Bible Dictionaries
Nothing

the neuter of medeis, "no one," is related to No. 1, in the same way as the masculine genders are; so with the negatives ou and me, "not," in all their usage and connections (see under NO MAN). Thus it is found, not in direct negative statements, as with No. 1, but in warnings, prohibitions, etc., e.g., Matthew 27:19; Acts 19:36; in expressions conveying certain impossiblities, e.g., Acts 4:21; comparisons, e.g., 2 Corinthians 6:10; intimating a supposition to the contrary, 1 Timothy 6:4; adverbially, e.g., 2 Corinthians 11:5 , "not a whit." Westcott and Hort adopt the spelling methen in Acts 27:33 .

"not," is translated "nothing" in Luke 8:17; 11:6; 1 Corinthians 9:16; 2 Corinthians 8:15 (in each case, an absolute and direct negative).

"not," is translated "nothing" in John 6:39 in a clause expressing purpose; in the AV of Luke 7:42 (RV, "not"), in a temporal clause.

followed by the subjunctive mood, "(have) nothing (to eat)," lit., "(they have) not what (they should eat)," in Matthew 15:32 (in some mss. in Mark 6:36 ); Mark 8:2; the phrase conveys more stress than the simple negative (No. 3).

followed by the subjunctive mood, "(they had) nothing (to eat)," RV, "(having) nothing (to eat)," AV, lit., "not (having) what (they should eat)," in Mark 8:1; the negative is me here because it is attached to a participle, "having;" whereas in No. 5 the negative ou is attached to the indicative mood, "they have."

lit., "not anything," not used in simple, direct negations (see under NO MAN), occurs in John 6:12 in a clause of purpose; in 1 Corinthians 4:5 , in a prohibition.

"not even anything," is found in 1 Timothy 6:7 (2nd part); it is a more forceful expression than the simple ouden in the 1st part of the verse, as if to say, "it is a fact that we brought nothing into the world, and most certainly we can carry out not even the slightest thing, whatever we may have possessed.