Conjunction-preposition – πλήν

ObjectivesLearning objectives

• The syntax and semantics of the conjunction-preposition πλήν

VocabularyVocabulary

SyntaxSyntax: Conjunction-preposition - πλήν

Because πλήν can be either a preposition or a conjunction, it can take a noun (as a preposition) or a clause (as a conjunction) after it. Some English words like since also have this dual syntactic category, e.g. I have been feeling terrible since Friday (since as preposition) or I have been feeling terrible since I ate that rotten apple (since as a conjunction). Πλήν is similar. It can be a preposition and take the genitive case, in which case it means ‘except,’ or it can be a conjunction where it means ‘but/nevertheless.’

SemanticsSemantics: Conjunction-preposition - πλήν

The conj/prep πλήν introduces a contrast between a thing or eventuality with something else. Since nouns usually refer to things and clauses to eventualities, the typical pattern is that πλήν contrasts two things when used as a preposition and takes a noun after it, and it contrasts two eventualities when used as a conjunction and takes a clause after it:

In Acts 8:1, the church in Jerusalem was scattered across Judea and Samaria πλὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων ‘except the apostles’, contrasting those who were scattered with the apostles. In Matt 11:22, Jesus contrasts the expectation of his audience with what is true: whereas they might think that Tyre and Sidon would fare worse on judgment day than the Jewish cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida, Jesus says that Tyre and Sidon will fare better on judgment day.