Lexical Definition

‎μή‎ mḗ (may) not ^G:PRT-N
a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas ‎οὐ‎ expresses an absolute denial)

any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without.

• (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest
• also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas ‎οὐ‎ expects an affirmative one)) whether

Abbott-Smith

μή, subjective negative particle,
used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic., μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין, אַיִן, אַל.]
I. As a neg. adv., not;
1. with ref. to thought or opinion: Jo 3:18, Tit 1:11, II Pe 1:9.
2. In delib. questions, c. subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mk 12:14, Ro 3:8.
3. In conditional and final sentences, after εἰ, ἐάν, ἄν, ἵνα, ὅπως: Mt 10:14, Mk 6:11 12:19, Lk 9:5, Jo 6:50, Ro 11:25, al.
4. C. inf. (v. M, Pr., 234 f., 239, 255),
(a) after verbs of saying, etc.: Mt 2:12 5:34, Mk 12:18, Ac 15:38, Ro 2:21, al.;
(b) c. artic. inf.: after a prep., Mt 13:5, Mk 4:5, Ac 7:19, I Co 10:6, al.; without a prep., Ro 14:13, II Co 2:1, 13, 1 Th 4:6;
(c) in sentences expressing consequence, after ὥστε: Mt 8:28, Mk 3:20, I Co 1:7, II Co 3:7, al.
5. C. ptcp. (v. M, Pr., 231 f., 239), in hypothetical references to persons of a certain character or description: Mt 10:28 12:30, Lk 6:49, Jo 3:18, Ro 4:5, I Co 7:38, I Jo 3:10, al.; where the person or thing being definite, the denial is a matter of opinion: Jo 6:64, I Co 1:28 4:7, 18, II Co 5:21, al.; where the ptcp. has a concessive, causal or conditional force, if, though, because not: Mt 18:25, Lk 2:45, Jo 7:49, Ac 9:26, Ro 2:14 5:13, II Co 3:14, Ga 6:9, Ju 5; where the ptcp. has a descriptive force (being such as), not: Ac 9:9, Ro 1:28, I Co 10:33, Ga 4:8, He 12:27, al.
6. μή prohibitive, in indep. sentences,
(a) c. subjc. praes., 1 pers. pl.: Ga 5:26 6:9, I Th 5:6, I Jo 3:18;
(b) c. imperat. praes., usually where one is bidden to desist from what has already begun (cf. M, Pr., 122 ff.): Mt 7:1, Mk 5:36, Lk 6:30, Jo 2:16 5:45, Ac 10:15, Ro 11:18, Ja 2:1, Re 5:5, al.;
(c) forbidding that which is still future: c. imperat. aor., 3 pers., Mt 24:18, Mk 13:15, Lk 17:31, al.; c. subjc. aor., 2 pers., Mt 3:9 10:26, Mk 5:7, Lk 6:29, Jo 3:7, Ro 10:6, al.;
(d) c. optat., in wishes: II Ti 4:16(LXX); μὴ γένοιτο (v. M, Pr., 194; Bl., § 66, 1), Lk 20:16, Ro 3:3, al.; μή τις, Mk 13:5, al.
II. As a conj.,
1. after verbs of fearing, caution, etc., that, lest, perhaps (M, Pr., 192 f.): c. subjc. praes., He 12:15; c. subjc. aor., Mt 24:4, Mk 13:5, Lk 21:8, Ac 13:40, Ga 5:15, al.; ὅρα μή (v. M, Pr., 124, 178), elliptically, Re 19:10 22:9; c. indic, fut. (M, Pr., 124, 178), Col 2:8.
2. in order that not: c. subjc. aor., Mk 13:36, II Co 8:20 12:6.
III. Interrogative, in hesitant questions (M, Pr., 170), or where a negative answer is expected: Mt 7:9, 10, Mk 2:19, Jo 3:4, Ro 3:3 10:18, 19, I Co 1:13, al.; μή τις, Lk 22:35, al.; seq. οὐ (Ro 10:17, al. in Pl.), expecting an affirm, ans.; οὐ μή, Lk 18:7, Jo 18:11.
IV. οὐ μή as emphatic negation (cf. M, Pr., 188, 190 ff.; Bl., § 64, 5), not at all, by no means: c. indic, fut., Mt 16:22, Jo 6:35, He 10:17, al.; c. subjc. aor., Mt 24:2, Mk 13:2, Lk 6:37, Jo 13:8, I Co 8:13, al.

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

μή,

Elean μά [ᾱ] [Refs 6th c.BC+]. (Cf. Sanskrit mā´, Armenian mi [from I.-[Refs 5th c.BC+] mē´], negative used in prohibitions):—not, the negative of the will and thought, as οὐ of fact and statement; μή rejects, οὐ denies; μή is relative, οὐ absolute; μή subjective, οὐ objective. (A few examples of μηδέ and μηδείς have been included.)

__A in INDEPENDENT sentences, used in expressions of will or wish, command, entreaty, warning,
__A.1 with present imperative, 2 person, μή μ᾽ ἐρέθιζε [μή μευ πειράτω 9.345, etc.">Refs 8th c.BC+]: rarely with aorist imperative, μὴ.. ἔνθεο τιμῇ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; in Attic dialect, μὴ ψεῦσον, ὦ Ζεῦ, τῆς.. ἐλπίδος [μή τις ἀκουσάτω 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 16.301, compare 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “O.” 8.55, “P.” 5.23, 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Septem contra Thebas” 1041, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Ajax” 1180; μηδεὶς νομισάτω, προσδοκησάτω 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 7.5.73, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 17c: with ">Refs 8th c.BC+]perfect imperative [μή τις ὀπίσσω τετράφθω 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 12.272; or 2 ">Refs 8th c.BC+] person when perfect = present, μὴ κεκράγετε [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.2 with subjunctive (usually [Refs], in prohibitions, μὴ δή με.. ἐάσῃς [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μή τοί με κρύψῃς τοῦτο[Refs 5th c.BC+]: coupled with present imperative, μὴ βοηθήσητε τῷ πεπονθότι δεινά, μὴ εὐορκεῖτε [Refs 8th c.BC+] person present subjunctive, μὴ κάμνῃς [μή τις οἴηται, ={μὴ οἰώμεθα}, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Leges” 861e ">Refs 5th c.BC+]: also with the hortative subjunctive used to supply the [Refs] person of the imperative, present μὴ ἴομεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]: aorist μὴ πάθωμεν [Refs 5th c.BC+]: rarely with 1st pers. singular, μή σε.. κιχείω [Refs 8th c.BC+] (anapaest meter).
__A.2.b with present or aorist subjunctive in a warning or statement of fear, μὴ.. γένησθε take care you do not become, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μὴ.. ὑφαίνῃσιν I fear.. may prove to be weaving, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: in Attic dialect Prose, to make a polite suggestion of apprehension or hesitation, perhaps, μὴ ἀγροικότερον ᾖ τὸ ἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν [Refs 5th c.BC+]: in later Greek the indicative is found, μὴ ἡ ἔννοια ἡμῶν.. ἀντιλαμβάνεται [Refs 5th c.AD+]
__A.3 with future indicative, a uncertain usage (νεμεσήσετ᾽ is subjunctive in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μὴ βουλήσεσθε (Papyrus βούλη[σθ]ε) [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.4 with past tenses of indicative to express an unfulfilled wish, μὴ ὄφελες λίσσεσθαι [μή ποτ᾽ ὤφελον λιπεῖν τὴν Σκῦρον 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 969; εἴθε μή ποτ᾽ εἰδόμαν [prev. author] “OT” 1217 (Lyric poetry), compare 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Iphigenia Aulidensis” 70, “Cyc.” 186, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 4.6.3. ">Refs 8th c.BC+]
__A.5 with optative to express a negative wish, with present, ἃ μὴ κραίνοι τύχη [Refs 4th c.BC+]: more frequently with aorist, μὴ σέ γ᾽ ἐν ἀμφιάλῳ Ἰθάκῃ βασιλῆα Κρονίων ποιήσειεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__A.6 in oaths and asseverations, ἴστω Ζεὺς.., μὴ μὲν τοῖς ἵπποισιν ἀνὴρ ἐποχήσεται ἄλλος [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__A.7 with infinitive, when used as imperative, μὴ δή μοι ἀπόπροθεν ἰσχέμεν ἵππους [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__A.8 frequently without a Verb, εἰ χρή, θανοῦμαι. Answ. μὴ σύ γε (i.e. θάνῃς) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἄπελθε νῦν. Answ. μὴ (i.e. γενέσθω) ἀλλά nay but, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in curt expressions, μὴ τριβὰς ἔτι (i.e. ποιεῖσθε) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μή μοι σύ none of that to me! [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μή μοι πρόφασιν no excuses! [μή μοί γε μύθους [prev. author] “V.” 1179. ">Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B in DEPENDENT clauses:
__B.1 with Final Conjs., ἵνα μή [μή 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 27.5, +others; ὡς μή 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 8.37, 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 53, +others; ὄφρα μή 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 1.118, +others: with ὅπως ἄν and ὡς ἄν">Refs 8th c.BC+], that so, ὅπως ἂν.. μηδέ [μή 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 4.749, 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 1.5 ">Refs 8th c.BC+]; but
__B.1.b μή alone, ={ἵνα μή}, lest, ἀπόστιχε μή τινοήσῃ Ἥρη [μή οἱ.. χολώσαιτο φρένα κούρη 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 6.147 ">Refs 8th c.BC+]: future indicative and aorist subjunctive in consecutive clauses, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.2 in the protasis of conditional sentences, see at {εἰ} (for the exceptions see at {οὐ}), and with temporal conjunctions used conditionally, see at {ἐπειδάν, ὅταν, ὅτε}, etc.
__B.2.b ὅτι μή except, ὅτι μὴ Χῖοι μοῦνοι [μή [prev. work] 83a ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὅσα μὴ ἀποβαίνοντες provided only that they did not disembark, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.3 in later Gr., with causal Conjs., ὁ μὴ πιστεύων ἤδη κέκριται, ὅτι μὴ πεπίστευκεν [μή [prev. author] “Hist.Conscr.” 3, etc.: also after ὅτι and ὡς">NT+2nd c.AD+] that, ὅτι μὴ ἐστὶν ἐπίπεδος οὕτως ἂν καταμάθοιμεν [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__B.4 in relative clauses, which imply a condition or generality, ὃς δὲ μὴ εἶδέ κω τὴν κανναβίδα whoever.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὃ μὴ κελεύσει (perhaps κελεύσαι) Ζεύς such a thing as.., [Refs 4th c.BC+]; λέγονθ᾽ ἃ μὴ δεῖ such things as one ought not, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: frequently with subjunctive, ᾧ μὴ ἄλλοι ἀοσσητῆρες ἔωσιν [μή τι ἂν προσδοκήσειεν χώρᾳ [prev. work] 872d. ">Refs 8th c.BC+]
__B.5 with infinitive,
__B.5.a regularlyfrom Homer on, except after Verbs of saying and thinking (but see below c): after ὥστε or ὡς, ὥστε μὴ φρονεῖν [Refs 4th c.BC+]: always when the infinitive takes the Article, τὸ μὴ προμαθεῖν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.5.b by an apparent pleonasm after Verbs of negative result signifying to forbid, deny, and the like, ὁ δ᾽ ἀναίνετο μηδὲν ἑλέσθαι [μή [prev. work] 450); ἀντιδικεῖν 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 6.12 ">Refs 8th c.BC+] (μηδέν); ἀντιλέγειν [Refs 5th c.BC+] (μηδέ); ἀπαγορεύειν [μή 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Ajax” 70); ἀπιστεῖν 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 4.40; ἀπεγνωκέναι 5th c.BC: Lysias Orator 1.34; ἀποστερεῖσθαι 5th c.BC: Antipho Orator 2.4.1 ">Refs 5th c.BC+] (μηδέ); ἀποτρέπεσθαι [Refs] (μηδέν); ἀρνεῖσθαι, ἔξαρνος εἶναι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; παύειν (where the participle is more frequently) [Refs 5th c.BC+]: in these cases the Article frequently precedes μή, τὸ δὲ μὴ λεηλατῆσαι.. ἔσχε τόδε [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐξομῇ τὸ μὴ εἰδένα; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἴργειν τὸ μή.. [μή.. 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 3.5.71 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐμποδὼν γίγνεσθαι τοῦ μή.. [Refs]
__B.5.c after Verbs of saying and thinking which involve an action of will, as in those signifying to swear, aver, believe, and the like; so after ὄμνυμι, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: occasionally with other Verbs, φημί [Refs 5th c.BC+]; λέγω, προλέγω, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πάντες ἐροῦσι μή.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; νομίζω[Refs 5th c.BC+]: very frequently in later Gr., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.6 with the participle, when it can be resolved into a conditional clause, μὴ ἐνείκας, = {εἰ μὴ ἤνεικε}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μὴ θέλων, ={εἰ μὴ θέλεις}, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; μὴ δολώσαντος θεοῦ, ={εἰ μὴ ἐδόλωσε}, [Refs]; μὴ δρῶν, ={εἰ μὴ δρῴην}, [Refs 5th c.BC+], = ut qui nihil sciam, [Refs]; τίς πρὸς ἀνδρὸς μὴ βλέποντος ἄρκεσι; one who sees not, [Refs]: in this signification frequently with the Article, ὁ μὴ λεύσσων [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with causal significance, μὴ παρὼν θαυμάζεται [Refs 5th c.BC+]: very frequently in later Greek, [Refs 1st c.AD+]: occasionally after Verbs of knowing and showing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.7 with Substantives, adjectives, and adverbs used generically, with or without Article, τὰ μὴ δίκαια [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ μὴ 'μπειρία, ={τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ἐμπειρίαν}, want of experience, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δῆμον καὶ μὴ δῆμον[Refs 4th c.BC+]
__B.8 after Verbs expressing fear or apprehension (compare μὴ οὐ):
__B.8.a when the thing feared is future, mostly with subjunctive: with present subjunctive, δεινῶς ἀθυμῶ μὴ βλέπων ὁ μάντις ᾖ shall proveto be.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]: more frequently with aorist, δείδοικα.. μή σε παρείπῃ [Refs 8th c.BC+]: with perfect, shall prove to have been, δέδοικα μὴ περαιτέρω πεπραγμέν᾽ ᾖ μοι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: less frequently with future indicative, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with optative according to the sequence of moods and tenses: present optative, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: perfect, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with future optative in oratio obliqua, [Refs 5th c.BC+]vect.4.41.
__B.8.b when the action is present or past, the indicative is used, εἰσόρα μὴ σκῆψιν οὐκ οὖσαν τίθης [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__B.8.c with indicative and subjunctive in consecutive clauses, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__C in QUESTIONS:
__C.I direct questions,
__C.I.1 with indicative, where aneg. answer is anticipated (but more generally in [μή..; 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 6.200, 9.405 ">Refs 8th c.BC+]; μή σοι δοκοῦμεν..; [μή ">Refs 5th c.BC+] (μηδέ) follows οὐ, see at {οὐ μή}.
__C.I.1.b in other questions, τί μὴ ποιήσ; what am I not to do? [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τί μ; why not? [Refs]; compare μήν
__C.I.2 with subjunctive, when the speaker deliberates about a negative action, μὴ οὕτω φῶμε; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὁ τοιοῦτος μὴ δῷ δίκη; [Refs 4th c.BC+]; πῶς μὴ φῶμε; [Refs 5th c.BC+]; how can a man help being excited when he speaks? [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__C.II indirect questions, frequently with Verbs implying fear and apprehension [μήσωνται 8th c.BC: Ilias Homerus Epicus “Illiad” 10.98, compare 101, 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 21.395; περισκοπῶ μή πού τις.. ἐγχρίμπτει 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Electra” 898, compare 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.13, etc.">Refs 8th c.BC+]; also σκοπεῖσθαι πῶς ἂν μή.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; later in simple indirect questions, ἐπυνθάνετο μὴ ἔγνω [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__C.II.2 in questions introduced by εἰ, ἤρετό με.. εἰ μὴ μέμνημαι [μή.., εἴτε.. εἴτε μή.., 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Eumenides” 468, 612, 5th-6th c.BC: Andocides Orator 1.7, 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 18a, “R.” 457d, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Institutio Cyri (Cyropaedia)” 2.1.7 ">Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἴτε.. εἴτε μή.., εἰ.. ἢ οὔ, εἰ.. ἢ μή without difference of meaning between μή and οὐ, [μή,.. τοὺς λόγους, εἰ ὀρθῶς διδάσκουσι τὸ πρᾶγμα ἢ οὔ 5th c.BC: Antipho Orator 5.14. ">Refs 5th c.BC+]
__D POSITION of μή. When the negative extends its power over the whole clause, μή properly precedes the Verb. When its force is limited to single words, it precedes those words. But Poets sometimes put μή after the Verb, ὄλοιο μή πω [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φράσῃς.. μὴ πέρα[Refs]
__D.2 μή is sometimes repeated, μή, μή καλέσῃς [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__E PROSODY: in Trag. μή may be joined by synizesis with a following ει or ου, μὴ οὐ, μὴ εἰδέναι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: initial ε after μή is cut off by aphaeresis, μὴ 'πὁθουν [μή">Refs] followed by α is sometimes written μἀ.. (see. μὴ ἀλλά, etc.); sometimes separately, μὴ ἀδικεῖν [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__F μή in COMPOSITION (joined with other words), as μὴ ἀλλά, μὴ γάρ, μὴ οὐ, μὴ ὅπως or ὅτι, μή ποτε, etc., will be found in alphabetical order.

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: John.3.18 ☩ Matt.2.12}