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
- Acts 16:13ταῖς · to theOn the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.
- Acts 16:14τὸν · of; ὁ · The; τὴν; τοῖς · to; τοῦAmong those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
- Acts 16:15ὁ; τῷ · in the; τὸνAnd when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
- Acts 16:16τὴν · the; τοῖςOne day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling.
- Acts 16:17τῷ; οἱ; τοῦ · of the; τοῦThis girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”
- Acts 16:18τῷ · to the; τῇShe continued this for many days. Eventually Paul grew so aggravated that he turned and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” And the spirit left her at that very moment.
- Acts 16:19οἱ; ἡ; τῆς · of; τὸν; τὸν; τὴν · the; τοὺς · theWhen the girl’s owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities in the marketplace.
- Acts 16:20τοῖς · to the; οἱ; τὴνThey brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil
- Acts 16:22ὁ · The; οἱ · the; τὰThe crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods.
- Acts 16:23τῷ · theAnd after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.
- Acts 16:24τὴν · the; τοὺς; τὸ · theOn receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
- Acts 16:25τὸ; τὸν · to; οἱ · theAbout midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
- Acts 16:26τὰ · the; τοῦ · of the; αἱ · the; τὰSuddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
- Acts 16:27ὁ · the; τὰς · the; τῆς; τὴν · his; τοὺς · theWhen the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.
- But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”
- Acts 16:29τῷ; τῷCalling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.
- They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”