πρότερος G4386
Former, formerly, before — indicating what came earlier in time, whether as adjective or adverb
The comparative form πρότερος (proteros) expresses temporal priority — 'former' as an adjective or 'formerly, before' as an adverb. Jesus asks the disciples, 'What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?' (John 6:62). Nicodemus is identified as the one who came to Jesus 'formerly' (John 7:50), and the man born blind is recognized by those who saw him 'before' as a beggar (John 9:8). Paul recounts that he preached in Galatia 'the former time' (Gal 4:13), and Ephesians 4:22 commands putting off the 'former manner of life.' Hebrews 4:6 refers to those who 'formerly' received the good news. Spanish 'anteriormente/antes' and Hindi 'pahle' capture the consistent temporal meaning.
Senses
1. former / formerly / before — Comparative adjective or adverb indicating temporal priority — what came before in time, rendered 'former, formerly, before, at first.' Applied adverbially to describe prior actions (John 7:50, Nicodemus coming 'formerly'; John 9:8, the blind man seen 'before'; Gal 4:13, Paul's earlier visit) and adjectivally to characterize a previous state (Eph 4:22, the 'former manner of life'; 1 Tim 1:13, Paul's 'former' blasphemy). Hebrews uses it for those who 'formerly' heard the gospel (Heb 4:6). Spanish 'anteriormente/anterior,' Arabic 'saabiqan,' and Korean 'ijeon-e' uniformly reflect temporal anteriority. 11×
AR["أَوَّلاً","أَوَّلًا","الأَوَّلونَ","السابِقَةِ","السّابِقَةِ","سابِقاً","سابِقًا","سَابِقَة"]·ben["আগে","আগে,","পূর্ব","পূর্বে","পূর্বের","প্রথমবার;","প্রথমে"]·DE["frueher"]·EN["before","for-","former","former-time","formerly"]·FR["auparavant"]·heb["בָּ-רִאשׁוֹנָה","הַקֹּדֶמֶת","לְ-פָנִים","לְפָנִים","מִקֹּדֶם","קֹדֶם","רִאשׁוֹנִים","רִאשׁוֹנִית"]·HI["पहले","पहले?","पेहले","पेहले;"]·ID["dahulu","lebih-dahulu","pertama-kali","sebelumnya"]·IT["prima","primo","proteron"]·jav["rumiyin","rumiyin,","rumiyin?","saderengipun","sakdèrèngipun","wau;"]·KO["먼저","이전에","이전의","전의","처음;"]·PT["anterior","anteriores","anteriormente","antes","primeiro"]·RU["прежде","прежде,","прежнему","прежние","прежним"]·ES["anterior","anteriores","anteriormente","antes","primero"]·SW["awali","kabla","kwanza","kwanza,","maisha-ya-zamani","mara-ya-kwanza","za-awali","za-kwanza","zamani"]·TR["ilkinde","onceki","size","önce","önceden","önceki"]·urd["پہلی","پہلے","پہلے-کی","پہلے-کے"]
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
πρότερος and πρῶτος, comparative and superlative formed from πρό, opposed to ὕστερος, ὕστατος. comparative πρότερος, α, ον, __I of Place, before, in front, π. πόδες the fore-feet, Refs 8th c.BC+; π. ἵπποι horses in front, Refs 5th c.BC+ — but mostly, __II of Time, former, earlier, ἄνδρες Refs 8th c.BC+; οἱ π. men of former times, Refs 8th c.BC+: also, older, opposed to ὁπλότερος, Refs; but παῖδες…