ἄρα

ἄρα — ára

ἄρα (1), an illative particle (akin, as it seems, to the verbal root ἈΡΩ 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): Latinigitur, 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: Rom 7:21; Rom 8:1; Gal 3:7; ἐπεί ἄρα since, if it were otherwise, 1Co 7:14; (, 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? Mat 18:1 (i. e. one certainly will be the greater, who then?); Mat 19:25 (i. e. certainly some will be saved; you say that the rich will not; who then?); Mat 19:27; Mat 24:45 (I bid you be ready; who then etc.? the question follows from this command of mine); Mar 4:41; Luk 1:66 (from all these things doubtless something follows; what, then?); Luk 8:25; Luk 12:42; Luk 22:23 (it will be one of us, which then?); Act 12:18 (Peter has disappeared; what, then, has become of him?). εἰ ἄρα, Mar 11:13 (whether, since the tree had leaves, he might also find some fruit on it); Act 7:1 (Rec.) (ἄρα equivalent to 'since the witnesses testify thus'); Act 8:22 (if, since thy sin is so grievous, perhaps the thought etc.); εἴπερ ἄρα, 1Co 15:15, (אִם־נָא, εἰ ἄρα, Gen 18:3). Οὐκ ἄρα, Act 21:38 (thou hast a knowledge of Greek; art thou not then the Egyptian, as I suspected?); μήτι ἄρα (Latinnumigitur), did I then etc., 2Co 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 (μάρτυρες ἐστε T Tr WH), Luk 11:48 (Mat 23:31 ὥστε μαρτυρεῖτε); Rom 10:17; 1Co 15:18; 2Co 5:14 (15) (in L T Tr WH no conditional protasis preceding); 2Co 7:12; Gal 4:31 (L T Tr WH διό); Heb 4:9.

3. in an apodosis, after a protasis with εἰ, in order to bring out what follows as a matter of course (German soistja the obvious inference is): Luk 11:20; Mat 12:28; 2Co 5:14(15) (R G, a protasis with εἰ preceding); Gal 2:21; Gal 3:29; Gal 5:11; Heb 12:8; joined to another word, 1Co 15:14.

4. with γέ, rendering it more pointed, ἄραγε (L Tr uniformly ἄρα γέ; so R WH in Act 17:27; cf. Winers Grammar, p. 45; Lipsius Gram. Untersuch., p. 123), surely then, so then (Latinitaqueergo): Mat 7:20; Mat 17:26; Act 11:18 (L T Tr WH omit γέ); and subjoined to a word, Act 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) ("ἄραadinternampotiuscaussamspectat, οὖνmagisadexternam." 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 (Latinhincigitur): Rom 5:18; Rom 7:3; Rom 7:25; Rom 8:12; Rom 9:16; Rom 9:18; Rom 14:12 (L Tr omit WH brackets οὖν); 19 (L marginal reading ἄρα); Gal 6:10; Eph 2:19; 1Th 5:6; 2Th 2:15.

STRONGS NT 686: ἄραγε [ἄραγε, see ἄρα, 4.] [a&rage, see ἄρα, 1.]