κἄν G2579
Even if, even though (concessive conjunction); at least (scalar minimal particle)
The crasis form kan (= kai ean or kai an) functions primarily as a concessive conjunction in the New Testament, introducing hypothetical or extreme conditions: 'even if you should die with me' (Matt 26:35), 'even if they drink deadly poison' (Mark 16:18). It appears fifteen times in this intensifying role, stressing that the outcome holds regardless of the condition. A single remarkable occurrence in Acts 5:15 shifts to a scalar or minimizing sense -- 'at least Peter's shadow' -- where the particle marks the bare minimum of expectation. Spanish captures this distinction neatly, rendering 'aunque' for concessive uses but 'al menos' for the scalar one.
Senses
1. even if, even though (concessive conjunction) — The concessive conjunction meaning 'even if, even though, although,' formed by crasis from kai ean. It introduces conditional clauses that express extreme or unlikely scenarios whose truth does not alter the main assertion. In Matt 26:35 Peter swears 'even if I must die with you,' and in Mark 16:18 the promise holds 'even if they drink deadly poison.' Spanish 'aunque,' French 'meme-si,' and German 'auch-wenn' all confirm the concessive force. The fifteen occurrences span conditional promises (Matt 21:21), fearless declarations (Matt 26:35), and touching-the-garment narratives (Mark 5:28, 6:56). 15×
AR["حَتَّى-إِنْ", "عَلى-الأَقَلِّ", "وَ-إِنْ", "وَإن", "وَإِنْ", "وَلَوْ"]·ben["অন্তত", "এবং-যদি", "এমনকি-যদি", "যদিও", "শুধু"]·DE["auch-wenn", "wenn-auch"]·EN["Even-if", "Even-if-", "and-if", "and-if-", "even", "even-if", "never"]·FR["même-si"]·heb["אֲפִלּוּ", "אַף-אִם", "גַּם", "גַּם-אִם", "וְ-אִם", "וְאִם", "לְפָחוֹת", "רַק"]·HI["और-यदि", "कम-से-कम", "कि", "के", "चाहे", "यदि"]·ID["Bahkan-jika", "Sekalipun", "bahkan-hanya", "bahkan-jika", "dan-jika", "jika-mungkin", "sekalipun", "setidaknya"]·IT["anche-se"]·jav["Sanadyan", "lan-manawi", "namung", "paling-mboten", "sanadyan", "sanajan", "senajan"]·KO["그리고-비록", "만약", "만약에", "만약이라도", "만일", "비록", "설령", "심지어", "적어도"]·PT["Ainda-que", "Mesmo-que", "Mesmo-se", "ainda-que", "ainda-que-seja", "ao-menos", "e-se"]·RU["Даже-если", "И-если", "даже-если", "если-и", "и-если", "хотя-бы"]·ES["Aunque", "Y-si", "al-menos", "aun-si", "aunque", "aunque-sea", "y-si"]·SW["Hata-kama", "Hata-kama-", "angalau", "hata", "hata-", "hata-kama", "huu", "kama", "na-hata-kama", "na-kama"]·TR["Eğer-de", "Gerekse-bile", "Hatta-eğer", "en-azından-", "eğer", "hatta", "hatta-eğer", "hiç-olmazsa", "olsa-bile", "sadece", "ve-eğer"]·urd["اور-اگر", "اگر", "اگرچہ", "بس", "صرف", "چاہے", "کم-از-کم"]
Matt 21:21, Matt 26:35, Mark 5:28, Mark 6:56, Mark 16:18, Luke 12:38, Luke 12:38, Luke 13:9, John 8:14, John 8:55, John 10:38, John 11:25 (+3 more)
2. at least (scalar/minimal particle) — A scalar or minimizing particle meaning 'at least, at the very least,' expressing the bare minimum of an expectation or wish. Only one clear NT instance surfaces: Acts 5:15, where people brought the sick into the streets so that 'at least' (kan) Peter's shadow might fall upon them. The shift from concessive to scalar is subtle but real -- the focus moves from 'regardless of the extreme condition' to 'even this minimum would suffice.' Spanish 'al-menos' captures this sense directly, marking it as lexically distinct from the concessive 'aunque' used everywhere else. 1×
AR["وَلَوْ"]·ben["অন্তত"]·DE["auch-wenn"]·EN["at-least"]·FR["même-si-"]·heb["אַף-אִם"]·ID["setidaknya"]·IT["anche-se-"]·jav["saénipun"]·KO["그-"]·RU["хотя-бы"]·ES["al-menos"]·SW["hata"]·TR["hiç-olmazsa"]·urd["کم-از-کم"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κἄν (not κᾄν), by crasis, __I for καὶ ἄν.., variant in Refs 8th c.BC+ is simply copulative, Refs 5th c.BC+; but frequently when καί is intensive, ὅ γε κ. μέγα δοίη even a great thing, Refs 8th c.BC+; sometimes repeated after or before a Verb with ἄν, ἐπεὶ κ. σὺ.., εἴ τίς σε διδάξειεν.., βελτίων ἂν γένοιο Refs 5th c.BC+; frequently in the phrase κ. εἰ, where καί properly belongs to εἰ, even if,…