πρότερον
próteron
formerly
Earlier, previously, before in time—denoting what occurred at an earlier period or prior occasion relative to a reference point; also, in some contexts, formerly, or at first, especially to indicate an initial state or stage prior to a change or new development.
Hebrews 4:6 · Word #10
Lexicon G4386
| Lemma | πρότερον |
| Transliteration | próteron |
| Strong's | G4386 |
| Definition | Earlier, previously, before in time—denoting what occurred at an earlier period or prior occasion relative to a reference point; also, in some contexts, formerly, or at first, especially to indicate an initial state or stage prior to a change or new development. |
Morphology ADV COMP
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | ADV — Adverb — Modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb |
| Degree | COMP — Comparative — Compares two things |
Common Translation
| Phrase | formerly |
| Literal | formerly |
Lexical Info
| Lemma | πρότερον |
| Strong's | G4386 |
SIBI-P1 Translation G4386-01
previously
| Morphological Notes | Substantive adjective; neuter accusative singular form of the comparative πρότερος, used adverbially to denote prior time. |
| Rendering Rationale | As the neuter accusative singular of the comparative adjective πρότερος used adverbially, it functions as a temporal adverb meaning "earlier" or "before in time." "Previously" preserves the comparative sense of prior occurrence without adding contextual nuance. |
View full lexicon entry for G4386 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
previously
| Same as P1 | Yes |
| Rationale | P1's 'previously' is a precise match for the adverbial use of πρότερον in this verse. |