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
- Matthew 22:24μὴ · without“Teacher,” they said, “Moses declared that if a man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.
- Matthew 22:25μὴ · withoutNow there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died without having children. So he left his wife to his brother.
- Jesus answered, “You are mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
- Matthew 23:3μὴ · {do} notSo practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
- But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
- And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
- Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
- For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
- Matthew 24:2μὴ · not“Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
- Matthew 24:4μή · that no oneJesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you.
- You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come.
- Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house.
- And let no one in the field return for his cloak.
- Pray that your flight will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath.
- For at that time there will be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again.
- If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.
- Matthew 24:23μὴ · {do} notAt that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.
- Matthew 24:26μὴ · {do} not; μὴ · {do} notSo if they tell you, ‘There He is, in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Here He is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
- Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.
- Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
- No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
- ‘No,’ said the wise ones, ‘or there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
- Matthew 25:29μὴ · {does} notFor everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
- Matthew 26:5Μὴ · not; μὴ“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
- I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
- Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.
- “Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
- A second time He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass unless I drink it, may Your will be done.”
- Matthew 27:64μή‿ · OtherwiseSo give the order that the tomb be secured until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal Him away and tell the people He has risen from the dead. And this last deception would be worse than the first.”
- Matthew 28:5Μὴ · {Do} notBut the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
- Matthew 28:10Μὴ · {Do} not“Do not be afraid,” said Jesus. “Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see Me.”
- Mark 2:4μὴSince they were unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic on his mat.
- Mark 2:7μὴ“Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
- Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them? As long as He is with them, they cannot fast.
- No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, and a worse tear will result.
- And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins.”
- During the high priesthood of Abiathar, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which was lawful only for the priests. And he gave some to his companions as well.”
- Mark 3:9μὴJesus asked His disciples to have a boat ready for Him so that the crowd would not crush Him.
- Mark 3:12μὴ · notBut He warned them sternly not to make Him known.
- Mark 3:20μὴ · notThen Jesus went home, and once again a crowd gathered, so that He and His disciples could not even eat.
- Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.
- Mark 4:5μὴ · was shallowSome fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow.
- Mark 4:6μὴ · noBut when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
- Mark 4:12μὴ · never; μὴ · never; Μή‿ · otherwise…so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’”
- Mark 4:22μὴ · will not beFor there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light.
- Mark 5:7μή · notAnd he shouted in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God not to torture me!”