Ephesians 4:27

μήτε δίδοτε τόπον τῷ διαβόλῳ : neither give place to the devil. The μήτε of the TR is supported by cursives and certain Fathers, but must be displaced by μηδέ, for which the evidence is overwhelming ([462] [463] [464] [465] [466] [467], etc.). μήτε properly used would have required μήτε, not μή, in the previous prohibition. μηδέ on the other hand is grammatically correct as it adds a new negative clause, = “also do not,” “nor yet” (Hartung, Partikl., i., p. 210; Buttm., Gram. of N. T. Greek, p. 366; Jelf, Greek Gram., § 776). τόπον, = room, opportunity; cf. Romans 12:19. διάβολος is not = calumniator (Luth., etc.), as if the reference were to heathen slanderers of Christians (Erasm.), but = the devil, the word having always that sense in the NT when used as a noun (in 1Ti 3:11; 2 Timothy 3:3; Titus 2:3 it is probably an adject.); cf. Matthew 4:1; Matthew 4:5; Matthew 13:39; Matthew 25:41, etc. It has that sense again in 1 Timothy 3:6. The more personal name Σατανᾶς occurs more frequently in the Pauline writings, while it is used only once in John's Gospel (John 13:27) and never in his Epistles. On the other hand διάβολος is strange to Mark.

[462] Codex Vaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889 under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.

[463] Codex Sinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.

[464] Codex Claromontanus (sæc. vi.), a Græco-Latin MS. at Paris, edited by Tischendorf in 1852.

[465] Codex Augiensis (sæc. ix.), a Græco-Latin MS., at Trinity College, Cambridge, edited by Scrivener in 1859. Its Greek text is almost identical with that of G, and it is therefore not cited save where it differs from that MS. Its Latin version, f, presents the Vulgate text with some modifications.

[466] Codex Mosquensis (sæc. ix.), edited by Matthæi in 1782.

[467] Codex Angelicus (sæc. ix.), at Rome, collated by Tischendorf and others.