μήποτε

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 μήποτε

   MĒ-po-te

   lest
2. sentence🔊 Ἔλεγεν δὲ καὶ τῷ κεκληκότι αὐτόν Ὅταν ποιῇς ἄριστον ἢ δεῖπνον μὴ φώνει τοὺς φίλους σου μηδὲ τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου μηδὲ τοὺς συγγενεῖς σου μηδὲ γείτονας πλουσίους μήποτε καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀντικαλέσωσίν σε καὶ γένηται ἀνταπόδομά σοι

   E-le-gen de kai tō ke-klē-KO-ti au-TON HO-tan poi-ÊS A-ris-ton ê DEI-pnon mê PHŌ-nei tous PHI-lous sou mē-DE tous a-del-PHOUS sou mē-DE tous syng-ge-NEIS sou mē-DE GEI-to-nas plou-SI-ous MĒ-po-te kai au-TOI an-ti-ka-LE-sō-sin se kai GE-nē-tai an-ta-PO-do-ma soi

   He was saying and also to the who had invited him when you make a breakfast or a dinner not invite the friends your nor the brothers your nor the relatives your nor neighbors rich lest also they they might invite in return you and it becomes a repayment to you

Exegesis

The warning clause begins with mēpote {μήποτε | mḕ-po-te} ‘lest perhaps,’ governing the aorist subjunctive antikalēsōsin {ἀντικαλέσωσίν | an-ti-ka-lé-sō-sin}, “they might invite back,” and is followed by genētai antapodoma soi {γένηται ἀνταπόδομά σοι | gé-nē-tai an-ta-pó-do-ma soí} ‘and there may be repayment to you,’ an existential subjunctive construction that highlights the unwanted result of reciprocal hospitality. The parallel series of subjunctives and negatives underlines Jesus’ critique of self-seeking generosity.