3819. palai

Lexicon

palai: Long ago, formerly, of old

Original Word: πάλαι
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: palai
Pronunciation: PAH-lie
Phonetic Spelling: (pal'-ahee)
Definition: Long ago, formerly, of old
Meaning: of old, long ago, in times past, former.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

long ago

Probably another form for palin (through the idea of retrocession); (adverbially) formerly, or (by relatively) sometime since; (elliptically as adjective) ancient -- any while, a great while ago, (of) old, in time past.

see GREEK palin

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
long ago, of old
NASB Translation
all this time (1), former (1), long (1), long ago (3).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3819: πάλαι

πάλαι, adverb of time, from Homer down;

1. of old; Hebrews 1:1; (as adjective) former, 2 Peter 1:9. (πάλαι properly designates the past not like πρίν and πρότερον relatively, i. e. with a reference, more or less explicit, to some other time (whether past, present, or future), but simply and absolutely.)

2. long ago: Matthew 11:21; Luke 10:13; Jude 1:4; so also of time just past, Mark 15:44 (A. V. any while) (where L Tr text WH text ἤδη); 2 Corinthians 12:19 L T Tr WH (R. V. all this time) (so in Homer, Odyssey 20, 293; Josephus, Antiquities 14, 15, 4).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from ancient Greek, the term has been used in classical literature and the New Testament to denote a sense of time that is long past.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The concept of "long ago" or "formerly" in Hebrew is often expressed with words like קֶדֶם (qedem, Strong's H6924) or עוֹלָם (olam, Strong's H5769), which convey a sense of antiquity or eternity. These terms are used in the Old Testament to describe ancient times or the eternal nature of God and His covenant promises.

Usage: In the New Testament, πάλαι is used to refer to events or conditions that have existed for a long time or were established in the past. It emphasizes the antiquity or longstanding nature of a subject.

Context: The Greek adverb πάλαι appears in several New Testament passages, underscoring the continuity and historical depth of God's actions and promises. For instance, in 2 Peter 3:5, the term is used to remind readers of the ancient creation of the world: "But they deliberately overlook the fact that long ago by God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water." Here, πάλαι emphasizes the longstanding nature of God's creative work, serving as a reminder of His eternal power and sovereignty.

In Jude 1:4, πάλαι is used to describe the longstanding condemnation of certain ungodly individuals: "For certain men have crept in unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation." This usage highlights the preordained nature of divine judgment, suggesting that God's plans and purposes have been established from ancient times.

The use of πάλαι in the New Testament often serves to connect the present with the past, reminding believers of the enduring nature of God's word and the fulfillment of His promises. It calls attention to the historical continuity of God's redemptive plan, encouraging faith and perseverance among the faithful.

Forms and Transliterations

παλαι πάλαι palai pálai

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 11:21 Adv
GRK: ἐν ὑμῖν πάλαι ἂν ἐν
NAS: in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth
INT: in you long ago anyhow in

Mark 15:44 Adv
GRK: αὐτὸν εἰ πάλαι ἀπέθανεν
INT: him if already he had died

Luke 10:13 Adv
GRK: ἐν ὑμῖν πάλαι ἂν ἐν
NAS: in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting
KJV: they had a great while ago repented,
INT: in you long ago anyhow in

2 Corinthians 12:19 Adv
GRK: Πάλαι δοκεῖτε ὅτι
NAS: All this time you have been thinking
INT: all along do you think that

Hebrews 1:1 Adv
GRK: ΚΑΙ ΠΟΛΥΤΡΟΠΩΣ πάλαι ὁ θεὸς
NAS: after He spoke long ago to the fathers
KJV: spake in time past unto the fathers
INT: and in many ways of old God

2 Peter 1:9 Adv
GRK: καθαρισμοῦ τῶν πάλαι αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτιῶν
NAS: [his] purification from his former sins.
KJV: that he was purged from his old sins.
INT: purification the of old of him sins

Jude 1:4 Adv
GRK: ἄνθρωποι οἱ πάλαι προγεγραμμένοι εἰς
NAS: those who were long beforehand marked
KJV: who were before of old ordained to
INT: men they who of old having been before marked out to

Strong's Greek 3819
7 Occurrences

πάλαι — 7 Occ.