BIBLE GREEK WORD STUDY
Ē (ἤ) — Or / Than in the Bible
Greek ἤ (ē) is a conjunction meaning “or” between alternatives and “than” in comparisons.
Meaning of the word
In its disjunctive use, ἤ introduces an alternative: “the law or the prophets” (Matthew 5:17), “one jot or one tittle” (Matthew 5:18), and competing possibilities such as what one will eat, drink, or wear (Matthew 6:25, 6:31).
In its comparative use, ἤ connects the lesser or contrasted item with the greater one, as when “the body” is compared with clothing in Matthew 6:25 or people love darkness rather than light in John 3:19.
Because the same word can coordinate alternatives or signal comparison, readers should consider the surrounding syntax rather than assuming that every occurrence means simply “or.”
Usage in Scripture
The examples in Matthew show both recurring uses: ἤ separates options or rhetorical questions, while in Matthew 6:25 it also introduces a comparison (“the body than the raiment”). The alternatives can describe objects, provisions, actions, or possible responses.
John 3:19 and Romans 1:21 illustrate comparative contrast: people love darkness rather than light, and unbelieving people neither glorify God nor give thanks. These passages show that ἤ often makes the relationship between two expressions explicit, whether as an alternative or as a comparison.
The word in detail
- G2228 ἤ is defined as disjunctive (“or”) or comparative (“than”). It appears 30 times across 22 distinct verses in the supplied material. Its force depends on the sentence: it may separate alternatives, introduce a question, or set two terms in comparison.
Example verses
- Matthew 5:17 Here ἤ joins “the law” and “the prophets” as an alternative pair.
- Matthew 6:25 The word appears in questions about food, drink, and clothing, and in the comparison of the body with raiment.
- John 3:19 Here ἤ introduces the comparison in which darkness is loved rather than light.
- Romans 1:21 The conjunction links two failures: refusing to glorify God and refusing to give thanks.
Common questions
What does Greek ἤ mean?
It means “or” when separating alternatives and “than” when making a comparison.
Is ἤ always translated “or”?
No. Matthew 6:25 and John 3:19 show comparative uses where it conveys a relationship like “than” or “rather than.”
What should readers notice about ἤ in these passages?
Notice whether it separates two possible choices or compares two terms; the surrounding words determine which function is intended.