Lexical Definition

‎γάρ‎ gár (gar) for ^G:CONJ
a primary particle

and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.

• properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification
• often with other particles)

Abbott-Smith

γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα,
verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.;
1. explicative and epexegetic: Mt 4:18 19:12, Mk 1:16 5:42 16:4, Lk 11:30, Ro 7:1, I Co 16:5, al.
2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mt 9:5 27:23, Lk 9:25 22:27, Jo 9:30, Ac 8:31 16:37 19:35, Ro 15:26, I Co 9:10, Phl 1:18 (Ellic., in l.), I Th 2:20, al.
3. Causal: Mt 1:21 2:2, 5, 6, 3:23, Mk 1:22, 9:6, Lk 1:15, 18, Jo 2:25, Ac 2:25, Ro 1:9, 11, I Co 11:5, Re 1:3, al.; giving the reason for a command or prohibition, Mt 2:20 3:9, Ro 13:11, Col 3:3, I Th 4:3, al.; where the cause is contained in an interrog. statement, Lk 22:27, Ro 3:3 4:3, I Co 10:29; καὶ γάρ, for also, Mk 10:45, Lk 6:32, I Co 5:7, al. id. as in cl. = etenim, where the καί loses its connective force (Bl., §78, 6; Kühner 3, ii, 854f.), Mk 14:70, Lk 1:66 22:37, II Co 13:4. The proper place of γάρ is after the first word in a clause, but in poets it often comes third or fourth, and so in late prose: II Co 1:19. Yet "not the number but the nature of the word after which it stands is the point to be noticed" (v. Thayer, s.v.).

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

γάρ

(γε, ἄρα), causal conjunction, used alone or with other Particles.

__I introducing the reason or cause of what precedes, for, τῷ γὰρ ἐπὶ φρεσὶ θῆκε θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη· κήδετο γ. Δαναῶν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; but frequently in explanation of that which is implied in the preceding clause, πολλάων πολίων κατέλυσε κάρηνα.. τοῦ γὰρ κράτος ἐστὶ μέγιστον [Refs]
__I.b in simple explanations, especially after a Pronoun or demonstrative adjective, ἀλλὰ τόδ᾽ αἰνὸν ἄχος κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἱκάνει· Ἕκτωρ γ. ποτε φήσει [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὃ δὲ δεινότατον.. ὁ Ζεὺς γ... [Refs 5th c.BC+]; frequently in introducing proofs or examples, μαρτύριον δέ· Δήλου γ. καθαιρομένης.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τεκμήριον δέ· οὔτε γ. Λακεδαιμόνιοι.. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; in full, τεκμήριον δὲ τούτου τόδε· αἱ μὲν γ... [Refs 5th c.BC+]; παράδειγμα τόδε τοῦ λόγου· ἐκ γ... [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.c to introduce a detailed description or narration already alluded to, ὅμως δὲ λεκτέα ἃ γιγνώσκω· ἔχει γ. [ἡ χώρα] πεδία κάλλιστα.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.d in answers to questions or statements challenging assent or denial, yes,.., no,.. , οὔκουν.. ἀνάγκη ἐστ;—ἀνάγκη γ. οὖν, ἔφη, ay doubtless it is necessary, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἱκανὸς γ., ἔφη, συμβαίνει γ., ἔφη, [Refs]; οὔκουν δὴ τό γ᾽ εἰκός.—οὐ γ.: [Refs]
__I.2 by inversion, preceding the fact explained, since, as, Ἀτρεΐδη, πολλοὶ γ. τεθνᾶσιν Ἀχαιοί.. τῷ σε χρὴ πόλεμον παῦσαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]; χρόνου δὲ οὐ πολλοῦ διελθόντος (χρῆν γ. Κανδαύλῃ γενέσθαι κακῶς) ἔλεγε πρὸς τὸν Γύγην τοιάδε, Γύγη, οὐ γ. σε δοκέω πείθεσθαι.. (ὦτα γ. τυγχάνει κτλ.), ποίει ὅκως.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἶεν, σὺ γ. τούτων ἐπιστήμων, τί χρὴ ποιεῖ; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; the principal proposition is sometimes
__I.2.b blended with the causal one, τῇ δὲ κακῶς γ. ἔδεε γενέσθαι εἶπε, i.e. ἡ δέ (κακῶς γ. οἱ ἔδεε γενέσθαι) εἶπε [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.2.c attached to the hypothet. Particle instead of being joined to the apodosis, οὐδ᾽ εἰ γ. ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμα μὴ θεήλατον, ἀκάθαρτον ὑμᾶς εἰκὸς ἦν οὕτως ἐᾶν, i.e. οὐδὲ γ. εἰ ἦν.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.2.d repeated, οὐ γ. οὖν σιγήσομαι· ἔτικτε γ... [Refs]
__I.3 in elliptical phrases, where that of which γάρ gives the reason is omitted, and must be supplied,
__I.3.a frequently in Trag. dialogue and [Refs 5th c.BC+], when yes or no may be supplied from the context, καὶ δῆτ᾽ ἐτόλμας τούσδ᾽ ὑπερβαίνειν νόμου;—οὐ γ. τί μοι Ζεὺς ἦν ὁ κηρύξας τάδε [yes], for it was not Zeus, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; frequently in phrase ἔστι γ. οὕτω [yes], for so it is, i. e. yes certainly: λέγεταί τι καινό; γένοιτο γ. ἄν τι καινότερον ἢ..; [why,] could there be.. ? [Refs 5th c.BC+] [do so], yet shall ye never prevail by this means: for ἀλλὰ γ., see below[Refs]
__I.3.b to confirm or strengthen something said, οἵδ᾽ οὐκέτ᾽ εἰσί· τοῦτο γάρ σε δήξεται [I say this], for it will sting thee, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: after an Exclamation, ὦ πόποι· ἀνάριθμα γ. φέρω πήματα [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__I.3.c in conditional propositions, where the condition is omitted, else, οὐ γ. ἄν με ἔπεμπον πάλιν (i.e. εἰ μὴ ἐπίστευον) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; γίνεται γ. ἡ κοινωνία συμμαχία for in that case, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__I.4 in abrupt questions, why, what, τίς γ. σε θεῶν ἐμοὶ ἄγγελον ἧκε; why who hath sent thee? [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πατροκτονοῦσα γ. ξυνοικήσεις ἐμο; what, wilt thou.. ? [Refs 4th c.BC+]..; what, was it.. ? [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τί γ.; quid enim? i. e. it must be so, [Refs]; τί γ. δή ποτ; [Refs 4th c.BC+]; also πῶς γ.; πῶς γ. ο;, see at {πῶς}.
__I.5 to strengthen a wish, with optative, κακῶς γ. ἐξόλοιο O that you might perish ! [Refs 5th c.BC+]; compare αἴ, εἰ, εἴθε, πῶς.
__II joined with other Particles:
__II.1 ἀλλὰ γ. where γάρ gives the reason of a clause to be supplied between ἀλλά and itself, as ἀλλ᾽ ἐν γὰρ Τρώων πεδίῳ.. but [far otherwise], for.., [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἥκουσ᾽ αἵδ᾽ ἐπὶ πρᾶγος πικρόν but [hush], for.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἀλλ᾽ οὐ γ. σ᾽ ἐθέλω.. but [look out] for.., [γάρ σφιν ἐφαίνετο κέρδιον εἶναι μαίεσθαι προτέρω, τοὶ μὲν πάλιν αὖτις ἔβαινον 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 14.355; ἀλλ᾽, οὐ γ. ἔπειθε, διδοῖ τὸ φᾶρος 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 9.109. ">Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.2 γ. ἄρα for indeed, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.3 γ. δή for of course, for you know, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; φάμεν γ. δή yes certainly we say so, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.4 γ. νυ [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.5 γ. οὖν for indeed, to confirm or explain, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; φησὶ γ. οὖν yes of course he says so, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; compare τοιγαροῦν.
__II.6 γ. που for I suppose, especially with negatives, [Refs]
__II.7 γ. ῥα, ={γὰρ ἄρα}, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.8 γ. τε, [Refs]; also τε γ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.9 γ. τοι for surely.., [Refs 8th c.BC+]; compare τοιγάρτοι.
__B POSITION: γάρ properly stands after the first word in a clause, but in Pocts it frequently stands third or fourth, when the preceding words are closely connected, as ὁ μὲν γὰρ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; χἠ ναῦς γὰρ.. [Refs]; τό τ᾽ εἰκαθεῖν γὰρ.. [Refs]; τὸ μὴ θέμις γὰρ.. [Refs 4th c.BC+]: sometimes for metrical reasons, where there is no such connexion, as third [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in later Comedy texts fifth [Refs 4th c.BC+]; once sixth in [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.2 inserted before the demonstrative -ί, as νυνγαρί for νυνὶ γά; compare νυνί.
__C QUANTITY: γάρ is sometimes long in [Refs 8th c.BC+].—In Attic dialect always short: [Refs 5th c.BC+]