preposition
pro
Strong’sG4253
before
stem pro-47 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
πρό is a preposition meaning before, used with a noun in the genitive case.
Of place, it means in front of or ahead of, as in standing before a gate or before someone's face 13. Strong's and Dodson describe this basic sense as "in front of" 24.
Of time, it means earlier than, before, or ago, used both with simple nouns of time and with phrases meaning "before" a certain number of days or years, and also in the idiom "before the face of" someone 1234. It can also be joined to an infinitive to mean "before" doing something 1.
Of preference, it means before or above, in the sense of rating or choosing one thing ahead of another 13. Strong's notes a related figurative sense of being superior to something 2.
As a prefix attached to other words, pro- can add the notion of position in front, priority of rank or order, intensity, or acting beforehand or in anticipation 13.
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
πρό,
prep. c. gen.,[in LXX chiefly for לִפְנֵי;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4253 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpro
"fore", i.e. in front of, prior (figuratively, superior) to
Froma primary preposition;
King Jamesabove, ago, before, or ever.
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
before, forth:
A PREP. WITH GENIT.:
A.I of Place, before, in front of, ἠγερέθοντο π. ἄστεος Refs 8th c.BC+; ἔμπροσθε π. (variant) τῆς ἀκροπόλιος, ὄπισθε δὲ τῶν πυλέων Refs 5th c.BC+; π. δόμων, π. δωμάτων, in front of, i.e. outside the house, Refs 5th c.BC+; τὴν π. τοῦ Ἡραίου νῆσον before or off the Heraeum, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. χειρῶν at hand, Refs 5th c.BC+
A.I.2 with Vbs. of motion, π. δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ αὐτῶν κύνες ἤϊσαν Refs 8th c.BC+
A.I.3 before, in front of, for the purpose of shielding or guarding, π. Τρώων ἑσταότ᾽ Refs 8th c.BC+: hence, in defence of, μάχεσθαι.. π. τε παίδων καὶ π. γυναικῶν Refs 5th c.BC+; ὀλέσθαι π. πόληος, Latin pro patria mori, Refs 8th c.BC+; π. τοξευμάτων as a defence against arrows, Refs: hence also, for, on behalf of, instead of, ἀγρυπνῆσαι π. τινῶνRefs; of an advocate, π. τῶνδε φωνεῖν Refs 5th c.BC+; ὄτι δέ κ᾽ αὐτὸς π. Ειαυτοῦ [ἀμάρτῃ] whatever offence he commits of his own volition, Kohler-Ziebarth Stadtrecht von Gortyn Refs
A.I.4 π. ὁδοῦ ἐγένοντο further on the road, i.e. forwards, onward, Refs 8th c.BC+: also to denote distance, π. πολλοῦ τῆς πόλεως Refs 1st c.BC+at a distance of Refs 1st c.BC+
A.I.5 π. ἠοῦς, π. ἑσπέρης τοῦ βωμοῦ, eastwards, westwards of.., Refs 4th c.BC+
A.II of Time, before, π. γάμοιο Refs 8th c.BC+; π. ὃ τοῦ ἐνόησεν one before the other, Refs 8th c.BC+; more frequently in later writers, π. τῶν Τρωικῶν Refs 5th c.BC+; π. τοῦ χρῆσθαι before one uses it, Refs; π. μοίρας τῆς ἐμῆς before my doom, Refs 5th c.BC+, compare 124; π. πολλοῦ long before, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. μικροῦ, π. ὀλίγου, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. τοῦ (sometimes written προτοῦ) Refs 5th c.BC+; π. τοῦ ἤ, ={πρὶν ἤ}, Refs; οἱ π. ἡμῶν γενόμενοι Refs 5th c.BC+
A.II.2 in later writers frequently with Numerals, π. τριάκοντα ἡμερῶν thirty days before, LXX+1st c.AD+; π. ἓξ ἡμερῶν τοῦ πάσχα, π. μιᾶς ἡμέρας τῶν γενεθλίων, NT+1st c.AD+
A.II.2.b in rendering Roman dates, τῇ π. μιᾶς Νωνῶν Ὀκτωβρίων, = pridie Non. Oct., Refs 1st c.AD+
A.III in other relations:
A.III.1 of Preference, before, rather than, κέρδος αἰνῆσαι π. δίκας to praise sleight before right, Refs 5th c.BC+; πᾶν δὴ βουλόμενοι σφίσι εἶναι π. τῆς παρεούσης λύπης anything before, rather than, their actual trouble, Refs 5th c.BC+ (so, in order to avoid, π. τοῦ δεινοτάτου Refs 5th c.BC+; ἑλέσθαι, αἱρεῖσθαι, or κρῖναί τι π. τινός to choose one before another, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. πολλοῦ ποιήσασθαι to esteem above much, i.e. very highly, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. ἄλλων more than others, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. πάντων θεῶν τῇ Ἑστίᾳ πρώτῃ προθύειν Refs 5th c.BC+: after a comparative it is redundant, ἡ τυραννὶς π. ἐλευθερίης ἀσπαστότερον Refs 5th c.BC+; for ἤ after ἄλλος, οὐδεὶς ἄλλος π. σεῦ Refs 5th c.BC+
A.III.2 of Cause or Motive, for, from, π. φόβοιο for fear, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἀθλεύων π. ἄνακτος toiling before the face of, i.e. in his service, Refs; π. τῶνδε there fore, Refs 5th c.BC+
B POSITION: words may be put between π. and its case, Refs 8th c.BC+; but it does not follow its case, except after Epic dialect forms in -θι, Ἰλιόθι πρό, οὐρανόθι πρό, ἠῶθι πρό (see. above).
C πρό, absolutely as adverb.:
C.I of Place, before, opposed to ἐπί (after), Refs 8th c.BC+; before, in front, Refs; forth, forward, ἐκ δ᾽ ἄγαγε π. φόωσδε Refs; χωρεῖν π. δόμων to come forth from, Refs 5th c.BC+; γῆν π. γῆς ἐλαύνομαι I am driven on from one land to another, Refs 5th c.BC+
C.II of Time, before, πρό οἱ εἴπομεν Refs 8th c.BC+; earlier, τά τ᾽ ἐσσόμενα π. τ᾽ ἐόντα Refs 8th c.BC+
C.III when joined with other Preps., ἀποπρό, διαπρό, ἐπιπρό, περιπρό, προπρό, it strengthens the first preposition, or adds to it the notion of forward, forth.
D πρό IN COMPOSITION (joined with other words),
D.I with Substantives, to denote
D.I.1 position before or in front, πρόδομος, προάστιον, πρόθυρον, προπύλαια, etc.
D.I.2 priority of rank, πρόεδρος, προεδρία, etc.: also priority of order, προάγων, πρόλογος, προοίμιον, προπάτωρ, etc.
D.I.3 standing in another's place, πρόμαντις, πρόξενος.
D.II with adjectives, to denote
D.II.1 proximity, πρόχειρο; and readiness, πρόθυμος, πρόφρων.
D.II.2 away (compare 111.3 below), προθέλυμνος, πρόρριζος.
D.II.3 prematureness, πρόμοιρος, πρόωρος.
D.II.4 intensity, πρόπας, πρόπαρ, προπάροιθ; so also πρόκακος, πρόπαλαι.
D.III with Verbs,
D.III.1 of Place, before, forwards, προβαίνω, προβάλλω, προτίθημι, etc.: also, before, in defence, προκινδυνεύω, προμάχομαι, etc.
D.III.2 forth, προέλκω, προφέρω.
D.III.2.b publicly, προγράφω, προειπεῖν, πρόκειμαι.
D.III.3 away, προδίδωμι, προϊάλλω, προϊάπτω, προΐημι, προλείπω, προρέω, προτέμνω, προτρέπομαι, προφεύγω, προχέω.
D.III.4 in preference, προαιροῦμαι, προτιμάω, etc.
D.III.5 before, beforehand, προαισθάνομαι, προγίγνομαι, προκαταλαμβάνω, etc.; of foresight, προνοέω, προοράω.
E Etymology: cf. Latin προ?~X-, Slavonic pro-, Sanskrit pra-, etc., in compounds.
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.
47 occurrences, every one of them listed
pro42×
Matthew 5:12… houtōs gar diōkala toin profētoin toin pro vu.… same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
Matthew 6:8… tos patros vu heiu chreian echavō pro teu vin aitara auton.… your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
Matthew 8:29… si, huior tou theou? erchasa hōde pro kairou basanizara nin?… You come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
Matthew 11:10“before”… Idou mis apostelamō ton angelon mu pro prosōpeu su, hos kataskeuazati tan hodan …This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’
Matthew 24:38… gar ale en tai hēmerai tai pro tou kataklusmou trōgarōntois kai pinarōntois, gamarōntois …For in the days before the flood, people were eating and …
Mark 1:2“before”… profēto; Idou apostelamō ton angelon mu pro prosōpeu su, hos kataskeuazati tan hodan …… Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.”
Luke 2:21… Iēsus, tem kalirantem hupo tou angelou pro teu sullabira auton en ta koilia.… name the angel had given Him before He was conceived.
Luke 7:27“before”… grafotē; Idou apostelamō ton angelon mu pro prosōpeu su, hos kataskeuazati tan hodan …This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before You.’
Luke 9:52“before”kai apostelata angeloin pro prosōpeu autou. kai poreuirantois eiserchala eis …He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a village …
Luke 10:1“before”… kai apostelata autoin ana duo duo pro prosōpeu autou eis pantan polan kai …… others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He …
Luke 11:38… horarantos thaumazata hoti ouk prōtem baptizita pro teu aristeu.… that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
Luke 22:15… houtem tem pascha esthiara meta vu pro teu min paschara;… to eat this Passover with you before My suffering.
John 5:7… en ho de erchomō mis allosos pro mu katabainatō.… my way, someone else goes in before me.”
John 10:8pantois hosois erchala pro mu kleptois alō kai lēstois; alla …All who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but …
John 11:55… pollois eis Hierosolumeim ek tau chōrau pro teu pascha hina hagnizaleia heautoin.… country to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the Passover.
John 12:1Tos oun Iēsus pro hex hēmeraiu teu pascha erchata eis …Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany …
John 13:19apo arti legamō vi pro teu genera, hina pisteuaveia hotan geneteia …I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it …
John 17:5… para siauto ta doxa ha echame pro teu ton kosmon arō para si.… the glory I had with You before the world existed.
John 17:24… han dōasē mi, hoti agapasa min pro katabolau kosmou.… gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
Acts 5:36pro gar houtaiu taiu hēmeraiu anastēata Theudos, …Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be …
Acts 12:6… stratiōtoiu dorēntos halusiai duo, fulakois tē pro tau thurau tērale tan fulakan.On the night before Herod was to bring him to …
Acts 12:14… eistrecharantas de apangelata stēarē ton Petron pro tou pulōnou.… inside and announced, “Peter is standing at the gate!”
Acts 13:24prokērussarantou Iōannou pro prosōpeu tau eisodau autou baptismem metanoiau …Before the arrival of Jesus, John preached …
Acts 14:13… tē hierevos tou Zevou tou arōntou pro tau polau tauroin kai stemmeim epi …… of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths …
Acts 21:38“before”… ara sis asō tos Aiguptios tos pro houtaiu taiu hēmeraiu anastatarantos kai exagarantos …“Aren’t you the Egyptian who incited a rebellion some time ago and led four thousand …
Acts 23:15“before”… akribesterem teim peri autou; nis de pro teu engizara auton hetoimois anō teu …… then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him down to you on the pretext of examining his case more carefully. We are ready to kill …
Romans 16:7… episēmois en toi apostoloi, hois kai pro mu genalē en Christo.… apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
1 Corinthians 2:7… tan apokruptorēntan, han proorizata tos theos pro toiu aiōnoiu eis doxan nu;… which He destined for our glory before time began.
1 Corinthians 4:5hōste mē pro kairou tinem krinavōr, heōs an erchateia …Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the …
2 Corinthians 12:2oidamē anthrōpon en Christo pro eteiu dekatessares eite en sōme ouk …… man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third …
Galatians 1:17oude anerchama eis Hierosolumeim pros toin pro mu apostoloin, alla aperchama eis Arabian, …… Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia …
Galatians 2:12pro teu gar erchara tinoin apo Iakōbou …For before certain men came from James, he …
Ephesians 1:4kathōs eklegeta nin en auto pro katabolau kosmou, arō nin hagioin kai …For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to …
Colossians 1:17kai autos atō pro panteiu kai teim panteim en auto …He is before all things, and in Him all …
2 Timothy 1:9… tan dōirantan ni en Christo Iēso pro chronoiu aiōnioiu,… He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
2 Timothy 4:21Spoudazasar pro cheimōnou erchara. Aspazotō sin Euboulos kai …… every effort to come to me before winter. Eubulus sends you greetings, as …
Titus 1:2… aiōniau, han epangeleta tos apseudos theos pro chronoiu aiōnioiu… which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.
Hebrews 11:5… heuriskote dioti metatithata auton tos theos; pro gar tau metathesiau marturotē euarestarē to …… God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended …
James 5:9… hina mē kriniveia; idou tos kritos pro taiu thuraiu stēatē.… judged. Look, the Judge is standing at the door!
1 Peter 1:20prognōskorēntou men pro katabolau kosmou, fanerirantou de epi eschatou …He was known before the foundation of the world, but …
1 Peter 4:8pro panteiu tan eis heautoin agapan ektenan …Above all, love one another deeply, because …
Jude 1:25… nu doxas megalōsunas kratem kai exousias pro pantou tou aiōnou kai nun kai …… authority through Jesus Christ our Lord before all time, and now, and for …
Pro5×
Luke 21:12Pro de houteiu panteiu epibalali epi vin …But before all this, they will seize you …
John 1:48… gnōskasō? apokrinita Iēsus kai legata auto; Pro teu sin Filippon fōnara arōnton hupo …… know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, I saw you …
John 13:1Pro de tau heortau teu pascha horarēntos …It was now just before the Passover Feast, and Jesus knew …
Galatians 3:23Pro teu de erchara tan pistian hupo …Before this faith came, we were held …
James 5:12Pro panteiu de, adelfoir mu, mē omnuavōr, …Above all, my brothers, do not swear …