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Has anyone ever told you: יהוה (Yahweh) God loves you and has a great plan for your life?
Has anyone ever told you: יהוה (Yahweh) God loves you and has a great plan for your life?
Strong’s G4386: An adverb derived from πρό (before), meaning before, formerly, or previously. Used to reference prior events or conditions, particularly in theological contexts discussing Christ’s pre-existence, believers’ former lives, and God’s prior revelations.
Πρότερον denotes temporal priority or anteriority. Derived from πρό (before), it specifically refers to that which came before or existed previously. In New Testament usage, it appears in significant theological contexts, from Christ’s pre-existence (John 6:62) to believers’ former way of life. The early church used this term to discuss both Christ’s eternal nature and the transformative power of the gospel in believers’ lives. Today, it helps us understand both our spiritual heritage and personal transformation in Christ.
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Etymology:
For compound words:
While not strictly compound, the word combines the root πρό with a comparative suffix -τερον to create a more specific temporal reference.
Translation Options:
As an adverb, πρότερον is indeclinable, maintaining the same form regardless of its position or function in the sentence.
Characteristics:
Related words in other parts of speech:
BDAG emphasizes its temporal implications. Thayer’s notes its use in both absolute and relative time references. LSJ provides examples of various temporal usages. Vine’s highlights its theological significance. Strong’s emphasizes its comparative nature. Moulton and Milligan cite examples from documentary papyri.
First Appearance:
“Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was [πρότερον] before?” John 6:62
Additional References:
John 7:50
2 Corinthians 1:15
Galatians 4:13
1 Timothy 1:13
Hebrews 4:6
Author: Work | Text |
---|---|
Plato: Republic | “As [πρότερον] previously stated in our discussion.” |
Thucydides: History | “The city had [πρότερον] formerly been prosperous.” |
Xenophon: Memorabilia | “Socrates [πρότερον] before had taught these things.” |
Πρότερον beautifully captures both Christ’s eternal pre-existence and believers’ transformation from their former lives. The good news of King Jesus connects both our past and future, showing how God’s eternal plan unfolds in time while transforming our personal histories through His grace.
Strong’s G4386: An adverb derived from πρό (before), meaning before, formerly, or previously. Used to reference prior events or conditions, particularly in theological contexts discussing Christ’s pre-existence, believers’ former lives, and God’s prior revelations.
Part of speech: Adverb
Tags: temporal, prior, former, previous, before, chronology, past, history, transformation, pre-existence
Note: While this entry strives for accuracy, readers engaged in critical research should verify citations and keyword occurrences in their Bible translation of choice. For Biblical citations, the F.O.G Bible project recommends Logos Bible software.
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