ἐνώπ-ιος G1799
Before, in the presence of — an improper preposition (with genitive) denoting position in someone's sight or presence
Enopion functions as an improper preposition governing the genitive to express 'before, in the presence of, in the sight of.' It is overwhelmingly Lukan and Johannine in distribution — Luke and Acts account for a large share of its occurrences, and Revelation uses it extensively for scenes before the divine throne. The word carries a distinctly personal nuance: not merely spatial 'in front of' but relational 'under the gaze of,' making it the preferred term for standing before God (Luke 1:15; Rev 4:5), being acceptable in God's sight (Acts 4:19), and accountability before a judge. Spanish 'delante de,' French 'devant,' and German 'vor' each capture this spatial-relational duality.
Senses
1. before, in the presence of — An improper preposition (with genitive) meaning 'before, in the presence of, in the sight of,' conveying the sense of being under someone's direct observation or authority. Its heaviest concentration falls in Luke-Acts and Revelation, where it repeatedly places human action before the divine gaze — walking blamelessly 'before God' (Luke 1:6, 75), speaking boldly 'before' rulers (Acts 4:19), and the heavenly court assembled 'before' the throne (Rev 1:4; 4:5; 8:2). Spanish 'delante de,' French 'devant,' and German 'vor' all mirror the spatial-to-relational gradient this preposition carries. 95×
AR["أَمامَ", "أَمَامَ", "أَمَامَكَ"]·ben["সামনে"]·DE["vor"]·EN["before"]·FR["devant"]·heb["לְ-פְנֵי", "לְ-פָנֶיךָ", "לִפְנֵי", "לִפְנֵיהֶם"]·HI["सामने"]·ID["di-hadapan"]·IT["enopion"]·jav["ing-ngarsanipun", "sakngajengipun", "wonten-ing-ngajeng", "wonten-ngarsanipun"]·KO["앞-에", "앞-에서", "앞에서"]·PT["diante"]·RU["перед", "перед-", "пред"]·ES["delante", "delante-de", "delante-del"]·SW["mbele", "mbele-ya", "mbele-yake", "mbele-yako", "mbele-yangu", "mbele-yao"]·TR["önümde", "önünde"]·urd["اُن-کے-سامنے", "سامنے"]
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
ἐνώπ-ιος, ον, (ὤψ) facing, to the front, πρό τ᾽ ἐνώπια Refs 7th c.BC+face to face, LXX; ἄρτοι ἐ. shewbread, Refs; διαστολῶν γεγονυιῶν ὑμῖν καὶ ἐνοπίοις (sic) καὶ διὰ γραμμάτων in person, Refs 2nd c.BC+ __II neuter ἐνώπιον as adverb, face to face, Refs 3rd c.BC+; in person, Refs 2nd c.BC+: as preposition with genitive, NT+4th c.BC+. Regul. adverb -ίωςRefs