Definition
μή,
subjective negative particle,
used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic, μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,אַל ]
I. As a neg. adv., not;
1. with ref. to thought or opinion: John 3:18, Titus 1:11, 2 Peter 1:9.
2. In delib. questions, with subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mark 12:14, Romans 3:8.
3. In conditional and final sentences, after εἰ, ἐάν, ἄν, ἵνα, ὅπως: Matthew 10:14, Mark 6:11; 12:19, Luke 9:5, John 6:50, Romans 11:25, al.
4. C. inf. (see M, Pr., 234f., 239, 255),
(a) after verbs of saying, etc.: Matthew 2:12; 5:34, Mark 12:18, Acts 15:38, Romans 2:21, al.;
(b) with artic. inf.: after a prep., Matthew 13:5, Mark 4:5, Acts 7:19, 1 Corinthians 10:6, al.; without a prep., Romans 14:13, 2 Corinthians 2:1, 13, 1 Thessalonians 4:6;
(with) in sentences expressing consequence, after ὥστε: Matthew 8:28, Mark 3:20, 1 Corinthians 1:7, 2 Corinthians 3:7, al.
5. C. ptcp. (see M, Pr., 231f., 239), in hypothetical references to persons of a certain character or description: Matthew 10:28; 12:30, Luke 6:49, John 3:18, Romans 4:5, 1 Corinthians 7:38, 1 John 3:10, al.; where the person or thing being definite, the denial is a matter of opinion: John 6:64, 1 Corinthians 1:28; 4:7, 18, 2 Corinthians 5:21, al.; where the ptcp. has a concessive, causal or conditional force, if, though, because not: Matthew 18:25, Luke 2:45, John 7:49, Acts 9:26, Romans 2:14; 5:13, 2 Corinthians 3:14, Galatians 6:9, Jude 5; where the ptcp. has a descriptive force (being such as), not: Acts 9:9, Romans 1:28, 1 Corinthians 10:33, Galatians 4:8, Hebrews 12:27, al.
6. μή prohibitive, in indep. sentences,
(a) with subjc. praes., 1 of person(s) pl.: Galatians 5:26; 6:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:6, 1 John 3:18;
(b) with imperat. praes., usually where one is bidden to desist from what has already begun (cf. M, Pr., 122ff.): Matthew 7:1, Mark 5:36, Luke 6:30, John 2:16; 5:45, Acts 10:15, Romans 11:18, James 2:1, Revelation 5:5, al.;
(with) forbidding that which is still future: with imperat. aor., 3 of person(s), Matthew 24:18, Mark 13:15, Luke 17:31, al.; with subjc. aor., 2 of person(s), Matthew 3:9; 10:26, Mark 5:7, Luke 6:29, John 3:7, Romans 10:6, al.;
(d) with optative, in wishes: 2 Timothy 4:16 (LXX); μὴ γένοιτο (see M, Pr., 194; Bl., §66, 1), Luke 20:16, Romans 3:3, al.; μή τις, Mark 13:5, al.
II. As a conj.,
1. after verbs of fearing, caution, etc., that, lest, perhaps (M, Pr., 192f.): with subjc. praes., Hebrews 12:15; with subjc. aor., Matthew 24:4, Mark 13:5, Luke 21:8, Acts 13:40, Galatians 5:15, al.; ὅρα μή (see M, Pr., 124, 178), elliptically, Revelation 19:10; 22:9; with indic, fut. (M, Pr., l.with), Colossians 2:8.
2. in order that not: with subjc. aor., Mark 13:36, 2 Corinthians 8:20; 12:6.
III. Interrogative, in hesitant questions (M, Pr., 170), or where a negative answer is expected: Matthew 7:9, 10, Mark 2:19, John 3:4, Romans 3:3; 10:18, 19, 1 Corinthians 1:13, al.; μή τις, Luke 22:35, al.; before οὐ (Romans 10:17, al. in Pl.), expecting an affirm, ans.; οὐ μή, Luke 18:7, John 18:11.
IV. οὐ μή as emphatic negation (cf. M, Pr., 188, 190ff.; Bl. §64, 5), not at all, by no means: with indic, fut., Matthew 16:22, John 6:35, Hebrews 10:17, al.; with subjc. aor., Matthew 24:2, Mark 13:2, Luke 6:37, John 13:8, 1 Corinthians 8:13, al.
Hebrew words it translates
Usage patterns
Occurrences
- Watch out, then, that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you:
- ‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’”
- Even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could hardly stop the crowds from sacrificing to them.
- Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
- It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not cause trouble for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
- Acts 15:38μὴ; μὴ · notBut Paul thought it best not to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work.
- But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here,
- Acts 18:9Μὴ · {Do} not; μὴ · {do} notOne night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent.
- Acts 19:31μὴ · notEven some of Paul’s friends who were officials of the province of Asia sent word to him, begging him not to venture into the theatre.
- Acts 20:10Μὴ · {Do} notBut Paul went down, threw himself on the young man, and embraced him. “Do not be alarmed!” he said. “He is still alive!”
- Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.
- I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house,
- Acts 20:22μὴ · notAnd now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
- For I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole will of God.
- I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
- Acts 21:4μὴ · notWe sought out the disciples in Tyre and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they kept telling Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
- Acts 21:12μὴ · notWhen we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.
- When he would not be dissuaded, we quieted down and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
- Acts 21:21μὴ · notBut they are under the impression that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or observe our customs.
- Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, and some another. And since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks.
- Acts 23:8μὴ · neitherFor the Sadducees say that there is neither a resurrection nor angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
- The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.
- Acts 23:21μὴ · {Do} not {let}Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”
- Acts 24:4μὴ · notBut in order not to delay you any further, I beg your indulgence to hear us briefly.
- Acts 25:24μὴ · notThen Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him, both here and in Jerusalem, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.
- Acts 25:27μὴ · withoutFor it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.”
- And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
- After sailing slowly for many days, we arrived off Cnidus. When the wind impeded us, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone.
- Unable to head into the wind, the ship was caught up. So we gave way and let ourselves be driven along.
- Acts 27:17μὴ · thatAfter hoisting it up, the crew used ropes to undergird the ship. And fearing that they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and were driven along.
- Acts 27:21μὴ · notAfter the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have averted this disaster and loss.
- Acts 27:24Μὴ · {Do} not…and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And look, God has granted you the lives of all who sail with you.’
- Fearing that we would run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daybreak.
- But Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain with the ship, you cannot be saved.”
- Acts 27:42μή · so noneThe soldiers planned to kill the prisoners so none of them could swim to freedom.
- Acts 28:26μὴ; μὴ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
- Acts 28:27μή‿ · OtherwiseFor this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’
- Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
- Romans 2:14μὴ; μὴIndeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
- Romans 2:21μὴ · against…you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?
- You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
- What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?
- Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”
- Romans 3:5μὴ · [is]But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms.
- Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?
- Romans 3:8μὴ · not [say]Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is deserved!