πότερον
poteron
whether
neuter of a comparative of the base of ποῦ; interrogative as adverb, which (of two), i.e. is it this or that:--whether.
John 7:17 · Word #12
Lexicon G4220
| Lemma | πότερον |
| Transliteration | póteron |
| Strong's | G4220 |
| In-context | whether |
| Literal | whether |
Morphology ADV COMP
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | ADV — Adverb — Modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb |
| Degree | COMP — Comparative — Compares two things |
Lexical Info
| Lemma | πότερον |
| Strong's | G4220 |
SIBI-P1 G4220-01
which-of-the-two?
| Root | πότερον (poteron) |
| Core Meanings | which of the two, whether (of two alternatives), interrogative alternative marker |
| Semantic Range | whether, which of the two, introducing alternative questions, marking a contrast between two stated possibilities |
| Conceptual Significance | πότερον sharpens rhetorical or logical contrast in discourse, framing decisions or inquiries between two defined options. In biblical argumentation or dialogue, it often heightens the demand for discernment by forcing a choice between mutually exclusive alternatives. |
| Morphological Notes | Gr,D,,,,,,,,C = adverb (interrogative/disjunctive particle), comparative form used adverbially; indeclinable; introduces an alternative question between two options. |
| Rendering Rationale | The rendering "which-of-the-two?" preserves the comparative and contrastive force inherent in πότερον, which introduces a question or alternative between two specific options. As an interrogative adverbial particle, it does not inflect for case, gender, or number in usage, so the translation reflects its function as a disjunctive question marker rather than a declinable form. |
AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)
Word Usage
| Location | Form | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| John 7:17 | πότερον | poteron | whether |