μή, the 
Sept. for 
אַל, 
אַיִן, 
אֵין, a particle of negation, which differs from 
οὐ (which is always an adverb) in that 
οὐ denies the thing itself (or to speak technically, denies simply, absolutely, categorically, directly, objectively), but 
μή denies the thought of the thing, or the thing according to the judgment, opinion, will, purpose, preference, of someone (hence, as we say technically, indirectly, hypothetically, subjectively). This distinction holds also of the compounds 
οὐδείς, 
μηδείς, 
οὐκέτι, 
μηκέτι, etc. But 
μή is either an adverb of negation, 
not (Latin 
non, ne); or a conjunction, 
that... not, lest (Latin 
ne); or an interrogative particle (Latin 
num) (i. e. (generally) implying a neg. ans.; in indirect question, 
whether not (suggesting apprehension)). Cf. 
Herm. ad Vig. § 267, p. 802ff; 
Matthiae, § 608; Alexander 
Buttmann (1873) Gram. § 148 (cf. Alex. Alexander 
Buttmann (1873) N. T. Gr., p. 344 (296ff)); Kühner, ii. § 512f, p. 739ff; (
Jelf, § 738ff); Rost § 135; 
Winer's § 55, 56; F. Franke, De particulis negantibus (two commentaries) Rintel. 1832f; G. F. Gayler, Particularum Graeci sermonis negativarum accurata disputatio, etc. Tub. 1836; E. Prüfer, De 
μή et 
οὐ particulis epitome. Vratisl. 1836; (Gildersleeve in American Jour. of Philol. vol. i. no. i., p. 45ff; Jebb in Vincent and Dickson's Handbook to Modern Greek, 2nd edition, Appendix, § 82ff). 
ἐάν μή, 
unless, if not, see examples in 
ἐάν, I. 3 c. 
ἐάν etc. 
καί μή, 
Mark 12:19; 
ἐάν etc. 
δέ μή, 
James 2:14; 
ἐάν τίς ἴδῃ... 
μή πρός θάνατον, 
1 John 5:16; 
εἰ μή, 
εἰ δέ μή, 
εἰ δέ μήγε, etc., see 
εἰ, III., p. 171f. To this head belong the formulae that have 
ἄν or 
ἐάν as a modifier (
Winers Grammar, § 55, 3 e.; (
Buttmann, § 148, 4)), 
ὅς, 
ὅστις, 
ὅσοι ἄν or 
ἐάν μή: 
Matthew 10:14; 
Matthew 11:6; 
Mark 6:11; 
Mark 10:15; 
Luke 7:23; 
Luke 9:5; 
Luke 18:17; 
Revelation 13:15; 
ὅς ἄν etc. 
καί μή, 
Mark 11:23; 
Luke 10:10; 
ὅς ἄν... 
μή ἐπί πορνεία, 
Matthew 19:9 G T Tr WH text; of the same sort is 
πᾶν πνεῦμα, 
ὁ μή ὁμολογεῖ, 
1 John 4:3. 
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