Lest - Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

Lest

[ 1,,G3361, me ]
a negative particle, often used as a conjunction, is frequently translated lest," e.g., Mark 13:36 (in Mark 13:5, RV, "that no," for AV, "lest"); Acts 13:40; Acts 23:10.

[ 2,,G3363,hina me ] "in order that not," is rendered "lest," e.g., in Matthew 17:27; in some instances the RV renders the phrase "that ... not," e.g., Luke 8:12, or "that ... no," 1 Corinthians 9:12 (AV, "lest").

[ 3,,G3379,mepote / me pote ] denotes "lest ever, lest perhaps, lest at any time," e.g., Matthew 4:6; "lest haply," Matthew 7:6, RV (AV, "lest"), and in Matthew 13:15 (AV, "lest at any time"); in Matthew 25:9, RV, "peradventure" (AV, "lest"). The RV does not translate this simply by "lest," as in the AV; See further, e.g., in Matthew 27:64; Mark 14:2; Luke 12:58; the addition of pote requires the fuller rendering.

Note: In Luke 14:29, the conjunctive phrase hina mepote, "lest haply," is used.

[ 4,,G3381,mepos / me pos ] used as a conjunction, denotes "lest somehow, lest haply, lest by any means," e.g., 2 Corinthians 2:7, RV, "lest by any means" (AV, "lest perhaps"); so 2 Corinthians 12:20 (twice); Galatians 4:11 (AV, "lest"); in 1 Thessalonians 3:5 (AV, "lest by some means").

[ 5,,G3361 G4225,mepou / me pou ] "lest perhaps," is used in Acts 27:29, RV, "lest haply" (AV, "lest").

Note: In 2 Corinthians 4:4, AV, the phrase eis ("unto") to ("the") me ("not"), i.e., "in order that ... not," is rendered "lest (the light) ... should;" RV, "that (the light) ... should not."

Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words