Bible Lexicons

ὡς (Treg. (by mistake) in Matthew 24:38 ὡς; cf. Winers Grammar, 462 (431); Chandler § 934, and references in Ebeling, Lex. Homer, under the word, p. 494b bottom), an adverbial form of the relative pronoun ὅς, ἡ, ὁ which is used in comparison, as, like as, even as, according as, in the same manner as, etc. (German wie); but it also assumes the nature of a conjunction, of time, of purpose, and of consequence. On its use in the Greek writings cf. Klotz ad Devar. 2:2, chapter xxxv., p. 756ff; (Liddell and Scott, under the word).

I. ὡς as an adverb of comparison;

1. It answers to some demonstrative word (οὕτως, or the like), either in the same clause or in another member of the same sentence (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 53, 5): οὕτως ... ὡς, John 7:46 (L WH omit; Tr brackets ὡς etc.); 1 Corinthians 3:15; 1 Corinthians 4:1; 1 Corinthians 9:26; Ephesians 5:28, 33; James 2:12; οὕτως ... ὡς ἐάν (T Tr WH omit ἐάν (cf. English as should a man cast etc.)) ... βάλῃ, so etc. ... as if etc. Mark 4:26; ὡς ... οὕτως, Acts 8:32; Acts 23:11; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 2 Corinthians 11:3 (R G); 1 Thessalonians 5:2; ὡς ἄν (ἐάν) followed by subjunctive ((cf. ἄν, II. 2 a. at the end)) ... οὕτως, 1 Thessalonians 2:7f; ὡς ... οὕτω καί, Romans 5:15 (here WH brackets καί),18; 2 Corinthians 1:7 L T Tr WH; ; ὡς (T Tr WH καθώς) ... κατά τά αὐτά (L G ταῦτα, Rec. ταῦτα), Luke 17:28-30; ἴσος ... ὡς καί, Acts 11:17; sometimes in the second member of the sentence the demonstrative word (οὕτως, or the like) is omitted and must be supplied by the mind, as Matthew 8:13; Colossians 2:6; ὡς ... καί (where οὕτω καί might have been expected (Winers Grammar, as above; Buttmann, § 149, 8 c.)), Matthew 6:10; Luke 11:2 (here G T Tr WH omit; L brackets the clause); Acts 7:51 (Lachmann καθώς); Galatians 1:9; Philippians 1:20 (see καί, II. 1 a.); to this construction must be referred also 2 Corinthians 13:2 ὡς παρών τό δεύτερον, καί ἀπών νῦν, as when I was present the second time, so now being absent ((cf. p. 317a top); others render (cf. R. V. marginal reading) as if I were present the second time, even though I am now absent).

2. ὡς with the word or words forming the comparison is so subjoined to a preceding verb that οὕτως must be mentally inserted before the same. When thus used ὡς refers a. to the manner (`form') of the action expressed by the finite verb, and is equivalent to in the same manner as, after the fashion of; it is joined in this way to the subject (nominative) of the verb: Matthew 6:29; Matthew 7:29; Matthew 13:43; 1 Thessalonians 2:11; 2 Peter 2:12; Jude 1:10, etc.; to an accusative governed by the verb: as ἀγαπᾶν τόν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν, Matthew 19:19; Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31, 33; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8; add, Philemon 1:17; Galatians 4:14; (here many (cf. R. V. marginal reading) would bring in also Acts 3:22; Acts 7:37 (cf.

c. below)); or to another oblique case: as Philippians 2:22; to a substantive, with a preposition: as ὡς ἐν κρύπτω, John 7:10 (Tdf. omits ὡς); ὡς ἐν ἡμέρα σφαγῆς, James 5:5 (R G; others omit ὡς); ὡς διά ξηρᾶς, Hebrews 11:29; add, Matthew 26:55; Mark 14:48; Luke 22:52; Romans 13:13; Hebrews 3:8; when joined to a nominative or an accusative it can be rendered like, (like) as (Latininstar, veluti): Matthew 10:16; Luke 21:35; Luke 22:31; 1 Corinthians 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:4; 2 Timothy 2:17; James 1:10; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Peter 3:10; καλεῖν τά μή ὄντα ὡς ὄντα (see καλέω, 1 b. β. under the end), Romans 4:17.

b. ὡς joined to a verb makes reference to the 'substance' of the act expressed by the verb, i. e. the action designated by the verb is itself said to be done ὡς, in like manner (just) as, something else: John 15:6 (for τό βάλλεσθαι ἔξω is itself the very thing which is declared to happen (i. e. the unfruitful disciple is 'cast forth' just as the severed branch is 'cast forth')); 2 Corinthians 3:1 (Lachmann ὡς (περ)); generally, however, the phrase ὡς καί is employed (Winer's Grammar, § 53, 5), 1 Corinthians 9:5; 1 Corinthians 16:10 (here WH text omits καί); Ephesians 2:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:6 (L T Tr WH omit καί); 2 Timothy 3:9; Hebrews 3:2; 2 Peter 3:16.

c. ὡς makes reference to similarity or equality, in such expressions as εἶναι ὡς τινα, i. e. 'to be like' or 'equal to' one, Matthew 22:30; Matthew 28:3; Mark 6:34; Mark 12:25; Luke 6:40; Luke 11:44; Luke 18:11; Luke 22:26; Romans 9:27; 1 Corinthians 7:7, 29-31; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 1 Peter 1:24; 2 Peter 3:8; ἵνα μή ὡς κατ' ἀνάγκην τό ἀγαθο σου ἤ, that thy benefaction may not be like something extorted by force, Philemon 1:14; γίνεσθαι ὡς τινα, Matthew 10:25; Matthew 18:3; Luke 22:26; Romans 9:29; 1 Corinthians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 9:20-22 (in 9:22 T Tr WH omit; L Tr marginal reading brackets ὡς); Galatians 4:12; μένειν ὡς τινα, 1 Corinthians 7:8; ποιεῖν τινα ὡς τινα, Luke 15:19; passages in which ἐστιν, ἦν, ὤν (or ὁ ὤν) is left to be supplied by the reader: as ἡ φωνή αὐτοῦ ὡς φωνή ὑδατον, Revelation 1:15; ὀφθαλμούς, namely, ὄντας, Revelation 2:18; πίστιν namely, οὖσαν, Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6; add, Revelation 4:7; Revelation 9:2, 5, 7-9, 17; Revelation 10:1; Revelation 12:15; Revelation 13:2; Revelation 14:2; Revelation 20:8; Revelation 21:21; Acts 3:22; Acts 7:37 (many (cf. R. V. marginal reading) refer these last two passages to a. above); , etc.; before ὡς one must sometimes supply τί, 'something like' or 'having the appearance of' this or that: thus ὡς θάλασσα, i. e. something having the appearance of (R. V. as it were) a sea, Revelation 4:6 G L T Tr WH; (so in imitation of the Hebrew כְּ, cf. Deuteronomy 4:32; Daniel 10:18; cf. Gesenius, Thesaurus, p. 648b (Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word, 2)); passages where the comparison is added to some adjective: as, ὑγιής ὡς, Matthew 12:13; λευκά ὡς, Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:3 (R L); add, Hebrews 12:16; Revelation 1:14; Revelation 6:12; Revelation 8:10; Revelation 10:9; Revelation 21:2; Revelation 22:1.

d. ὡς so makes reference to the quality of a person, thing, or action, as to be equivalent to such as, exactly like, as it were. German als; and α. to a quality which really belongs to the person or thing: ὡς ἐξουσίαν ἔχων, Matthew 7:29; Mark 1:22; ὡς μονογενοῦς παρά πατρός, John 1:14; add ((L T Tr WH in Matthew 5:48; Matthew 6:5, 16)); Acts 17:22; Romans 6:13 (here L T Tr WH ὡσεί); ; 1 Corinthians 3:1; 1 Corinthians 7:25; 2 Corinthians 6:4; 2 Corinthians 11:16; Ephesians 5:1, 8, 15; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; 1 Timothy 5:1; 2 Timothy 2:3; Titus 1:7; Philemon 1:9, 16 (where cf. Lightfoot); Hebrews 3:5; Hebrews 6:19; Hebrews 11:9; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 1:14, 19; 1 Peter 2:2, 5, 11; 1 Peter 3:7; 1 Peter 4:10, 15, 19 (R G); 2 Peter 1:19; 2 John 1:5; James 2:12; Revelation 1:17; Revelation 5:6; Revelation 16:21; Revelation 17:12, etc.; ὡς οὐκ ἀδήλως namely, τρέχων, as one who is not running etc. 1 Corinthians 9:26; concisely, ὡς ἐξ εἰλικρινείας and ἐκ Θεοῦ namely, λαλοῦντες, borrowed from the neighboring λαλοῦμεν, 2 Corinthians 2:17; τινα ὡς τινα or τί after verbs of esteeming, knowing, declaring, etc. (Winer's Grammar, §§ 32, 4 b.; 59, 6): as, after λογίζειν, λογίζεσθαι, Romans 8:36; 1 Corinthians 4:1 (where οὕτως precedes); 2 Corinthians 10:2; ἡγεῖσθαι, 2 Thessalonians 3:15; ἔχειν, Matthew 14:5; Matthew 21:26, 46 (but here L T Tr WH read εἰς (cf. ἔχω, I. 1 f.)) (τινας ὡς Θεούς, Ev. Nicod. c. 5); ἀποδεικνύναι, 1 Corinthians 4:9; παραβάλλειν (or ὁμοιουν (which see)), Mark 4:31; διαβάλλειν, passive, Luke 16:1; ἐλέγχειν, passive, James 2:9; εὑρίσκειν, passive, Philippians 2:7 (8). β. to a quality which is supposed, pretended, reigned, assumed: ὡς ἁμαρτωλός κρίνομαι, Romans 3:7; ὡς πονηρόν, Luke 6:22; add, 1 Corinthians 4:7; 1 Corinthians 8:7; 2 Corinthians 6:8-10; 2 Corinthians 11:15; 2 Corinthians 13:7; 1 Peter 2:12; frequently it can be rendered as if, as though, Acts 3:12; Acts 23:15, 20; Acts 27:30; 1 Corinthians 5:3; 2 Corinthians 10:14; 2 Corinthians 11:17; Colossians 2:20; Hebrews 11:27; Hebrews 13:3; ἐπιστολῆς ὡς δἰ ἡμῶν, namely, γεγραμμενης, 2 Thessalonians 2:2.

3. ὡς with the genitive absolute presents the matter spoken of — either as the belief of the writer, 2 Corinthians 5:20; 2 Peter 1:3; or as someone's erroneous opinion: 1 Corinthians 4:18; 1 Peter 4:12; cf. Winers Grammar, § 65, 9; (Buttmann, § 145, 7; especially § 144, 22). In general, by the use of ὡς the matter spoken of is presented — either as a mere matter of opinion: as in ὡς ἐξ ἔργων namely, ὁ Ἰσραήλ νόμον δικαιοσύνης ἐδίωξεν, Romans 9:32 (where it marks the imaginary character of the help the Israelites relied on, they thought to attain righteousness in that way (A. V. as it were by works)); — or as a purpose: πορεύεσθαι ὡς ἐπί θάλασσαν, that, as they intended, he might go to the sea, Acts 17:14, cf. Meyer at the passage; Winers Grammar, 617 (573f) (but L T Tr WH read ἕως, as far as to etc.); — or as merely the thought of the writer: Galatians 3:16; before ὅτι, 2 Corinthians 11:21; — or as the thought and pretence of others: also before ὅτι, 2 Thessalonians 2:2: cf. Winers Grammar, as above; (Buttmann, § 149, 3; on ὡς ὅτι in 2 Corinthians 5:19 (A. V. to wit) see Winers Grammar, and Buttmann's Grammar, at the passages cited (cf. Esther 4:14; Josephus, contra Apion 1, 11, 1 and Müller's note; Liddell and Scott, under the word, G. 2; Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word, 7)); ὡς ἄν, as if, as though, 2 Corinthians 10:9 (cf. Winers Grammar, 310 (291); but cf. Sophocles Lexicon, under the word, 1, and see ἄν, IV.).

4. ὡς has its own verb, with which it forms a complete sentence;

a. ὡς with a finite verb is added by way of illustration, and is to be translated as, just as (Latinsicut, eo modo quo): Ephesians 6:20; Colossians 3:18; Colossians 4:4; 1 Peter 3:6; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 2:28 () (this example is referred by some (cf. R. V. marginal reading) to 2 a. above); (here ὡς καί; the example seems to belong under 2 b. above). in phrases in which there is an appeal—either to the O. T. (ὡς γέγραπται), Mark 1:2 (here T Tr WH καθώς); ; Luke 3:4; Acts 13:33; or in general to the testimony of others, Acts 17:28; Acts 22:5; Acts 25:10; Romans 9:25; 1 Corinthians 10:7 R G (cf. ὥσπερ, b.). in phrases like ποιεῖν ὡς προσέταξεν or συνέταξεν, etc.: Matthew 1:24; Matthew 26:19; Matthew 28:15; Luke 14:22 (here T Tr text WH ὁ); Titus 1:5; likewise, Matthew 8:13; Matthew 15:28; Revelation 10:7; namely, γενηθήτω μοι, Matthew 26:39. in short parenthetic or inserted sentences: ὡς εἰώθει, Mark 10:1; ὡς ἐνομίζετο, Luke 3:23; ὡς λογίζομαι, 1 Peter 5:12; ὡς ὑπολαμβάνετε, Acts 2:15; ὡς λέγουσιν, Revelation 2:24; ὡς ἄν ἤγεσθε (R. V. howsoever ye might be led) utcunque agebamini (cf. Buttmann, § 139, 13; 383f (329); Winer's Grammar, § 42, 3 a.), 1 Corinthians 12:2. ὡς serves to add an explanatory extension (and is rendered in A. V. how (that)): Acts 10:38; τήν ... ὑπακοήν, ὡς etc. 2 Corinthians 7:15; τοῦ λόγου τοῦ κυρίου, ὡς εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Luke 22:61; τοῦ ῤήματος, ὡς ἔλεγεν, Acts 11:16 (Xenophon, Cyril 8, 2, 14; an. 1, 9, 11); cf. Bornemannt Schol. ad Luc., p. 141.

b. ὡς is used to present, in the form of a comparison, a motive which is urged upon one — as ἄφες ὑμῖν τά ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν, ὡς καί ἡμεῖς ἀφήκαμεν (R G ἀφίεμεν) κτλ. (for which Luke 11:4 gives καί γάρ αὐτοί ἀφίομεν), Matthew 6:12 — or which actuates one, as χάριν ἔχω τῷ Θεῷ ... ὡς ἀδιαλεπτον ἔχω τήν περί σου μνείαν, 2 Timothy 1:3 (for the dear remembrance of Timothy moves Paul's gratitude to God); (cf. John 19:33 (cf. II.

a. below)); in these examples ὡς has almost the force of a causal particle; cf. Klotz ad Devar. 2:2, p. 766; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, B. IV.; Winers Grammar, 448 (417)).

c. ὡς adds in a rather loose way something which serves to illustrate what precedes, and is equivalent to the case is as though (R. V. it is as when): Mark 13:34, where cf. Fritzsche, p. 587; unless one prefer, with Meyer, et al., to make it an instance of anantapodoton (cf. A. V. 'For the Son of Man is as a man' etc.); see ὥσπερ, a. at the end.

5. according as: Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 3:5; Revelation 22:12.

6. ὡς, like the German wie, after verbs of reading, narrating, testifying, and the like, introduces that which is read, narrated, etc.; hence, it is commonly said to be equivalent to ὅτι (cf. Klotz ad Devar. ii. 2, p. 765); but there is this difference between the two, that ὅτι expresses the thing itself, ὡς the mode or quality of the thing (hence, usually rendered how) (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 53, 9; (Meyer on Romans 1:9; cf. Liddell and Scott, under the word, B. I.)): thus after ἀναγινώσκειν, Mark 12:26 (where T Tr WH πῶς); Luke 6:4 (here Tr WH brackets ὡς; L text reads πῶς); μνησθῆναι, Luke 24:6 (L marginal reading ὅσα); θέασθαι, Luke 23:55; Ὑπομνῆσαι, Jude 1:5 (here ὅτι (not ὡς) is the particle), 7 (others regard ὡς here as introducing a confirmatory illustration of what precedes (A. V. even as etc.); cf. Huther, or Brückner's DeWette, ad loc.); εἰδέναι, Acts 10:38; Romans 11:2; 1 Thessalonians 2:11; ἐπίστασθαί, Acts 10:28 (here many (cf. R. V. marginal reading) connect ὡς with the adjective immediately following (see 8 below)); ; ἀπαγγέλλειν, Luke 8:47; ἐξηγεῖσθαι, Luke 24:35; μάρτυς, Romans 1:9 (here others connect ὡς with the word which follows it (cf. 8 below)); Philippians 1:8.

7. ὡς before numerals denotes nearly, about: as, ὡς δισχίλιοι, Mark 5:13; add, Mark 8:9; Luke 2:37 (here L T Tr WH ἕως); ; John 1:39(40); (John 4:6 L T Tr WH); John 6:19 (here Lachmann ὡσεί); John 11:18; (John 19:39 G L T Tr WH); ; Acts 1:15 (Tdf. ὡσεί); John 5:7,(36 L T Tr WH); John 13:18 (yet not WH text); cf. καί, I. 2 f.), 20; John 19:34 (WH ὡσεί); Revelation 8:1 (כְּ, 1 Samuel 11:1; 1 Samuel 14:2, etc.); for examples from Greek writings see Passow, under the word, vol. ii., p. 2631b; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, E; Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word, 3).

8. ὡς is prefixed to adjectives and adverbs, and corresponds to the Latinquam, how, German wie (so from Homer down): ὡς ὡραῖοι, Romans 10:15; add, Romans 11:33; ὡς ὁσίως, 1 Thessalonians 2:10 (Psalm 72:1 ()); with a superlative, as much as can be: ὡς τάχιστα, as quickly as possible (very often in secular authors), Acts 17:15; cf. Viger., Hermann edition, pp. 562, 850; Passow, 2:2, p. 2631b bottom; (Liddell and Scott, under Ab. III.).

II. ὡς as a particle of time;

a. as, when, since; Latinut, cum, (Winer's Grammar, § 41 b. 3,1; § 53, 8): with the indicative, ὡς δέ ἐπορεύοντο, Matthew 28:8 (9); Mark 9:21 (Tr marginal reading ἐξ οὗ); Luke 1:23, 41, 44; Luke 2:15, 39; Luke 4:25; Luke 5:4; Luke 7:12; Luke 11:1; Luke 15:25; Luke 19:5, 29; Luke 22:66; Luke 23:26; Luke 24:32; John 2:9, 23; John 4:1, 40,( Tdf.); ; (cf. John 19:33 (see I. 4b. above)); ; Acts 1:10; Acts 5:24; Acts 7:23; Acts 8:36; Acts 9:23; Acts 10:7, 17, 25; Acts 13:25, 29 (Acts 13:18 WH text (see I. 7 above)); , (Homer, Iliad 1, 600; 2, 321; 3, 21; Herodotus 1, 65, 80; Xenophon, Cyril 1, 4, 4. 8. 20; often in the O. T. Apocrypha especially 1 Macc.; cf. Wahl, Clavis apocr. V. T., under the word, IV. e., p. 507f).

b. while, when (Latindum, quando): Luke 20:37; as long as, while, John ( Tr marginal reading WH marginal reading (cf. ἕως, I. 2)); ,(), L T Tr WH ((cf. ἕως, as above)); Luke 12:58; Galatians 6:10 (here A. V. as (so R. V. in Luke, the passage cited); T WH read the subjunctive (as we may have etc.); Meyer (on John 12:35; Galatians, the passage cited) everywhere denies the meaning while; but cf. Liddell and Scott, under the word, B. V. 2.; Lightfoot on Galatians, the passage cited).

c. ὡς ἄν, as soon as: with the subjunctive present Romans 15:24 (A. V. here whensoever); with the 2 aorist subjunctive having the force of the future perfect, 1 Corinthians 11:34 (R. V. whensoever); Philippians 2:23. (Cf. Buttmann, 232 (200); Winers Grammar, § 42, 5 a.; Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word 6.).

III. ὡς as a final particle (Latinut), in order that, in order to (cf. Glidersleeve in American Journ. of Philol. No. 16, p. 419f): followed by an infinitive ((cf. Buttmann, 244 (210); Winers Grammar, 318 (299); Krüger, § 65, 3, 4), Luke 9:52 L marginal reading WH); Acts 20:24 (3Macc. 1:2; 4 Macc. 14:1); ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, so to say (see εἶπον, 1 a.), Hebrews 7:9 (L marginal reading εἶπεν).

IV. ὡς as a consecutive particle, introducing a consequence, so that: so (according to the less frequent usage) with the indicative (Herodotus 1, 163; 2, 135; Winer's Grammar, 462 (431)), Hebrews 3:11; Hebrews 4:3 (Hebrew אֲשֶׁר, Psalm 94:11 (); (but many interpretations question this sense with the indicative (the examples from Herodotus are not parallel), and render ὡς in Heb. the passages cited as (so R. V.)).