τοῖς
ho
the
The definite article in Greek, marking nouns as particular or previously specified entities. In grammatical usage, ὁ (masculine), ἡ (feminine), and τό (neuter) serve as the primary means of noun specification, functioning similarly to 'the' in English but with broader flexibility. The article may also bear pronominal, demonstrative, or substantivizing functions, depending on context. Semantic range includes marking definiteness, distinguishing subject or object noun phrases, acting as a substantive (turning adjectives or participles into nouns), and standing in for demonstrative or personal pronouns when context clarifies referent.
Acts 16:3 · Word #18
Lexicon G3588
| Lemma | ὁ |
| Transliteration | ho |
| Strong's | G3588 |
| Definition | The definite article in Greek, marking nouns as particular or previously specified entities. In grammatical usage, ὁ (masculine), ἡ (feminine), and τό (neuter) serve as the primary means of noun specification, functioning similarly to 'the' in English but with broader flexibility. The article may also bear pronominal, demonstrative, or substantivizing functions, depending on context. Semantic range includes marking definiteness, distinguishing subject or object noun phrases, acting as a substantive (turning adjectives or participles into nouns), and standing in for demonstrative or personal pronouns when context clarifies referent. |
Morphology ART DAT M PL
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | ART — Article — The definite article "the" |
| Case | DAT — Dative — Indirect object, means, or location |
| Gender | M — Masculine — Grammatical masculine |
| Number | PL — Plural — More than one |
Common Translation
| Phrase | the |
| Literal | the-(dative plural) |
Lexical Info
| Lemma | ὁ |
| Strong's | G3588 |
SIBI-P1 Translation G3588-12
to the ones
| Morphological Notes | Article, dative masculine plural (Gr,EA,,,,DMP); denotes specified masculine plural nouns in dative case (indirect object, recipient, or reference). |
| Rendering Rationale | The form τοῖς is dative masculine plural of the definite article, marking a specific group as definite and functioning here in a dative role. "To the ones" preserves both the definiteness and the plural dative sense without adding contextual detail. |
View full lexicon entry for G3588 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
the
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | In this context, 'the' is appropriate for the article; 'to the ones' is not accurate for a dative functioning as an article before a noun. |