ἐνώπιον

ἐνώπιον — enṓpion

ἐνώπιον, neuter of the adjective ἐνώπιος, ἐνώπιον (equivalent to ὁ ἐν ὠπι ὤν, one who is in sight, Theocritus, 22, 152; the Sept. Exo 33:11; ἄρτοι ἐνωπιοι, Exo 25:29); used adverbially it gets the force of a preposition (Winers Grammar, § 54, 6; Buttmann, 319 (274)), and is joined with the genitive (hardly to be found so in any secular authors), before, in sight of anyone; time and again in the Sept. for בֲּעֵינֵי and לִפְנֵי, also for נֶגֶד and לְנֶגֶד; among N. T. writings used most frequently by Luke and the author of the Book of Revelation, but never by Matthew and Mark. It is used:

1. of occupied place: in that place which is before, or over against, opposite, anyone and toward which another turns his eyes;

a. properly: εἶναι ἐνώπιον τίνος, Rev 1:4; Rev 7:15; (Rev 14:5 Rec.)); so that εἶναι must be mentally supplied before ἐνώπιον, Rev 4:5; Rev 8:3; Rev 9:13; after στῆναι, Act 10:30; ἑστηκεναι, Rev 7:9; Rev 8:2; Rev 11:4; Rev 12:4; Rev 20:12; παρεστηκέναι, Luk 1:19; Act 4:10; ἱσταναι, Act 6:6; καθῆσθαι, Rev 11:16; θύρα ἀνεῳγμένη ἐνώπιον τίνος, equivalent to a door opened for one (see θύρα, c. γ. (Buttmann, 173 (150))), Rev 3:8; after verbs signifying motion to a place: τιθέναι, Luk 5:18; ἀναβαίνειν, Rev 8:4; βάλλειν, Rev 4:10; πίπτειν or πεσεῖν (of worshippers), Rev 4:10; Rev 5:8; (Rev 7:11); προσκυνεῖν, Luk 4:7; Rev 3:9; Rev 15:4 (cf. Buttmann, as above; 147 (129); Winers Grammar, 214 (201)).

b. in metaphorical phrases after verbs signifying motion: βαστάζειν τό ὄνομα... ἐνώπιον ἐθνῶν (see βαστάζω, 3), Act 9:15; σκάνδαλα βάλλειν ἐνώπιον τίνος, to cast stumbling-blocks (incitements to sin) before one, Rev 2:14; after προέρχεσθαι, to go before one like a herald, Luk 1:17; (after προπορεύεσθαι, Luk 1:76 WH). in phrases in which something is supposed to be done by one while standing or appearing in the presence of another (cf. Buttmann, 176 (153)): after ἀρνεῖσθαι, Luk 12:9 (Lachmann ἔμπροσθεν); (ἀπαρνεῖσθαι, ibid.); ὁμολογεῖν, Rev 3:5 (Rec. ἐξομολογήσομαί); κατηγορεῖν, Rev 12:10; (ᾄδειν, Rev 14:3); καυχᾶσθαι, to come before God and glory, 1Co 1:29; δικαιοῦν ἑαυτόν, Luk 16:15.

c. equivalent to apud (with); in the soul of anyone: χαρά γίνεται ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀγγέλων, Luk 15:10 (others understand this of God's joy, by reverent suggestion described as in the presence of the angels; cf. ἐν οὐρανῷ, Luk 15:7); ἔσται σοι δόξα ἐνώπιον τῶν συνανακειμένων, Luk 14:10 (others take this outwardly; cf. 2 below); after verbs of remembering and forgetting: εἰς μνημόσυνον ἐνώπιον (L T Tr WH ἔμπροσθεν) τοῦ Θεοῦ, Act 10:4; μνησθῆναι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, Act 10:31; Rev 16:19; ἐπιλελησμένον ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, Luk 12:6 (cf. Buttmann, § 134, 3).

2. before one's eyes; in one's presence and sight or hearing;

a. properly: φαγεῖν ἐνώπιον τίνος, Luk 24:43; this same phrase signifies a living together in Luk 13:26 (2Sa 11:13; 1Ki 1:25); σημεῖα ποιεῖν, Joh 20:30; ἀνακρίνειν, Luk 23:14; ἐνώπιον πολλῶν μαρτύρων, 1Ti 6:12; add Luke (Luk 5:25);; Act 19:9; Act 19:19; Act 27:35; (1Ti 5:20); 3Jn 1:6; Rev 3:5; (Rev 13:13; Rev 14:10).

b. metaphorically: πίστιν ἔχε ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, have faith satisfied with this that it is not hidden from the sight of God, Rom 14:22; ἁμαρτάνειν ἐνώπιον τίνος (see ἁμαρτάνω at the end), Luk 15:18; Luk 15:21; especially in affirmations, oaths, adjurations: ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦ κυρίου, etc., Gal 1:20; 1Ti 5:21; 1Ti 6:13; 2Ti 2:14; 2Ti 4:1. Hence, those are said to do something in the presence of one who have him present to their thought, who set him before their mind's eye: προωρώμην (πρωρωμην L T Tr WH) τόν κύριον ἐνώπιον μου, Act 2:25; ταπεινοῦσθαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ κυρίου, Jas 4:10 (Sir 2:17).

c. at the instance of anyone, by his power and authority: Rev 13:12; Rev 13:14; Rev 19:20.

d. before the eyes of one, i. e. if he turns his eyes thither: Heb 4:13 (where οὐκ ἀφανής ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ is explained by the following γυμνά... τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ; cf. Job 26:6 γυμνός ὁ ᾅδης ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, before his look, to his view).

e. before one i. e. he looking on and judging, in one's judgment (Winers Grammar, 32; Buttmann, 172 (150); § 133, 14): ἐφάνησαν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν ὡσεί λῆρος, Luk 24:11 (cf. Greek ἡρακλειδη λῆρος πάντα δοκεῖ εἶναι); so especially ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦ κυρίου, after the following words: τά ἀρεστά, 1Jn 3:22; βδέλυγμα, Luk 16:15; δίκαιος, Luk 1:6 (T Tr WH ἐναντίον); Act 4:19; δικαιοῦσθαι, Rom 3:20; εὐάρεστος, Heb 13:21; εὐθύς, Act 8:21 Rec.; καλόν, ἀπόδεκτον, 1Ti 2:3; 1Ti 5:4; Rom 12:17; 2Co 8:21; μέγας, Luk 1:15; πολυτελές, 1Pe 3:4; πεπληρωμένος, Rev 3:2; ἀρέσκειν, Act 6:5 (Deu 1:23 (Alex.); 2Sa 3:36; (Winers Grammar, § 33, f.)); in the sight of God i. e. God looking on and approving: Luk 1:75; Act 10:33; 2Co 4:2; 2Co 7:12. in the sight of God, or with God: εὑρίσκειν χάριν (חֵן מָצָא often in the O. T.), to be approved by God, please him, Act 7:46.