Keraia
Lexicon

μή

mēnotHow to read Greek
greekNew TestamentParticle1,060 occurrences27 books935 verses

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

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

Usage patterns

Old TestamentNew Testament

Occurrences

1,060 total
  1. Ephesians 5:15μὴ · not
    Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
  2. Ephesians 5:17μὴ · {do} not
    Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
  3. Ephesians 5:18μὴ · {Do} not
    Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
  4. Ephesians 5:27μὴ
    …and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.
  5. Ephesians 6:4μὴ · {do} not
    Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
  6. Ephesians 6:6μὴ · [And do this] not only
    And do this not only to please them while they are watching, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
  7. Philippians 1:28μὴ
    …without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a clear sign of their destruction but of your salvation, and it is from God.
  8. Philippians 2:4μὴ · not only {to}
    Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
  9. Philippians 2:12μὴ · not
    Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
  10. Philippians 2:27μὴ
    He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
  11. Philippians 3:9μὴ · not
    …and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.
  12. Philippians 4:15μὴ
    And as you Philippians know, in the early days of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church but you partnered with me in the matter of giving and receiving.
  13. Colossians 1:23μὴ · not
    …if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
  14. Colossians 2:8μή · that no one
    See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
  15. Colossians 2:16Μὴ · {let} no
    Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath.
  16. Colossians 2:21Μὴ · {Do}
    “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”?
  17. Colossians 3:2μὴ · not
    Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
  18. Colossians 3:9Μὴ · {Do} not
    Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices,
  19. Colossians 3:19μὴ · {do} not
    Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
  20. Colossians 3:21μὴ · {do} not; μὴ
    Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged.
  21. Colossians 3:22μὴ · not [only]
    Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord.
  22. 1 Thessalonians 1:8μὴ · no
    For not only did the message of the Lord ring out from you to Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone out to every place, so that we have no need to say anything more.
  23. 1 Thessalonians 2:9μὴ
    Surely you recall, brothers, our labor and toil. We worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to anyone while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
  24. 1 Thessalonians 2:15μὴ
    …who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,
  25. 1 Thessalonians 3:5μή · [for fear that]
    For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter had somehow tempted you and that our labor might have been in vain.
  26. 1 Thessalonians 4:5μὴ · not; μὴ
    …not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God;
  27. 1 Thessalonians 4:6μὴ · [and] no one
    …and no one should ever violate or exploit his brother in this regard, because the Lord will avenge all such acts, as we have already told you and solemnly warned you.
  28. 1 Thessalonians 4:13μὴ; μὴ · without
    Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope.
  29. 1 Thessalonians 4:15μὴ
    By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep.
  30. 1 Thessalonians 5:3μὴ
    While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
  31. 1 Thessalonians 5:6μὴ
    So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober.
  32. 1 Thessalonians 5:15μή · no
    Make sure that no one repays evil for evil. Always pursue what is good for one another and for all people.
  33. 1 Thessalonians 5:19μὴ
    Do not extinguish the Spirit.
  34. 1 Thessalonians 5:20μὴ
    Do not treat prophecies with contempt,
  35. 2 Thessalonians 1:8μὴ; μὴ
    …in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
  36. 2 Thessalonians 2:2μὴ · not
    …not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come.
  37. 2 Thessalonians 2:3μή · {Let} no; μὴ
    Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed.
  38. 2 Thessalonians 2:12μὴ
    …in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness.
  39. 2 Thessalonians 3:6μὴ · not
    Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who leads an undisciplined life that is not in keeping with the tradition you received from us.
  40. 2 Thessalonians 3:8μὴ
    …nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, in labor and toil, we worked night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you.
  41. 2 Thessalonians 3:13μὴ · {do} not
    But as for you, brothers, do not grow weary in well-doing.
  42. 2 Thessalonians 3:14μὴ · {Do} not
    Take note of anyone who does not obey the instructions we have given in this letter. Do not associate with him, so that he may be ashamed.
  43. 2 Thessalonians 3:15μὴ · {do} not
    Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
  44. 1 Timothy 1:3μὴ · not
    As I urged you on my departure to Macedonia, you should stay on at Ephesus to instruct certain men not to teach false doctrines
  45. 1 Timothy 1:7μὴ
    They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not understand what they are saying or that which they so confidently assert.