conjunction
de
Strong’sG1161
but, on the other hand, and
stem de-2,777 times in the New Testamentin 26 of 27 booksnever changes form
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
δέ is a small connecting word, one of the most common in Greek, used to link a clause to what has gone before. It carries two related but distinct functions.
Most often it is adversative, meaning "but" or "on the other hand," marking a contrast or distinction between a word or clause and what precedes it 134. It can pair with a preceding μέν to set two things against each other, or stand alone with the same effect, including after a negative statement 13.
At other times it is simply copulative, meaning "and," "now," or "moreover," continuing a narrative, introducing a new topic, adding an explanatory remark, or marking a transition rather than a contrast 1234. In this connective use it is frequently left untranslated in English, since English does not always need a word to mark the transition 2. It can also appear doubled with a preceding word for emphasis, or in the combination "and...also" 1.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
δέ (before vowels δ’; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, v. WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96),
post-positive conjunctive particle;G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1161 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saiddeh
but, and, etc.
Froma primary particle (adversative or continuative);
King Jamesalso, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
but: adversative and copulative Particle,
I answering to μέν (which see), τὴν νῦν μὲν Βοιωτίαν, πρότερον δὲ Καδμηίδα γῆν καλουμένην Refs 5th c.BC+
II without preceding μέν,
II.1 adversative, expressing distinct opposition, αἰεί τοι τὰ κάκ᾽ ἐστὶ φίλα.. μαντεύεσθαι, ἐσθλὸν δ᾽ οὔτε τί πω εἶπαςRefs 5th c.BC+; so in Prose, οὐκ ἐπὶ κακῷ, ἐλευθερώσει δέ.. Refs 5th c.BC+
II.2 copulative,
II.2.a in explanatory clauses, ξυνέβησαν.. τὰ μακρὰ τείχη ἑλεῖν (ἦν δὲ σταδίων μάλιστα ὀκτώ) Refs 8th c.BC+: when a substantive is followed by words in apposition, Ἀρισταγόρῃ τῷ Μιλησίῳ, δούλῳ δὲ ἡμετέρῳ Refs 5th c.BC+; so in answers, διπλᾶ λέγειν. —Answ. διπλᾶδ᾽ ὁρᾶν Refs
II.2.b in enumerations or transitions, Refs 8th c.BC+; with repetition of a word in different relations, ὣς Ἀχιλεὺς θάμβησεν.., θάμβησαν δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι Refs 8th c.BC+; in rhetorical outbursts, οὐκ ἂν εὐθέως εἴποιεν· τὸν δὲ βάσκανον, τὸν δὲ ὄλεθρον, τοῦτον δὲ ὑβρίζειν,—ἀναπνεῖν δέ. Refs 4th c.BC+; in a climax, πᾶν γύναιον καὶ παιδίον καὶ θηρίον δέ nay even beast, Refs 5th c.BC+; in the combination καὶ δέ Refs 8th c.BC+
II.2.c answering to τε (which see), ἃ τῶν τε ἀποβαινόντων ἕνεκα ἄξια κεκτῆσθαι, πολὺ δὲ μᾶλλον αὐτὰ αὑτῶν Refs 5th c.BC+
II.3 implying causal connexion, less direct than γάρ, Refs 8th c.BC+
II.4 in questions, with implied opposition, ἑόρακας δ᾽, ἔφη, τὴν γυναῖκ; Refs 5th c.BC+
II.4.b τί δ; what then? to mark a transition in dialogue; see at {τίς}.
II in apodosi:
II.1 after hypothetical clauses, εἰ δέ κε μὴ δώωσιν, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι if they will not give it, then I.., Refs 8th c.BC+
II.1.b after temporal or relative clauses, with ἐπεί, ἕως, etc., Refs 8th c.BC+; with demonstrative Pronouns or adverbs answering to a preceding relative, οἵηπερ φύλλων γενεή, τοίη δὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν Refs 8th c.BC+: sometimes after a participle, οἰόμενοι.. τιμῆς τεύξεσθαι, ἀντὶ δὲ τούτων οὐδ᾽ ὅμοιοι.. ἐσόμεθα Refs 5th c.BC+
II.2 to resume after an interruption or parenthesis, χρόνου δὲ ἐπιγινομένου καὶ κατεστραμμένων σχεδὸν πάντων..,—κατεστραμμένων δὲ τούτων.. Refs 5th c.BC+; with an anacoluthon, ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ ἄρα,—οἷ ἂν θεὸς θέλῃ.. τῇ ἐμῇ ψυχῇ ἰτέον, αὕτη δὲ δή.. Refs 5th c.BC+
II.3 to begin a story, ἦμος δ᾽ ἠέλιος.. well, when the sun.., Refs 8th c.BC+
II.4 to introduce a proof, τεκμήριον δέ, σημεῖον δέ, (see entry).
B POSITION of δέ. It usually stands second: hence frequently between Article and substantive or preposition and case; but also after substantive, or words forming a connected notion, hence it may stand third, γυναῖκα πιστὴν δ᾽ ἐν δόμοις εὕροι Refs 5th c.BC+; so in Prose after a negative, οὐχ ὑπ᾽ ἐραστοῦ δέ, to avoid confusion between οὐ δέ and οὐδέ, Refs 5th c.BC+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
15 rarer renderings are not shown; every occurrence below carries the English it was given there.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
2,777 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
de100×
Matthew 1:2Abraam gennata ton Isaak, Isaak de gennata ton Iakōb, Iakōb de gennata …… Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and …
Matthew 1:2… Isaak de gennata ton Iakōb, Iakōb de gennata ton Ioudon kai toin adelfoin …… and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Matthew 1:3Ioudos de gennata ton Fares kai ton Zara …Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father …
Matthew 1:3“and”… ton Zara ek tau Thamar, Fares de gennata ton Hesrōm, Hesrōm de gennata …… Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father …
Matthew 1:3“and”… Fares de gennata ton Hesrōm, Hesrōm de gennata ton Aram,… by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.
Matthew 1:4“and”Aram de gennata ton Aminadab, Aminadab de gennata …Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father …
Matthew 1:4“and”Aram de gennata ton Aminadab, Aminadab de gennata ton Naassōn, Naassōn de gennata …Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father …
Matthew 1:4… Aminadab de gennata ton Naassōn, Naassōn de gennata ton Salmōn,… Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon.
Matthew 1:5“and”Salmōn de gennata ton Boes ek tau Rachab, …Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the …
Matthew 1:5“and”… ton Boes ek tau Rachab, Boes de gennata ton Iōbēd ek tau Routh, …… father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, Obed the …
Matthew 1:5“and”… ton Iōbēd ek tau Routh, Iōbēd de gennata ton Iessai,… father of Obed by Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,
Matthew 1:6Iessai de gennata ton David ton basilevon. David …and Jesse the father of David the …
Matthew 1:6“and”… gennata ton David ton basilevon. David de gennata ton Solomōnon ek tau tou …and Jesse the father of David the king. Next: David was the father of Solomon by Uriah’s wife,
Matthew 1:7“and”Solomōnos de gennata ton Roboam, Roboam de gennata …Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father …
Matthew 1:7“and”Solomōnos de gennata ton Roboam, Roboam de gennata ton Abia, Abia de gennata …Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father …
Matthew 1:7… Roboam de gennata ton Abia, Abia de gennata ton Asaf,… Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa.
Matthew 1:8“and”Asaf de gennata ton Iōsafat, Iōsafat de gennata …Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father …
Matthew 1:8“and”Asaf de gennata ton Iōsafat, Iōsafat de gennata ton Iōram, Iōram de gennata …Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father …
Matthew 1:8… Iōsafat de gennata ton Iōram, Iōram de gennata ton Ozion,… Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah.
Matthew 1:9“and”Ozios de gennata ton Iōatham, Iōatham de gennata …Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father …
Matthew 1:9“and”Ozios de gennata ton Iōatham, Iōatham de gennata ton Achaz, Achaz de gennata …Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father …
Matthew 1:9… Iōatham de gennata ton Achaz, Achaz de gennata ton Hezekion,… Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Matthew 1:10“and”Hezekios de gennata ton Manasson, Manassos de gennata …Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father …
Matthew 1:10“and”Hezekios de gennata ton Manasson, Manassos de gennata ton Amōs, Amōs de gennata …Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father …
Matthew 1:10“and”… Manassos de gennata ton Amōs, Amōs de gennata ton Iōsion,… of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah,
Matthew 1:11Iōsios de gennata ton Iechonion kai toin adelfoin …and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and …
Matthew 1:12“and”Meta de tan metoikesian Babulōnau Iechonios gennata ton …After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the …
Matthew 1:12“and”… Babulōnau Iechonios gennata ton Salathiēl, Salathiēl de gennata ton Zorobabel,… exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Matthew 1:13“and”Zorobabel de gennata ton Abioud, Abioud de gennata …Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father …
Matthew 1:13“and”Zorobabel de gennata ton Abioud, Abioud de gennata ton Eliakim, Eliakim de gennata …Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father …
Matthew 1:13… Abioud de gennata ton Eliakim, Eliakim de gennata ton Azōr,… Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor.
Matthew 1:14“and”Azōr de gennata ton Sadōk, Sadōk de gennata …Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father …
Matthew 1:14“and”Azōr de gennata ton Sadōk, Sadōk de gennata ton Achim, Achim de gennata …Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father …
Matthew 1:14… Sadōk de gennata ton Achim, Achim de gennata ton Elioud,… Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud.
Matthew 1:15“and”Elioud de gennata ton Eleazar, Eleazar de gennata …Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father …
Matthew 1:15“and”Elioud de gennata ton Eleazar, Eleazar de gennata ton Matthan, Matthan de gennata …Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father …
Matthew 1:15“and”… Eleazar de gennata ton Matthan, Matthan de gennata ton Iakōb,… of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob,
Matthew 1:16Iakōb de gennata ton Iōsēf ton andron Mariau, …and Jacob the father of Joseph, the …
Matthew 1:18“now”Tou de Iēsu christou tas genesias houtōs ate. …… is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in …
Matthew 1:19“so”Iōsēf de tos andros autau, dikaios arōntos kai …Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and was unwilling …
Matthew 1:20houteim de autou enthumirantou idou angelos kuriou kata …But after he had pondered these things …
Matthew 1:21“and”tikteti de huion kai kalasi tem onomem autou …… to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because …
Matthew 1:22“now”houtem de holem genatē hina plēriteia tem legirantem …All this took place to fulfill what the …
Matthew 1:24“and”egerirantos de tos Iōsēf apo tou hupnou poiata …When Joseph woke up, he did as the …
Matthew 2:1“now”Tou de Iēsu gennirantou en Bēthleem tau Ioudaiau …After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the …
Matthew 2:3“and”akouarantos de tos basilevos Hērōdos tarassita kai pantas …When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with …
Matthew 2:5“so”tois de legala auto; En Bēthleem tau Ioudaiau; …“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for …
Matthew 2:8… exetazavar akribōs peri teu paidieu; epan de heuriskaveia, apangelavar mi, hopōs kamis ercharantos …… and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to …
Matthew 2:9tois de akouarantois tou basilevou poreuila, kai idou …After they had heard the king, they …
Matthew 2:10“now”horarantois de ton asteron chairila charan megan sfodra.When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight.
Matthew 2:13“now”Anachōrarantoiu de autoiu idou angelos kuriou fanotō kata …… Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream …
Matthew 2:14tos de egerirantos paralabata tem paidiem kai tan …So he got up, took the Child …
Matthew 2:19“but”Teleutarantou de tou Hērōdou idou angelos kuriou fanotō …After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a …
Matthew 2:21tos de egerirantos paralabata tem paidiem kai tan …So Joseph got up, took the Child …
Matthew 2:22akouarantos de hoti Archelaos basilatō tau Ioudaiau anti …But when he learned that Archelaus was …
Matthew 2:22… autou Hērōdou fobita ekei aperchara; chrēmatizirantos de kata onarem anachōrata eis teim mereim …… he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a dream …
Matthew 3:1“now”En de tai hēmerai ekeinai paragenotō Iōannos tos …In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in …
Matthew 3:4“now”autos de tos Iōannos echate tem endumem autou …John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His …
Matthew 3:4“and”… dermatinan peri tan osfuan autou, tas de trofēas ate autou akridais kai melitem …… with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
Matthew 3:7Horarantos de polloin toiu Farisaioiu kai Saddoukaioiu erchorōntoin …But when John saw many of the …
Matthew 3:10“now”ēdē de tas axinas pros tan rizan teiu …The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and …
Matthew 3:11… baptizamō en hude eis metanoian; tos de opisō mu erchorōntos ischuroteros mu atō, …… baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more …
Matthew 3:12… siton autou eis tan apothēkan, tem de achurem katakaiati pure asbeste.… gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff …
Matthew 3:14tos de Iōannos diakōluate auton legarōntos; Mis chreian …But John tried to prevent Him, saying …
Matthew 3:15“but”apokrinirantos de tos Iēsus legata pros auton; Afiēkasar …“Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all …
Matthew 3:16baptizirantos de tos Iēsus euthuos anabainata apo teu …… water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God …
Matthew 4:4tos de apokrinirantos legata; Grafotē; Ouk epi arto …But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man …
Matthew 4:12“now”Akouarantos de hoti Iōannos paradōita anachōrata eis tan …When Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, He withdrew to Galilee.
Matthew 4:18“now”Peripatarōntos de para tan thalassan tau Galilaiau horata …… Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers …
Matthew 4:20tois de eutheōs afiēkarantois teim diktueim akolouthala auto.And at once they left their nets …
Matthew 4:22tois de eutheōs afiēkarantois tem ploiem kai ton …and immediately they left the boat and …
Matthew 5:1“now”Horarantos de toin ochloin anabainata eis tem orem; …When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain and sat …
Matthew 5:13… avō tem halatem tau gēau; ean de tem halatem mōraniteia, en tine haliziti? …… are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor …
Matthew 5:19… en ta basileia toiu ouranoiu; hos de an poiateia kai didaskateia, houtos megos …… least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will …
Matthew 5:21… legita toi archaioi; Ouk foneuasi; hos de an foneuateia, enochos eti ta krisia.… to the ancients, ‘Do not murder’ and ‘Anyone who murders will be subject …
Matthew 5:22mis de legamō vi hoti pantos tos orgizorōntos …But I tell you that anyone who …
Matthew 5:22“and”… autou enochos eti ta krisia; hos de an legateia to adelfo autou; Raka, …… angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But …
Matthew 5:22“and”… Raka, enochos eti te sunedrie; hos de an legateia; Mōror, enochos eti eis …… brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of …
Matthew 5:28mis de legamō vi hoti pantos tos bleparōntos …But I tell you that anyone who …
Matthew 5:29“and”ei de tos ofthalmos su tos dexos skandalizatō …If your right eye causes you to …
Matthew 5:31Legita de; Hos an apoluateia tan gunaikan autou, …It has also been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife …
Matthew 5:32mis de legamō vi hoti pantos tos apoluarōntos …But I tell you that anyone who …
Matthew 5:33… legita toi archaioi; Ouk epiorkasi, apodōasi de to kurio toin horkoin su.… ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
Matthew 5:34mis de legamō vi mē omnuara holōs; mēte …But I tell you not to swear …
Matthew 5:37“but”atōr de tos logos vu nai nai, ou …… let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything …
Matthew 5:37… vu nai nai, ou ou; tem de perissem houteiu ek tou ponērou atō.Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes …
Matthew 5:39mis de legamō vi mē antistēara te ponēre; …But I tell you not to resist …
Matthew 5:44mis de legamō vi, agapavōr toin echthroin vu …But I tell you, love your enemies …
Matthew 6:1“and”Prosechavōr de tan dikaiosunan vu mē poiarō emprosthen …“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to …
Matthew 6:1“*”… anthrōpoiu pros tem theasira autoi; ei de mē ge, misthon ouk echavō para …… acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father …
Matthew 6:3su de poiarōntou eleēmosunan mē gnōskatar tas aristeras …But when you give to the needy …
Matthew 6:6sis de hotan proseuchoseiō, eiserchasar eis tem tameiem …But when you pray, go into your …
Matthew 6:7Proseuchorōntois de mē battalogaveia hōsper tois ethnikois, dokalō …And when you pray, do not babble …
Matthew 6:15ean de mē afiēkaveia toi anthrōpoi, oude tos …But if you do not forgive men …
Matthew 6:16“and”Hotan de nēsteuaveiō, mē genovōr hōs tois hupokritois …When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they …
Matthew 6:17sis de nēsteuarōntos aleifesar su tan kefalan kai …But when you fast, anoint your head …
Matthew 6:20thēsaurizavōr de vi thēsauroin en ourano, hopou oute …But store up for yourselves treasures in …
Matthew 6:23ean de tos ofthalmos su ponēros ateiō, holem …But if your eyes are bad, your …
Matthew 6:27“and”tinos de ek vu merimnarōntos dunotō prostithara epi …Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
Matthew 6:29legamō de vi hoti oude Solomōnos en panta …Yet I tell you that not even …