3839. panté
Lexical Summary
panté: altogether, entirely, wholly

Original Word: πάντη
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: panté
Pronunciation: pan'-tay
Phonetic Spelling: (pan'-tay)
KJV: always
NASB: every way
Word Origin: [adverb (of manner) from G3956 (πᾶς - all)]

1. wholly

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
always.

Adverb (of manner) from pas; wholly -- always.

see GREEK pas

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
adverb from pas
Definition
every way, entirely
NASB Translation
every way (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3839: πάντῃ

πάντῃ (R G L Tr WH πάντῃ, see references under the word εἰκῇ), (πᾶς), adverb, from Homer down, everywhere; wholly, in all respects, in every way: Acts 24:3.

Topical Lexicon
Scope and Nuance of the Term

The adverb πάντῃ conveys an idea of totality—“in every way,” “altogether,” “completely.” It intensifies a statement by stressing that no aspect is left out, that the action or quality is exhaustive.

Singular Appearance in the New Testament

Acts 24:3: “In every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with all gratitude.”

The word occurs only here, spoken by the hired orator Tertullus as he opens the prosecution’s case against the Apostle Paul before the Roman governor Felix.

Historical Setting in Acts

Paul had been transferred from Jerusalem to Caesarea after a plot against his life (Acts 23:12-35). The high priest Ananias and the elders arrived five days later to press formal charges (Acts 24:1). They employed Tertullus, trained in Greco-Roman forensic rhetoric, to present their case. His opening captatio benevolentiae flatters Felix for “peace” and “reforms,” exaggerations given Felix’s notorious cruelty and corruption attested by historians such as Tacitus and Josephus. The adverb πάντῃ accentuates the sweep of this flattery.

Contrast Between Flattery and Truth

Luke juxtaposes Tertullus’s sweeping praise (“in every way and everywhere”) with Paul’s measured, fact-based defense (Acts 24:10-21). The single use of πάντῃ thus exposes the emptiness of sycophantic speech and highlights Christian integrity. Scripture repeatedly warns against flattering lips (Psalm 12:2-3; Proverbs 29:5). Paul himself later writes, “For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit” (1 Thessalonians 2:3).

Theological Themes

1. Integrity of Witness: The trial underscores the believer’s call to truthful testimony even when unjustly accused (Exodus 20:16; 1 Peter 3:15-16).
2. Proper Honor to Authorities: Paul shows respect—“knowing you have been a judge to this nation for many years” (Acts 24:10)—without resorting to exaggeration, modeling submission that does not compromise truth (Romans 13:1-7).
3. Completeness in Christ: While Tertullus uses πάντῃ to overstate human governance, the New Testament often reserves totality language for God’s salvific work (Ephesians 1:23; Colossians 2:10). The believer’s “complete” sufficiency is found in Christ, not in political structures.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Christian communication should be marked by candor, humility, and thanksgiving rather than manipulative praise (Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 4:6).
• Leaders and teachers are cautioned to avoid hyperbole that distorts reality; rather, they are to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).
• Intercession for civil authorities (1 Timothy 2:1-2) must be coupled with prophetic courage to expose injustice, following Paul’s example before Felix and later before Festus and Agrippa.

Related Biblical Concepts

– Pas (πᾶς, “all”): The root noun highlights God’s universal sovereignty (Revelation 4:11) and the gospel’s reach to “all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

– Wholeness and Peace: The flattery of civic “peace” contrasts with the genuine peace (εἰρήνη) that Christ bestows (John 14:27).

– Completion in Sanctification: “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)—a divine completeness that surpasses human claims.

Relevance for Contemporary Discipleship

Believers navigate public arenas where persuasive speech is prized. Acts 24 reminds the Church to honor rulers without surrendering prophetic integrity, to engage society with language that is both respectful and truthful, and to trust in the Lord whose work alone is truly πάντῃ—complete and in every way sufficient.

Forms and Transliterations
παντη πάντη πάντῃ παντοδαπά pante pantē pántei pántēi
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Acts 24:3 Adv
GRK: πάντῃ τε καὶ
NAS: we acknowledge [this] in every way and everywhere,
KJV: We accept [it] always, and
INT: always both and

Strong's Greek 3839
1 Occurrence


πάντῃ — 1 Occ.

3838
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