Definition
ὁ, ἡ, τό,
the prepositive article (ἄρθρον προτακτικόν), originally a demonstr. pron. (so usually in Hom.), in general corresponding to the Eng. definite article.
I. As demonstr. pron.
1. As frequently in Hom., absol., he (she, it), his (etc.): Acts 17:28 (quoted from the poet Aratus).
2. Distributive, ὁ μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, the one . . . the other: 1 Corinthians 7:7, Galatians 4:22; pl., Acts 14:4; 17:32, Philippians 1:16, al.; οἱ μὲν . . . ἄλλοι δέ, Matthew 16:14, John 7:12; οἱ μεν̀ . . . ὁδέ, Hebrews 7:21, 23.
3. In narration (without ὁ μὲν preceding), ὁ δέ, but he: Matthew 2:14, Mark 1:45, Luke 8:21, John 9:38, al. mult.
II. As prepositive article, the, prefixed,
1. to nouns unmodified: ὁ θεός, τὸ φῶς, etc.; to abstract nouns, ἡ σοφία, etc., to pl. nouns which indicate a class, οἱ ἀλώπεκες, foxes, Matthew 8:20, al.; to an individual as representing a class, ὁ ἐργάτης, Luke 10:7; with nom. = voc. in addresses, Matthew 11:26, John 19:3, James 5:1, al.; to things which pertain to one, ἡ χεῖρ, his hand, Mark 3:1; to names of persons well known or already mentioned; usually to names of countries (originally adjectives), ἡ Ἰουδαία, etc.
2. To modified nouns: with of person(s) pron. genitive, μοῦ, σοῦ, etc.; with poss. pron., ἐμός, σός, etc.; with adj. between the art. and the noun, ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος, Matthew 12:35; the noun foll, by adj., both with art., ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός, John 10:11 (on ὁ ὄχλος πολύς, John 12:9, see M, Pr., 84); before adjectival phrases, ἡ κατ᾽ ἐκλογὴν πρόθεσις, Romans 9:11.
3. To Other parts of speech used as substantives;
(a) neuter adjectives: τ. ἀγαθόν, etc.;
(b) cardinal numerals: ὁ εἶς, οἷ δύο, etc.;
(with) participles: ὁ βαπτίζων (= ὁ Βαπτιστής, Matthew 14:2), Mark 6:14; πᾶς ὁ, with ptcp., every one who, etc.;
(d) adverbs: τὸ πέραν, τὰ νῦν, ὁ ἔσω ἄνθρωπος;
(e) infinitives: nom., τὸ θέλειν, Romans 7:18, al.; genitive, τοῦ, after adjectives, ἄξιον τοῦ πορεύεσθαι, 1 Corinthians 16:4; verbs, ἐλαχεν τοῦ θυμιᾶσαι, Luke 1:9; and frequently in a final sense, ἐξῆλθεν ὁ σπείρειν, Matthew 13:3 (on the artic. inf., see Bl., §71).
4. In the neut. to sentences, phrases or single words treated as a quotation: τὸ Ἐι δύνῃ, Mark 9:23; τὸ ἔτι ἅπαξ, Hebrews 12:27; τὸ ἀνέβη, Ephesians 4:9, al.
5. To prepositional phrases: οἱ ἀπὸ Ἰταλίας, Hebrews 13:24; οἱ ἐκ νόμου, Romans 4:14; neut. accusative absol., in adverbial phrases, τὸ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν, daily, Luke 11:3; τὸ κατὰ σάρκα, as regards the flesh, Romans 9:5.
6. To nouns in the genitive, denoting kinship, association, etc.: ὁ τοῦ, the son of (unless context indicates a different relationship), Matthew 10:2, al.; τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ, the things that pertain to God, Matthew 16:23; τὰ τῆς εἰρήνης, Romans 14:19 (cf. M, Pr., 81ff.; Bl, §§46, 47).
Usage patterns
Occurrences
- His disciples replied, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get better.”
- John 11:13ὁ; τοῦ · the; τῆς; τοῦThey thought that Jesus was talking about actual sleep, but He was speaking about the death of Lazarus.
- So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,
- John 11:16ὁ; τοῖς · to [his]Then Thomas called Didymus said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”
- John 11:17ὁ; τῷ · theWhen Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already spent four days in the tomb.
- John 11:18ἡ; τῶνNow Bethany was near Jerusalem, a little less than two miles away,
- John 11:19τῶν · the; τὴν; τοῦ · [their]…and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother.
- John 11:20ἡ; τῷSo when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him, but Mary stayed at home.
- John 11:21ἡ; τὸν; ὁMartha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
- John 11:22τὸν; ὁBut even now I know that God will give You whatever You ask of Him.”
- John 11:23ὁ; ὁ“Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her.
- John 11:24ἡ; τῇ · the; τῇ · theMartha replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
- John 11:25ὁ; ἡ · the; ἡ · the; ὁ · WhoeverJesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
- John 11:26ὁ · who; τὸνAnd everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
- John 11:27ὁ · the; ὁ · the; τοῦ; ὁ · who; τὸν · the“Yes, Lord,” she answered, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
- John 11:28τὴν; Ὁ · TheAfter Martha had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside to tell her, “The Teacher is here and is asking for you.”
- John 11:30ὁ; τὴν · the; τῷ · the; ἡNow Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met Him.
- John 11:31οἱ · the; οἱ · who; τῇ · the; τὴν; τὸ · theWhen the Jews who were in the house consoling Mary saw how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
- When Mary came to Jesus and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”