The Greek preposition ἄνευ (aneu) means “without” or “apart from.” It indicates the absence of something or the lack of a particular condition or element. This term is used to denote the exclusion or nonexistence of something in various contexts.
Detailed Overview
According to Strong’s Concordance, ἄνευ (G427) is used to mean “without” or “lacking.” It appears in the New Testament in passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:12, where it describes the resurrection of the dead as a concept that cannot be true “without” the resurrection of Christ. This use underscores its function to indicate the absence or lack of something necessary for a particular statement or condition.
The Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich (BDAG) Greek-English Lexicon defines ἄνευ as “without” or “apart from,” highlighting its use to express the absence of something. BDAG notes that the term is employed in both literal contexts, such as the lack of physical objects or conditions, and abstract contexts, such as the absence of qualities or principles.
The Liddell-Scott-Jones (LSJ) Greek-English Lexicon supports this definition by describing ἄνευ as “without” or “free from.” LSJ provides examples from classical Greek where the term is used to denote the absence of physical objects or abstract concepts, aligning with its biblical use to indicate the lack of something essential.
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In summary, ἄνευ primarily means “without” or “apart from,” indicating the absence or exclusion of something. This meaning is consistently supported by Strong’s Concordance, BDAG, and LSJ, each providing context for its use in describing the lack or nonexistence of elements in both biblical and classical Greek literature.
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