Search / G4314
πρός G4314
Prep  |  705× in 8 senses
To, toward; for, in order to; with; at, near; among; against; according to; because of
The preposition pros is one of Greek's most versatile spatial-relational words, governing accusative, dative, and (rarely) genitive cases with distinct nuances. In the New Testament it overwhelmingly takes the accusative, expressing movement toward a person or place. The prologue of John's Gospel famously declares the Word was 'pros ton theon' — toward God, with God, face-to-face with God — compressing directional, associative, and relational force into two words. Beyond its spatial core, pros extends to purpose ('for the sake of'), companionship ('with'), proximity ('at, beside'), opposition ('against'), and conformity ('according to'). Its semantic breadth makes it indispensable for expressing the full range of interpersonal and theological relationships in the epistles and Gospels.
4. proximity: at, near, beside Static proximity: 'at,' 'near,' 'beside,' without implying movement. Matt 3:10 ('the axe is already laid at the root'), Luke 10:39 (Mary sitting 'at the Lord's feet'). Spanish 'ante' (before) and 'a' (at) reflect the positional sense. German 'zu' remains the standard rendering. The 18 occurrences typically mark a scene of presence or readiness, often with a person situated at a significant location. 18×
PROPERTIES_RELATIONS Nature, Class, Example Geography and Space
AR["عَلَى","عِنْدَ"]·ben["-কাছে","কাছে","কাছে-"]·DE["zu","zu-"]·EN["at","at-","toward","with"]·FR["vers-"]·heb["אֶל","אֶל-","אֶצְלְ-","עַל"]·HI["-दान-के-लिए","-पास","-पैरों-के-पास","के-पास","पर","पास","प्रेरितों-के","माँगने"]·ID["dekat","dengan","di","di-hadapan","di-samping","pada"]·IT["verso","verso-"]·jav["cedhak","celak","dhateng","ing","wonten","wonten-ing","wonten-ngarsanipun"]·KO["-에","~에","그-가","날마다","에","에-게","에게"]·PT["ao","aos","convosco","entre","junto","junto-a","junto-à","para","à"]·RU["для-","к","к-","при","при-","у","у-"]·ES["a","alrededor","ante","con","hacia","junto","junto-a"]·SW["karibu-na","kifuani","kwenu-","kwenye","miguuni","upande-wa"]·TR["-a","-de","-e","-o","e-"]·urd["-پاس","-پر","پاس","پاس-","پر"]
▼ 7 more senses below

Senses
1. direction: to, toward The primary directional sense with accusative: 'to,' 'toward,' indicating movement or orientation toward a person, place, or goal. At 520 occurrences this is the overwhelming default. Matt 3:5 ('going out to him'), Matt 3:13 ('Jesus came to the Jordan'). Spanish 'a/hacia,' French 'vers,' and German 'zu' all mark directionality. John 1:1 ('the Word was pros God') may begin here but transcends simple direction into relational presence. 520×
PROPERTIES_RELATIONS Nature, Class, Example Geography and Space
AR["-","إِلى","إِلَى","إِلَي","إِلَيهِ","إِلَيَّ","إِلَيْهِ"]·ben["-কাছে","কাছে","প্রতি"]·DE["zu"]·EN["to","to-"]·FR["vers-"]·heb["אֲלֵיהֶם","אֲלֵיכֶם","אֵלֶיךָ","אֵלַי","אֵלָיו","אֶל","אֶל-","אֶל־"]·HI["-कि-ओर","-के-पअस","-पास","की-ओर","पास"]·ID["kepada","kepadanya","‹kepada›"]·IT["verso"]·jav["dhateng"]·KO["-에게","~에게","~에게로"]·PT["a","a-","aos-","para","às"]·RU["к","к-","ко","ко-"]·ES["a","hacia"]·SW["-","kwa","kwa-","kwa-maana","kwake","kwako","kwangu","kwao","kwenu","manabii","wao","wewe"]·TR["-a","-e"]·urd["-سے","-پاس","-کے-پاس","طرف","پاس"]
2. purpose: for, in order to Purpose or aim: 'for,' 'in order to,' 'with a view to.' Matt 6:1 ('do not practice your righteousness before men to be seen by them') and Matt 5:28 ('everyone who looks at a woman for the purpose of lusting'). Spanish 'para' and French 'pour' map naturally. The 113 occurrences show pros competing with eis for purpose marking, with pros often emphasizing the interpersonal orientation of the intended goal. 113×
PROPERTIES_RELATIONS Nature, Class, Example Geography and Space
AR["إِلَى","لِ","لِ-","لِـ","لِـ-مَاذَا","لِكَيْ","لِلْ"]·ben["-জন্য","-প্রতি","কেন","জন্য","প্রতি"]·DE["zu","zu-"]·EN["for","for-","to","toward","toward-"]·FR["vers-"]·heb["אֶל-","הַ-","כְּדֵי","לְ","לְ-"]·HI["-के-लिए","-के-लिये","की-ओर","के-लिए","केलिए","क्यों","लिए"]·ID["Untuk","dengan","tentang","untuk"]·IT["verso","verso-"]·jav["bab","dhumateng","kangge","kanggé","kanthi-niyat","supados"]·KO["-에-관한","-을-위하여","-을-위한","-을-위해","-을-향하여","-하려고","~에게","~을-위하여","에-대한","에-대해","위하여","위한","위해서이다"]·PT["-para","para","quanto-a"]·RU["-Богу","К-","для","для-","к-","на-","о","с","чтобы"]·ES["Para","hacia","para"]·SW["-","Kwa","ili","kwa","kwa-","kwa-ajili-ya","kwa-lengo-la"]·TR["-e","-için","için","için-","niçin","yarar-"]·urd["-کے-لیے","تاکہ","سفید","لیے","متعلق","کس-لیے","کے-لِیے","کے-لیے"]
3. association: with, in company of Association or accompaniment: 'with,' 'in the presence of,' 'face-to-face with.' This is the theologically pregnant sense of John 1:1 ('the Word was with God'). Matt 26:18 ('I will keep the Passover at your house / with you'). French 'auprès de' and Spanish 'junto a' capture relational proximity. The 39 occurrences reveal pros conveying not mere spatial togetherness but oriented, facing relationship — richer than simple meta or sun. 39×
PROPERTIES_RELATIONS Nature, Class, Example Geography and Space
AR["إِلَى","عِندَ","عِنْدَ","مَعَ"]·ben["-কাছে","-সাথে","কাছে","কাছে-","প্রতি","সঙ্গে","সহ-","সহিত"]·DE["zu","zu-"]·EN["toward","toward-","with"]·FR["vers-"]·heb["אֵצֶל","אֶל","אֶצְלְכֶם","אֶצְלֵנוּ","עִם","עִם-","עִמָּם"]·HI["-पास","-में","-से","और","के-पस","के-साथ","पास","साथ","से"]·ID["Dengan","bersama","dengan"]·IT["verso","verso-"]·jav["dhateng","ing-ngarsanipun","kaliyan","satunggal","wonten-"]·KO["-를-향하여","-에게","-와","-와-함께","~에게","에-게","에게","향하여"]·PT["com","com-","convosco","entre","junto-de","para-com"]·RU["друг-с-","к-","с","с-","у","у-"]·ES["con","con-","junto-a","para-con"]·SW["dhidi-ya","kwa","kwenu","kwetu","na","na-","nao","pamoja-na","wao-kwa-wao"]·TR["-de","-e","-e-karşı","-ile","-yanında","birbirleriyle","eğer-","için-","size","yanınızda-"]·urd["-سے","-کے-ساتھ","ساتھ","سے","پاس","پاس-"]
5. distributive: among Distributive or relational sense within a group: 'among,' 'between,' 'to one another.' Luke 20:5 ('they reasoned among themselves'), Luke 22:23 ('they began to discuss among themselves'). Spanish 'entre' captures the internal-group dynamic. The 8 occurrences show pros marking intra-group deliberation or mutual relationship, a function where it overlaps with en and the reciprocal pronoun allelous.
PROPERTIES_RELATIONS Nature, Class, Example Geography and Space
AR["إِلى","لِـ","مَعَ"]·ben["একে-অপরের","নিজেদের","প্রতি"]·DE["zu"]·EN["against","among","to","toward","with"]·FR["vers-"]·heb["אֶל","בֵּינֵיהֶם-לֵאמֹר","זֶה־אֶל־זֶה"]·HI["प्रति","में","से"]·ID["di-antara","kepada","satu-sama-lain","terhadap"]·IT["verso"]·jav["antawisipun","ing-antawisipun","satunggal-lan-","tumrap"]·KO["향하여"]·PT["contra","entre"]·RU["к","между-"]·ES["entre","hacia"]·SW["kuwahusu","kwa","miongoni-mwa","wao-kwa-wao"]·TR["-e"]·urd["سے-","کے-بارے-میں-"]
6. opposition: against Adversative or hostile orientation: 'against.' Matt 4:6 ('lest you strike your foot against a stone'), Mark 12:12 ('they knew he had spoken the parable against them'). Spanish 'contra' marks hostility explicitly, while French 'vers' often remains neutral, relying on context. Only 3 occurrences in this clearly adversative sense, suggesting the New Testament prefers kata for opposition, reserving pros for directional hostility.
PROPERTIES_RELATIONS Nature, Class, Example Geography and Space
AR["إِلَي","بِ-","بِـ"]·ben["-কাছে","-তে","প্রতি"]·DE["zu","zu-"]·EN["against","against-"]·FR["vers-"]·heb["בְּ","בְּ-","נֶגֶד-"]·HI["उनके-विषय-में","से"]·ID["pada","tentang"]·IT["verso"]·jav["ing","tumrap","wonten-ing"]·KO["-에","에","에게"]·PT["contra"]·RU["о","против"]·ES["contra","hacia"]·SW["dhidi-yao","kwenye"]·TR["-a","-e"]·urd["-سے","بارے-میں","سے"]
7. conformity: according to Conformity or correspondence to a standard: 'according to,' 'in proportion to.' Luke 12:47 ('beaten with many stripes according to his knowledge') and 2 Cor 5:10 ('according to what he has done'). Spanish 'conforme a' and the pattern across languages suggest a measuring or matching function. The 2 occurrences occupy legal or judgment contexts where actions are evaluated against a norm.
PROPERTIES_RELATIONS Nature, Class, Example Geography and Space
AR["حَسَبَ"]·ben["অনুসারে-","প্রতি"]·DE["zu","zu-"]·EN["according-to"]·FR["vers-"]·heb["לְ-","לְפִי"]·HI["अनुसार","के-अनुसार"]·ID["menurut","sesuai-dengan"]·IT["verso","verso-"]·jav["miturut"]·KO["에-대하여","에-따라"]·PT["segundo"]·RU["по","по-"]·ES["conforme-a"]·SW["kulingana-na"]·TR["-e-göre","için-"]·urd["-کے-مطابق","کے-مطابق"]
8. causal: because of Causal sense: 'because of,' 'on account of.' Matt 19:8 ('because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you') and Mark 10:5 (parallel passage). Spanish 'por' and the rendering pattern across languages confirm the causal reading. Only 2 occurrences, both in the same Synoptic tradition about divorce, where pros plus accusative explains the ground or reason behind a legal concession.
PROPERTIES_RELATIONS Nature, Class, Example Geography and Space
AR["بِسَبَبِ"]·ben["কাছে","প্রতি"]·DE["zu","zu-"]·EN["For","because-of"]·FR["vers-"]·heb["לְ-","נֹכַח"]·HI["-कि-ओर","-के-कारण"]·ID["Karena","karena"]·IT["verso"]·jav["Awit-saking","dhateng"]·KO["-에게","~에-대하여"]·PT["Por-causa-da","pela-"]·RU["По-причине","по-причине"]·ES["Por","por"]·SW["-","Kwa-sababu-ya"]·TR["-e","-e-doğru"]·urd["خاطر","کے-باعث"]

BDB / Lexicon Reference
πρός, preposition, expressing direction, __A on the side of, in the direction of, hence with genitive, dative, and accusative, from, at, to: Epic dialect also προτί and ποτί, in Refs 8th c.BC+ usually with accusative, more rarely with dative, and each only once with genitive, Refs 8th c.BC+:—dialectal forms: Doric dialectποτί (which see) and ποί, but Cretan dialect πορτί Refs, Argive προτ() Refs