1. alpha
Strong's Concordance
alpha: alpha
Original Word: ἄλφα
Part of Speech: Indeclinable Letter (Noun)
Transliteration: alpha
Phonetic Spelling: (al'-fah)
Short Definition: the first letter of the Greek alphabet
Definition: alpha; the first letter of the Greek alphabet.
HELPS Word-studies

1 Aalpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet. 1/a (alpha) is used as a prefix (called its "privative use") and typically means "no" or "not" (= "un-," "without").

[Greek words, whose first letter (of the root) is alpha, can not take an "alpha-privative" to negate them, so the only way to express their "antithesis" is using a negative particle before them (e.g. , ou).]

Example: There is no single word for "unforgiveness" in the NT because the first letter is already alpha ("a") – so a negative has to be used separately like, "not forgive" (ou/mē aphiēmi). "Righteousness/judge" (dikē) however does not begin in Greek with the letter "a" so unrighteousness is formed by using the prefix alpha (adikia).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 1: Α, ἄλφα

Α, ἄλφα, τό, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, opening the series which the letter omega ω closes. Hence, the expression ἐγώ εἰμί τό Α (L T Tr WH ἄλφα) καί τό Ω ( L WH), Revelation 1:8, 11 Rec., which is explained by the appended words ἀρχή καί τό τέλος, Revelation 21:6, and by the further addition πρῶτος καί ἔσχατος, Revelation 22:13. On the meaning of the phrase cf. Revelation 11:17; Isaiah 41:4; Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 48:12; (especially B. D. American edition, p. 73). Α, when prefixed to words as an inseparable syllable, is:

1. privative (στερητικόν), like the Latinin-, the English un-, giving a negative sense to the word to which it is prefixed, as ἀβαρής; or signifying what is contrary to it, as ἄτιμος, ἀτιμόω; before vowels generally αν(, as in ἀναίτιος.

2. copulative (ἀθροιστικόν), akin to the particle ἅμα (cf. Curtius, § 598), indicating community and fellowship, as in ἀδελφός, ἀκόλουθος. Hence, it is:

3. intensive (ἐπιτατικόν), strengthening the force of terms, like the Latincon in composition; as ἀτενίζω from ἀτενής (yet cf. Winers Grammar, 100 (95)). This use, however, is doubted or denied now by many (e. g. Lob. Path. Element. i. 34f). Cf. Kühner, i. 741, § 339 Anm. 5; (Jelf, § 342 δ.); Alexander Buttmann (1873) Gram. § 120 Anm. 11; (Donaldson, Gram., p. 334; New Crat. §§ 185, 213; Liddell and Scott, under the word).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Alpha.

Of Hebrew origin; the first letter of the alphabet; figuratively, only (from its use as a numeral) the first: --Alpha. Often used (usually an, before a vowel) also in composition (as a contraction from aneu) in the sense of privation; so, in many words, beginning with this letter; occasionally in the sense of union (as a contraction of hama).

see GREEK aneu

see GREEK hama

Forms and Transliterations
Α Αλφα Ἄλφα A Alpha Álpha
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Strong's Greek 1
4 Occurrences


Ἄλφα — 4 Occ.

Revelation 1:8 N
GRK: εἰμι τὸ Ἄλφα καὶ τὸ
KJV: I am Alpha and Omega,
INT: am the Alpha and the

Revelation 1:11 Noun
GRK: ἐιμι τὸ Α καὶ τὸ
KJV: I am Alpha and Omega,
INT: am the Alpha and the

Revelation 21:6 N
GRK: εἰμι τὸ Ἄλφα καὶ τὸ
KJV: I am Alpha and Omega,
INT: am the Alpha and the

Revelation 22:13 N
GRK: ἐγὼ τὸ Ἄλφα καὶ τὸ
KJV: I am Alpha and Omega,
INT: I [am] the Alpha and the

4 Occurrences

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