), and: the hidden (person)) the psychological faculty, including intellectual, emotional, and spiritual aspects, in contrast with the purely physical aspects of human existence

Notes: In a number of languages it is quite impossible to speak of the psychological faculty of a person as being merely ‘that which is within.’ It is frequently necessary to refer to a particular organ of the body, for example, ‘the heart’ or ‘the liver’ or ‘the spleen.’ In some languages, however, one may refer to this faculty as being ‘the person who stands inside’ or ‘the real person’ or even ‘the other person.’|In RV LUK 17:21 · LV LUK 17:21 · Read together LUK 17:21 the phrase ἐντὸς ὑμῶν in the statement ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστιν look, God’s reign is within you may constitute a reference to the same inner being designated by the phrases ὁ ἔσω and ὁ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ. On this basis some scholars have suggested that the phrase ἐντὸς ὑμῶν can be interpreted as a potentiality for participation and hence be translated within your grasp, but it is more likely that one should understand the phrase ἐντὸς ὑμῶν in RV LUK 17:21 · LV LUK 17:21 · Read together LUK 17:21 as a spacial relationship, for example, ‘in your midst’ or ‘among you’ (see 83.9: ἀνά / 83.9: εἰς / 83.9: ἐν / 83.9: ἐντός / 83.9: ἐπί / 83.9: μέσος / 83.9: μετά / 83.9: παρά / 83.9: πρός).

Collocations: ὁ ἔσω (ἄνθρωπος); ὁ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ (ἄνθρωπος)

Sense 6: old self, old pattern of life

Semantic entry: 41.43

Semantic domains: Behavior and Related States

Subdomains: Particular Patterns of Behavior

Definition: (an idiom, literally: old person, or: former person) the old or former pattern of behavior, in contrast with a new pattern of behavior which people should conform to

Notes: In a number of languages one can best render this expression in RV EPH 4:22 · LV EPH 4:22 · Read together EPH 4:22 as ‘don’t live the way you used to.’

Collocations: παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπος

Sense 7: people, mankind

Semantic entry: 9.2

Semantic domains: People

Subdomains: Human Beings

Definition: (a Semitic idiom, literally: sons of men) human beings (equivalent in denotative meaning to ἄνθρωπος[a], 9.1: ἀνήρ / 9.1: ἄνθρωπος)

Notes: It is rare indeed that one can reproduce literally the Semitic phrase ‘sons of men,’ since the expression is likely to be interpreted as relating only to the male offspring of fathers.

Collocations: υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων

Sense 8: Son of Man

Semantic entry: 9.3

Semantic domains: People

Subdomains: Human Beings

Definition: a title with Messianic implications used by Jesus concerning himself

Notes: This title ‘Son of Man’ served not only to affirm but also to hide Christ’s Messianic role.|In a number of languages there are serious complications involved in a literal translation of υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ‘Son of Man.’ In the first place, this is likely to be understood in a more or less literal sense of ‘son of a man’ and thus a denial of the virgin birth. Such is particularly true in languages which have two words for ‘son,’ one meaning ‘son of a man’ and the other, ‘son of a woman.’ Under such circumstances, a literal translation would be a clear denial of the virgin birth.

Collocations: υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου