katenanti (before)

Meaning

Usually translated “before”, “opposite” and “front”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.

How it's translated

before 4
opposite 2
in front 1
ahead 1

Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.

Where it's used most

Mark 3
2 Corinthians 2
Matthew 1
Luke 1
Romans 1

5 books in all.

Related words

Explore in Scripture

Mark 11:2And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
Mark 12:41And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
Mark 13:3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
Luke 19:30Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.
Romans 4:17(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
2 Corinthians 2:17For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

All 8 verses, by book

Matthew 1: 21:2
Mark 3: 11:2 12:41 13:3
Luke 1: 19:30
Romans 1: 4:17
2 Corinthians 2: 2:17 12:19

Greek dictionary

κατέναντι katenanti · before

κατέναντι adv., [in LXX chiefly for נֶגֶד, פָּנִים, Gen.7:1, etc. ;] over against, opposite, before: ἡ, κ. κώμη, Luk.19:30; as prep., with genitive, Mat.21:2 27:24 (ἀπ-, WH, mg.), Mrk.11:2 12:41 (ἀπ-, WH, mg.) Mrk.13:3; metaphorically, before, before θεοῦ, Rom.4:17, 2Co.2:17 12:19.† (AS)

From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

How the English word “before” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.

BEFO'RE, preposition

[be and fore, that is by fore, near the fore part.]

In front; on the side with the face, at any distance; used of persons.
In presence of, with the idea of power, authority, respect.“Abraham bowed before the people of the land” Genesis 23:12“Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord” Micah 2:13
In sight of; as before the face.
In the presence of, noting cognizance of jurisdiction.

All definitions and other forms of “before”

In the power of, noting the right or ability to choose or possess; free to the choice.“My land is before thee” Genesis 20:15
In front of any object; as before the house; before the fire.
Preceding in time.“Before I was afflicted, I went astray” Psalms 119:67“Before Abraham was, I am” John 8:58
In preference to.
Superior; preceding in dignity.
Prior to; having prior right; preceding in order; as, the eldest son is before the younger in succession.
Previous to; in previous order; in order to.
before the wind, is to move in the direction of the wind by its impulse.

BEFO'RE, adverb

In time preceding.

In time preceding, to the present, or to this time; hitherto; as, tumults then arose which before were unknown.
Further onward in place, in progress, or in front.“Reaching forth to those things which are before” Philippians 3:13
In front; on the fore part.“The battle was before and behind” 2 Chronicles 13:14

Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.