ὀπίσω G3694
after, behind, back — spatial or temporal adverb for following, being behind, or turning backward
Opiso is an adverb and improper preposition meaning 'behind,' 'after,' or 'back,' appearing 35 times in the New Testament. Its most theologically charged use is in the discipleship formula: 'come after me' (deute opiso mou, Matt 4:19; Mark 1:17; Luke 9:23), where physical following becomes a metaphor for radical commitment. The same construction carries negative weight when Jesus rebukes Peter — 'get behind me, Satan' (hypage opiso mou, Matt 16:23; Mark 8:33). The warning against looking back (eis ta opiso) echoes Lot's wife: 'no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom' (Luke 9:62; cf. 17:31). John the Baptist's humility formula — 'the one coming after me' (ho opiso mou erchomenos) — uses the temporal-sequential sense (Matt 3:11; John 1:15, 27, 30).
Senses
1. after, behind, back — An adverb and preposition expressing spatial position behind, temporal sequence after, or directional movement backward. Three dominant New Testament patterns emerge: the discipleship call deute opiso mou ('come after me,' Matt 4:19; 16:24; Mark 8:34), establishing following as the essence of discipleship; the Baptist's subordination formula ho opiso mou erchomenos ('the one coming after me,' Matt 3:11; John 1:15, 27), marking temporal and hierarchical sequence; and the 'looking back' warning eis ta opiso (Luke 9:62; 17:31; John 6:66), evoking apostasy or regression. Spanish 'detras de' and French 'derriere' capture the spatial core, while German 'hinter/nach' reflects the spatial-temporal duality. 35×
AR["الْآتِي-بَعْدِي","بَعْدِي","خَلفَهُ","وَراءَ","وَرَاءَ","وَرَائِي"]·ben["-পিছনে","পরে","পশ্চাতে","পিছনে","পেছনে","পেছনে-"]·DE["hinter"]·EN["after","after-","behind"]·FR["derrière"]·heb["אַחֲרֵי","אַחֲרֵיהֶם","אַחֲרַי","אַחֲרָיו","מֵ-אַחֲרַי","מֵאָחוֹר"]·HI["-के-पेएछे","पीछे","पेएचे","मेरे"]·ID["di-belakang","ikut","ke-belakang","mengikuti","sesudah"]·IT["dietro"]·jav["ing-wingking","ndhereraken","saking-wingking","sawingkingipun","sawisé","wingking","wonten-ing-sawingkingipun","wonten-ing-wingking","wonten-wingking"]·KO["~뒤에","뒤-로","뒤-를","뒤-에","뒤-에서","뒤로","뒤를","뒤에","뒤에서"]·PT["após","após-","atrás","atrás-de","depois","depois-de","para-trás","por-detrás"]·RU["вслед","вслед-","за","за-","позади","сзади"]·ES["después-de","detrás","detrás-de","en-pos-de","tras"]·SW["kumfuata","nyuma","nyuma-ya","nyuma-yake","nyuma-yangu","umemfuata","wakifuata"]·TR["ardıma","ardımdan","ardından","arkama","arkamda","arkamdan","arkasında","arkasından","peşinden"]·urd["-کے-پیچھے","بعد","پیچھے"]
Matt 3:11, Matt 4:19, Matt 10:38, Matt 16:23, Matt 16:24, Matt 24:18, Mark 1:7, Mark 1:17, Mark 1:20, Mark 8:33, Mark 8:34, Mark 13:16 (+23 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
ὀπίσω [ῐ], Epic dialect ὀπίσσω, the former rare in Refs 8th c.BC+; Aeolic dialect ὐπίσσω Refs 7th c.BC+:— adverb: __I of Place, backwards, opposed to to πρόσω, Refs 8th c.BC+; to προπρηνές,Refs 8th c.BC+ contraction τοὐπίσω, τὸ ὀ. φεύγειν Refs 5th c.BC+; τὰ ὀ. the hinder parts, LXX+1st c.BC+ on the back (of the papyrus), Refs 1st c.BC+; τἀπίλοιπα ὀ. Refs 2nd c.BC+ __I.2 back, back again, of…