What does δέ (dé) mean in the Bible?
De is a Greek postpositive particle that helps the reader follow movement in a sentence, story, or argument. English may translate it as but, now, and, then, however, or sometimes leave it unrendered.
Greek · G1161
δέ
But, and, etc.
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δέ G1161
Pronunciation dé
What does δέ (dé) mean in the Bible?
De is a Greek postpositive particle that helps the reader follow movement in a sentence, story, or argument. English may translate it as but, now, and, then, however, or sometimes leave it unrendered.
Reader summary
Full entry for δέ (G1161) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1161?
The BSB source-word alignment has 2,794 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include - (944), But (760), and (334), Now (112), then (101).
Where does δέ (dé) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 1:2. Its strongest book concentrations include Acts (555), Luke (543), Matthew (496), John (213).
What This Word Actually Means
De is a Greek postpositive particle that helps the reader follow movement in a sentence, story, or argument. English may translate it as but, now, and, then, however, or sometimes leave it unrendered. The word does not carry one fixed force in every occurrence. It can mark a gentle narrative step, a contrast, a continuation, or a major turn in thought. Matthew uses it while moving from genealogy to the birth account.
Romans 3:21 and Ephesians 2:4 use it in settings where the surrounding argument turns from human need to God's saving action. First Corinthians uses it to contrast perishing and being saved, and later to highlight love's greatness. De is small, but it teaches readers to notice textual joints rather than flattening the flow of Scripture.
How the Bible Uses It
De is one of the New Testament's common movement markers. It can signal contrast, continuation, transition, or development, but the sentence and argument decide how strong the turn is.
- Matt.1.18
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Matthew moves from genealogy into the birth account. The particle helps mark narrative development rather than a strong adversative claim.
- Rom.3.21
But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.
Paul's 'But now' marks a major argument turn from the law's exposure of sin to God's revealed righteousness.
- Eph.2.4
But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
The turn from deadness in sin to God's mercy is weighty because the whole argument supplies the contrast.
- 1Cor.1.18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
The word helps distinguish how the message of the cross is perceived by those perishing and those being saved.
- 1Cor.13.13
And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.
The contrast highlights love's greatness among faith, hope, and love within Paul's argument about love.
- John.7.14
About halfway through the feast, Jesus went up to the temple courts and began to teach.
The narrative transition advances the feast scene without requiring a strong 'but' in English.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It - 944× Matthew 1:2, Matthew 1:3, Matthew 1:4, Matthew 1:5
But 760× Matthew 1:20, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 3:11, Matthew 3:12
and 334× Matthew 1:2, Matthew 1:3, Matthew 1:4, Matthew 1:6
Now 112× Matthew 19:9, Matthew 22:25, Matthew 24:32, Matthew 26:48
then 101× Matthew 13:30, Matthew 13:52, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 15:32
When 56× Matthew 1:24, Matthew 2:3, Matthew 2:10, Matthew 2:13
[When] 49× Matthew 8:18, Matthew 12:2, Matthew 13:21, Matthew 19:22
however 43× Matthew 14:6, Mark 10:6, Mark 14:4, Luke 9:60
vvv 39× Matthew 3:10, Matthew 10:28, Matthew 14:25, Matthew 14:29
So 31× Matthew 2:14, Matthew 2:21, Matthew 8:31, Matthew 8:32
[So] 25× Matthew 13:28, Mark 12:16, Mark 13:9, Mark 13:23
. . . 18× Matthew 1:12, Matthew 5:31, Matthew 5:37, Matthew 9:17
while 18× Matthew 21:8, Matthew 22:41, Matthew 26:6, Matthew 26:26
[After] 15× Matthew 27:7, Mark 5:40, Luke 2:17, Acts 4:21
Yet 14× Matthew 6:29, Matthew 13:32, Matthew 16:26, Luke 5:16
As 13× Matthew 9:32, Matthew 10:7, Matthew 10:12, Matthew 18:24
Meanwhile 12× Matthew 11:2, Matthew 26:69, Matthew 27:11, Matthew 28:16
After 10× Matthew 2:1, Matthew 2:9, Matthew 2:19, Matthew 9:25
[While] 8× Matthew 24:3, Matthew 27:19, Luke 8:4, John 16:20
But [when] 8× Matthew 6:3, Acts 12:15, Acts 13:45, Acts 18:6
But when 8× Matthew 3:7, Matthew 12:24, Matthew 18:28, Matthew 21:38
[As] 6× Mark 10:32, Acts 11:15, Acts 13:42, Acts 24:25
Instead 6× John 14:10, John 15:19, Ephesians 4:15, 1 Timothy 4:7
At this 5× Mark 14:63, Acts 5:40, Acts 7:57, Acts 18:17
since 5× Matthew 13:21, Matthew 18:25, John 4:6, Acts 25:14
and still 4× Matthew 16:14, Mark 8:28, Luke 9:8, Luke 9:19
And when 4× Matthew 17:8, Luke 11:14, Luke 18:15, Luke 23:46
Finally 4× Matthew 25:24, Matthew 26:60, Luke 15:17, Acts 19:35
[On] 3× Matthew 9:12, Acts 15:4, Acts 22:26
[There] 3× Luke 7:2, Luke 12:2, Acts 22:12
[where] 3× Luke 10:38, Acts 10:24, Acts 13:13
Although 3× John 7:6, John 12:37, 1 Thessalonians 2:17
But [what about] 3× Matthew 16:15, Mark 8:29, Luke 9:20
One day 3× Luke 1:8, Luke 16:22, Acts 16:16
Still 3× Matthew 13:8, Luke 9:61, John 18:25
that 3× Romans 5:11, Romans 8:23, Romans 9:10
[How] 2× Mark 13:17, Galatians 4:20
[If] 2× James 2:3, James 2:16
[It is] 2× 1 Corinthians 1:30, 2 Corinthians 6:12
[or] 2× Matthew 13:8, 1 Corinthians 1:12
[Since] 2× Acts 9:38, Acts 25:20
[that] 2× Luke 5:6, Romans 5:3
[What] 2× 1 Corinthians 7:29, Galatians 4:1
And [when] 2× Matthew 22:34, Acts 2:6
but only 2× 1 Corinthians 3:15, Hebrews 10:27
By now 2× John 18:28, Acts 27:9
Even 2× Luke 9:42, Philippians 2:8
Nevertheless 2× Galatians 4:18, Galatians 6:6
Now {may} 2× 2 Thessalonians 2:16, Hebrews 13:20
only 2× Matthew 12:7, 2 Peter 2:20
Simply 2× Matthew 5:37, James 5:12
Yet even 2× Matthew 11:11, Luke 7:28
( - 1× John 11:2
( Now 1× John 18:40
(but 1× John 19:38
[ One afternoon ] 1× Acts 3:1
[ reap ] 1× James 3:18
[ Such punishment is ] 1× 2 Peter 2:10
[and] 1× Acts 21:34
[but] 1× Galatians 4:23
[Even though] 1× John 5:34
[Eventually] 1× Acts 16:18
[For] 1× 1 Timothy 3:5
[From] 1× Luke 12:48
[He replied] 1× Acts 9:5
[himself] 1× Acts 22:29
[It was] now 1× John 13:1
[nor] 1× James 1:13
[One] 1× Luke 13:10
[Remember] 1× 2 Corinthians 9:6
[so that] 1× Romans 15:9
[So when] 1× Romans 2:3
[Still] 1× Hebrews 11:36
[they answered] 1× Acts 19:2
[This issue arose] 1× Galatians 2:4
[which] 1× John 19:13
[who is] also 1× Philippians 2:25
[who] 1× Acts 16:38
[with] 1× John 19:18
[you do] 1× Matthew 6:1
{Let} 1× Mark 13:15
Afterward 1× John 19:38
Again 1× Matthew 5:22
Along the way 1× Matthew 27:32
also 1× 3 John 1:12
And [although] 1× 1 Corinthians 12:12
And [since] 1× Acts 21:34
and [that] 1× 1 Corinthians 1:10
and {being} 1× 1 Timothy 5:13
And as 1× Philippians 4:15
As soon as 1× Matthew 3:16
as well 1× Luke 2:35
At 1× Acts 12:18
At this time 1× John 11:1
Because 1× Matthew 1:19
Beforehand 1× Luke 19:13
But [after] 1× Acts 14:20
But [as for] 1× 2 Thessalonians 3:13
But [as surely as] 1× 2 Corinthians 1:18
But [even] 1× Jude 1:9
But [it was] 1× Acts 7:47
But [Jesus] 1× Mark 8:33
But [just as] 1× Acts 18:14
But [one day] 1× Acts 19:15
But [since] 1× 1 Thessalonians 5:8
but [that] 1× 1 Corinthians 11:15
But [there are] 1× Acts 24:18
but [we have] 1× Hebrews 4:15
But while 1× Luke 15:20
even if 1× 2 Corinthians 13:7
even though 1× 1 Peter 1:7
For 1× Matthew 23:12
Furthermore 1× 1 Timothy 3:7
How 1× Matthew 24:19
In that case 1× 1 Corinthians 15:15
In the meantime 1× Philemon 1:22
Indeed 1× 2 Timothy 3:12
Just then 1× Luke 1:11
Later 1× Acts 22:17
Likewise 1× 2 Timothy 2:5
more 1× Hebrews 12:9
Next 1× Matthew 1:6
Now {it was Pilate’s custom} 1× Mark 15:6
Of course 1× 1 Timothy 6:6
On 1× Luke 18:22
On one occasion 1× Luke 5:1
One 1× Acts 18:9
or 1× Matthew 13:23
or at least 1× John 14:11
Otherwise 1× Revelation 2:16
Rather 1× 2 Corinthians 10:17
Right 1× Acts 27:33
soon 1× Acts 11:1
Therefore 1× Acts 6:3
though 1× 1 Corinthians 15:6
whereas 1× 1 Corinthians 12:24
without 1× Matthew 23:23
Yes 1× 1 Corinthians 1:16
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 1:2 δὲ to - Conjunction Matthew 1:2 δὲ to and Conjunction Matthew 1:3 δὲ to - Conjunction Matthew 1:3 δὲ to - Conjunction Matthew 1:3 δὲ to and Conjunction Matthew 1:4 δὲ to - Conjunction Matthew 1:4 δὲ to - Conjunction Matthew 1:4 δὲ to and Conjunction Matthew 1:5 δὲ to - Conjunction Matthew 1:5 δὲ to - Conjunction
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 1:2
Aligned rows 2,794
Books represented 26
Matthew 496 Mark 161 Luke 543 John 213 Acts 555 Romans 148 1 Corinthians 210 2 Corinthians 73 Galatians 58 Ephesians 20 Philippians 27 Colossians 5 1 Thessalonians 15 2 Thessalonians 11 1 Timothy 31 2 Timothy 24 Titus 8 Philemon 6 Hebrews 71 James 37 1 Peter 28 2 Peter 21 1 John 11 3 John 2 Jude 13 Revelation 7
Source forms
δὲ 2,616x de Matthew 1:2, Matthew 1:3, Matthew 1:4, Matthew 1:5
δέ 145x de Matthew 5:31, Matthew 7:15, Matthew 12:47, Matthew 13:29
δ’ 23x d’ Matthew 5:19, Matthew 5:21, Matthew 5:22, Matthew 10:11
Δὲ 6x De Mark 6:50, Luke 8:30, Luke 9:59, Luke 24:19
(δὲ) 1x de 1 Timothy 5:20
〈δὲ〉 1x de Mark 6:22
δ’* 1x d’ Luke 17:33
δὲ* 1x de Hebrews 12:11
Parsing patterns
Conjunction 2,794x Matthew 1:2, Matthew 1:3, Matthew 1:4, Matthew 1:5
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not translate de as a strong contrast in every occurrence.
- Do not ignore de where the surrounding argument clearly turns from one theological reality to another.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim de always means a strong 'but.'
- Do not claim every de marks a major theological turning point.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. but, and, etc.
Strong's G1161
Lexical occurrences 2,766 verses Greek text appearances 2,881 times 16 shown below Word forms 1 form 2,766 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
but, and, etc.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 2,881 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 1:2 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:2 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:3 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:3 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:3 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:4 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:4 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:4 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:5 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:5 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:5 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:6 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:6 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:7 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:7 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verse Matthew 1:7 Conjunction
δὲ de
but, on the other hand, and
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 1 case and number pattern. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 1 Aligned forms 2766
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Matt 1:2 · Matt 1:3 · Matt 1:4 · Matt 1:5 · Matt 1:6 · Matt 1:7 · Matt 1:8 · Matt 1:9 · Matt 1:10 · Matt 1:11 · Matt 1:12 · Matt 1:13 · Matt 1:14 · Matt 1:15 · Matt 1:16 · Matt 1:18 2766×
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
De trains careful readers to respect the joints of the text. A small particle may carry little emphasis in one verse and stand at the doorway of a major argument turn in another. Matthew 1:18 simply moves the story from genealogy to birth. Romans 3:21 and Ephesians 2:4 stand in contexts where the turn is gospel-rich because Paul moves from human guilt and deadness to God's revealed righteousness and mercy.
First Corinthians 1:18 contrasts two responses to the cross, while First Corinthians 13:13 marks love's priority. John 7:14 moves the narrative forward. The word itself is not a doctrine factory. Its value is that it slows the teacher down enough to ask how the sentence is moving and why that movement matters.
Anchor passage
Rom.3.21
Doctrinal connections
- G1343 Dikaiosyne: Romans 3:21 turns toward God's revealed righteousness.
- G1656 Eleos: Ephesians 2:4 turns toward God's mercy after human deadness.
- G4716 Stauros: First Corinthians 1:18 contrasts responses to the message of the cross.
- G26 Agape: First Corinthians 13:13 uses contrast to set love's greatness in context.
- G2532 Kai: De should be distinguished from simple coordination marked by kai.
- G1063 Gar: De should be distinguished from explanatory movement often marked by gar.
De is postpositive, normally appearing after the first word or phrase in Greek even when English places its sense at the front. Its force ranges from mild continuation to sharp contrast.
From Old to New Testament
Scripture often turns from sin to mercy, promise to fulfillment, death to life, and question to answer. De helps mark some of those turns in Greek, but the canonical movement belongs to the passage and argument, not to the particle in isolation.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain