μάλα adv., [in LXX for אֲבָל, 3Ki.1:43, Dan LXX 10:21, al; compar. for מ, Num.13:32 (31), al; μᾶλλον ἠ (מ), Gen.19:9, al; superlat, 2Ma.8:7, 4Ma.4:22 12:9 15:4;] I. Pos,
very, very much, exceedingly (cl; LXX ut supr; in NT its place is taken by λίαν, σφόδρα, etc.). II. Compar, μᾶλλον. 1) Of increase,
more; with qualifying words: πολλῷ, Mrk.10:48, Luk.18:39, Rom.5:15, 17, Php.2:12, al; πόσῳ, Luk.12:24, Rom.11:12, al; τοσούτῳ. ὅσῳ, Heb.10:25. 2) Of comparison,
the more: Luk.5:15, Jhn.5:18, Act.5:14, 1Th.4:1, 10, 2Pe.1:10; ἔτι μ. καὶ μ, Php.1:9; with compar, Mrk.7:36, 2Co.7:13; πολλῴ μ. κρεῖσον, Php.1:23; μ. διαφέρειν, with genitive, Mat.6:26; μ. ἤ, Mat.18:13; with genitive, 1Co.14:18; as periphr. for compar, Act.20:35, 1Co.9:15, Gal.4:27; μ. δέ (EV,
yea rather), Rom.8:34. 3) Of preference,
rather, the rather, sooner: with qualifying words, πολλῷ, Mat.6:30, al; πολύ, Heb.12:25; πόσῳ, Mat.7:11, al; in a question, οὐ μ, 1Co.9:12; after a neg, Mat.10:6, al; θέλω (εὐδοκῶ) μ, 1Co.14:5, 2Co.5:8; ζηλῶ, 1Co.14:1; with subst, τ. σκότος ἢ τ. φῶς, Jhn.3:19; μ. δέ, Gal.4:9. III. Superl,
μάλιστα,
most, most of all, above all: Act.20:38 25:26, Gal.6:10, Php.4:22, 1Ti.4:10 5:8, 17, 2Ti.4:13, Tit.1:10, Phm 16, 2Pe.2:10; μ. γνώστης, Act.26:3 (
AS)