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Bible Dictionaries
Many
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words
or "much, many, great," is used especially of number when its significance is "many," e.g., Matthew 8:30; 9:10; 13:17; so the RV of Matthew 12:15 , where some mss. follow the word by ochloi, "multitudes;" 1 Corinthians 12:12; Revelation 1:15; it is more frequently used as a noun, "many (persons)," e.g., Matthew 3:7; 7:22; 22:14; with the article, "the many," e.g., Matthew 24:12 , RV; Mark 9:26 , RV, "the more part" (AV "many"); Romans 5:15,19 (twice), RV; Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 10:33 , RV; so 2 Corinthians 2:17; in 1 Corinthians 11:30 , RV, "not a few." In Luke 12:47 it is translated "many stripes," the noun being understood. See GREAT , MUCH.
Notes: (1) In Luke 23:8 some mss. have polla, "many things," though it is absent from the most authentic; see the RV. (2) In Mark 6:20 the RV, following the mss. which have aporeo, "to be perplexed," translates polla by "much;" some mss. have poieo, "to do;" hence AV, "did many things." (3) In Galatians 4:27 the plural of polus, with mallon, "more," is translated "more" in the RV (AV, "many more"), lit., "many are the children of the desolate more than of her that, etc.," the phrase implying that both should have many children, but the desolate more than the other. (4) In John 7:40 there is no word in the original representing "some" or "many.""more, greater," the comparative of No. 1, is translated "many" in Acts 2:40; 13:31; 21:10; 24:17; 25:14; 27:20; 28:23 (AV; RV, "in great number"); with the article, "most," RV (or rather, "the more part"), Acts 19:32; 1 Corinthians 10:5 , and Philippians 1:14 (for AV, "many," an important change); in 2 Corinthians 2:6 , RV, "the many" (marg., "the more"); so 2 Corinthians 4:15; in 2 Corinthians 9:2 , "very many" (marg., "the more part"); in Hebrews 7:23 , RV, "many in number" (AV, "many"). See GREATER , MORE.
"sufficient," when used of number sometimes signifies "many," suggesting a sufficient number, (a) with nouns, Luke 8:32; 23:9; Acts 9:23,43; 20:8; 27:7; (b) absolutely, some noun being understood, e.g., Acts 12:12; 14:21; 19:19; 1 Corinthians 11:30 . See ABLE , C, No. 2.
"how much, how many, how great, as much as, as many as," is translated "as many as," e.g., in Matthew 14:36; Mark 3:10; Luke 9:5 , RV (AV, "whosoever"); Acts 2:39; in Acts 9:16 , RV, "how many things" (AV, "how great things"); in Romans 6:3 the RV renders it by "all we who" (AV, "so many of us as"), a necessary alteration, not singling out some believers from others, as if some were not baptized, but implying what was recognized as true of all (see Acts 18:8 ); in 2 Corinthians 1:20 , RV , "how many soever be" (AV, "all"). See ALL , C.
"how much, how great, how many," has the last meaning in Matthew 15:34; 16:9,10; 27:13 ("how many things"); Mark 6:38; 8:5,19,20; 15:4 ("how many things"); Luke 15:17; Acts 21:20 . See GREAT.
"so great, so much, so many," (a) qualifying a noun, is rendered "these many (years)" in Luke 15:29; "so many," John 12:37; 1 Corinthians 14:10; (b) without a noun, John 6:9; 21:11; Galatians 3:4 , "so many things." See GREAT.
Note: In John 17:2 , AV, the neuter of pas, "all," followed by the neuter of the relative pronoun "what," and then by the plural of the personal pronoun, is translated "to as many as" (RV, "whatsoever ... to them").These files are public domain.
Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Many'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ved/m/many.html. 1940.
