ἄρα, an illative particle (akin, as it seems, to the verbal root
ΑΡΩ to join, to be fitted [cf. Curtius, § 488; Vanicek, p. 47]), whose use among native Greeks is illustrated fully by Kühner, ii., §§ 509, 545; [Jelf, §§ 787-789], and
Klotz ad Devar. ii., pp. 160-180, among others; [for a statement of diverse views see Bäumlein, Griech. Partikeln, p. 19f]. It intimates that, "under these circumstances something either is so or becomes so" (Klotz, the passage cited, p. 167): Latin
igitur,
consequently, [differing from
οὖν in 'denoting a subjective impression rather than a positive conclusion.' Liddell and Scott (see 5 below)]. In the
N. T. it is used frequently by Paul, but in the writings of John and in the so-called Catholic Epistles it does not occur. On its use in the
N. T. cf. Winer's Grammar, §§ 53, 8 a. and 61, 6. It is found:
1. subjoined to another word:
Romans 7:21;
Romans 8:1;
Galatians 3:7;
ἐπεὶ ἄρα since, if it were otherwise,
1 Corinthians 7:14; [
1 Corinthians 5:10, cf. Buttmann, § 149, 5]. When placed after pronouns and interrogative particles, it refers to a preceding assertion or fact, or even to something existing only in the mind:
τίς ἄρα who then? Matthew 18:1 (i. e. one certainly will be the greater,
who then?);
Matthew 19:25 (i. e. certainly some will be saved; you say that the rich will not;
who then?);
Matthew 19:27;
Matthew 24:45 (I bid you be ready;
who then etc.? the question follows from this command of mine);
Mark 4:41;
Luke 1:66 (from all these things doubtless something follows;
what, then?);
Luke 8:25;
Luke 12:42;
Luke 22:23 (it will be one of us,
which then?);
Acts 12:18 (Peter has disappeared;
what, then, has become of him?).
εἰ ἄρα,
Mark 11:13 (whether, since the tree had leaves, he might also find some fruit on it);
Acts 7:1 [
Rec.] (
ἄρα equivalent to 'since the witnesses testify thus');
Acts 8:22 (if, since thy sin is so grievous, perhaps the thought etc.);
εἴπερ ἄρα,
1 Corinthians 15:15, (
אִם־נָא,
εἰ ἄρα,
Genesis 18:3).
οὐκ ἄρα,
Acts 21:38 (thou hast a knowledge of Greek; art thou not then the Egyptian, as I suspected?);
μήτι ἄρα (Latin
num igitur), did I then etc.,
2 Corinthians 1:17.
2. By a use doubtful in Greek writings (cf. Buttmann, 371 (318); [Winers Grammar, 558 (519)]) it is placed at the beginning of a sentence;
and so, so then, accordingly, equivalent to
ὥστε with a finite verb:
ἄρα μαρτυρεῖτε [
μάρτυρές ἐστε T Tr WH], Luke 11:48 (
Matthew 23:31 ὥστε μαρτυρεῖτε);
Romans 10:17;
1 Corinthians 15:18;
2 Corinthians 5:14 (
2 Corinthians 5:15) (in
L T Tr WH no conditional protasis preceding);
2 Corinthians 7:12;
Galatians 4:31 (L T Tr WH διό);
Hebrews 4:9.
3. in an apodosis, after a protasis with
εἰ, in order to bring out what follows as a matter of course (German
so ist ja the obvious inference is):
Luke 11:20;
Matthew 12:28;
2 Corinthians 5:14 (
2 Corinthians 5:15) (R G, a protasis with
εἰ preceding);
Galatians 2:21;
Galatians 3:29;
Galatians 5:11;
Hebrews 12:8; joined to another word,
1 Corinthians 15:14.
4. with
γέ, rendering it more pointed,
ἄραγε [L Tr uniformly
ἄρα γε; so R WH in
Acts 17:27; cf. Winers Grammar, p. 45;
Lipsius Gram. Untersuch., p. 123],
surely then, so then (Latin
itaque ergo):
Matthew 7:20;
Matthew 17:26;
Acts 11:18 (L T Tr WH omit
γέ); and subjoined to a word,
Acts 17:27 [Winer's Grammar, 299 (281)].
5. ἄρα οὖν, a combination peculiar to Paul, at the beginning of a sentence (Winers Grammar, 445 (414); Buttmann, 371 (318) ["
ἄρα ad internam potius caussam spectat,
οὖν magis ad externam."
Klotz ad Devar. ii., p. 717;
ἄρα is the more logical,
οὖν the more formal connective; "
ἄρα is illative,
οὖν continuative," Winers, the passage cited; cf. also Kühner, § 545, 3]) [
R. V.]
so then (Latin
hinc igitur):
Romans 5:18;
Romans 7:3,
25;
Romans 8:12;
Romans 9:16,
18;
Romans 14:12 (L Tr omit WH brackets
οὖν);
Romans 14:19 [L marginal reading
ἆρα];
Galatians 6:10;
Ephesians 2:19;
1 Thessalonians 5:6;
2 Thessalonians 2:15.