mēpote · lest, perhaps

What it means

mēpote (μήποτε) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “lest, perhaps”.

Lest, so that not; perhaps.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. Expresses fear that something bad may happen, so as to avoid it.
2. Raises a doubt: perhaps things are so.
3. At no time, in no way.

From Abbott-Smith (1922)

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• lest ×8
• you do not ×3
• may not ×2
• otherwise ×2
• perhaps ×2
• they do not ×2
• Can it be ×1
• it is never ×1
• that ×1
• there not ×1
• others ×2

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×8
• Mark×2
• Luke×7
• John×1
• Acts×2
• 2 Timothy×1
• Hebrews×4

• Matthew 4:6

  and says to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will lift you up, so that you do not strike your foot against a stone.’”

• Matthew 5:25

  Come to terms quickly with your opponent while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.

• Matthew 7:6

  “Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor throw your pearls before the pigs, so that they will not trample them under their feet and turn and tear you to pieces.

• Matthew 13:15

  For the heart of this people has grown dull, and with their ears they have heard with difficulty, and they have closed their eyes, so that they do not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I will heal them.’

• Matthew 13:29

  But he says, ‘No, so that while gathering the darnel you do not uproot the wheat along with them.

• Matthew 15:32

  And Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been staying with me three days already and they do not have anything to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.”

• Matthew 25:9

  But the wise answered, saying, ‘No; otherwise there will certainly not be enough for us and for you; go instead to those who sell and buy for yourselves.’

• Matthew 27:64

  So order the grave to be made secure until the third day, so that his disciples may not come and steal him and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”

• Mark 4:12

  so that ‘seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest they turn and it be forgiven them.’”

• Mark 14:2

  for they were saying, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.”

• Luke 3:15

  Now as the people were in expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, whether perhaps he might be the Messiah,

• Luke 4:11

  and: On their hands they will carry you, so that you do not strike your foot against a stone.”

• Luke 12:58

  For as you are going with your opponent before a ruler, on the way make an effort to be released from him, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff will throw you into prison.

• Luke 14:8

  “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not recline in the place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you has been invited by him,

• Luke 14:12

  And he was also saying to the one who had invited him, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not call your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.

• Luke 14:29

  Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to mock him,

• Luke 21:34

  But watch yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day come upon you suddenly

• John 7:26

  And look, he is speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the rulers have really come to know that this is the Messiah?

• Acts 5:39

  but if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them, lest you even be found fighting against God.” And they heeded him.

• Acts 28:27

  For the heart of this people has grown dull, and with their ears they have heard with difficulty, and they have closed their eyes, so that they do not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I will heal them.”’

• 2 Timothy 2:25

  correcting with gentleness those who oppose him; perhaps God may give them a change of mind leading to the knowledge of the truth,

• Hebrews 2:1

  Therefore we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

• Hebrews 3:12

  Watch out, brothers, that there not be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in turning away from the living God.

• Hebrews 4:1

  Let us fear, then, that, while a promise remains of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to have fallen short.

• Hebrews 9:17

  For a covenant is firm at death, since it is never in force while the one who made it is alive.