Keraia
Lexicon

ἀλλά

allabutHow to read Greek
greekNew TestamentConjunction639 occurrences27 books604 verses

Definition

ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146),

adversative particle,

stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Romans 3:31);

1. opposing a previous negation, but: οὐ (μὴ) . . . ἀ., Matthew 5:15, 17, Mark 5:39, John 7:16, al.; rhetorically subordinating but not entirely negativing what precedes, οὐ . . . ἀ., not so much . . . as, Mark 9:37, Matthew 10:20, John 12:44, al.; with ellipse of the negation, Matthew 11:7-9, Acts 19:2, 1 Corinthians 3:6; 6:11; 7:7, 2 Corinthians 7:1, Galatians 2:3, al.; in opposition to a foregoing pos. sentence, ἀ. οὐ, Matthew 24:6, 1 Corinthians 10:23; οὐ μόνον . . . ἀ. καί, John 5:18, Romans 1:32, al.; elliptically, after a negation, ἀ. ἵνα, Mark 14:49, John 1:8; 9:3, al.; = εἰ μή (Bl., §77, 13; M, Pr., 241; but cf. WM, §iii, 10), Matthew 20:23, Mark 4:22.

2. Without previous negation, to express opposition, interruption, transition, etc., but: John 16:20; 12:27, Galatians 2:14; before commands or requests, Acts 10:20; 26:16, Matthew 9:18, Mark 9:22, al.; to introduce an accessory idea, 2 Corinthians 7:11; in the apodosis after a condition or concession with εἰ, ἐάν, εἴπερ, yet, still, at least, Mark 14:29, 1 Corinthians 9:2, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Colossians 2:5, al.; after μέν, Acts 4:17, Romans 14:20, 1 Corinthians 14:17; giving emphasis to the following clause, ἀλλ᾽ ἔρχεται ὥρα, yea, etc., John 16:2; so with neg., ἀλλ᾽ οὐδέ, nay, nor yet, Luke 23:15.

3. Joined with other particles (a practice which increases in late writers; Simcox, LNT, 166), ἀ. γε, yet at least, Luke 24:21, 1 Corinthians 9:2; ἄ ἤ., save only, except, Luke 12:51, 2 Corinthians 1:13; ἀ. μὲν οὖν, Philippians 3:8 (on this usage, see MM, VGT, see word).

Hebrew words it translates

The Hebrew words that the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament renders as ἀλλά:

Usage patterns

Old TestamentNew Testament

Occurrences

639 total
  1. Luke 14:10Ἀλλ’ · But
    But when you are invited, go and sit in the last place, so that your host will come and tell you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in front of everyone at the table with you.
  2. Luke 14:13ἀλλ’ · But
    But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind,
  3. Luke 16:21ἀλλὰ
    …and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
  4. Luke 16:30ἀλλ’ · but
    ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.’
  5. Luke 17:8ἀλλ’ · Instead
    Instead, won’t he tell him, ‘Prepare my meal and dress yourself to serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you may eat and drink’?
  6. Luke 18:13ἀλλ’ · Instead
    But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’
  7. Luke 20:21ἀλλ’ · but
    “Teacher,” they inquired, “we know that You speak and teach correctly. You show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
  8. Luke 20:38ἀλλὰ · but
    He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.”
  9. Luke 21:9ἀλλ’ · but
    When you hear of wars and rebellions, do not be alarmed. These things must happen first, but the end is not imminent.”
  10. Luke 22:26ἀλλ’ · Instead
    But you shall not be like them. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves.
  11. Luke 22:36Ἀλλὰ · however
    “Now, however,” He told them, “the one with a purse should take it, and likewise a bag; and the one without a sword should sell his cloak and buy one.
  12. Luke 22:42ἀλλὰ · but
    “Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
  13. Luke 22:53ἀλλ’ · But
    Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on Me. But this hour belongs to you and to the power of darkness.”
  14. Luke 23:15ἀλλ’
    Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us. As you can see, He has done nothing deserving of death.
  15. Luke 24:6ἀλλὰ
    He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee:
  16. Luke 24:21ἀλλά
    But we were hoping He was the One who would redeem Israel. And besides all this, it is the third day since these things took place.
  17. Luke 24:22Ἀλλὰ · Furthermore
    Furthermore, some of our women astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning,
  18. John 1:8ἀλλ’ · but
    He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
  19. John 1:13ἀλλ’ · but
    …children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.
  20. John 1:31ἀλλ’ · but
    I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.”
  21. John 1:33ἀλλ’ · but
    I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
  22. John 3:8ἀλλ’ · but
    The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
  23. John 3:16ἀλλ’ · but
    For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
  24. John 3:17ἀλλ’ · but
    For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
  25. John 3:28ἀλλ’ · but
    You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’
  26. John 3:36ἀλλ’ · Instead
    Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
  27. John 4:2ἀλλ’ · but
    …(although it was not Jesus who baptized, but His disciples),
  28. John 4:14ἀλλὰ · Indeed
    But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”
  29. John 4:23ἀλλὰ · But
    But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.
  30. John 5:18ἀλλὰ · but
    Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
  31. John 5:22ἀλλὰ · but
    Furthermore, the Father judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son,
  32. John 5:24ἀλλὰ · Indeed
    Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
  33. John 5:30ἀλλὰ · but
    I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
  34. John 5:34ἀλλὰ
    Even though I do not accept human testimony, I say these things so that you may be saved.
  35. John 5:42ἀλλὰ · but
    …but I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you.
  36. John 6:9ἀλλὰ · But
    “Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?”
  37. John 6:22ἀλλὰ · but
    The next day, the crowd that had remained on the other side of the sea realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not boarded it with His disciples, but they had gone away alone.
  38. John 6:23ἀλλὰ · However
    However, some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
  39. John 6:26ἀλλ’ · but
    Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
  40. John 6:27ἀλλὰ · but [for]
    Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”
  41. John 6:32ἀλλ’ · but [it is]
    Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.
  42. John 6:36ἀλλ’ · But
    But as I stated, you have seen Me and still you do not believe.
  43. John 6:38ἀλλὰ · but [to do]
    For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
  44. John 6:39ἀλλὰ · but
    And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day.
  45. John 6:64ἀλλ’ · However
    However, there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.)
  46. John 7:10ἀλλὰ · but
    But after His brothers had gone up to the feast, He also went—not publicly, but in secret.
  47. John 7:12ἀλλὰ
    Many in the crowds were whispering about Him. Some said, “He is a good man.” But others replied, “No, He deceives the people.”
  48. John 7:16ἀλλὰ · [It comes]
    “My teaching is not My own,” Jesus replied. “It comes from Him who sent Me.
  49. John 7:22ἀλλ’ · but
    But because Moses gave you circumcision, you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath (not that it is from Moses, but from the patriarchs.)
  50. John 7:24ἀλλὰ · [and start]
    Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”