ἆρα (ara)
ara
no?
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek particle ara functions as an interrogative marker that carries a distinct tone of anxiety or impatience. It appears in only three verses across the New Testament, primarily within the writings of Luke and Paul, marking it as a specialized literary term rather than common conversational speech. Its usage signals that the speaker is pressing for a response, often with a specific expectation regarding the answer.
In most instances, such as when Jesus asks if faith will be found on earth in Luke 18:8, ara introduces a question to which a negative reply is presumed. Conversely, in Galatians 2:17, it appears in an apodosis to expect an affirmative conclusion. This nuanced force distinguishes it from neutral questions, adding emotional weight to the inquiry and highlighting the urgency or doubt behind the words.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When you encounter the word ara, you are hearing a question charged with emotion. It is not a casual inquiry but one born from anxiety or impatience, pressing for an answer that often feels urgent to the speaker.
In Luke 18:8, Jesus uses this tone to ask if He will find faith on earth when He returns. The weight of the question reflects His deep concern for our steadfastness in difficult times. It reminds us that our faith matters deeply to Him, even when the world seems distant from God.
This particle invites us to consider the sincerity of our own spiritual walk. It is a gentle nudge to ensure our trust in Christ remains firm, not out of fear, but out of love for the One who seeks us with such earnestness.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- surely not [is]1×
- surely not1×
- Surely not1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἆρα2×
- ἆρά1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 18:8
I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
The word carries a tone of anxious expectation as Jesus questions whether genuine faith will survive until His return.
-
Galatians 2:17
But if while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? Certainly not!
Here it introduces a rhetorical question that demands an immediate and emphatic negative response regarding Christ's role in sin.
-
Acts 8:30
Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
Philip uses this particle to ask if the Ethiopian eunuch understands his reading, showing a moment of eager engagement with Scripture.