ἔμπροσθ-εν G1715
before, in front of, ahead — a spatial and relational marker of position or rank in someone's presence
Emprosthen functions as both preposition and adverb, indicating position 'in front of' or 'before' someone or something. Its 48 New Testament occurrences overwhelmingly govern the genitive, placing actions or persons in the sight or presence of another: good works shining 'before men' (Matt 5:16), confessing Christ 'before my Father' (Matt 10:32), or Judas going 'ahead of' the crowd (Luke 22:47). Jesus warns against practicing righteousness 'before people to be seen by them' (Matt 6:1), and the Baptist testifies that the one coming 'after me has surpassed me because he was before me' (John 1:15, 30) — here emprosthen carries temporal-priority and rank, not just spatial position. The translations are notably consistent: Spanish 'delante de,' French 'devant,' German 'vor' — each covering both spatial and honorific senses.
Senses
1. before, in front of, ahead — A preposition or adverb indicating spatial position in front of, directional movement ahead of, or relational standing in the presence and sight of another. Spatial: the star going 'before' the Magi (Matt 2:9), casting pearls 'before' swine (Matt 7:6). Relational-presentational: doing good works 'before men' (Matt 5:16), confessing or denying 'before my Father' (Matt 10:32-33), laying gifts 'before the altar' (Matt 5:24). Temporal-priority or rank: John the Baptist's testimony that Christ 'was before me' (John 1:15, 30). All 48 occurrences share this unified 'in front of / in the presence of' sense across its spatial, presentational, and priority dimensions. 48×
AR["أَمامَ","أَمامَكَ","أَمَامَ"]·ben["-সামনে","সামনে"]·DE["vor","vor-"]·EN["before"]·FR["devant"]·heb["לְ-פָנֶיךָ","לְ-פָנָי-ו","לְפָנֶיךָ","לְפָנָיו","לִ-פְנֵי","לִפְנֵי","לִפְנֵיהֶם"]·HI["-के-अअगे","-के-सअमने","-के-सामने","आगे","सबके","सामने"]·ID["di-depan","di-hadapan"]·IT["davanti-a"]·jav["ing-ngajeng","ing-ngajengipun","ing-ngarep","sangajengipun","wonten-ing-ngajeng"]·KO["-앞에","-앞에서","~앞에","~앞에서","앞에서"]·PT["diante","diante-de"]·RU["перед","перед-","пред"]·ES["delante","delante-de","delante‒de"]·SW["-","machoni-pako","mbele","mbele-ya","mbele-ya-","mbele-yake","mbele-yako"]·TR["önünde","önüne"]·urd["-کے-سامنے","سامنے"]
Matt 5:16, Matt 5:24, Matt 6:1, Matt 6:2, Matt 7:6, Matt 10:32, Matt 10:32, Matt 10:33, Matt 10:33, Matt 11:10, Matt 11:26, Matt 17:2 (+36 more)
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἔμπροσθ-εν, sometimes also ἔμπροσθε Refs 8th c.BC+. __I adverb, __I.1 of Place, before, in front, Refs 5th c.BC+; τὸ and τὰ ἔ. the front, the foreside, Refs 5th c.BC+; εἰς τὸ ἔ. forwards, Refs; στὰς ἐκ τοῦ ἔ. in front, opposite, Refs 5th c.BC+ __I.2 of Time, before, of old, Refs 5th c.BC+; τὰ ἔ. Refs; οἱ ἔ. our ancestors, Refs 3rd c.BC+ __II as preposition with genitive, before, in front of,…