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1 Peter 3:2 — Word Study

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N1904ἐποπτεύσαντες τὴν ἐν φόβῳ ἁγνὴν ἀναστροφὴν ὑμῶν·

BSAhaving witnessedepopteuō theho inen respectphobos [with fear, respectful] purehagnos conductanastrophē [behavior, manner of life] of you;su [chaste, holy]

Word
Listen & take away1 Peter 3
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 2 is in this chapter.
Greek ↓ Download MP3 Nestle 1904 — the very text on this page — read by Andy Martin in Erasmian pronunciation.
Say the word Each Greek word carries its transliteration (su) — no per-word recordings of the Greek exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Peter 3:2quick helps
In a sentencePeter advises wives to demonstrate their faith through their behavior, which can influence their husbands.
Who is speakingThe apostle Peter, addressing Christian wives.
Where we areIn a section about the conduct of wives in relation to their husbands.
The hard wordἐποπτεύσαντες
Take awayBehavior speaks volumes; actions may win hearts more than words.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectἐποπτεύω verbἐποπτεύω The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the New Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the New Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — , the commonest word in the Greek New Testament, stands 19,867 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — 1 Peter 3:2

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Instructions for Wivesgenerated

1Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives
2when they see your pure and reverent demeanor.
3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes,
4but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.

1 Peter 3:2 is part of Peter's guidance to wives, encouraging them to submit to their husbands in a way that reflects their faith. He emphasizes that their behavior can be a powerful witness to their husbands, especially if they are not believers. This aligns with the broader theme in the chapter about living a life that honors God and influences others positively.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Peter 3:16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.
21 Peter 1:15But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do,
31 Peter 2:12Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
4Philippians 1:27Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,
5Philippians 3:20But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word ἐποπτεύσαντες, epopteuōgenerated

The word ἐποπτεύω (*epopteuō*) is an aorist active participle meaning 'having witnessed.' It conveys the idea of closely observing or inspecting, often in a supervisory context. In this verse, it suggests that the husbands will observe their wives' conduct.

This participle indicates a completed action that has relevance to the present, showing that the husbands are not just passive but actively witnessing the behavior of their wives.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'when they see your pure and reverent demeanor.' The KJV uses 'While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear,' which emphasizes the aspect of conversation.

Where the translations differ is in the rendering of φόβῳ and ἀναστροφὴν. The KJV and ASV use 'fear,' while the BBE opts for 'in the fear of God.' For ἀναστροφὴν, the ASV uses 'behavior,' while the NETB refers to it as 'conduct.'


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse contains one main clause with a finite verb, ἐποπτεύσαντες, meaning 'having witnessed.' This clause is complemented by a noun phrase that serves as the object, describing what is being observed — the wives' demeanor.

The structure emphasizes the relationship between the observation and the behavior being witnessed, showing how the wives' actions are central to the message.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The word φόβῳ (phobos), meaning 'respect,' is used in 1 Peter 3:2 and corresponds to the Hebrew terms פַּ֫חַד (pachad, 'dread') and יִרְאָה (yirah, 'fear'). This choice reflects a sense of reverence and awe that is essential in the context of the verse.

The pronoun ὑμῶν· (su), meaning 'of you,' aligns with the Hebrew אַתָּ֫ה (attah, 'thou'). This connection emphasizes the personal nature of the respect being addressed, highlighting the individual’s demeanor in relation to others.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Peter 3:2 advises wives that their behavior can influence their husbands, especially if they are not believers. Peter emphasizes that their pure and respectful conduct will be noticed and can lead to positive change.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean to have a pure and reverent demeanor?

A pure and reverent demeanor refers to a behavior that is morally clean and respectful, reflecting a deep respect for God and others.

Why is Peter emphasizing behavior over words?

Peter emphasizes behavior because actions can often speak louder than words, particularly in influencing others' beliefs and attitudes.

How can wives demonstrate their faith through their conduct?

Wives can demonstrate their faith through their conduct by living in a way that reflects their Christian values, showing love, respect, and purity in their interactions.

What is the significance of the word 'witnessed' in this context?

The word 'witnessed' indicates that husbands are actively observing their wives' behavior, which can impact their perception of faith and spirituality.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways can I demonstrate my faith through my actions?
  2. How can I cultivate a demeanor that reflects purity and respect in my daily life?
  3. What are some challenges I might face in living out these principles, and how can I overcome them?
  4. How can I encourage others to see the importance of behavior in their witness to non-believers?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Hilary of Arles comments on this verse to highlight the power of actions over words in influencing others.

Hilary of ArlesINTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 1 PETER c. 403–449
Actions speak louder than words, and the husbands will be persuaded by what they see, not by what they hear from their wives.

He emphasizes that husbands will be persuaded more by what they observe in their wives than by spoken words.

Early Church Fathers on 1 Peter 3 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Peter 3:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

While they behold your chaste conversation,.... Cheerful subjection, strong affection, and inviolable attachment to them, and strict regard to the honour of the marriage state, and to the preserving

Read John Gill on 1 Peter 3 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Behold - on narrowly looking into it [ epopteusantes (G2029)]. Chaste - free from all impurity. Fear - reverential, toward your husbands.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Peter 3 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Chaste conversation; free from all manner of impurities, and any thing contrary to the marriage covenant. Coupled with fear; such a fear or reverence of your husbands, whereby out of the fear of God, and conscience of his command, you give them all due respect, and do not willingly displease them. See ; subjection is required, , and fear, .

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Peter 3 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Ver. 2. Whiles they behold] Curiously pry into. Carnal men watch the carriages of prolessors, and spend many thoughts about them. Your chaste conversation] When Livia the empress was asked how had she got such a power over her husband that she could do anything with him? She answered, Multa modestia, By my much modesty. (Dio in Aug.) A prudent wife commands her husband by obeying. Coupled with fear] Not slavish fear of blows, but reverent fear: 1. Of offending God, by using unlawful means to get their husband’ s love, as by plaiting of the hair, &e. 2. Of offending their husbands by immodesty or frowardness.

Read John Trapp on 1 Peter 3 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) While they behold . . .—The same curious word as in 1 Peter 2:12, and the tense, which is ill-represented by “while they behold,” sets us at the moment of the triumph of the wife’s conduct, literally; having kept, or when they have kept an eye on your chaste conversation. The husband is jealously on the watch to see what his wife does who has embraced these foolish notions; at last he breaks down. Jesus must be the Messiah, or his wife could not have been so chaste! The adjective “chaste” is here to be taken in a large sense; it is the same which enters into the verb translated “purify” in 1 Peter 1:22, and it is implied that the “fear” (i.e., of the husband; comp. Note on 1 Peter 2:18)…

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Peter 3 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 2. Chaste conversation - with fear.] While they see that ye join modesty, chastity, and the purest manners, to the fear of God. Or perhaps fear, φοβος, is taken, as in Ephesians 5:33, for the reverence due to the husband.

Read AdamClarke on 1 Peter 3 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear] On the verb “behold” see note on chap. 1 Peter 2:12. The word “coupled” is not in the Greek, and the true meaning of the word is that the “chaste conduct” of the women who are addressed must have its ground and sphere of action in the reverential awe which is the right feeling of a wife towards her husband.

Read Cambridge on 1 Peter 3 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

While they behold your chaste conversation - Your pure conduct. The word chaste here (ἁγνὴν hagnēn) refer’s to purity of conduct in all respects, and not merely to chastity properly so called.

Read Albert Barnes on 1 Peter 3 →

The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

when they see your pure and reverent demeanor.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

seeing your pure behavior in fear.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

when they see your pure and reverent demeanor.

NETBNew English Translation2006

when they see your pure and reverent conduct.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

beholding your chaste behavior coupled with fear.

RVARevised Version, American1894

beholding your chaste behaviour coupled with fear.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

While they behold your chaste manner of life coupled with fear.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

While they beholde your pure conuersation, which is with feare.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

having witnessed your pure conversation [carried out] in fear;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

having beheld your pure behaviour in fear,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

having beheld your pure behavior in fear,

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

For they will have seen your sincere behavior with respect.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Considering your chaste conversation with fear.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

recognizing your pure and reverent behavior.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

When they see your holy behaviour in the fear of God.

Word by word, the decisions they made

φόβῳphobos respect G5401 3 different renderings
with fearASV DRA KJV NWB RVA
fearBBE DBY LSV WEB YLT
respectULB
ἀναστροφὴνanastrophē conduct G391 3 different renderings
behaviorASV FBV LSV ULB WEB
manner of lifeNWB
conductNETB

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the Nestle 1904 treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseclauseγυναῖκεςwivesclauseadverbialὉμοίωςLikewiseverbὑποτασσόμεναιbe subjectnoun phrase · indirect objectτοῖςto thenoun phraseἰδίοιςownἀνδράσινhusbandsclauseἵναso thatclauseεἴifclausenoun phrase · subjectκαὶevenτινεςanyverbἀπειθοῦσινare disobedientnoun phrase · objectτῷto theλόγῳwordclauseprepositional phrase · adverbialδιὰbynoun phraseτῆςthenoun phrasenoun phraseτῶνof theγυναικῶνwivesἀναστροφῆςconductprepositional phrase · adverbialἄνευwithoutλόγουwordverbκερδηθήσονταιthey will be won overclause · adverbialverbἐποπτεύσαντεςhaving witnessednoun phrase · objectτὴνthenoun phrasenoun phraseprepositional phraseἐνinφόβῳrespectnoun phraseἁγνὴνpureἀναστροφὴνconductὑμῶνof you

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The earliest translations — Latin and Syriac

Every translation is an argument about meaning made by someone who had to commit to one. These two were made while the Greek was still a living language, and they are the oldest opinions we have about what this verse says.

Latin VulgateAD 382–405

considerantes in timore castam conversationem vestram.

Jerome revised the Old Latin against the Greek from AD 382; the Latin west read this text for a thousand years.

Syriac Peshittaby AD 400

ܟܕ ܚܙܝܢ ܕܒܕܚܠܬܐ ܘܒܢܟܦܘܬܐ ܡܬܕܒܪܢ ܐܢܬܝܢ

The Bible of the Syriac-speaking church, in the language nearest to the Aramaic Jesus spoke.

Shown verse by verse rather than word by word: aligning a Greek word to its Latin or Syriac counterpart automatically would be guesswork, and a wrong alignment is worse than none.


The Greek editions compared — what the manuscripts actually say

Eight printed editions of the Greek New Testament, side by side. Where they agree the wording is settled; where a word is missing from an edition it is marked, so you can see the difference rather than take it on trust.

Nestle-Aland 28th edition2012 · Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft

ἐποπτεύσαντες τὴν ἐν φόβῳ ἁγνὴν ἀναστροφὴν ὑμῶν·

The standard critical text of the New Testament.

Nestle-Aland 27th edition1993 · Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft

ἐποπτεύσαντες τὴν ἐν φόβῳ ἁγνὴν ἀναστροφὴν ὑμῶν·

The previous edition, still widely cited.

SBL Greek New Testament2010 · Michael Holmes

ἐποπτεύσαντες τὴν ἐν φόβῳ ἁγνὴν ἀναστροφὴν ὑμῶν·

The Society of Biblical Literature edition, freely licensed.

Westcott–Hort1881 · Westcott and Hort

ἐποπτεύσαντες τὴν ἐν φόβῳ ἁγνὴν ἀναστροφὴν ὑμῶν·

The edition that turned scholarship toward the earliest manuscripts.

Tregelles1857–1879 · Samuel Prideaux Tregelles

ἐποπτεύσαντες τὴν ἐν φόβῳ ἁγνὴν ἀναστροφὴν ὑμῶν·

An independent critical text built from the oldest witnesses then known.

Tyndale House Greek NT2017 · Tyndale House, Cambridge

ἐποπτεύσαντες τὴν ἐν φόβῳ ἁγνὴν ἀναστροφὴν ὑμῶν·

A recent critical edition following documentary evidence closely.

Byzantine majority text2018 · Robinson–Pierpont

ἐποπτεύσαντες τὴν ἐν φόβῳ ἁγνὴν ἀναστροφὴν ὑμῶν·

The reading of the majority of surviving manuscripts.

Textus Receptus1550/1894 lineage

ἐποπτεύσαντες τὴν ἐν φόβῳ ἁγνὴν ἀναστροφὴν ὑμῶν·

The printed tradition behind the King James Version.

Every witness on this verse all agree
Critical editions
Nestle-Aland 28th edition2012Nestle-Aland 27th edition1993SBL Greek New Testament2010Westcott–Hort1881Tregelles1857–1879Tyndale House Greek NT2017
Byzantine / Majority
Byzantine majority text2018
Received Text
Textus Receptus1550/1894

A witness that read differently would show its variant word here, marked.

Word by word, across the editions

Every edition agrees. All 8 printed editions — Nestle-Aland 28, Nestle-Aland 27, SBLGNT, Westcott-Hort, Tregelles, Tyndale House 2017, Textus Receptus (KJV), Byzantine majority — carry every word of this verse, in the same order, with no difference that any translator would render differently.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Greek New Testament — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

1 Peter 3:2ἐποπτεύωhaving witnhaving witnesseἐποπτεύωthetheἐνininἐνφόβοςrespectrespectφόβοςἁγνόςpurepureἁγνόςἀναστροφήconductconductἀναστροφήσύof you;of you;σύἐπίPrep. on, Prep. on, to, aἐπίἅγιοςAdj set apAdj set apart, ἅγιοςἀναστρέφωv. I overtv. I overturn, ἀναστρέφωεἰςPrep. intoPrep. into, in,εἰςἐκPrep. fromPrep. from out,ἐκσυναγωγήn.f. an asn.f. an assemblσυναγωγήἔρημοςAdj desertAdj deserted, dἔρημοςτρόμοςn.m. a tren.m. a tremblinτρόμοςἐπιπίπτωv. I fall v. I fall upon,ἐπιπίπτωὅσοςCorr.pr. hCorr.pr. how muὅσοςἑαυτοῦRefl.pr. hRefl.pr. himselἑαυτοῦλόγοςn.m. a worn.m. a word, spλόγοςἀμήνHebr. veriHebr. verily, tἀμήν
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in 1 Peter 3:2

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Greek lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. Imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, the full Liddell-Scott-Jones, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate LSJ, Robinson and Packard on the Greek, Webster and Cawdrey on the English the translators were using. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

having witnessed the in respect pure conduct of you;
ἐποπτεύσαντεςepopteuō having witnessed G2029 Verb · aorist · active · participle · nominative · plural · masculine
2× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Peter than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
To observe or inspect something closely, like watching over it. This word is used in 1 Peter 2:12 and 3:2.
Tyndale gloss
to observe
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἐποπτεύω (*epopteuō*) is derived from a combination of prefixes meaning 'over' and a root meaning 'to look.' It encompasses meanings such as to observe, oversee, and witness, often in contexts related to supervision or inspection. In the New Testament, it appears in 1 Peter, where it conveys the idea of watching or being an eyewitness. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement regarding its meanings.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

** ἐπ-οπτεύω

[in Sm.: Ps 9:35 (10:14) 32 (33:13) * ;]

to watch (in Hom., as an overseer; cf Ps, ll. c.), look upon: I Pe 2:12 3:2.†

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

ἐπ-οπτεύω [ptep. 1 Pet. ii. 12 LT TrWH]; 1 aor. ptep. ἐποπτεύσαντες ; 1. to be an overseer (Homer, Hesiod). 2. univ. to look upon, view attentively; to watch (Aeschyl., Dem., al.): ri, 1 Pet. iii. 2; ἔκ τινος, 80. τὴν ἀναστροφήν, 1 Pet. ii. 12.

Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ἐποπτεύω occurs in an inser. of Imperial times erected in memory of their daughter by a man and his wife, who describe themselves as Καίσαρος δοῦλ(οι), Cagnat IV. 235°5— 7] γὰρ ἐμοὺς αἰῶνας ἐποπτεύουσα χελιδὼν τὸ τρίτον ἡ ξείνη μύρατ᾽ ἀποιχομένην. In the astrological PSI III. 157% (iii/A.p. ?) the verb is used of the sun.

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἐποπτεύω (epopteuō) — to observe.

ἐποπτ-εύω,

(ἐπόπτης) overlook, watch, of an overseer, ἔργα τ᾽ ἐποπτεύεσκε [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὁ πάντ᾽ ἐ. τάδε ἥλιος[Refs 5th c.BC+]

2. visit, punish, κότῳ [Refs 4th c.BC+]

3. absolutely, keep watch, οἱ περὶ τοὺς νόμους ἐποπτεύοντες [Refs 5th c.BC+]

II. become an ἐπόπτης, be admitted to the highest gkade at the mysteries, [Refs 1st c.AD+]: with accusative, view as an ἐπόπτης, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: proverbial, of attaining to the highest earthly happiness, ἐποπτεύειν δοκῶ [Refs 5th c.BC+]

III. study, meditate on, with dative, καθαρῇσιν ἐ. μελέτῃσιν [Refs 5th c.BC+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἐποπτεύω

epopteuo

from 1909 and a derivative of 3700; to inspect, i.e. watch:--behold.

see GREEK for 1909

see GREEK for 3700

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἐποπτεύω

v.

I am an eyewitness of, behold

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἐποπτεύω epopteuō 2x

to look upon, observe, watch; to witness, be an eye-witness of, 1 Pet. 2:12; 3:2*

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἐποπτεύω fut. σω ἐπόπτης to look over, overlook, watch, of an overseer, Od., Aesch., etc.:—also, to visit, punish, id. Aesch., Plat.

to become an ἐπόπτης, be admitted to the highest mysteries, epic Plat.; proverb. to attain to the highest earthly happiness, Ar.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-AAP-NPM — Verb · aorist · active · participle · nominative · plural · masculine
nominative — the one doing it — the subject.
Agrees with anything else marked plural masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-AAP-NPM Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Aorist Voice: Active Mood: Participle Case: Nominative Number: Plural Gender: Masculine

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
100%having witnessed
having witnessed100% · 2×

2 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 1 different way. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
ἔργονwork, labor, action,
καλόςbeautiful, good,
ἐποπτεύωhaving witnessed
what comes after →
δοξάζωI glorify, honor, be
Article the
Article the
ἐν

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceἐποπτεύω · 2× in the New Testament
1 Peter
Across the New Testament1 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
having witnessed the in respect pure conduct of you;
τὴνho the G3588 Article · accusative · singular · feminine
19,783× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 1 Peter as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
The Greek word for 'the' or 'this', used to point out a specific person or thing, like in Acts 17:28. It can also mean 'he', 'she', or 'it'.
Tyndale gloss
the/this/who
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The definite article — the commonest word in the Greek New Testament at 19,867 occurrences. Greek uses it more freely than English does and can drop it deliberately, so its presence and its absence both carry weight for a translator; but no single occurrence carries a message of its own. Here it simply gathers “the things” into one definite bundle.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ὁ, ἡ, τό,

the prepositive article (ἄρθρον προτακτικόν), originally a demonstr. pron. (so usually in Hom.), in general corresponding to the Eng. definite article.

As demonstr. pron.

As freq. in Hom., absol., he (she, it), his (etc.): Ac 17:28 (quoted from the poet Aratus).

Distributive, ὁ μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, the one . . . the other: I Co 7:7, Ga 4:22; pl., Ac 14:4, 17:32, Phl 1:16, al.; οἱ μὲν . . . ἄλλοι δέ, Mt 16:14, Jo 7:12; οἱ μεν̀ . . . ὁ δέ, He 7:21, 23.

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

ὁ 435 ὁ tives of quantity, ὅλος, πᾶς, πολύς, see each in its own place. d. What has been said concerning adjectives holds true also of all other limitations added to substantives, as ἡ κατ᾽ ἐκλογὴν πρόθεσις, Ro. ix. 11; ἡ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ διαθήκη, Ro. xi. 27; 6 λόγος 6 τοῦ σταυροῦ, 1 Co. i. 18; ἡ εἰς Χριστὸν πίστις, Col. ii. 5; on the other hand, ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν ἡ πρὸς τὸν θεόν, 1 Th. i. 8; τῆς διακονίας τῆς εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους, 2 Co. viii. 4; see many other exx. of each usage in W. 131 (124) sqq.; [B. 91 (80) sqq.]. e. The noun has the article before it when a demonstrative pronoun (υὗτος, ἐκεῖνος) belonging to it either precedes or follows [W. § 18, 4; B. § 127, 29-31]; as, ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος, Jn. ix. 24 [οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρ. 1, Tr mrg. WH); Acts vi. 13; xxii. 26; ὁ λαὸς οὗτος, Mt. xv. 8; 6 vids σου οὗτος, Lk. xv. 30; plur. Lk. xxiv. 17, and numberless other exx.; οὗτος 6 ἄνθρωπος, Lk. xiv. 30; οὗτος ὁ…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ὃ, ἡ τό. (1) Apart from connexion with μέν or δέ (see below) the demonstrative use of the art. in the NT is confined to a poetical quotation Ac 1778, but it is not uncommon in the papyri, e.g. P Par 45® (B.C. 153) (= Witkowski®, p. 85) τὰ (for ἃ) πράσεις (Δ πράσσεις), P Oxy VIII. 1160! (iii/iv A.D.) Ta (for ἃ) σεσύλληχα (for συνείληχα) δὲ κέρμα {ταν τηρῶ αὐτὰ εἰς τὴν δίκην, “1 am keeping for the trial the money that I have collected” (Ed.). For the distributive Opéev.. - 6 8€, as in 1 Cor7’, cf. P Lond 535 (B.c. 161) (=I. p. 19, U.P.Z. i. p. 239) kal τὰ μὲν ἡμῶν ἐληφότων εἰς τὴν γινομένην ἡμῖν συντάξειν, τὰ δ᾽ ἔτι διὰ τὴν τῶν ὑποτεταγμένων {(.. ... > παρελκομένων. (2) The use of the art. as a relative, of which there is no trace in the NT, may again be illustrated by the following papyrus citations from ¢c. A.D. 346—P Lond 414® (= II. Ῥ. 292) γεινῴσκιν oe θέλω περὶ τοῦ βρεουίου…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ὁ (ho) — the/this/who.

ὁ,

ἡ, τό, is, when thus written,

__A demonstrative Pronoun.

__B in Attic dialect, definite or prepositive Article.

__C in Epic dialect, the so-called postpositive Article, = relative Pronoun, ὅς, ἥ, ὅ.—The nominative masculine and feminine singular and plural, ὁ, ἡ, οἱ, αἱ, have no accent in codices and most printed books, except when used as the relative; but ὁ, ἡ, οἱ, αἱ differ only in writing from ὃ, ἣ, οἳ, α; the nominative forms of the article are said by Hdn.Gr.1.474 to be oxytone, and by [Refs 2nd c.AD+] in Aeolic dialect accusative to [Refs 8th c.BC+] genitive and dative dual τοῖιν [Refs 8th c.BC+]— In Doric dialect and all other dialects except Attic dialect and Ionic dialect the feminine forms preserve the old ᾱ instead of changing it to η, hence Doric dialect etc. ἁ, τάν, τᾶ; the genitive plural τάων contracts in many dialects to τᾶ; the genitive…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

ὁ ἡ τό

ho

he hay, and the neuter

to to

in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be

supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one,

he, she, it, etc.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ὁ, ἡ, τό

Article

the

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ὁ ho 19x

the prepositive article, answering, to a considerable extent, to the English definite article; but, for the principle and facts of its usage, consult a grammar; ὁ μὲν ... ὁ δέ, the one ... the other, Phil. 1:16, 17; Heb. 7:5, 6, 20, 21, 23, 24; pl. some ... others, Mt. 13:23; 22:5, 6; ὁ δέ, but he, Mt. 4:4; 12:48; οἱ δέ, but others, Mt. 28:17; used, in a poetic quotation, for a personal pronoun, Acts 17:28

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ὁ the, that

ὁ, ἡ, τό, is

demonstr. Pronoun.

the definite Article.

in epic, the relative Pronoun, when it is written with the accent ὅ, ἥ, τό ῀ ὅς, ἥ, ὅ. Besides the common forms, note epic gen. sg. τοῖο for τοῦ; pl. nom. τοί, ταί; gen. fem. τάων [α^], dat. τοῖσι, τῇς and τῇσι; dual gen, and dat. τοῖιν:— in Trag. we find τοὶ μέν . . , τοὶ δέ . . , for οἱ μέν . . , οἱ δέ . . ; dat. pl. also τοῖσι, ταῖσι: the dual has commonly but one gender, τώ for τά, τοῖν for ταῖν.

DEMONSTR. PRONOUN:

joined with a Subst., not as the Art., but like Lat. ille, ὁ Τυδείδης Tydeus's famous son, Il.; Νέστωρ ὁ γέρων Nestor— that aged man, id. Il.; τιμῆς τῆς Πριάμου for honour, namely that of Priam, id. Il.

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art-ASF — Article · accusative · singular · feminine
accusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked singular feminine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

T-ASF Part of Speech: definite arTicle Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Feminine

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

THE, an adjective or definitive adjective.

1. This adjective is used as a definitive, that is, before nouns which are specific or understood; or it is used to limit their signification to a specific thing or things, or to describe them; as the laws of the twelve tables. the independent tribunals of justice in our country, are the security or private rights, and the best bulwark against arbitrary power. the sun is the source of light and heat.

This he calls the preaching of the cross.

2. the is also used rhetorically before a noun in the singular number, to denote a species by way of distinction; a single thing representing the whole. the fig tree putteth forth her green figs; the almond tree shall flourish; the grasshopper shall be a burden.

3. In poetry, the sometimes loses the final vowel before another vowel.

Th' adorning thee with so much art,

Is but a barb'rous skill.

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
64%the
the64% · 13160×<the>28% · 5846×those3% · 597×other renderings4% · 788×other renderings1% · 294×

20,685 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 83 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
subject34%adverbial32%object24%predicate5%indirect object4%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 19,783 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
καίand, even, also, nam
αὐτόςεἰμίI am, existἐγώ
ἐν
καίand, even, also,αὐτόςArticle the
εἰς
αὐτόςεἰσέρχομαιI go in, come inἔρχομαιI come, go
αὐτός
λέγωI say, speakδέbut, on the otheπρός
εἰμίI am, exist
οὗτοςσύἐγώ
the19783×
what comes after →
θεόςGod, a god
Article theκαίand, even, also,ἐγώ
δέbut, on the other ha
λέγωI say, speakἸησοῦςJesusἀποκρίνομαιI answer, reply
ἸησοῦςJesus
λέγωI say, speakκαίand, even, also,Article the
κύριοςlord, Lord, master,
ἐγώἸησοῦςJesusArticle the
πατήρfather, Father, ance
ἐγώσύαὐτός

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordance · 19,783× in the New Testament
Matthew Acts Luke John Revelation Mark Romans 1 Corinthians Hebrews 2 Corinthians Ephesians 1 John

40 inflected forms — one of the commonest words in the New Testament. Full distribution →

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria The Shepherd of Hermas Clement of Rome The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 1c. AD 40

Τῶν ἄλλων νομοθετῶν οἱ μὲν ἀκαλλώπιστα καὶ γυμνὰ τὰ νομισθέντα παρ’ αὐτοῖς εἶναι δίκαια διετάξαντο, οἱ δὲ πολὺν ὄγκον τοῖς νοήμασι προσπεριβαλόντες ἐξετύφωσαν τὰ πλήθη μυθικοῖς πλάσμασι τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐπικρύψαντες.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.argc. AD 75–95

τοῦ κόσμου σύστασις καὶ διάταξις τῶν στοιχείων.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.1c. AD 100

Χαίρετε, υἱοὶ καὶ θυγατέρες, ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος ἡμᾶς, ἐν εἰρήνῃ.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD 1st c. AD 3rd c. BC 6th c. AD
P.Stras. 2 89Pathyris100 BC

r βασιλεύοντος Πτολεμαίου τοῦ ἐπικαλουμένου Ἀλεξάνδρου καὶ Βερενίκης τῆς ἀδελφῆς θεῶν Φιλομητόρων ἔτους ιε, ἐφʼ ἱερέων καὶ ἱερειῶν

P.Adl. 11Pathyris99 BC

ιζ Θῶυθ κη ἀπέδοτο Πετεσοῦχος Φίβιος καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τὸ ὕπαρχον αὐτοῖς ἥμισυ περιστερῶνος τοῦ ὄντος ἐν τῶι ἀπὸ βορρᾶ μέρει Παθύρεως χαλκοῦ Γ. ἐπρίατο Ὧρος Νεχούτου.

P.Grenf. 2 35Pathyris99 BC

βασιλευόντων Πτολεμαίου τοῦ ἐπικαλουμένου Ἀλεξάνδρου καὶ Βερενίκης τῆς ἀδελφῆς θεῶν φιλομητόρων ἔτους ιϛ, ἐφʼ ἱερέων καὶ ἱερειῶν

having witnessed the in respect pure conduct of you;
ἐνen in G1722 Preposition
2,743× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 1 Peter as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a preposition that means in, on, or among something. It's used in many places, like Matthew 7:3 and Luke 7:37, to describe a location or relationship. It can also mean by, with, or during.
Tyndale gloss
in/on/among
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The most frequent preposition in the New Testament, 2,752 occurrences. In, on, at, among, within — its force comes almost entirely from the word it is attached to. What it does here is put the events inside a community rather than at a distance: they were fulfilled among us.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἐν,

prep, (the most freq. of all in NT), c. dat. (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, c. abl.).

Of place, c. dat. rei, pers., in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Lk 7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mt 7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mt 12:40; τ. ὄρει, II Pe 1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Re 3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Ro 8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν , Lk 1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Ga 3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mt 12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103)…

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

ἐν Χριστῷ, ἐν Χριστῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ, ἐν κυρίῳ, (οἴ. Fritzsche, Com. on Rom. vol. ii. p. 82 544.; W. 389 (364); Weiss, Bibl. Theol. des N. T. §§ 84 b., 149 c.), ingrafied as it were in Christ, in fellowship and union with Christ, with the Lord: Ro. iii. 24; vi. 11, 23; viii. 39; 1Co.i.4; 2 Co. iii. 14; Gal. ii. 4; iii. 14, 26, 28; v. 6; Eph.i. 3 [Rec. om. ἐν]; ii. 6 sq. 10,13; 1 Tim.i.14; 2 Tim.i. 1,13; ii-1; 1 Pet. iii. 16; v.10; στήκειν ἐν κυρίῳ, Phil. iv. 1; iva εὑρεθῶ ἐν αὐτῷ, that I may be found (by God and Christ) most intimately united to him, Phil. iii. 9; εἶναι ἐν Χριστῷ "Inc. 1 Co. i. 30; οἱ ἐν Xp. "Ina. Ro. viii. 1; 1 Pet. v. 14; κοιμᾶσθαι ἐν Χριστῷ, θνήσκειν ἐν κυρίῳ, to fall asleep, to die, mindful of relationship to Christ and confiding in it [W. u.s.], 1 Co. xv. 18; Rey. xiv. 13. Since such union with Christ is the basis on which actions and virtues rest, the expression is…

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Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ἐν 210 contract—time of Augustus) ἱμάτια γυναικεῖα ἐν apyv(plov) δραχμαῖς ἑκατόν, P Oxy IV. 7247 (A.D. 155) ἐξ ὧν ἔσχες τὴν πρώτην δόσιν ἐν δραχμαῖς τεσσαράκοντα, 70. I. 565 (A.D. 211) δανειζομένη. .. ἀργύριον ἔντοκον ἐν δραχμαῖς ἑξακισχειλίαις, and P Grenf II. 778 (iii/iv a.p.) (=Selections, Pp. 120) το]ὺς μισθοὺς. . ὄντας ἐν δραχμαῖς τριακοσίαις τεσσαράκοντα. Similar are P Oxy IV. 7084 (a.p. 188) yopou . . ἐν (1vpod)(apraBats) ’B, BGU 1. 724 (a.p. 191) ἐξέκοψαν πλεῖστον τόπον ἐν ἀρούραις πέντε: with which may be compared Eph 2!° τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν, “consisting in.” In P Lond 9215 (ii/iii a.p.) (ΞΞ 111. P- 134) γεγονέναι ἐν ἀμπέλῳ = ‘to be planted with vines.” A predicative use of ἐν is seen in P Hib I. 421° (B.c. 262) δώσομεν Λευκίωι ἐν ὀφειλήματι, ‘asa debt,” P Petr I. 1215 (cf. II. p. 22) ὅσα δὲ ᾿Αξιοθέα προσενήνεγκται ἐμ φερνῆι, “ἐᾷς dowry,” and P Tebt I. 120 135…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἐν (en) — in/on/among.

ἐν,

poetry ἐνί, εἰν, εἰνί [Refs 8th c.BC+], forms used by Epic dialect and Lyric Poets as the metre requires, but only as falsa lectio in Trag., εἰν [Refs 5th c.BC+] ἰν [Refs]

__PREP. WITH DAT. AND ACC. Radical sense, in, into.

__A WITH DAT.

__A.I OF PLACE,

__A.I.1 in, νήσῳ ἐν ἀμφιρύτῃ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; with names of cities or islands, as ἐν Ἀθήνῃς, ἐν Τροίῃ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; where ἐν is used, it = in the district of.., ὲν Ἐλευσῖνι [Refs] in my arms, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐν αὑτῷ εἶναι to be in one's senses, be oneself, ἔτ᾽ ἐν σαυτῷ (variant -τοῦ) γενοῦ [Refs 5th c.BC+]

__A.I.1.b ἐν τοῖς ἰχθύσιν in the fish-market, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so ἐν τοῖν δυοῖν ὀβολοῖν ἐθεώρουν ἄν in the two-obol seats, [Refs 4th…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἐν

en

a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or

state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or

constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519

and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, +

almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+

all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to,

-wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly,

one, X quickly,

X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on),

through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while,

with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same

import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate

direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different)

preposition.

see GREEK for 1519

see GREEK for 1537

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἐν

Prep.

in, on, among

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἐν en 2x

followed by the dat., in, Mt. 8:6; Mk. 12:26; Rev. 6:6,; upon, Lk. 8:32; among, Mt. 11:11; before, in the presence of, Mk. 8:38; in the sight, estimation of, 1 Cor. 14:11; before, judicially, 1 Cor. 6:2; in, of state, occupation, habit, Mt. 21:22; Lk. 7:25; Rom. 4:10; in the case of, Read the full entry →

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἐν

e)nprepe)ni/prep ei)nprep ei)ni/prep in, among. c. dat.

Lat. in.

PREP. WITH DAT.:

OF PLACE

in, ἐν νήσῳ, ἐν Τροίῃ, etc., Hom., etc.:—elliptic, ἐν Ἀλκινόοιο (sc. οἴκῳ) Od.; εἰν Ἀΐδαο Il.; ἐν παιδοτρίβου at the school of the training master, Ar.

in, upon, ἐν οὔρεσι Hom., etc.

in the number of, amongst, ἐν Δαναοῖς, etc., Hom.; and with Verbs of ruling, ἄρχειν, ἀνάσσειν ἐν πολλοῖς to be first or lord among many, i. e. over them, id. Hom.; cf. ὁ, τό B. III. 3.

in one's hands, within one's reach or power, Lat. penes, Hom., etc.; ἐν σοὶ γάρ ἐσμεν Soph.; ἐν τῷ θεῷ τὸ τέλος ἦν Dem.

in respect of, ἐν γήρᾳ in point of age, Soph.

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
preposition — its sense depends on the case of the word it governs.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

PREP PREPosition

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

A principal thing to notice about this preposition, which in the King James Version represents about 16 Hebrew and as many Greek words and prepositions, is that, in hundreds of cases (especially in the Old Testament, but frequently also in the New Testament) in the Revised Version (British and American) the rendering is changed to more exact forms ("to," "unto," "by," "upon," "at," "with," "among," "for," "throughout," etc.; compare e.g. Ge 6:16; 13:8; 17:7,9,12; 18:1; Ex 8:17; Le 1:9, etc.); while, nearly as often, "in" is substituted for divergent forms of the King James Version (e.g. Ge 2:14; 17:11; 31:54; 40:7; 49:17; Ex…

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
having witnessed the in respect pure conduct of you;
φόβῳphobos respect G5401 Noun · dative · singular · masculine
47× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Peter than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Fear or alarm that causes people to be terrified, as seen in Luke 1:12 and Acts 5:5. This term describes a feeling of dread or terror. It is the fear that people experience in difficult situations.
Amplified meaning
with fear, respectful
Tyndale gloss
fear
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

φόβος (phobos) means fear, terror, or reverence. It is derived from the verb φέβομαι (to be put in fear) and encompasses a range of meanings from panic to awe. In the New Testament, it appears in various contexts, such as in Luke 1:12 and Romans 8:15. Some lexicons note a distinction between φόβος and other terms for fear, indicating its nuanced use.

Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament — δειλία, φόβος, εὐλάβεια from a scan

Or these three words the first, δειλία, is used always in a bad sense ; the second, φόβος, is a middle term, capable of a good interpretation, capable of an evil, and lying indifferently between the two; the third, εὐλάβεια, is quite predominantly used in a good sense, though it too has not altogether escaped being employed in an evil. Δειλία, equivalent to the Latin ‘ timor,’ and having θρασύτης (‘foolhardiness’) for its contrary extreme (Plato, Tim. 87 a), is our ‘cowardice.’ It occurs only once in the N. T., 2 Tim. i. 7; where Bengel says, exactly on what authority I know not, ‘ Est timor cujus cause potius in animo sunt quam foris;’ but δειλιάω at John xiv. 27; and δειλός at Matt. vil. 26; Mark iv. 40; Rev. xxi. 8: the δειλοί in this last passage being those who in time of persecution have under fear of suffering denied the faith; cf. Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. viii. 8. It is joined to…

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Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

φόβος, -ου, ὁ

[in LXX chiefly for יִרְאָה, also for פַּחַד, אֵימָה, etc. ;]

in Hom., flight.

That which causes flight, fear, dread, terror: Lk 1:12, Ac 5:5, I Ti 5:20. I Jo 4:18, al.; cogn. acc., φοβεῖσθαι φ., Mk 4:41, Lk 2:9; c. gen. obj., Jo 7:13 19:33 20:19, He 2:5, I Pe 3:14 (but cf. ICC, in l.);ἀπὸ (τοῦ) φ., Mt 14:26, Lk 21:26; εἰς φ.,

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

φόβος, -ov, 6, (φέβομαι ; like φόρος, τρόμος, πόνος, fr. Φέρω, τρέμω, πένομαι), ἔτ. Hom. down, Sept. for 7X1, ἽΠ9,

Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

φόβος, igo 2h 25: 230} (5 ΒΙῸΣ: γειτνιώντων Θραικῶν φόβον, P Fay 2151 (A.D. 134) τῷ τοῦ προστίμου φόβῳ, ‘by the fear of incurring penalties,’ P Oxy XIV. 16681® (iii/A.D.) ὃ ἡγεμὼν ἀμνησίαν ἔπεμψεν ἐνθάδε, καὶ οὐκέτι φόβος οὐδὲ εἷς ever, “the praefect has sent an aninesty here, and there is no longer any fear at all’’ (Edd.), and BGU II. 5471 (Byz.) μέγας φόβος ἐπίκειται ἡμῖν. For the plur. as in 2 Cor 7°, see Sy// 168 (= 3 326)*1 (B.c. 307-6) kal φόβων κ[αὶ κινδύνων μεγάλων τοὺς] Ἕλληνας περιστάντων. The reverential fear towards God, which appears in such a passage as Ac 91, may be illustrated from P Lond 1914}? (A.D. 335°) φόβον θεοῦ ἔχοντες ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ : cf. 7. IV. 139318. In 2 Cor 5% Field (Votes, p. 183) prefers the rendering ‘‘terror,’’ as against RV…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

φόβος (phobos) — fear.

φόβος, ὁ,

(φέβομαι) panic flight, the usual sense in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; φόβονδ᾽ ἔχε μώνυχας ἵππους [Refs]; μή τι φόβονδ᾽ ἀγόρευε counsel not to flight,[Refs 5th c.BC+]

2. Φόβος personified, as son of Ares, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; worshipped at Selinus, [Refs]

II. panic fear, [στρατῷ] φ. ἐμβάλλειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; generally, fear, terror (distinguished from δέος (which see)), τορὸς ὀρθόθριξ φ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; joined with δέος and δεῖμα, (see entry).; opposed to θάρρος, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; sometimes in milder sense, doubt, scruple, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔχει πολλὴν ὑποψίαν καὶ φ. ὡς.. [Refs]: also, awe, reverence, for a ruler or divine being, τοῦ ἡγεμόνος [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; θεοῦ [LXX+4th c.AD+].—Construction, a. with genitive object, fear or dread of.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; φ. περὶ τοῦ καρποῦ fear for or…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

φόβος

phobos

from a primary phebomai (to be put in fear); alarm or fright:--be

afraid, + exceedingly, fear, terror.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

φόβος, ου, ὁ

n.m.

fear, terror, reverence

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

φόβος phobos 47x

fear, terror, affright, Mt. 14:26; Lk. 1:12; astonishment, amazement, Mt. 28:8; Mk. 4:41; trembling concern, 1 Cor. 2:3; 2 Cor. 7:15; meton. a terror, an object or cause of terror, Rom. 13:5; reverential fear, awe, Acts 9:31; Rom. 3:18; respect, deference, Rom. 13:7; 1 Pet. 2:18

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

φόβος φόβος, ὁ, φέβομαι flight, Lat. fuga, the only sense in Hom.; φόβονδε ῀ φύγαδε, μή τι φόβονδ᾽ ἀγόρευε counsel not to flight, Il., etc.:— Φόβος is personified as son of Ares, id. Il., Hes.

panic fear, such as causes flight, στρατῷ φ. ἐμβάλλειν Hdt.:—then generally, fear, terror, properly of the outward show of fear, and so distinguished from δέος (the sensation of fear), Aesch., etc.: the Object of fear is in gen., fear of another, id. Aesch., etc.; so φ. ἀπό τινος Xen.; ἔκ τινος Aesch.; πρός τινος Soph.;—but, φ. περί or ὑπέρ τινος fear for or concerning . . , Thuc.:—with Verbs, ποιεῖν or παρέχειν τινί Xen.; φόβον ἐμβάλλειν, ἐντιθέναι τινί to strike terror into one, Lat. metum incutere alicui, Xen., etc.;—of the person who feels fear, φόβον λαμβάνειν Eur.; φόβος ἔχει με Aesch.; f. e)mpi/ptei moi Xen.; διὰ φόβου ἔρχομαι…

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-DSM — Noun · dative · singular · masculine
dative — to, for, with — the one it is done to or by.
Agrees with anything else marked singular masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-DSM Part of Speech: Noun Case: Dative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ To the aged Le 19:32

→ To rulers Pr 25:6

→ To an army Lu 14:10

→ To one another Ro 12:10; Php 2:3; 1Pe 2:17

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
83%fear
fear83% · 38×respect7% · 3×awe2% · 1×terror2% · 1×fears2% · 1×reverence2% · 1×threats2% · 1×other renderings0% · 0×

46 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 7 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial51%subject26%object17%predicate4%indirect object2%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 47 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
διάἀπόδέbut, on the othe
ἐν
καίand, even, also,ἁγιωσύνηa holy or sanctiἀλλήλων
μετά
μνημεῖονa tomb, sepulcheὡςas, like as, howκύριοςlord, Lord, mast
καίand, even, also, nam
ὁράωI see, look uponπραΰτηςmildness, gentleαὐτός
φοβέωI fear, am terrified
καίand, even, also,
φόβοςrespect47×
what comes after →
Article the
ἸουδαῖοςJewishκύριοςlord, Lord, mastArticle the
καίand, even, also, nam
τρόμοςa tremblingχαράjoy, gladnessπροσδοκίαexpectation, wai
μέγας
ἐπίκαίand, even, also,συνέχωI press together
αὐτός
σείωI shakeμήNeg
θεόςGod, a god
ἀπέναντιover against, op

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceφόβος · 47× in the New Testament
Luke 1 Peter 2 Corinthians Acts Romans 1 John John Matthew Revelation Ephesians 1 Corinthians 1 Timothy
Across the New Testament16 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 101 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria The Shepherd of Hermas Clement of Rome The Epistle of Barnabas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 79c. AD 40

τουτὶ δὲ συμβήσεται, ἐὰν μήτε αἱ ἄλογοι ἡδοναὶ ψυχῆς δυναστεύσωσι γαστριμαργίαν καὶ λαγνείαν ἐπιτειχίσασαι μήτε αἱ δόξης ἢ χρημάτων ἢ ἀρχῆς ἐπιθυμίαι τὸ τοῦ βίου κράτος ἀνάψωνται μήτε στείλωσι καὶ κάμψωσι διάνοιαν αἱ λῦπαι μήθ’ ὁ κακὸς σύμβουλος…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.argc. AD 75–95

Ἰακώβου φυγὴ εἰς τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν καὶ τὸν ἐκ τἀδελφοῦ φόβον, καὶ ὡς γήμας ἐκεῖ καὶ δώδεκα γεννήσας παῖδας πάλιν εἰς τὴν Χαναναίαν ἐπανῆλθεν.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.7c. AD 100

ἐγνώρισεν γὰρ ἡμῖν ὁ δεσπότης διὰ τῶν προφητῶν τὰ παρεληλυθότα καὶ τὰ ἐνεστῶτα, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων δοὺς ἀπαρχὰς ἡμῖν γεύσεως, ὧν τὰ καθ̓ ἕκαστα βλέποντες ἐνεργούμενα, καθὼς ἐλάλησεν, ὀφείλομεν πλουσιώτερον καὶ ὑψηλότερον προσάγειν τῷ φόβῳ αὐτοῦ.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
6th c. AD 4th c. AD 7th c. AD 2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD

σιος Δωριεὺς Φλελεμούθι πλεῖστα χαίρειν καὶ ὑγιαίνειν. μὴ φοβοῦ περὶ τῶν σκευῶν ὧν ἔχεις ἀλλὰ ἀσφάλισαι, ἂν καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ μεταλλάρχης ἔλθῃ ἐρωτῶν‧

P.Fay. 21Theadelphia (Arsinoites)AD 134

ἐκείνους δὲ μὴ βουλομένους παρʼ αὐτῶν λαμβάνειν ἵνα τὴν παρολκὴν ἐξωνήσωνται τῷ τοῦ προστίμου φόβῳ, δυνήσονται μαρτυρίαν vestiges ποιήσασθαι περὶ τῶν μὴ προσιεμένων οἱ μὴ διδόντες ὅπως τῆς ἀπειθίας

BGU 2 372ArsinoitesAD 154

τινὰς ἐκφυγόντας διὰ τὴν τότε περὶ αὐτοὺς ἀσθένειαν ἐν ἀλλοδαπῇ ἔτι καὶ νῦν διατρίβειν φόβῳ τῶν γενομένων παραυτίκα προγραφῶν. προτρέπομαι οὖν πάντας ἐπανελθεῖν ἐπὶ τὰ ἴδια καὶ τὸν μὲν

having witnessed the in respect pure conduct of you;
ἁγνὴνhagnos pure G53 Adjective · accusative · singular · feminine
8× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Peter than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Pure or clean, like being innocent and modest. It's used to describe someone who is free from wrongdoing, like in 2 Corinthians 7:11.
Tyndale gloss
pure
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἁγνός (hagnos) means pure, chaste, or holy. It is derived from a root associated with religious awe and is used to describe both people and things that are free from defilement or guilt. In the New Testament, it appears in various contexts, such as in 2 Corinthians and Titus, emphasizing moral purity and innocence. Some lexicons note a distinction between ἁγνός and related terms, but the entries do not provide significant disagreement.

Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament — ἱερός, ὅσιος, ἅγιος, ἁγνός from a scan

‘Iepos, probably the same word as the German ‘hehr’ (see Curtius, Grundziige, vol. v. p. 369), never in the N. T., and very seldom elsewhere, implies any moral excellence. It is singular how seldom the word is found there, indeed only twice (1 Cor. ix. 13; 2 Tim. iii. 15) ; and only once in the Septuagint (Josh. vi. 8: ἱεραὶ cadrvyyes); four times in 2 Maccabees, but not else in the Apocrypha; being in none of these instances employed of persons, who only are moral agents, but always of things. To persons the word elsewhere also is of rarest application, though examples are not wanting. Thus ἱερὸς ἄνθρωπος is in Aristophanes (Rane, 652) a man initiated in the mysteries ; kings for 328 SYNONYMS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. § uxxxvut. Pindar (Pyth. v. 97 [Diss., 131 Heyn.]) are ἱεροί, as having their dignity from the gods; for Plutarch the Indian gymnosophists are ἄνδρες ἱεροὶ καὶ αὐτόνομοι (De…

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Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἁγνός, -ή, -όν

(< ἅγος, v.s. ἅγιος),

[in LXX chiefly for טָהוֹר (Pss, and Pr. only), also II Mac 13:8, IV Mac 18:7, al.;]

free from ceremonial defilement , in a condition prepared for worship (for exx. of pagan usage, V. MM, VGT, s.v.).

holy, sacred, venerable (II Mac 13:8).

As in OT (cl.), pure, chaste, undefiled, guiltless;

of persons: II Co 7:11 11:12, I Ti 5:22, Tit 2:5, I Jo 3:3;

of things: Phl 4:8, Ja 3:17, I Pe 3:2.†

SYN.: εἰλικρινής (q.v.), pure, primarily as winnowed, purged, first found in ethical sense in NT (sincere). On the equivalence of ἁ. and καθαρός (q.v.), v. DCG, ii, 459a though Westc. (Epp. Jo., 101) notes a distinction between…

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

ἁγνός, -7, -όν, (ἅζομαι, see ἅγιος) ; 1. exciting reverence, venerable, sacred : mip καὶ ἡ σποδός, 2 Mace. xiii. 8; Eur. El. 812. 2. pure (Eur. Or. 1604 ἁγνὸς yap εἶμι χεῖρας, GAN ov τὰς φρένας, Hipp. 316 sq. dyvas... χεῖρας αἵματος φέρεις, χεῖρες μὲν ἁγναί, φρὴν δ᾽ ἔχει μίασμα); a. pure from carnality, chaste, modest: Tit. ii. 5; παρθένος an unsullied virgin, 2 Co. xi. 2 (4 Mace. xviii. 7). b. pure from every fuult, immaculate: 2 Co. vii. 11; Phil. iv. 8; 1 Tim. v. 22; 1 Pet. iii. 2; 1 Jn. iii. 3 (of God [yet cf. ἐκεῖνος 1 b.]); Jas. iii. 17. (From Hom. down.) [Cf. reff. s. v. ἅγιος, fin. ; Weste. on 1 Jn. iii. 3.]

Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ἁγνός. In its narrower sense we may compare a psephism from Assos, dated A.D. 37, Sy// 364°° τὴν πάτριον ἁγνὴν ΤΤαρθένον (cf. 2 Cor 11°), ze. Athena Polias, as Dittenberger notes— the ‘‘ Blessed Virgin” of Greek religion: cf. Pretsigke 2481 (i/A.D.) ᾿Ιουλία ἁγνή, ἐτῶν Ky, εὐψύχι. It is applied to holy places in P Tebt II. 616 (ii/a.D.), a letter from a προφήτης, --[ὅ]τι ἔξεστι] πᾶσι ἐν ἁγνοῖς τόποις γενέσθαι. For the ceremonial use of a. see Priene 205, εἰσίναι εἰς t[0] ἱερὸν ἁγνὸν é[v] ἐσθῆτι λευκ[ῆι], an inscription at the entrance to a ἱερὸς οἶκος. Rouffiac (Recherches, p. 62), who cites the passage, aptly recalls the inscription of the temple of Epidaurus mentioned by Clement Alex. (S¢vom. V. 1. 13, 3) to illustrate the transition from the ritual to the moral sense— ἁγνὸν χρὴ νηοῖο θυώδεος ἐντὸς ἰόντα ἔμμεναι" ἁγνείη δ᾽ ἐστὶ φρονεῖν ὅσια. {Also in Porphyry a aést. ii. 19, ap. Syi/…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἁγνός (hagnos) — pure.

ἁγνός, ή, όν,

(compare ἅγιος) pure, chaste, holy, [Refs 8th c.BC+]

I. of places and things dedicated to gods, hallowed, ἑορτή[Refs 8th c.BC+]; of frankincense, ἁγνὴ ὀδμή[Refs 6th c.BC+]; φάος, λουτρόν, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of food, [Refs 4th c.AD+]; χρηστήρια[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν ἁγνῷ on holyground, [Refs 4th c.BC+] a spot not lawful to tread on, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

I.2. of divine persons, chaste, pure, [Refs 8th c.BC+], mostly of Artemis, χρυσόθρονος Ἄ. ἁ.[Refs 8th c.BC+]; of Demeter, [Refs 7th c.BC+]; ἁ. θεαί, Demeter and Persephone, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: of the attributes of gods, θεῶν σέβας[Refs 5th c.BC+]

II. after [Refs 8th c.BC+], of persons, undefiled, chaste, of maidens, [Refs 7th c.BC+]; ἁ. αὐδά, of a maiden's voice, [Refs]; of Hippolytus, [Refs 5th c.BC+]…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἁγνός

hagnos

from the same as 40; properly, clean, i.e. (figuratively) innocent,

modest, perfect:--chaste, clean, pure.

see GREEK for 40

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἁγνός, ή, όν

Adj

pure, chaste

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἁγνός hagnos 8x

pure, chaste, modest, innocent, blameless

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἁγνός ἄγος full of religious awe:

of places and things dedicated to gods, hallowed, holy, sacred, Od., Att.

of divine persons, chaste, pure, Od.

of persons, undefiled, chaste, pure, Aesch., Eur.: c. gen. pure from a thing, Eur.

pure from blood, guiltless, Soph.; ἁγνὸς χεῖρας Eur.

in moral sense, pure, upright, Xen.; adv., ἁγνῶς ἔχειν to be pure, id. Xen.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adj-ASF — Adjective · accusative · singular · feminine
accusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked singular feminine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

A-ASF Part of Speech: Adjective Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Feminine

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
88%pure
pure88% · 7×innocent13% · 1×

8 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 2 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
predicate63%object25%second object13%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 8 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
ἑαυτοῦ
συνίστημιI commend, prove
παρθένοςa virgin
ἀνήρa male human bei
ὅσος
δίκαιοςjust, righteous,
σεαυτοῦ
ἀλλότριοςbelonging to ano
σώφρωνself-controlled, tem
ἁγνόςpure
what comes after →
εἰμίI am, exist
Article theἔπειταthen, thereafter
παρίστημιI bring, present, co
Article the
ὅσος
προσφιλήςpleasing, accept
τηρέωI keep, guard, obser
οἰκουργόςa housekeeper
ἀγαθόςgood

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceἁγνός · 8× in the New Testament
2 Corinthians 1 John 1 Peter 1 Timothy James Philippians Titus
Across the New Testament7 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Clement of Rome Philo of Alexandria Josephus Polycarp The Shepherd of Hermas
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Special Laws 1.107c. AD 40

παρθένον οὖν ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ἀγέσθω γάμων ἁγνήν·

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 4.80c. AD 75–95

συναγαγὼν δʼ αὐτῆς ἅπασαν τὴν τέφραν ἁγνὸς ἀνὴρ κατατίθησιν εἰς χωρίον καθαρώτατον.

Clement of RomeFirst Clement 21.8c. AD 96

τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ παιδείας μεταλαμβανέτωσαν: μαθέτωσαν, τί ταπεινοφροσύνη παρὰ θεῷ ἰσχύει, τί ἀγάπη ἁγνὴ παρὰ θεῷ δύναται, πῶς ὁ φόβος αὐτοῦ καλὸς καὶ μέγας καὶ σώζων πάντας τοὺς ἐν αὐτῷ ὁσίως ἀναστρεφομένους ἐν καθαρᾷ διανοίᾳ.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
1st c. AD
P.Oxy. 41 2972OxyrhynchosAD 72

ἐξ οἴκου. κρατεῖν οὖν καὶ κυριεύειν ἕκαστον τῶν ὠνουμένων τόν τε Πρόμαχον καὶ τὴν Ἁγνῆν καθʼ ἃ ἕκαστος αὐτῶν ἔχει μέρη καὶ χρᾶσθαι καὶ οἰκονομεῖν περὶ αὐτοῦ καθʼ ὃν

having witnessed the in respect pure conduct of you;
ἀναστροφὴνanastrophē conduct G391 Noun · accusative · singular · feminine
13× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Peter than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to behavior or manner of life, like in Galatians 1:13 where Paul describes his former way of life. It encompasses how someone conducts themselves in daily life.
Amplified meaning
behavior, manner of life
Tyndale gloss
behaviour
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἀναστροφή (anastrophē) is derived from ἀναστρέφομαι and primarily means behavior, manner of life, or conduct. It appears in various New Testament texts, emphasizing how one's life is reflected in their actions. The word also has broader meanings, including turning back or a wheeling about, but its use in the New Testament focuses on moral and ethical conduct.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

** ἀνα-στροφή, -ῆς, ἡ,

(< ἀναστρέφομαι),

[in LXX: To 4:14, II Mac 5:8 6:23*;]

a turning down or back, a wheeling about (Soph., Thuc., al.).

In late writers (Polyb., al.; v.s. ἀναστρέφω, and cf. Hort on Ja 3:13; MM, VGT, s.v.), manner of life, behaviour, conduct: Ga 1:13, Eph 4:22, I Ti 4:12, He 13:7, Ja 3:13, I Pe 1:15, 18 2:12 3:1, 2, 16, II Pe 2:7 3:11.†

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

ἀνα-στροφή, -ῆς, 7, (fr. the pass. ἀναστρέφομαι, see the preceding word), prop. ‘walk,’ i. e. manner of life, behavior, conduct, (Germ. Lebenswandel): Gal.i.13; Eph. iv. 22; 1 Tim. iv. 12; Jas. iii. 13; 1 Pet. i. 15,183 ii. 12; iii. 1 sq. 16; 2 Pet. ii. 7; plur. ἅγιαι ἀναστροφαί the ways in which holy living shows itself, 2 Pet. iii. 11. Hence life in so far as it is comprised in conduct, Heb. xiii. 7. (This word, in the senses given, is found in Grk. writ. fr. Polyb. 4, 82,1 down; in the Scriptures first in Tob. iv. 14; 2 Mace. v. 8; add Epict. diss. 1, 9,5; 4, 7, 5, [and (fr. Soph. Lex. s.v.) Agatharchides 134, 12; 153, 8; Aristeas 16].)

Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ἀναστροφή. The somewhat formal use of ἀ,, with the meaning ‘‘hehaviour, conduct,” is not balanced by occurrences in colloquial papyri: an edict of Caracalla (A.D. 215) has the word—&tu τε > , ανατολῃ καὶ ζω[ὴ] δεικνύει ἐναντία ἔθη ἀπὸ ἀναστροφῆς [πο]λειτικῆς εἶναι ἀγροίκους ΑΤΓἰ]γυπτίους (P Giss I. «οἱ! 28), Bp E. L. Hicks’s pioneer paper in CA’ i. (1887), p. 6, drew attention to the inscriptional use of the term: he noted the frequency of its association with words like πάροικοι and παρεπίδημοι, a curious parallel tor Pet 24" Kalker Quaest., p. 301 says ‘“apud Polybium primum accipit notionem se gerendz,” quoting iv. 821 κατὰ τ. λοιπὴν a. τεθαυμασμένος, and referring to three inscrr. with a, ποιεῖσθαι. This last phrase however occurs in five Doric inscrr. of ii/B.c., to look no further than Syll (31424, 65.4.5, 663°, 7184, 9277), as well as in the Attic inscr. cited by Kalker (14) (C7A…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἀναστροφή (anastrophē) — behaviour.

ἀνα-στροφή, ἡ,

turning upside down, upsetting, overthrow, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μοῖραν εἰς ἀ. δίδωσι, ={ἀναστρέφει}, [Refs]; disorder, confusion, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]

2. turning back, return, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πολλὰς ἀ. ποιούμενος, of a hunter, making many casts backward, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; wheeling round, of a horse, [Refs]; of soldiers in battle, whether to flee or rally, [Refs]time to rally, [Refs]; especially of the reversal of a wheeling movement, [Refs 1st c.BC+]; of a ship, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐξ ἀ. turning back, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; κατ᾽ ἀναστροφήν conversely, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]

3. in Grammars, throwing back of the accent, as in Prepositions after their case, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἀναστροφή

anastrophe

from 390; behavior:--conversation.

see GREEK for 390

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἀναστροφή, ῆς, ἡ

n.f.

behavior, manner of life

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἀναστροφή anastrophē 13x

conversation, mode of life, conduct, deportment, Gal. 1:13

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἀναστροφή ἀναστρέφω a turning upside down, upsetting, Eur.; εἰς ἀναστροφὴν διδόναι ῀ ἀναστρέφειν, id. Eur.

a turning back, return, Soph.: a wheeling about, of soldiers, whether to flee or rally, Xen.; of a ship, Thuc.

(from Pass.) a dwelling in a place, Plut.: a mode of life, conversation, NTest.

the place where one tarries, an abode, haunt, Aesch.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-ASF — Noun · accusative · singular · feminine
accusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked singular feminine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-ASF Part of Speech: Noun Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Feminine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kon'-dukt.

See ETHICS.

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
62%conduct
conduct62% · 8×way of life23% · 3×manner of life15% · 2×

13 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 3 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial62%object39%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 13 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
ἔκβασιςa way out, escap
ἐμός
Article the
πρότερος
Article the
ἐν
λόγοςa word, speech,
καλόςbeautiful, good, wor
Article the
ἀναστροφήconduct13×
what comes after →
Article the
παλαιόςold, ancient, woἔργονwork, labor, act
σύ
ἐν
ποτέDisj
ἐν
ἐν
ἀγάπηlove
μιμέομαιI imitate
Article the

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceἀναστροφή · 13× in the New Testament
1 Peter 2 Peter 1 Timothy Ephesians Galatians Hebrews James
Across the New Testament7 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Unchangeableness of God 72c. AD 40

ὁρᾷς ὅσῃ καὶ περὶ τὴν προφορὰν κέχρηται προφυλακῇ, „ὅτι ἐθυμώθην, ὅτι ἐποίησα αὐτοὺς“ εἰπών, ἀλλ’ οὐ κατ’ ἀναστροφήν·

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 18.173c. AD 75–95

διαδοχῆς δʼ ἐπιπαραγενομένης ἐκ τοῦ ὀξέος μηδαμῶς ἂν ἀρκέσαι τοὺς ἆθλα τοῖς ἄρχουσι προκειμένους ἀναστροφῆς αὐτοῖς οὐ διδομένης καιρῶν, ἐν οἷς πλήρεις οἱ προειληφότες γενόμενοι ὑποδιδοῖέν τε σπουδῆς τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ λαμβάνειν, διὰ τὸ πρὶν ἐν καιρῷ…

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
3rd c. BC 5th c. AD 6th c. AD
P.Lond. 7 2116276 BC–227 BC

ἐνδιατρίβων … οὖν ἔχει φαίνεσθαί τι καὶ … ποιοῦντας ἔσται γὰρ … ἀναστροφὴν λα … … σοντος εξ

ὡς διὰ τῶν χιλέων μου … οἶμαι, ὅτι γράφω τῇ τιμιωτάτῃ … περὶ ἐμὲ ἀναστροφὴν … ἐγενόμην, ὡς ἔτι … κελο … δια … … ὑπολαμβαν … ουτου ἐφ

P.Lond. 5 1674AntinoopolisAD 570

ζῷα τῆς αὐτοῦ καθʼ ἡμῶν συσκευῆς πρὸς τῷ ξηρανθῆναι τὸν σπόρον ὑπὸ δίψαν εἰς ἀναστροφὴν τελείαν ἡμῶν καὶ πρὸς λύμην τοῦ δημοσίου λόγου. καίτοι ἀφʼ ἧς παρέλαβεν τὴν παγαρχίαν

having witnessed the in respect pure conduct of you;
ὑμῶν·su of you; G4771 Personal pronoun · second person · genitive · plural
2,892× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 1 Peter as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This Greek word means 'you' and is used to address someone directly, like in John 1:30 and Matthew 26:64. It's a way to emphasize or contrast the person being spoken to. The KJV Bible translates it as 'thou'.
Amplified meaning
chaste, holy
Tyndale gloss
you
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

σύ is the second-person singular pronoun meaning 'you' in Greek. It has various forms: genitive σοῦ, dative σοί, and accusative σέ. The word can be used for emphasis or contrast, particularly in the New Testament, as seen in verses like Matthew 26:64. It also appears in various dialects and has enclitic forms.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

σύ,

pron. of 2nd pers.,

thou, you, gen., σοῦ, dat., σοί, acc., σέ, pl., ὑμεῖς, -ῶν, -ῖν, -ᾶς (enclitic in oblique cases sing., except after prep. (BL, §48, 3), though πρὸς σέ occurs in Mt 25:39). Nom. for emphasis or contrast: Jo 1:30, 42 4:10 5:33, 39, 44, Ac 4:7, Eph 5:32; so also perhaps σὺ εἶπας, Mt 26:64, al. (M, Pr., 86); before voc., Mt 2:6, Lk 1:76, Jo 17:5, al.; sometimes without emphasis (M, Pr., 85f.), as also

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Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

σύ, pron. of the second pers. (Dor. and Aeol. τύ, Boeot. Tov), gen. σοῦ, dat. σοί, ace. σέ (which oblique cases are enclitic, unless a preposition precede; yet πρός σε is written [uniformly in Ree. (exe. Mt. xxvi. 18), in Grsb. (exe. Jn. xxi. 22, 23), in Treg. (exc. Mt. xxvi. 18; Acts xxiii. 30), in Lchm. (exe. Mt. xxvi.18; Jn. xvii. 11, 13; xxi. 22, 23; Acts xxiii. 30), in Tdf. (exe. Mt. xxvi. 18; Lk. i. 19; Jn. xvii. 11, 13; Jn. xxi. 22; Acts xxiii. 18, 30; 1 Tim. iii. 14; Tit. iii. 12); also by WH in Mt. xxv. 39], see ἐγώ, 2; Lipsius, Grammat. Untersuch. p. 62 sq. [W. §6, 3; B. 31 (27)]); plur. ὑμεῖς, εἴς. : Lat. tu, ete., vos, ete.; thou, ete., ye,ete. The nominatives ov and ὑμεῖς are expressed for emphasis — before a vocative, as σὺ Βηθλεέμ, Mt. ii. 6; σὺ παιδίον (Leian. dial. deor. 2, 1), Lk. i. 76; add, Jn. xvii. 5; Acts i. 24; 1 Tim. vi. 11, etc.; ὑμεῖς of Φαρισαῖοι, Lk. xi. 39…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

σύ (su) — you.

σύ [ῠ],

thou: pronoun of the second person:—Epic dialect nominative τύνη [ῡ] [Refs 8th c.BC+] (Laconian dialect τούνη [Refs 5th c.AD+]; Aeolic dialect σύ [Refs 7th c.BC+]; Doric dialect τύ [ῠ] [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Boeotian dialect τού [short syllable] [Refs 6th c.BC+] (also τούν [Refs]σύ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]—Gen. σοῦ, [Refs], elsewhere only Attic dialect, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; enclitic σου, [Refs 8th c.BC+] (also in Lyric poetry, [Refs 8th c.BC+] (which also occurs in Lyric poetry, [Refs 7th c.BC+], and as enclitic σευ, [Refs 8th c.BC+], σεο (enclitic) [Refs] σευ (enclitic) [Refs]:—Doric dialect τεῦ, τευ, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; rarely τέο, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Boeotian dialect τεῦς [Refs 6th c.BC+]; Doric dialect τεοῦς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τοι variant in [Refs]; enclitic τεος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; other Doric dialect forms are τίω, τίως, both [Refs 3rd c.BC+]—Dat. σοί, [Refs 8th c.BC+]…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

σύ

su

the person pronoun of the second person singular; thou:-- thou. See

also 4571, 4671, 4675; and for the plural 5209, 5210, 5213, 5216.

see GREEK for 4675

see GREEK for 4571

see GREEK for 4671

see GREEK for 5209

see GREEK for 5210

see GREEK for 5213

see GREEK for 5216

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

σύ, σοῦ, σοί, σέ

Pers.pr.

you

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

σύ sy 2x

you, gen., σοῦ, dat., σοί, acc., σέ, Mt. 1:20; 2:6

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron-2GP — Personal pronoun · second person · genitive · plural
genitive — of, from, belonging to.
Agrees with anything else marked plural.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

P-2GP Part of Speech: Personal pronoun Person: second Case: Genitive Number: Plural

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
78%you
you78% · 2412×you yourselves7% · 221×you yourself5% · 168×your3% · 87×other renderings3% · 96×other renderings3% · 89×

3,073 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 37 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
subject28%object24%adverbial23%indirect object20%predicate5%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 2,892 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
λέγωI say, speak
ἀμήνHebrδέbut, on the otheἐγώ
καίand, even, also, nam
ἐγώοὕτωthus, so, in thiμήNeg
ἐν
Article theεἰμίI am, existγίνομαιI come into bein
πρός
ἔρχομαιI come, goἐγώπέμπωI send
δέbut, on the other ha
λέγωI say, speakπαρακαλέωI summon, entreaθέλωI will, wish, de
σύof you;2892×
what comes after →
Article the
θεόςGod, a godἐνἁμαρτίαa sin
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theεἰρήνηpeace, peace of οὐNeg
ὅτιthat, since, because
Article theπᾶςall, the whole, οὐNeg
εἰμίI am, exist
Article theκαίand, even, also,ἐν
ἐν
Article theποῖοςIrgΧριστόςanointed, the Me

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceσύ · 2,892× in the New Testament
Matthew Luke John Acts Mark 2 Corinthians 1 Corinthians Romans 1 Thessalonians Revelation Hebrews Colossians

16 inflected forms — one of the commonest words in the New Testament. Full distribution →

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 450 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria The Shepherd of Hermas Ignatius of Antioch Clement of Rome
Philo of AlexandriaAllegorical Interpretation of Genesis 1.48c. AD 40

„οὐ φυτεύσεις σεαυτῷ ἄλσος, πᾶν ξύλον παρὰ τὸ θυσιαστήριον κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου οὐ ποιήσεις σεαυτῷ“ (Deuter.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.101c. AD 75–95

παύσομαι δὲ τοῦ λοιποῦ μετὰ τοσαύτης ὀργῆς τὰς τιμωρίας ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀδικήμασιν εἰσπραττόμενος καὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον σοῦ παρακαλοῦντος.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.2c. AD 100

Μεγάλων μὲν ὄντων καὶ πλουσίων τῶν τοῦ θεοῦ δικαιωμάτων εἰς ὑμᾶς, ὑπέρ τι καὶ καθ̓ ὑπερβολὴν ὑπερευφραίνομαι ἐπὶ τοῖς μακαρίοις καὶ ἐνδόξοις ὑμῶν πνεύμασιν: οὕτως ἔμφυτον τῆς δωρεᾶς πνευματικῆς χάριν εἰλήφατε.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD 6th c. AD 4th c. AD 3rd c. BC
P.Grenf. 1 35Ptolemais - Akko (Syrien)103 BC

τοῦ ἀποδοθῆι τὸν ἐπεσταλμένον ἡμῖν κατὰ μῆνα πυρὸν τοῖς παρʼ ἡμῶν. διʼ ἄλλων γεγράφαμεν ὑμῖν ὑπὲρ ὧν βουλόμεθα μηδεμιᾶς προσφωνήσεως προσπεπτωκυίας. ἑαυτῶν δὲ ἐπιμελόμενοι ἵνʼ ὑγιαίνητε, — ἔσμεν ἐν

P.Grenf. 1 32Pelusion103 BC

η Φατρήους καὶ … χαίρειν καὶ ἐρρωμένοις διευτυχεῖν. ἐρρώμεθα δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ὑμῶν τὴν ἀρίστην μνείαν ποιούμενοι παρὰ τοῖς ἐν Πηλουσίωι θεοῖς. καλῶς ποιήσεις διαλύσας Ἁρκοννῆσιν καὶ

P.Grenf. 1 41Thebais3 BC

παρὰ Πετεύριος διεθέντος μου ὑπάρξει σοι εἰς στέφανον χαλκοῦ τάλαντα δεκάπεντε, τάλαντα ιε. εὐτύχει .

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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