Lesson 10 | Odds & Ends, Part 2
[2] Negation
There is more than one way to say no: No. Not. Do not. No way. Never!
So it is in NT Greek. Here are five ways to say no:
1. οὐ[κ] + indicative
οὐ γὰρ Δαυεὶδ ἀνέβη εἰς τοὺς οὐρανούς For David did not ascend into the heavens —Acts 2:34
2. οὐ[κ] + future indicative (functions as a prohibition)
οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου. You shall not test the Lord, your God —Matthew 4:7
3. μή + imperative (note the difference in aspect between the two examples below)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος αὐτῇ, μὴ φοβοῦ, Μαριάμ And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary” (i.e. “Do not go on being afraid”) —Luke 1:30
μὴ οὖν φοβηθῆτε αὐτούς So have no fear of them —Matthew 10:26
4. μή + aorist subjunctive (this is another way to express a prohibition; it is stronger than οὐ + future indicative)
Ἰωσὴφ, υἱὸς Δαυείδ, μὴ φοβηθῇς παραλαβεῖν Μαρίαν τὴν γυναῖκά σου “Joseph, son of David, you must not fear to take Mary as your wife” —Matthew 1:20
5. οὐ μή + aorist subjunctive (the strongest negation possible)
καὶ τὸν ἐρχόμενον πρός ἐμὲ, οὐ μὴ ἐκβάλω ἔξω And whoever comes to me, I will never cast out. —John 6:37