Aforetime <1,,4218, pote>
signifies "once, at some time," Joh 9:13 (cp. proteron, in Joh 9:8); Eph 2:2, Eph 2:11, Col 3:7, Tit 3:3, Phm 1:11, 1Pe 3:5, 1Pe 3:20. In all these the RV translates it "aforetime." The AV varies it with "in time past," "some time," "sometimes," "in the old time."
<2,,4386, proteron>
the comparative of pro, "before, aforetime," as being definitely antecedent to something else, is more emphatic than pote in this respect. See, e.g., Joh 6:62, Joh 7:50, Joh 9:8, 2Co 1:13, Gal 4:13, 1Ti 1:13, Heb 4:6, Heb 7:27, Heb 10:32, 1Pe 1:14. See BEFORE, FIRST, FORMER.
