adverb
mallon
Strong’sG3123
more, rather
stem mall-81 times in the New Testamentin 17 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
μᾶλλον is a comparative adverb meaning to a greater degree, more 234. It can stand alone or be strengthened by other words, as in the intensified form "much more" 23, and can also carry the sense of "the more and more" or "so much the more," indicating an increasing degree 2.
μᾶλλον also means rather, instead, expressing a preference for one thing over another 24.
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
μᾶλλον, v.s. μάλα.
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3123 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidmal'-lon
(adverbially) more (in a greater degree)) or rather
Fromneuter of the comparative of the same as G3122;
King James+ better, X far, (the) more (and more), (so) much (the more), rather.
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 Refs 8th c.BC+ sometimes uses the ultima long before λ, Refs 8th c.BC+; before μ, Refs adverb very, exceedingly, prefixed or subjoined to Adjectives, Verbs, and Adverbs:
II comparative μᾶλλον [ᾱ by nature, Hdn.Gr.Refsμάλιον [ᾰ] only in Refs 7th c.BC+; late Doric dialect μαλλότερον Refs 5th c.AD+:—more, rather, Refs 8th c.BC+ more than is expedient, Refs 5th c.BC+; παντὸς μ. most assuredly, Refs 5th c.BC+: denoting a constant increase, more and more, sometimes doubled, μ. μ. Refs 5th c.BC+: in positive sense, exceedingly, κηρόθι μ. Refs 8th c.BC+ —Usage:
II.1 frequently strengthened by other words, πολὺ μ. NT+8th c.BC+ somewhat more, μ. τι περιημέκτεε Refs 5th c.BC+
II.2 sometimes with a second comparative, ῥηΐτεροι μ. Refs 8th c.BC+
II.3 μᾶλλον δέ much more.., or rather.., to correct a statement already made, ὁ δεσπότης πέπραγεν εὐτυχέστατα, μ. δ᾽ ὁ Πλοῦτος αὐτός Refs 5th c.BC+; οὐχὶ μ. ἤ.. not so, but rather so.., Refs 5th c.BC+
II.4 μ. δὲ καὶ ἡσυχαίτερα more or less violent, Refs
II.5 οὐδὲν μ. none the more,Refs 5th c.BC+; μηδέν τι μ. ἤ.. Refs 5th c.BC+
II.6 μ. ἤ.. followed by οὐ in comparisons, where preference implies rejection or denial, πόλιν ὅλην διαφθεῖραι μᾶλλον ἤ οὐ τοὺς αἰτίους Refs 5th c.BC+: preceded by another negative, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.7 τὸ μ. καὶ ἧττον, a form of argument, a fortiori, Refs 4th c.BC+
II.8 παντὸς μ., see at {πᾶς} Refs
III superlative μάλιστα most of all, above all, Refs 8th c.BC+; μ. μὲν.., ἔπειτα or ἔπειτα δέ.., first and above all.., next.., Refs 5th c.BC+; μ. μὲν.., δεύτερον δὲ.. Refs 4th c.BC+; μ. μὲν.., εἰ δὲ μὴ.. Refs 5th c.BC+; μάλιστα μὲν.., μᾶλλον μέντοι.. Refs 5th c.BC+; μάλιστα.., εἰ μὴ δ᾽.. Refs 5th c.BC+; δοκέων μιν μ. ταύτης ἂν πείθεσθαι certainly, Refs 5th c.BC+; τί μ.; what precisely? Refs 5th c.BC+; τὸ μ. πάντων the supreme reality, Refs 3rd c.AD+; τὸ μ. εἶναι the highest degree of being, Refs
III.1 strengthened, ὡς μ. certainly, Refs 5th c.BC+
III.2 with the Article, ἐς τὰ μ. in the highest degree, Refs 5th c.BC+; εἰ τὰ μ. ἦσαν ἀληθεῖς if they were ever so true, Refs 4th c.BC+; εἰ τὰ μ. μὴ τινές, ἀλλὰ πάντες.. if (to put an extreme case) not some, but all.., Refs; ἀνὴρ δόκιμος ὁμοῖα τῷ μ. as famous as he that is most [famous], Refs 5th c.BC+
III.2.b ἐν τοῖς μ. especially, as much as any, Refs 5th c.BC+: with a superlative, ἐν τοῖς μ. ὠμότατος Refs 2nd c.AD+
III.3 added to a superlative (see. μάλα Refs 8th c.BC+
III.4 μάλιστα for μᾶλλον, μ. τῆς κόρης Refs 5th c.BC+
III.5 with numerals, in round numbers, about, Refs 5th c.BC+; πεντήκοντα μάλισταRefs 5th c.BC+; ἐς μέσον μάλιστά κῃ about the middle, Refs 5th c.BC+; μ. σφᾶς μεσοῦν δειπνοῦντας that they were about the middle of supper, Refs 5th c.BC+
III.6 in answers, most certainly, Refs 5th c.BC+. (Orig. perhaps fiercely, compare μαλερός.)
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.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
81 occurrences, every one of them listed
mallon81×
Matthew 6:26… tos ouranios trefatō auteim; ouk vis mallon diaferavō auteiu?… feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Matthew 6:30… tos theos houtōs amfiennuatō, ouk polle mallon vin, oligopistoir?… the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little …
Matthew 7:11… agatheim dōarō tei teknei vu, pose mallon tos patros vu tos en toi …… gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give …
Matthew 10:6poreuovōr de mallon pros teim probateim teim apolarēnteim oikou …Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.
Matthew 10:25… ei ton oikodespoton Beelzeboul epikalala, pose mallon toin oikiakoin autou.… has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
Matthew 10:28“rather”… psuchan mē dunorōntoiu apoktenara; fobovōr de mallon ton dunorōnton kai psuchan kai sōmem …… but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 18:13… legamō vi hoti chairatō epi aute mallon ē epi tei enenēkonta ennea tei …… truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over …
Matthew 25:9… mē arkateia ni kai vi; poreuovōr mallon pros toin pōlarōntoin kai agorazavar heautai.… enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil …
Matthew 27:24“rather”… tos Pilatos hoti oudenem ōfelatō alla mallon thorubos genotō labarantos hudem aponipteta tain …When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands …
Mark 5:26“rather”… autau panteim kai mēdenem ōfelirantas alla mallon eis tem cheirōnem ercharantas,She had borne much agony under the care of many physicians and had spent all she had, but to no avail. Instead, her condition had only grown worse.
Mark 7:36… legaleiō; hosem de autoi diastelote, autois mallon perissoteron kērussale.… the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it.
Mark 9:42“rather”… pisteuarōntoiu eis min, kalem atō auto mallon ei perikeiotō mulos onikos peri ton …But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck …
Mark 10:48“even more”… pollois hina siōpateia; tos de polle mallon krazate; Huior David, elēasar min.Many people admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Mark 15:11… de archierevois anaseiala ton ochlon hina mallon ton Barabbon apoluateia autoi.… have him release Barabbas to them instead.
Luke 5:15“even more”dierchote de mallon tos logos peri autou, kai sunerchole …But the news about Jesus spread all the more, and great crowds …
Luke 11:13… agatheim dōarō tei teknei vu, pose mallon tos patros tos ek ouranou dōati …… gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give …
Luke 12:24… kai tos theos trefatō autoin; pose mallon vis diaferavō teiu peteineiu.… yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds!
Luke 12:28… balorōnton tos theos houtōs amfiazatō, pose mallon vin, oligopistoir.… thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O you …
Luke 18:39“more”… auto hina sigateia; autos de polle mallon krazate; Huior David, elēasar min.… way admonished him to be silent, but he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
John 3:19… ton kosmon kai agapala tois anthrōpois mallon tem skotem ē tem fōtem, ate …… world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds …
John 5:18“all the more”dia houtem oun mallon zētale auton tois Ioudaiois apoktenara hoti …Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only …
John 12:43agapala gar tan doxan toiu anthrōpoiu mallon ēper tan doxan tou theou.For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
John 19:8… akouata tos Pilatos houton ton logon, mallon fobita,… heard this statement, he was even more afraid,
Acts 4:19… atō enōpion tou theou vu akouarō mallon ē tou theou, krinavar,… God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.
Acts 5:14mallon de prostithole pisteuarōntois to kurio plētheim …Yet more and more believers were brought to …
Acts 5:29… tois apostolois legala; Peitharcharō datō theo mallon ē anthrōpoi.… apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
Acts 9:22Saulos de mallon endunamote kai sunchate toin Ioudaioin toin …But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living …
Acts 20:35… Iēsu hoti autos legata Makariem atō mallon dōarō ē labarō.… the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Acts 22:2… hoti ta Hebraida dialekta prosfōnate autoi mallon parechala hēsuchian. kai fēatō;… to them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet. Then Paul declared,
Acts 27:11“more”… hekatontarchēos to kubernēto kai to nauklēro mallon peithote ē tei hupo Paulou legorōntei.… advice, the centurion was persuaded by the pilot and by the owner of the ship.
Romans 5:9polle oun mallon dikaiirantois nun en te haime autou …… justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath …
Romans 5:10… tou thanatou tou huiou autou, polle mallon katallaxirantois sōzini en ta zōa autou;… death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be …
Romans 5:15… henou paraptōme tois pollois apothnēskala, polle mallon tas charitas tou theou kai tas …… of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift …
Romans 5:17… thanatos basilata dia tou henou, polle mallon tois tan perisseian tau charitau kai …… through that one man, how much more will those who receive the abundance …
Romans 8:34tinos tos katakrinarōntos? Christos tos apothnēskarantos, mallon de egerirantos, hos kai atō en …… For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at …
Romans 11:12“more”… tem hēttēmem autoiu ploutos ethneiu, pose mallon tem plērōmem autoiu.But if their trespass means riches for the world, and their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!
Romans 11:24… para fusian enkentrizisa eis kallielaian, pose mallon houtois tois kata fusian enkentrizili ta …… one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches …
Romans 14:13“rather”… oun allēloin krinaneiō; alla houtem krinavar mallon, tem mē titharō proskommem to adelfo …Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
1 Corinthians 5:2kai vis fusiorēntois avō, kai ouchi mallon penthava, hina airiteia ek meseu vu …And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been stricken with grief and …
1 Corinthians 6:7… echavō meta heautoiu; dia tinem ouchi mallon adikovō? dia tinem ouchi mallon aposterovō?… are thoroughly defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be …
1 Corinthians 6:7… ouchi mallon adikovō? dia tinem ouchi mallon aposterovō?… not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?
1 Corinthians 7:21“rather”… alla ei kai dunosō eleutheros genera, mallon chresar.… concern you— but if you can gain your …
1 Corinthians 9:12… allosois tau vu exousiau metechalō, ouk mallon nis? Alla ouk chrena ta exousia …… shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this …
1 Corinthians 9:15… geneteia en mi, kalem gar mi mallon apothnēskara ē tem kauchēmem mu oudenos …… done for me. Indeed, I would rather die than let anyone nullify my …
1 Corinthians 12:22“more”alla polle mallon teim dokarōnteim meleim teu sōmeu asthenotereim …On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
1 Corinthians 14:1… tan agapan, zēlavōr de teim pneumatikeim, mallon de hina profēteuaveiō.… love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
1 Corinthians 14:5“even more”thelamō de pantoin vin lalarō glōssai, mallon de hina profēteuaveiō; megoteros de tos …I wish that all of you could speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one …
1 Corinthians 14:18eucharistamō to theo, pantoiu vu mallon glōssai lalamō;… God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
2 Corinthians 2:7“rather”hōste tounantion mallon vin charizera kai parakalara, mē pōs …So instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will …
2 Corinthians 3:8pōs ouchi mallon tas diakonias teu pneumeu eti en …… the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
2 Corinthians 3:9… ta diakonia tau katakrisiau doxas, polle mallon perisseuatō tas diakonias tau dikaiosunau doxa.… of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!
2 Corinthians 3:11“more”… gar tem katargorōntem dia doxau, polle mallon tem menarōntem en doxa.For if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which endures!
2 Corinthians 5:8“rather”tharranō de kai eudokanō mallon ekdēmara ek teu sōmeu kai endēmara …We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the …
2 Corinthians 7:7“even more”… vu zēlon huper mu, hōste min mallon chairira.… mourning, and your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced all the …
2 Corinthians 7:13… Epi de ta paraklēsia nu perissoterōs mallon chairina epi ta chara Titou, hoti …… our own encouragement, we were even more delighted by the joy of Titus …
2 Corinthians 12:9… dunamias en asthenia telotō. hēdisteim oun mallon kauchemi en tai astheniai mu, hina …… in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that …
Galatians 4:9nun de gnōskarantois theon, mallon de gnōskirantois hupo theou, pōs epistrefavō …… now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is …
Galatians 4:27… hoti polleim teim tekneim tau erēmau mallon ē tau echarōntau ton andron.… you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate …
Ephesians 4:28“rather”tos kleptarōntos mēketi kleptatōr, mallon de kopiatōr ergazorōntos tai idiai cheirai …… stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing good with his own hands, that he …
Ephesians 5:4… ē eutrapelias, heim ouk anēkate, alla mallon eucharistias.… which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving.
Ephesians 5:11“instead”… tei ergei tei akarpei teu skoteu, mallon de kai elenchavōr,… fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
Philippians 1:9… proseuchomō hina tas agapas vu ēti mallon kai mallon perisseuateiō en epignōsia kai …… prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth …
Philippians 1:9… tas agapas vu ēti mallon kai mallon perisseuateiō en epignōsia kai panta aisthēsia,… your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
Philippians 1:12“greater”… boulomō, adelfoir, hoti teim kata min mallon eis prokopan teu euangelieu erchatē,Now I want you to know, brothers, that my circumstances have actually served to advance the gospel.
Philippians 1:23“much”… kai sun Christo arō, polle gar mallon kreittonem,… to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed.
Philippians 2:12… parousia mu monem alla nun polle mallon en ta apousia mu, meta fobou …… in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work …
Philippians 3:4… dokatō allosos peitharē en sarka, mis mallon;… confidence in the flesh, I have more:
1 Thessalonians 4:1… theo, kathōs kai peripatavō, hina perisseuaveiō mallon.… you should do so all the more.
1 Thessalonians 4:10… Makedonia. parakalanō de vin, adelfoir, perisseuarō mallon,… we urge you, brothers, to excel more and more
1 Timothy 1:4… kai genealogiai aperantai, hotinais ekzētēsiain parechalō mallon ē oikonomian theou tan en pistia… and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work …
1 Timothy 6:2“rather”… mē katafronalōr, hoti adelfois alō; alla mallon douleualōr, hoti pistois alō kai agapētois …… masters should not show disrespect because they are brothers, but should serve them all the more, since those receiving their good service are beloved believers. Teach and …
2 Timothy 3:4prodotois, propetois, tuforēntois, filēdonois mallon ē filotheois,traitorous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
Philemon 1:9“rather”dia tan agapan mallon parakalamō, toioutos arōntos hōs Paulos presbutos …… prefer to appeal on the basis of love. For I, Paul, am now aged, and a prisoner of Christ Jesus as well.
Philemon 1:16… adelfon agapēton, malista mi, pose de mallon si kai en sarka kai en …… especially beloved to me, but even more so to you, both in person …
Hebrews 9:14pose mallon tem haimem tou Christou, hos dia …how much more will the blood of Christ, who …
Hebrews 10:25… ethem tinoi, alla parakalarōntois, kai tosoute mallon hose blepavō engizarōntan tan hēmeran.… encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 11:25mallon hairerantos sunkakouchorō to lao tou theou …… to suffer oppression with God’s people rather than to experience the fleeting enjoyment …
Hebrews 12:9… echane paideutoin kai entrapone; ouk pollem mallon hupotassini to patro teiu pneumeiu kai …… respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our …
Hebrews 12:13… mē tem chōlem ektrapiteia, iiteia de mallon.… lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Hebrews 12:25… epi gēau paraiterantois ton chrēmatizarōnton, pollem mallon nis tois ton apo ouranoiu apostreforōntois;… warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject …
2 Peter 1:10“all the more”dio mallon, adelfoir, spoudazavar bebaian vu tan klēsian …Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if …