Lexical Summary dépote: at any time, ever Original Word: δέποτε Strong's Exhaustive Concordance whatsoever. From de and pote; a particle of generalization; indeed, at any time -- (what-)soever. see GREEK de see GREEK pote NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom dé and pote Definition sometime NASB Translation whatever* (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1221: δήποτεδήποτε (from δή and πότε), adverb, now at length (jam aliquando); at any time; at last, etc., just exactly; (hence, it generalizes a relative, like the Latincumque; see Lob. ad Phryn., p. 373): ᾧ δήποτε νοσήματι, with whatsoever disease, John 5:4 (R G, but L ὁιωδηποτουν). Topical Lexicon Definition and Linguistic Distinctives Strong’s Greek 1221 (δήποτε) is an enclitic intensifier meaning “ever, whatsoever, at all,” lending open-ended breadth to a statement. It heightens the idea that no limitation or exception is in view. Biblical Context: John 5:4 The word appears in the account of the pool of Bethesda: “For from time to time an angel of the Lord would go down into the pool and stir up the water. Then the first one into the pool after the water was stirred was healed of whatever disease he had.” (John 5:4) Here δήποτε modifies “disease,” stressing that the healing covered any and every infirmity. The grace offered at the pool was not selective; it embraced the whole spectrum of human affliction. Theological Significance 1. Universality of Divine Mercy – By asserting “whatever disease,” Scripture underscores God’s readiness to meet needs without qualification, foreshadowing Christ’s comprehensive redemptive work (Matthew 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24). Historical and Textual Considerations John 5:4 is absent from a number of early manuscripts, prompting modern translations to bracket or footnote it. Yet the verse reflects Jewish traditions about angelic activity at sacred waters and was accepted in the mainstream text for centuries, shaping Christian imagination about divine healing. The doctrinal force conveyed by δήποτε harmonizes with uncontested passages affirming God’s power to cure all ailments (Psalm 103:3; Matthew 4:23). Ministry Application • Hope for the Hopeless – Pastors and evangelists may draw on the unrestricted promise implied by δήποτε to assure sufferers that no condition lies beyond the Lord’s reach. Cross-Thematic Links δήποτε stands with other Greek indefinites—ὅστις (whoever), ὅταν (whenever)—that reinforce Scripture’s sweeping invitations and assurances: These parallels reinforce a theology of boundless grace, making 1221 a small yet potent witness to the limitless scope of God’s saving and healing purposes. Forms and Transliterations δηποτε δήποτε depote dēpote dḗpoteLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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