χθές
chthés
G5504 adverb
SILEX Entry
Definition
χθές denotes 'the day before the present one; yesterday' as its primary meaning, referring specifically to the immediate previous day in the sequence of time. In some contexts, it can also extend to mean 'recently' or, more generally, 'formerly' or 'in the recent past,' indicating an action or event that took place not long ago, without strict specificity to a single day.
Semantic Range
yesterday (the day preceding today), recently, in the recent past, formerly (in wider or figurative temporal expressions)
Root / Etymology
The etymology is uncertain. The word χθές is already attested in Homeric and Classical Greek, but its formation does not correspond transparently to productive Greek word-building. Some have proposed a link to the adverbial endings of temporal words, but its precise historical derivation remains unclear.
Historical & Contextual Notes
χθές appears in both Classical and Koine Greek as the standard word for 'yesterday.' It is used in narrative, legal, and everyday contexts to indicate events of the immediate past, also sometimes together with words like σήμερον ('today') and αὔριον ('tomorrow'). In NT usage, χθές always refers to the day before the present one (e.g., John 4:52, Acts 7:28) and does not have the expanded sense of 'days gone by' or 'formerly' seen in some Classical or LXX contexts. Translations into English as 'yesterday' generally capture the core sense in NT contexts; however, when used more broadly outside the NT, it can denote actions occurring 'recently' or in 'the recent past.' Compare with πρῶ (formerly), παλαιός (old, ancient), which denote more remote past reference.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of uncertain derivation; "yesterday"; by extension, in time past or hitherto:--yesterday.
Root Family
χθές (chthes) — the day before today, recently
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5504-01 |
ἐχθὲς | echthes | ADV |
yesterday | yesterday | yesterday | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5504-01 |
John 4:52 | ἐχθὲς | echthes | ADV |
yesterday | yesterday | yesterday |
G5504-01 |
Acts 7:28 | ἐχθὲς | echthes | ADV |
yesterday | yesterday | yesterday |
G5504-01 |
Hebrews 13:8 | ἐχθὲς | echthes | ADV |
yesterday | yesterday | yesterday |