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. 1 Corinthians 7:19ἀλλὰ
    Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.
  2. 1 Corinthians 7:21ἀλλ’ · but
    Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity.
  3. 1 Corinthians 7:35ἀλλὰ · but
    I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but in order to promote proper decorum and undivided devotion to the Lord.
  4. 1 Corinthians 8:6ἀλλ’ · yet
    …yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.
  5. 1 Corinthians 8:7Ἀλλ’ · But
    But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.
  6. 1 Corinthians 9:2ἀλλά
    Even if I am not an apostle to others, surely I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
  7. 1 Corinthians 9:12ἀλλ’ · But; ἀλλὰ · Instead
    If others have this right to your support, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
  8. 1 Corinthians 9:21ἀλλ’ · but [am]
    To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law.
  9. 1 Corinthians 9:27ἀλλὰ · No
    No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
  10. 1 Corinthians 10:5ἀλλ’ · Nevertheless
    Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.
  11. 1 Corinthians 10:13ἀλλὰ · But
    No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.
  12. 1 Corinthians 10:20ἀλλ’ · No
    No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.
  13. 1 Corinthians 10:23ἀλλ’ · but; ἀλλ’ · but
    “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying.
  14. 1 Corinthians 10:24ἀλλὰ · but
    No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
  15. 1 Corinthians 10:29ἀλλὰ
    …the other one’s conscience, I mean, not your own. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else’s conscience?
  16. 1 Corinthians 10:33ἀλλὰ · but
    …as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.
  17. 1 Corinthians 11:8ἀλλὰ · but
    For man did not come from woman, but woman from man.
  18. 1 Corinthians 11:9ἀλλὰ · but
    Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.
  19. 1 Corinthians 11:17ἀλλὰ
    In the following instructions I have no praise to offer, because your gatherings do more harm than good.
  20. 1 Corinthians 12:14ἀλλὰ · but
    For the body does not consist of one part, but of many.
  21. 1 Corinthians 12:22ἀλλὰ · On the contrary
    On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
  22. 1 Corinthians 12:24Ἀλλὰ · But
    …whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But God has composed the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
  23. 1 Corinthians 12:25ἀλλὰ · but that
    …so that there should be no division in the body, but that its members should have mutual concern for one another.
  24. 1 Corinthians 14:2ἀλλὰ · but
    For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries in the Spirit.
  25. 1 Corinthians 14:17ἀλλ’ · but
    You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other one is not edified.
  26. 1 Corinthians 14:19ἀλλὰ · But
    But in the church, I would rather speak five coherent words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
  27. 1 Corinthians 14:20ἀλλὰ
    Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
  28. 1 Corinthians 14:22ἀλλὰ · but; ἀλλὰ · however
    Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.
  29. 1 Corinthians 14:33ἀλλὰ · but
    For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace—as in all the churches of the saints.
  30. 1 Corinthians 14:34ἀλλὰ · but
    Women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.
  31. 1 Corinthians 15:10ἀλλὰ · No; ἀλλὰ · but
    But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
  32. 1 Corinthians 15:35Ἀλλὰ · But
    But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”
  33. 1 Corinthians 15:37ἀλλὰ · but
    And what you sow is not the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or something else.
  34. 1 Corinthians 15:39ἀλλὰ
    Not all flesh is the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another, and fish another.
  35. 1 Corinthians 15:40ἀλλὰ · But
    There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the splendor of the heavenly bodies is of one degree, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is of another.
  36. 1 Corinthians 15:46Ἀλλ’ · however; ἀλλὰ · but
    The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and then the spiritual.
  37. 2 Corinthians 1:9ἀλλὰ · Indeed; ἀλλ’ · but
    Indeed, we felt we were under the sentence of death, in order that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God, who raises the dead.
  38. 2 Corinthians 1:12ἀλλ’ · but
    For this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God.
  39. 2 Corinthians 1:13ἀλλ’
    For we do not write you anything that is beyond your ability to read and understand. And I hope that you will understand us completely,
  40. 2 Corinthians 1:19ἀλλὰ · but
    For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was proclaimed among you by me and Silvanus and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in Him it has always been “Yes.”
  41. 2 Corinthians 1:24ἀλλὰ · but
    Not that we lord it over your faith, but we are fellow workers with you for your joy, because it is by faith that you stand firm.
  42. 2 Corinthians 2:4ἀλλὰ · but
    For through many tears I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart, not to grieve you but to let you know how much I love you.
  43. 2 Corinthians 2:5ἀλλὰ · but
    Now if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me but all of you—to some degree, not to overstate it.
  44. 2 Corinthians 2:13ἀλλὰ · [So]
    I had no peace in my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and went on to Macedonia.