Lexical Definition

‎ὑπέρ‎ hypér (hoop-er') above/for ^G:PREP
a primary preposition

(+ exceeding, abundantly) above, in (on) behalf of, beyond, by, + very chiefest, concerning, exceeding (above, -ly), for, + very highly, more (than), of, over, on the part of, for sake of, in stead, than, to(-ward), very.

• "over", i.e. (with the genitive case) of place, above, beyond, across, or causal, for the sake of, instead, regarding
• with the accusative case superior to, more than

Abbott-Smith

ὑπέρ (when following subst.—poët.—ὕπερ; so as adv., II Co 11:23), prep. c. gen., acc.

I. C. gen., primarily of place (rest or motion), over, above, across, beyond, hence, metaph.,
1. for, on behalf of: of prayer, Mt 5:44, Ac 8:24, Ro 10:1, Ja 5:16, al.; of laying down life, Jo 10:11, Ro 9:3, al.; esp. of Christ giving his life for man's redemption, Mk 14:24, Jo 10:15, Ac 21:13, Ro 5:6-8, al.; opp. to κατά, Mk 9:40, Lk 9:50, Ro 8:31.
2. Causal, for, because of, for the sake of: c. gen. pers., Ac 5:41, Ro 1:5, Phl 1:29, II Co 12:10, al.; c. gen. rei, Jo 11:4, Ro 15:8, II Co 1:6, al.
3. = ἀντί (v. M, Pr., 105), for, instead of, in the name of : I Co 15:29, II Co 5:15, 21 Ga 3:13, Col 1:7, Phm 13 (cf. Field, Notes, 225).
4. In more colourless sense, = περί (M, Pr., l.c.), for, concerning, with regard to: Ro 9:27, II Co 1:6 8:23 12:8, Phl 1:7, II Th 2:1, al.
II. C. acc., primarily of place, over, beyond, across, hence, metaph., of measure or degree in excess, above, beyond, over, more than: Mt 10:24, 37 Lk 6:40, Ac 26:13, I Co 10:13, II Co 1:8, Eph 1:22 3:20, Phm 16, al.; after comparatives = than (Jg 11:25, al.), Lk 16:8, He 4:12.
III. As adv. (v. supr. ad init.), more: ὕπερ ἐγώ, I more, II Co 11:23; in compounds, v.s. ὑπεράνω, ὑπερλίαν, ὑπερπερισσῶς.
IV. In composition: over (ὑπεραίρω), beyond (ὑπερβάλλω), more (ὐπερνικάω), on behalf of (ὐπερεντυγχάνω).

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

ὑπέρ [ῠ],

Epic dialect also ὑπείρ, used by [Refs 8th c.BC+] ὁπέρ (which see): in Aeolic dialect replaced by περί (see. περί [Refs 4th c.BC+] also dative (Cf. Sanskrit upaári 'above', Gothic ufar, O[Refs 5th c.BC+] ofer 'over':—from it are formed the comparative and superlative ὑπέρτερος, -τατος, also adverb ὕπερθεν, and Nouns ὑπέρα, ὕπερος.)

__A WITH GENIT.,
__A.I of Place, over;
__A.I.1 in a state of rest, over, above, frequently in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; χιτωνίσκους ἐνεδεδύκεσαν ὑ. γονάτων not reaching to the knees, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; στῆ δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ὑ. κεφαλῆς stood over his head as he lay asleep, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὑ. κεφαλῆς οἱ ἐγίνετο διεξελαύνοντι over head, i. e. over the gateway, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ ὑ. κεφαλῆς the higher ground, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Ἰονίας ὑ. ἁλὸς οἰκέων on the Ionian sea, i.e. on its shores, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: of relative geographical position, above, farther inland, οἰκέοντες ὑ. Ἁλικαρνησσοῦ μεσόγαιαν [Refs 5th c.BC+]: in Hellenistic Gr. the accusative is commoner in this sense, see below [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.I.1.b of ships at sea, off a place, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.I.2 in a state of motion, over, across, κῦμα νηὸς ὑ. τοίχων καταβήσεται [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐκκυβιστᾶν ὑ. [τῶν ξιφῶν] [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.I.3 over, beyond, ἐν Κρήτῃ εὐρείῃ τηλοῦ ὑ. πόντου [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__A.II metaphorically, in defence of, on behalf of, τεῖχος ἐτειχίσσαντο νεῶν ὕ. [Refs 8th c.BC+]: generally, for the prosperity or safety of, τὰ ἱερὰ ὑ. τῆς Εὐβοίας θῦσαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; in dedications (always with reference to living persons), Σμικύθη μ᾽ ἀνέθηκεν.. εὐξαμένη.. ὑ. παίδων καὶ ἑαυτῆς [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; εὑδόντων ὕ. φρούρημα [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ὑ. τινὸς κινδυνεύειν, μάχεσθαι, βοηθεῖν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀμυνῶ ὑ. ἱερῶν καὶ ὁσίων Jusj. cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πάνθ᾽ ὑ. ὑμῶν φανήσεται πράξας Χαβρίας, καὶ τὴν τελευτὴν αὐτὴν τοῦ βίου πεποιημένος οὐχ ὑ. ἄλλου τινός in your interests, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of things sought, ὑ. τοῦ νεκροῦ ὠθισμὸς ἐγένετο πολύς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀφίκετο ὑ. γενεᾶς, ὑ. φωνᾶς, ὑ. τοῦ θησαυροῦ, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; γίνωσκέ με πεπορεῦσθαι εἰς Ἡρακλέους πόλιν ὑ. τῆς οἰκίας [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; sometimes even of the thing to be averted, ἱκέσιον λόχον δουλοσύνας ὕ. about slavery, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__A.II.2 for, instead of, in the name of, ὑ. ἑαυτοῦ τι προϊδεῖν on his own behalf, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὑ. Ζήνωνος πράσσων as Zeno's representative, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ἔγραψεν ὑ. αὐτῶν διὰ τὸ φάσκειν αὐτοὺς μὴ εἰδέναι γράμματα [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; θεάσασθε ὃν τρόπον ὑμεῖς ἐστρατηγηκότες πάντ᾽ ἔσεσθ᾽ ὑ. Φιλίππου as though by commission from P., [Refs 4th c.BC+]; so in other dialects with accusative, see below [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__A.II.3 in adjurations, with verbs of entreaty, entreat one as representative of another, τῶν ὕ. ἐνθάδ᾽ ἐγὼ γουνάζομαι οὐ παρεόντων, i. e. I entreat you as they would if they were here, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; then more metaphorically, by, λίσσομ᾽ ὑ. ψυχῆς (as you value your life) καὶ γούνων σῶν τε τοκήων [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὑ. ξενίου λίσσεται ὔμμε Διός in the name of Zeus, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; so Aeolic dialect περ (see. περί [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__A.II.4 of the cause or motive, for, because of, by reason of, ἀλγέων ὕ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of punishment or reward, for, on account of, τοῖσιν ἄγουσιν κλαύμαθ᾽ ὑπάρξει βραδυτῆτος ὕ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀτῆθθαι ὑ. τῶ πατρὸς τὰ πατρώϊα the father's property shall pay the fine for the father, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; τοῦτον (i.e. a runaway slave) ὃς ἂν ἀναγάγῃ, λήψεται ὅσα καὶ ὑ. τοῦ προγεγραμμένου [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; τὸ κατεσκευασμένον ὑ. τῆς ἡμετέρας σωτηρίας Ἰσιδεῖον as a thank-offering for.., [Refs 1st c.BC+]; ὑ. ὧν ἐτιμήσαμεν αὐτοὺς ταῖς μεγίσταις τιμαῖς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of payment, ἡμιωβέλιον ὑ. ἑκάστου [Refs]; μέτρησον Ποσειδωνίῳ ὑ. Ἡρακλείδου on account of H., i.e. debiting H.'s account, [Refs 1st c.BC+]; μετρήσω ὑ. σοῦ εἰς τὸ δημόσιον for the credit of your account, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; ὑ. λαογραφίας [Refs 1st c.AD+]; ὑ. λόγου ἀννώνης [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; ὑ. ὧν ἔμαθεν καταβαλεῖν μισθόν [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__A.II.5 ὑ. τοῦ μή with infinitive, for the purpose of preventing or avoiding, ὑ. τοῦ μηδένα.. βιαίῳ θανάτῳ ἀποθνῄσκειν [Refs 5th c.BC+] for the sake of, ὑ. τοῦτοῖς ἄλλοις ἐπιτάττειν ἐθέλειν ἀποθνῄσκειν to be ready to die for the sake of.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]: this construction is found also in signification [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__A.III concerning, ὑ. σέθεν αῐσχε᾽ ἀκούω [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τὰ λεγόμενα ὑ. ἑκάστων variant in [Refs 4th c.BC+]; διαλεχθῆναι, ἀγορεύειν ὑ. τινός, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; περὶ μὲν οὖν τούτων τοσαῦτά μοι εἰρήσθω, ὑ. ὧν δέ μοι προσήκει λέγειν.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; βουλευομένων ὑ. τοῦ ποίαν τινὰ [εἰρήνην ποιητέον] [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ἐνεκάλουν ὑ. σύκων [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; ἐπεδώκαμέν σοι ὑπόμνημα ὑ. τοῦ μὴ εἰληφέναι τὴν.. ὄλυραν [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; συλλαλήσαντες ὑ. τοῦ τὴν πόλιν ἐνδοῦναι τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; θροῦς ὑ. τοῦ τὸν Λυκοῦργον ἐκπέμπειν talk of sending L., [Refs]; γνώμην ὑ. τῆς κοινῆς [δόξης] [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B WITH ACCUSATIVE
__B.I of Place in reference to motion, over, beyond, frequently in [Refs 8th c.BC+]: without such reference, ὑ. Ἡρακλείας στήλας ἔξω κατοικοῦσι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐλὴ.. ὑ. ὀφρὺν δεξιάν [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; τὸ ὑ. τὸν ἔσχατον.. σπόνδυλον [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__B.II of Measure, above, exceeding, beyond, ὑ. τὸν ἀλαθῆ λόγον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὑ. ἡμᾶς beyond our powers, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὑ. τὸ ὕδωρ [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__B.II.b after comparative, than, δυνατώτεροι ὑ... [LXX] better than he,[LXX]
__B.II.2 of transgression, in violation of, ὑ. αἶσαν, opposed to κατ᾽ αἶσαν, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὑ. μόρον (or ὑπέρμορον)[Refs]
__B.III of Number, above, upwards of, τὰ ὑ. δέκα μνᾶς [ξυμβόλαια] [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὑ. τετταράκοντα (i.e. ἔτη) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὑ. ἥμισυ more than half, [Refs]
__B.IV of Time, beyond, i.e. before, earlier than, ὁ ὑ. τὰ Μηδικὰ πόλεμος [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__B.V in some dialects, in sense [Refs 4th c.BC+], on behalf of, ὑ. τὰν πόλιν [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; in sense [Refs 4th c.BC+], concerning, ἐπικράνθη μοι ὑ. ὑμᾶς [LXX]
__C WITH DAT., only [Refs 4th c.AD+] fighting for.., [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
__D POSITION: ὑπέρ may follow its substantive, but then by anastrophe becomes ὕπερ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__E AS adverb., over-much, above measure, ὑπὲρ μὲν ἄγαν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; also written ὑπεράγαν, [Refs 1st c.BC+]; compare ὑπέρφευ: as a predicate, διάκονοι Χριστοῦ εἰσ; ὑπὲρ ἐγώ I am more [than they], [NT]
__F IN COMPOSITION (joined with other words), signifies over, above, in all relations, e. g.,
__F.1 of Place, over, beyond, as in ὑπεράνω, ὑπέργειος, ὑπερβαίνω, ὑπερπόντιος.
__F.2 of doing a thing for or in defence of, as in ὑπερμαχέω, ὑπερασπίζω, ὑπεραλγέω.
__F.3 above measure, as in ὑπερήφανος, ὑπερφίαλος.

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: LXX.Judg.18.26 ☩ LXX.Ruth.1.13 ☩ 2Cor.11.23}