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μέχρι

méchri

G3360 preposition

SILEX Entry

Definition

Up to, as far as (a spatial or temporal limit); until (indicating a point in time or extent in a process). Primary meaning is marking the boundary—whether physical, temporal, quantitative, or metaphorical—reached or not passed. Used as both a preposition and (less commonly) a conjunction to denote the endpoint of an action, movement, state, or period.

Semantic Range

up to (a point in space), up to (a point in time), until, as far as, even to (a degree/amount), till, in subordination (with οὗ) introducing a temporal clause

Root / Etymology

From μῆκος (length, extent); formed with the suffix -ρι indicating a limit or boundary, thus implying 'as far as' or 'until'. Related to the preposition ἄχρι but with slight differences in nuance.

Historical & Contextual Notes

μέχρι appears primarily in Koine Greek as a preposition followed by the genitive, denoting spatial (up to a place), temporal (up to a time), or quantitative (up to a measure) boundaries. As a conjunction (μέχρι οὗ, 'until'), it introduces a subordinate clause defining a limit in time or circumstance (e.g., Gal 4:19; Eph 4:13). In classical Greek, μέχρι is not well-attested; its use grows in Hellenistic and later Greek, becoming common in the LXX and especially the New Testament. As compared to ἄχρι, μέχρι tends to emphasize the endpoint rather than the scope that precedes it, though the terms are often functionally synonymous in Koine. English translations often render both as 'until', 'unto', or 'as far as', but may not capture the subtle distinctions in Greek between focus on the process versus the limit. The older gloss 'till' or 'unto' (as in KJV) reflects traditional translation but may obscure its frequent boundary-marking role. μέχρι is especially used to mark the duration of an action or state continuing up to a specific point (e.g., Matthew 5:26, 'until you have paid').

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from μῆκος; as far as, i.e. up to a certain point (as a preposition, of extent (denoting the terminus, whereas ἄχρι refers especially to the space of time or place intervening) or conjunction):--till, (un-)to, until.

Root Family

μῆχρ- (méchri) — to reach, to extend, to mark a limit

Root μῆχρ- to reach, to extend, to mark a limit

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3360-01 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN until up to up to 15
G3360-02 μέχρις mechris CONJ.S until until until 3

Occurrences in Scripture

18 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3360-01 Matthew 11:23 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN until up to up to
G3360-01 Matthew 13:30 μέχρι mechri ADV until up to until
G3360-01 Matthew 28:15 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN until up to until
G3360-02 Mark 13:30 μέχρις mechris CONJ.S until until until
G3360-01 Luke 16:16 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN until up to up to
G3360-01 Acts 10:30 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN until up to until
G3360-01 Acts 20:7 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN until up to up to
G3360-01 Romans 5:14 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN to up to up to
G3360-01 Romans 15:19 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN as far as up to as far as
G3360-02 Galatians 4:19 μέχρις mechris CONJ.S until until until
G3360-01 Ephesians 4:13 μέχρι mechri CONJ.S until up to until
G3360-01 Philippians 2:8 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN to the point of up to up to
G3360-01 Philippians 2:30 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN to up to up to
G3360-01 1 Timothy 6:14 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN until up to until
G3360-01 2 Timothy 2:9 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN even to up to up to
G3360-01 Hebrews 3:14 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN until up to up to
G3360-01 Hebrews 9:10 μέχρι mechri PREP GEN until up to until
G3360-02 Hebrews 12:4 μέχρις mechris PREP GEN to until until
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