adverb

kan

Greekκἄν (kan)

Strong’sG2579

and if, even if

stem kan-16 times in the New Testamentin 8 of 27 books

Translated as

even if4×if3×and if2×at least2×even1×even though1×if even1×just1×or1×

What it means

κἄν,

by crasis for καὶ ἄν (= ἐάν; WH, App., 145b; Thayer, s.v.), c. subjunc.,

1. and if: Mk 16:[18], Lk 12:38, Jo 8:55, I Co 13:2, 3, Ja 5:15; c. ellips., Lk 13:9.

2. Concessive, even if: Mt 21:21 26:35, Jo 8:14 10:38 11:25, He 12:20.

3. As intensive of simple καί (M, Pr., 167; WM, 730; Jannaris, Gr., 598), even, at least: Mk 5:28 6:56, Ac 5:15, II Co 11:16.†

G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.

Strong’s G2579 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from

Saidkan

and (or even) if

Fromfrom G2532 and G1437;

King Jamesand (also) if (so much as), if but, at the least, though, yet.

James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.

Every form

This word never changes. It is spelled the same wherever it appears, so there is nothing to learn beyond the word itself.

Words built on the same stem

kana — Κανά, Cana

Where it appears

16 occurrences, every one of them listed

kan13×

Matthew 21:21“even if”apokriniratos de tos Iēsus legata autoi; Amēn legamō vi, ean echaveiō pistian kai mē diakriniveia, ouk monem tem tau sukau poiavi, alla kan te ore houte legaveia; Airisar kai ballisar eis tan thalassan, gineti;“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

Mark 5:28“just”legate gar hoti Ean haptemeia kan teiu himatieiu autou sōzimi.For she kept saying, “If only I touch His garments, I will be healed.”

Mark 6:56“even”kai hopou an eisporeuete eis kōmain ē eis politain ē eis agroin en tai agorai tithale toin asthenarōtoin, kai parakalale auton hina kan teu kraspedeu teu himatieu autou hapteleia; kai hosois an haptela autou sōzile.And wherever He went — villages and towns and countrysides — they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him just to let them touch the fringe of His cloak. And all who touched Him were healed.

John 10:38“even though”ei de poiamō, kan mi mē pisteuaveiō tei ergei pisteuavōr, hina gnōskaveia kai gnōskaveiō hoti en mi tos patēros kamis en to patēro.But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works themselves, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.”

John 11:25“even if”legata auta tos Iēsus; Mis amō tas anastasias kai tas zōas; tos pisteuarōtos eis min kan apothnēskateia zōeti,Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.

2 Corinthians 11:16“at least”Palin legamō, mē tinos min dokateia afrōnon arō ei de mē ge, kan hōs afrōnon dechevar min, hina kamis mikrem tinem kauchemeia;I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.

Mark 16:18“and if”ofioin airali kan thanasimem tinem pinaleia ouk mē autoin blaptateia, epi arrōstoin cheirain epitithali kai kalōs echali.they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”

Luke 12:38“if”kan en ta deutera kan en ta trita fulaka erchateia kai heuriskateia houtōs, makariois alō ekeinois.Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed.

Luke 12:38“or”kan en ta deutera kan en ta trita fulaka erchateia kai heuriskateia houtōs, makariois alō ekeinois.Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed.

Luke 13:9“if”kan men poiateia karpon eis tem mellarōtem ei de mēge, ekkoptasi autan.If it bears fruit next year, fine. But if not, you can cut it down.’”

John 8:55“if”kai ouk gnōskavē auton, mis de oidamē auton; kan legameia hoti ouk oidamē auton, emi homoios vi pseustos; alla oidamē auton kai ton logon autou tēramō.You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word.

Acts 5:15“at least”hōste kai eis tain plateiain ekferarō toin asthenoin kai titharō epi klinarieiu kai krabattoiu, hina ercherōtou Petrou kan tas skias episkiazateia tino autoiu.As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.

James 5:15“and if”kai tas euchas tau pistiau sōzati ton kamnarōton, kai egeirati auton tos kurios; kan hamartain ateiō poiarētos, afiēkiti auto.And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

Kan3×

Matthew 26:35“even if”legatō auto tos Petros; Kan dateiō min sun si apothnēskara, ouk mē sin aparnemi. homoiōs kai pantois tois mathētois legala.Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.

John 8:14“even if”apokrinita Iēsus kai legata autoi; Kan mis marturameiō peri miautou, alēthas atō tas marturias mu, hoti oidamē pothen erchama kai pou hupagamō; vis de ouk oidavē pothen erchemō ē pou hupagamō.Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going.

Hebrews 12:20“if even”ouk ferale gar tem diastellirōtem; Kan thērem thinganateia teu oreu, lithoboliti;For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”