G3385 G3385
Surely not? An interrogative particle expecting a negative answer; used in rhetorical questions.
Mēti is an interrogative particle that frames a question expecting the answer 'no.' It introduces rhetorical questions where the speaker anticipates denial or expresses incredulity. When the crowds ask 'Surely this cannot be the Son of David, can it?' (Matt 12:23), the particle signals their hesitation. At the Last Supper, each disciple asks 'Surely not I?' (Matt 26:22, 25). In John 4:29, the Samaritan woman's question — 'Could this be the Christ?' — uses mēti to express hopeful uncertainty while formally expecting negation. German 'etwa' and Spanish 'acaso' both capture this questioning, doubt-laden nuance.
Senses
1. surely not? (expects negative) — An interrogative particle introducing questions that expect a negative answer, functioning as a marker of rhetorical negation or hesitant doubt. In Matt 12:23 the crowd wonders incredulously whether Jesus might be the Son of David. At the Last Supper the disciples each ask 'Surely not I, Lord?' (Matt 26:22, 25). The Samaritan woman uses it to voice cautious hope: 'This isn't the Christ, is it?' (John 4:29). German 'etwa,' Spanish 'acaso,' and French 'est-ce que' all convey the expectation of a negative reply embedded in the question itself. 17×
AR["-أَنْ", "أَ", "أَلَعَلَّ", "أَلَعَلِّي", "أَيَّما", "شَيْئاً-ما", "لَعَلَّ", "هَل", "هَلْ", "هَلْ-إذًا"]·ben["কি", "কি-তাহলে", "না", "না-কি", "নিশ্চয়ই", "নিশ্চয়ই-না", "হয়-তবে"]·DE["etwa"]·EN["Not", "Not-surely", "Surely-not", "can", "indeed", "not", "not-", "perhaps", "surely-not"]·FR["est-ce-que"]·heb["אִם-כֵּן", "הֲ", "הֲ-", "הֲאֵינֶנִּי", "הֲיִרְצֶה", "הֲשֶׁמָּא", "הַ-אִם", "הַאִם", "לֹא", "לֹא-אִם"]·HI["क्यअ", "क्या", "क्या-निश्चय", "न-हो", "नहीं"]·ID["-", "Apakah", "Bukan", "Bukankah", "Dapatkah", "Mungkinkah", "Tidak-mungkinkah", "apakah-mungkin", "jika", "mungkinkah"]·IT["-", "forse", "mēti"]·jav["Apa", "Menapa", "Punapa", "Punapa-bok-ménawi", "kajawi", "mboten", "menapa", "menawi", "punapa"]·KO["-이냐", "과연", "설마", "아니라면", "어떤-것이", "이냐", "혹시"]·PT["Por-acaso", "Porventura", "a-não-ser-que", "não-fosse", "por-acaso", "porventura", "talvez"]·RU["Не", "Не-я-ли", "Неужели", "Разве", "Разве-", "не", "разве", "разве-", "только-не"]·ES["Acaso", "acaso", "alguno", "no", "no-sea", "¿Acaso"]·SW["Je", "Je-", "Je-ni", "Labda", "je", "labda"]·TR["-mı", "Acaba-mı", "Mı", "Yoksa", "acaba", "den-", "değil-", "değil-mi-", "mı-", "olmazsa"]·urd["سوائے", "سکتا-ہے", "مگر", "کیا"]
Matt 7:16, Matt 12:23, Matt 26:22, Matt 26:25, Mark 4:21, Mark 14:19, Luke 6:39, Luke 9:13, John 4:29, John 8:22, John 18:35, Acts 10:47 (+5 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
Included with: μήτῐς or μή τις, ὁ, ἡ, neuter μήτῐ, genitive μήτῐνος: (τὶς) old Gr. and Cretan dialect for μηδείς, Refs 8th c.BC+; Cretan dialect dative singular μηδιμί Refs —hence __1 μήτι or μή τι, adverb, with imperative, and infinitive used imperatively, Refs 8th c.BC+: with optative to express a wish, ὄλοιντο μή τι πάντες Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 after Verbs of fear or doubt, Refs 8th c.BC+ __3 in…