μᾶλλον (comparitive of μάλα, very, very much) (from Homer down), adverb, more, to a greater degree; rather;
1. added to verbs and adjectives, it denotes increase, a greater quantity, a larger measure, a higher degree, more, more fully (German in höherem Grade, Maasse);
a. words defining the measure or size are joined to it in the ablative (dative): πολλῷ much, by far, Mark 10:48; Luke 18:39; Romans 5:15, 17 (in both these verses the underlying thought is, the measure of salvation for which we are indebted to Christ is far greater than that of the ruin which came from Adam; for the difference between the consequences traceable to Adam and to Christ is not only one of quality, but of quantity also; cf. Rückert, Commentary on Romans, vol. i. 281f (others (from Chrysostom to Meyer and Godet) content themselves here with a logical increase, far more certainly)); 2 Corinthians 3:9, 11; Philippians 2:12; πόσῳ how much, Luke 12:24; Romans 11:12; Philemon 1:16; Hebrews 9:14; τοσούτῳ by so much, ὅσῳ by as much (namely, μᾶλλον), Hebrews 10:25.
b. in comparison it often so stands that than before must be mentally added (A. V. the more, so much the more), as Matthew 27:24 (μᾶλλον θόρυβος γίνεται (but others refer this to 2 b. ἆ. below)); Luke 5:15 (διήρχετο μᾶλλον); John 5:18 (μᾶλλον ἐζήτουν); John 19:8; Acts 5:14; Acts 9:22; Acts 22:2; 2 Corinthians 7:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:1, 10; 2 Peter 1:10; ἔτι μᾶλλον καί μᾶλλον, Philippians 1:9; or the person or thing with which the comparison is made is evident from what precedes, as Philippians 3:4; it is added to comparatives, Mark 7:36; 2 Corinthians 7:13; πολλῷ μᾶλλον κρεῖσσον, Philippians 1:23; see (Wetstein on Philippians, the passage cited); Winers Grammar, § 35, 1 cf. 603 (561); (Buttmann, § 123, 11); to verbs that have a comparative force, μᾶλλον διαφέρειν τίνος, to be of much more value than one, Matthew 6:26. μᾶλλον ἤ, more than, Matthew 18:13; μᾶλλον with the genitive, πάντων ὑμῶν, 1 Corinthians 14:18 (Xenophon, mem. 3, 17, 1). joined to positive terms it forms a periphrasis for a comparative (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 35, 2 a.), followed by ἤ, as μακάριον, μᾶλλον for μακαριωτερον, Acts 20:35; add, 1 Corinthians 9:15; Galatians 4:27; πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἀναγκαῖά, 1 Corinthians 12:22; sometimes μᾶλλον, seems to be omitted before ἤ; see under ἤ, 3 f.
c. μᾶλλον δέ, what moreover is of greater moment (A. V. yea rather): Romans 8:34 (2 Macc. 6:23).
2. it marks the preference of one thing above another, and is to be rendered rather, sooner (German eher, vielmehr, lieber);
a. it denotes that which occurs more easily than something else, and may be rendered sooner (German eher): thus πολλῷ μᾶλλον in arguing from the less to the greater, Matthew 6:30; Romans 5:9; Hebrews 12:9 (here L T Tr WH πολι μᾶλλον); also πολύ (R G πολλῷ) μᾶλλον namely, οὐκ ἐκφευξόμεθα, i. e. much more shall we not escape (cf. Winers Grammar, p. 633 (588) note (Buttmann, § 148, 3 b.)), or even ἔνδικον μισθαποδοσίαν ληψόμεθα (Hebrews 2:2), or something similar (cf. Matthiae, § 634, 3), Hebrews 12:25. πόσῳ μᾶλλον, Matthew 7:11; Matthew 10:25; Luke 12:28; Romans 11:12, 24; Philemon 1:16. in a question, οὐ μᾶλλον; (Latin nonne potius?) (do not... more), 1 Corinthians 9:12.
b. it is opposed to something else and does away with it; accordingly it may be rendered the rather (German vielmehr);
α. after a preceding negative or prohibitive sentence: Matthew 10:6, 28; Matthew 25:9; Mark 5:26; Romans 14:13; 1 Timothy 6:2; Hebrews 12:13; μᾶλλον δέ, Ephesians 4:28; Ephesians 5:11. οὐχί μᾶλλον; (nonne potius ?) not rather etc.? 1 Corinthians 5:2; 1 Corinthians 6:7.
β. so that μᾶλλον belongs to the thing which is preferred, consequently to a noun, not to a verb: John 3:19 (ἠγάπησαν μᾶλλον τό σκότος ἡ τό φῶς, i. e. when they ought to have loved the light they (hated it, and) loved the darkness, John 3:20); John 12:43; Acts 4:19; Acts 5:29; 2 Timothy 3:4 that which it opposes and sets aside must be learned from the context (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 35, 4): Mark 15:11 (namely, ἤ τόν Ἰησοῦν); Philippians 1:12 (where the meaning is, 'so far is the gospel from suffering any loss or disadvantage from my imprisonment, that the number of disciples is increased in consequence of it').
γ. by way of correction, μᾶλλον δέ, nay rather; to speak more correctly: Galatians 4:9 (Josephus, Antiquities 15, 11, 3; Aelian v. h. 2, 13 and often in secular authors; cf. Grimm, Exeg. Hdbch. on Sap., p. 176f).
c. it does not do away with that with which it is in opposition, but marks what has the preference: more willingly, more readily, sooner (German lieber), θέλω μᾶλλον and εὐδοκῶ μᾶλλον, to prefer, 1 Corinthians 14:5; 2 Corinthians 5:8 (βούλομαι μᾶλλον, Xenophon, Cyril 1, 1, 1); ζηλουν, 1 Corinthians 14:1 (μᾶλλον namely, ζηλοῦτε); χρωμαι, 1 Corinthians 7:21.

BLB Scripture Index of Thayer's