Original Word: ἔμπροσθεν
Part of Speech: Adverb; Preposition
Transliteration: emprosthen
Pronunciation: em'-pros-then
Phonetic Spelling: (em'-pros-then)
Definition: Before, in front of, in the presence of
Meaning: in front, before the face; sometimes made a subst. by the addition of the article: in front of, before the face of.

Word Origin: From the Greek preposition "en" (in) and "pros" (toward), combined with the suffix "-then" indicating position or direction.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent often used in similar contexts is "לִפְנֵי" (liphnê), which also means "before" or "in the presence of."

Usage: The Greek word "emprosthen" is primarily used to denote a position or location that is "before" or "in front of" something or someone. It can refer to physical positioning, as well as metaphorical or spiritual presence. In the New Testament, it often conveys the idea of being in the presence of God or others, highlighting a sense of accountability or witness.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Greek culture, positioning "before" someone often implied a relationship of respect, authority, or judgment. Being "in front of" a person of higher status, such as a king or deity, was significant and carried implications of reverence and submission. In the context of the New Testament, "emprosthen" frequently underscores the believer's relationship with God, emphasizing His omnipresence and the believer's accountability to Him.

Word Origin
from en and pros
Definition
before, in front of (in place or time)
NASB Translation
ahead (5), before (28), front (4), higher rank (2), presence (4), sight (3).

STRONGS NT 1715: ἔμπροσθεν

ἔμπροσθεν (Tdf. in Revelation 4:6 ἐνπροσθεν (see ἐν, III. 3; cf. Alexander Buttmann (1873) 8)), adverb of place and of time (from ἐν and πρόσθεν, properly, in the fore part); (from Herodotus down); the Sept. chiefly for לִפְנֵי; before. In the N. T. used only of place;

1. adverbially, in front, before: Revelation 4:6 (opposed to ὄπισθεν, as in Palaeph. 29, 2). before: πορεύεσθαι, to precede, to go before, Luke 19:28; προδραμών ἔμπροσθεν, Luke 19:4 (T WH εἰς τό ἔμπροσθεν, cf. Herodotus 4, 61 (8, 89)), like προπορεύεσθαι ἔμπροσθεν, Xenophon, Cyril 4, 2, 23 (figuratively, Plato, Gorgias, p. 497 a. προιθι εἰς τό ἔμπροσθεν); τά ἔμπροσθεν the things which lie before one advancing, the goal set before one, Philippians 3:13 (14) (opposed to τά ὀπίσω).

2. it serves as a preposition, with the genitive (Buttmann, 319 (274); Winers Grammar, § 54, 6);

a. before, i. e. in that local region which is in front of a person or a thing: Matthew 5:24; Matthew 7:6; Luke 5:19; Luke 14:2; to prostrate oneself ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ποδῶν τίνος, Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:8; γονυπέτειν ἔμπροσθεν τίνος, Matthew 27:29; πορεύεσθαι ἔμπροσθεν τίνος, to go before one, John 10:4; ἀποστέλλεσθαι ἔμπροσθεν τίνος, to be sent before one, John 3:28; σαλπίζειν ἔμπροσθεν τίνος, Matthew 6:2; τήν ὁδόν κατασκευάσαι, where ἔμπροσθεν τίνος is nearly equivalent to a dative (cf. Buttmann, 172 (150)), Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:2 Rec.; Luke 7:27.

b. before, in the presence of, equivalent to opposite to, over against one: στῆναι, Matthew 27:11; ὁμολογεῖν and ἀρνεῖσθαι (Buttmann, 176 (153)), Matthew 10:32; Matthew 26:70; Luke 12:8,(9 Lachmann); also Galatians 2:14; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 1 Thessalonians 3:9, 13; before one, i. e. at his tribunal: Matthew 25:32; Matthew 27:11; Luke 21:36; Acts 18:17; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; (1 John 3:19). Here belong the expressions εὐδοκία, θέλημα ἐστι ἔμπροσθεν Θεοῦ, it is the good pleasure, the will of God, Matthew 11:26; Matthew 18:14; Luke 10:21, formed after Chaldean usage; for in 1 Samuel 12:22 the words יְהוָה הואִיל, God wills, Jonathan the targumist renders יְהוָה קֲדָם רַעֲוָא; cf. Fischer, De vitiis lexamples N. T. etc., p. 329f; (cf. Buttmann, 172 (150)). o. before i. e. in the sight of one: Matthew 5:16; Matthew 6:1; Matthew 17:2; Matthew 23:13 (); Mark 2:12 T Tr marginal reading WH; ; Luke 19:27; John 12:37; Acts 10:4 L T Tr WH.

d. before, denoting rank: γεγονέναι ἔμπροσθεν τίνος, to have obtained greater dignity than another, John 1:15, 30, also R L brackets; (Genesis 48:20 ἔθηκε τόν Αφραιμ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Μανασσῆ; (cf. Plato, legg. 1,631 d.; 5, 743 e.; 7, 805 d.)).

against, before, in presence of, in sight of.

From en and pros; in front of (in place (literally or figuratively) or time) -- against, at, before, (in presence, sight) of.

see GREEK en

see GREEK pros

εμπροσθεν έμπροσθεν έμπροσθέν ἔμπροσθεν ἔμπροσθέν εμπρόσθια εμπροσθίων εμπτυσμάτων emprosthen émprosthen émprosthénInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts