ἀμφότεροι

both of two

Definition

The adjective ἀμφότεροι means 'both' or 'both of two,' specifically referring to two distinct entities considered together as a pair. It emphasizes the duality and completeness of the two items in view. For example, in Luke 1:6, it describes Zechariah and Elizabeth as 'both' righteous before God, highlighting their shared spiritual state. In agricultural contexts like Matthew 13:30, it refers to 'both' the wheat and the tares growing together until the harvest, underscoring their simultaneous existence and eventual separation.

Biblical Usage

ἀμφότεροι is used 14 times in the New Testament, primarily in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. It often appears in parables and teachings to pair two contrasting or complementary items, such as old and new wineskins (Matthew 9:17; Luke 5:37-38) or a blind guide and a blind follower (Matthew 15:14; Luke 6:39). It also describes people, as with the righteous couple in Luke 1:6 or the two boats in the fishing miracle of Luke 5:7. The usage consistently reinforces a duality, whether literal or metaphorical.

Etymology

Derived from the prefix ἀμφί (amphi), meaning 'on both sides' or 'around,' combined with the comparative suffix -τεροι. It is related to the Greek word ἄμφω (amphō), also meaning 'both.' The etymology inherently conveys the idea of duality and reciprocity, focusing on two sides or elements considered jointly. This root sense is preserved in its biblical usage, where it never refers to more than two items.

Semantic Range

While primarily a numerical adjective, ἀμφότεροi can carry theological weight in contexts highlighting unity or shared condition. In Luke 1:6, it underscores the mutual righteousness of Zechariah and Elizabeth, modeling marital and spiritual partnership. In parables like Matthew 13:30, it emphasizes God's patient allowance for good and evil to coexist until judgment, a theme of divine sovereignty and eschatological separation. Understanding this precise 'both of two' meaning prevents reading it as a vague plural and clarifies passages about paired realities in God's plan.

In the Greco-Roman world, duality was a common conceptual framework (e.g., body/soul, earth/heaven). The term's specificity for 'two' reflects a cultural attention to pairs and contrasts, which Jesus and the Gospel writers employed in teaching. For instance, the pairing of old and new wineskins (Matthew 9:17) would resonate in an agrarian society familiar with winemaking, illustrating the incompatibility of old and new covenants. The word itself does not differ significantly from modern 'both,' but its consistent application to twos in biblical narratives reinforces structured, binary comparisons.

δύο (dyo, G1417) — the cardinal number 'two,' whereas ἀμφότεροi is the adjective 'both' emphasizing the pair together. | ἄμφω (amphō, G297 alternate form) — a less common, poetic form with identical meaning.

Word Details

Scripture References