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Luke 24:37 — Word Study

Depth

N1904πτοηθέντες δὲ καὶ ἔμφοβοι γενόμενοι ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν.

BSAHaving been terrifiedptoeō [terrified and affrighted] howeverde andkai filled with fearemphobos [afraid, filled with fear] having beenginomai they were thinking [themselves]dokeō [supposing, having an opinion] a spiritpneuma [the vital principle or mental disposition] to see.theōreō [beheld, experienced]

Word
Listen & take awayLuke 24
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 37 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 (theōreō) — no per-word recordings of the Greek exist to link to.
Take it away
Luke 24:37quick helps
In a sentenceThe disciples were startled and frightened, believing they had seen a spirit.
Who is speakingJesus, who appears to His disciples after His resurrection.
Where we areThis moment occurs after Jesus' resurrection, as He reassures His disciples.
The hard wordπτοέω
Take awayFear can cloud our understanding of reality.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectπτοέω verbπτοέω 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 — Luke 24:37

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 — The Appearance of the Risen Christgenerated

36While they were describing these events, Jesus Himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
37But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit.
38“Why are you troubled,” Jesus asked, “and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
39Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself. Touch Me and see—for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

Luke 24:37 describes the moment when Jesus appears to His disciples after His resurrection. They are startled and frightened, thinking they have seen a spirit. This moment reflects their confusion and fear as they grapple with the reality of Jesus' resurrection, a theme echoed throughout the Gospels. Jesus reassures them of His physical presence, emphasizing that He is not merely a spirit, but has a real, resurrected body, as He later invites them to touch Him.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Luke 16:30‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.’
21 Samuel 28:13“Do not be afraid,” the king replied. “What do you see?” “I see a god coming up out of the earth,” the woman answered.
3Job 4:14–16fear and trembling came over me and made all my bones shudder.
4Matthew 14:26–27When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear.
5Mark 6:49–50but when they saw Him walking on the sea, they cried out, thinking He was a ghost—

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.Luke 16:30 1 Samuel 28:13 Job 4:14–16 Matthew 14:26–27 Mark 6:49–50 Acts 12:15

The Key Word πτοέω, ptoeōgenerated

The word πτοηθέντες is a perfect passive participle of πτοέω, meaning 'having been terrified.' It indicates a strong emotional response, suggesting that the disciples were not just startled but deeply frightened by the unexpected appearance of Jesus.

This passive form implies that the disciples were acted upon by fear, rather than actively experiencing it. The use of this word in Luke 21:9 also shows its connection to moments of sudden fear, reinforcing the gravity of their reaction.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit.' This wording aligns closely with the KJV and ASV, which use 'terrified and affrighted.'

However, the YLT and WEB emphasize the disciples' emotional state differently, with 'being amazed, and becoming affrighted' and 'filled with fear,' respectively. The translations diverge particularly on the terms used to describe their fear and the act of thinking.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is governed by the finite verb πτοηθέντες, having been terrified, which is followed by a predicate ἔμφοβοι, filled with fear. The structure conveys the disciples' emotional state as a reaction to their perception.

The participial phrase γενόμενοι, having been, connects the state of being terrified to their subsequent thoughts, leading into the clause ἐδόκουν, they were thinking, which introduces the object πνεῦμα, a spirit.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

πτοέω appears in the Septuagint as a translation of Hebrew words that convey fear, such as חָתַת (to be shattered, dismayed) and יָרֵא (to fear). This connection underscores the emotional weight of the term as it relates to fear in both the Old and New Testaments.

The use of πνεῦμα in this context aligns with its Old Testament usage, where it often refers to the spirit or breath of life, reinforcing the disciples' misunderstanding of Jesus' resurrection as they thought they saw a spirit.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Luke 24:37 tells us that the disciples were startled and frightened when they thought they saw a spirit. This shows their confusion and fear after Jesus' resurrection. Jesus reassures them, indicating that He is not just a spirit but has a real body.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Why were the disciples terrified?

The disciples were terrified because they believed they had seen a spirit, which was a shocking and frightening experience for them.

What does the term 'spirit' imply in this context?

In this context, 'spirit' implies a supernatural being or presence, which the disciples mistakenly thought Jesus was when He appeared to them.

How does this moment reflect the disciples' understanding of Jesus' resurrection?

This moment reflects their struggle to comprehend the reality of Jesus' resurrection and the transition from fear to understanding His physical presence.

What does Jesus do to reassure the disciples?

Jesus reassures the disciples by inviting them to touch Him and see that He has flesh and bones, demonstrating that He is not a spirit.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond when faced with unexpected situations that cause fear?
  2. In what ways can I seek understanding and clarity in moments of confusion?
  3. How does the reality of Jesus' resurrection impact my faith and daily life?
  4. What steps can I take to help others who may be struggling with fear or misunderstanding about spiritual matters?

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

Early church writers comment on this passage to address the nature of Christ's resurrection and the disciples' initial fear.

TertullianAgainst Marcion Book IV c. 155–220
But as touching the reality of His body, what can be plainer? When they were doubting whether He were not a phantom-nay, were supposing that He was one-He says to them, "Why are ye troubled,
Early Church Fathers on Luke 24 →
BedeOn the Gospel of Luke c. 673–735
They were troubled and terrified, thinking they were seeing a spirit. This is what the Manichean heretics suspect and believe about Christ, that He was not true flesh, but a spirit. This first thought arose in the hearts of the apostles.
Early Church Fathers on Luke 24 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Luke 24:37 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

But they were terrified and affrighted,.... At the sight of him, and at his sudden appearance among them, without being heard, or seen before, and the doors shut and bolted; they could not tell how

Read John Gill on Luke 24 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit - the ghost of their dead Lord rather than Himself in the body.

Read Robert Jamieson on Luke 24 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Spirits sometimes (by God’ s permission or direction) assumed human shapes. They seeing a human shape, and not able on the sudden to conceive how a human body should come into the midst among them, without any more noise or notice taken of it, were affrighted, as we usually are at the sight of apprehended apparitions. From hence we may conclude, that either the world, and the best men in it, have been in all ages deceived, and a few atheists have been wiser than them all, or there are such beings as spirits.

Read Matthew Poole on Luke 24 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. Ver. 37. But they were terrified and affrighted] Tam meticulosa est incredulitas. Ut etiam tutissima et maxime tranquilla timeat, saith Brentius here.

Read John Trapp on Luke 24 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(37) Supposed that they had seen a spirit.—More accurately, supposed that they were looking on . . . For the use of the word “spirit “in this sense, see Acts 23:8-9; Hebrews 12:23.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Luke 24 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 37. And supposed that they had seen a spirit.] But if there be no such thing as a disembodied spirit, would not our Lord have shown them their error? Instead of this, he confirms them in their opinion, by saying, A spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have, Lu 24:39; therefore he says, handle me and see me. They probably imagined that it was the soul only of our blessed Lord which they saw; but they were soon fully convinced of the identity of his person, and the reality of his resurrection; for, 1. They saw his body. 2. They heard him speak. 3. They handled him. 4. They saw him eat a piece of broiled fish and honeycomb, which they gave him. In these things it was impossible…

Read AdamClarke on Luke 24 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

37. terrified] Literally, “scared”that they had seen a spirit] Rather, that they were gazing on a spirit. See on Luke 24:16.

Read Cambridge on Luke 24 →

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

But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

But they were startled and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit.

NETBNew English Translation2006

But they were startled and terrified, thinking they saw a ghost.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they beheld a spirit.

RVARevised Version, American1894

But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they beheld a spirit.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

But they were abashed and afraide, supposing that they had seene a spirit.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

But they, being confounded and being frightened, supposed they beheld a spirit.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and being amazed, and becoming affrighted, they were thinking themselves to see a spirit.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and being amazed, and becoming frightened, they were thinking themselves to see a spirit.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they saw a spirit.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

But they being troubled and frightened, supposed that they saw a spirit.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

They were startled and afraid, thinking they were seeing a ghost.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

But they were full of fear, being of the opinion that they were seeing a spirit.

Word by word, the decisions they made

ἔμφοβοιemphobos filled with fear G1719 4 different renderings
terrifiedASV KJV NETB NWB RVA
frightenedBSB DBY DRA LSV MSB
filled with fearULB WEB
afraidFBV
ἐδόκουνdokeō they were thinking [themselves] G1380 2 different renderings
thinkingBSB FBV LSV MSB NETB YLT
supposingGNV
θεωρεῖν.theōreō to see. G2334 3 different renderings
beheldASV DBY RVA
seeLSV YLT
seeingBBE FBV

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.

clauseδὲhoweverclauseclause · adverbialclauseverbπτοηθέντεςHaving been terrifiedκαὶandclausepredicateἔμφοβοιfilled with fearlinking verbγενόμενοιhaving beenverbἐδόκουνthey were thinking [themselves]clause · objectobjectπνεῦμαa spiritverbθεωρεῖνto see

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

Conturbati vero et conterriti, existimabant se spiritum videre.

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

ܘܗܢܘܢ ܐܬܪܗܒܘ ܘܗܘܘ ܒܕܚܠܬܐ ܣܒܪܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܓܝܪ ܕܪܘܚܐ ܚܙܝܢ

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

πτοηθέντες δὲ καὶ ἔμφοβοι γενόμενοι ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν.

The standard critical text of the New Testament.

Nestle-Aland 27th edition1993 · Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft

πτοηθέντες δὲ καὶ ἔμφοβοι γενόμενοι ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν.

The previous edition, still widely cited.

SBL Greek New Testament2010 · Michael Holmes

πτοηθέντες δὲ καὶ ἔμφοβοι γενόμενοι ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν.

The Society of Biblical Literature edition, freely licensed.

Westcott–Hort1881 · Westcott and Hort

πτοηθέντες δὲ καὶ ἔμφοβοι γενόμενοι ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν.

The edition that turned scholarship toward the earliest manuscripts.

Tregelles1857–1879 · Samuel Prideaux Tregelles

πτοηθέντες δὲ καὶ ἔμφοβοι γενόμενοι ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν.

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

Tyndale House Greek NT2017 · Tyndale House, Cambridge

πτοηθέντες δὲ καὶ ἔμφοβοι γενόμενοι ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν.

A recent critical edition following documentary evidence closely.

Byzantine majority text2018 · Robinson–Pierpont

πτοηθέντες δὲ καὶ ἔμφοβοι γενόμενοι ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν.

The reading of the majority of surviving manuscripts.

Textus Receptus1550/1894 lineage

πτοηθέντες δὲ καὶ ἔμφοβοι γενόμενοι ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν.

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.

Luke 24:37πτοέωHaving beenHaving been terπτοέωδέhoweverhoweverδέκαίandandκαίἔμφοβοςfilled withfilled with feaἔμφοβοςγίνομαιhaving beenhaving beenγίνομαιδοκέωthey were tthey were thinkδοκέωπνεῦμαa spirita spiritπνεῦμαθεωρέωto see.to see.θεωρέωἐνPrep. in, Prep. in, on, aἐνπνέωv. I blowv. I blowπνέωπίπτωv. I fall,v. I fall, fallπίπτωπέτομαιv. I flyv. I flyπέτομαιδείκνυμιv. I pointv. I point out,δείκνυμιθεάομαιv. I see, v. I see, beholθεάομαιὁράωv. I see, v. I see, look ὁράωγίνομαιv. I come v. I come into γίνομαιὄψιοςAdj lateAdj lateὄψιοςγωνίαn.f. a corn.f. a corner, γωνίαἀποκτείνωv. I put tv. I put to deaἀποκτείνωτὶςIndef.pr. Indef.pr. any oτὶςἀκάθαρτοςAdj uncleaAdj unclean, imἀκάθαρτοςἅγιοςAdj set apAdj set apart, ἅγιοςμακρόθενAdv from aAdv from a distμακρόθεν
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 Luke 24:37

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 been terrified however and filled with fear having been they were thinking [themselves] a spirit to see.
πτοηθέντεςptoeō Having been terrified G4422 Verb · aorist · passive · participle · nominative · plural · masculine
2× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Luke than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to scare or frighten someone, as seen in Luke 21:9 and 24:37. It describes a strong emotional response, often caused by something sudden or unexpected.
Amplified meaning
terrified and affrighted
Tyndale gloss
to frighten
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word πτοέω (ptoēo) means to terrify or scare, with a passive form indicating to be terrified. It appears in the New Testament in Luke 21:9 and 24:37. The word can also metaphorically refer to being excited or fluttered by passion. There is some variation in how lexicons describe its usage, particularly regarding its metaphorical meanings.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

πτοέω, -ῶ,

[in LXX chiefly for חתת ni.;]

to terrify. Pass., to be terrified: Lk 21:9 24:37 (WH, mg., θροηθέντες).†

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

πτοέω, -@: 1 aor. pass. ἐπτοήθην; (roa terror); from Hom. down; 10 terrify; pass. to be terrified (Sept. chiefly for NOM): Lk. xxi. 9; xxiv. 37 [Trmrg. WH mrg. θροηSyn. see φοβέω, fin. ]

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

πτοέω, in pass. ‘‘am terrified” (Lk 219, 2437): cf. P Leid WY 3 (ii/ili A.D.) ἰδὼν ὁ Θεὸς πάλιν ἐπτοήθη (““ obstupuit”), ds ἰσχυρότερον θεωρήσας : cf. 26... 19 οὗ καὶ οἱ Saipw(—o)ves ἀκούοντες τὸ (ὄνομα) πτοώ(---οὔγνται. The verb is restored by Deissmann (ZAZ, p. 439) in the second of the New Sayings of Jesus from Oxyrhynchus, P Oxy IV. δς 4591. yoo Ge ἑαυτοὺς ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀνθρώπων,] καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐστέ, ἢ πτο[εῖσθε, “know yourselves in the sight of men, and ye are there where ye are terrified’? ; but most editors prefer to read % mrd[Ats O(€0)d] in keeping with the context. The verb is used in a weaker sense in M. Anton. iv. 19 ὃ περὶ τὴν ὑστεροφημίαν ἐπτοημένος, “he whose heart flutters for after-fame’’ (Ilaines). See the exx. classical and late Greek in Anz Swdsidia, p. 298: and cf. Psaltes Gr. p. 227.…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

πτοέω (ptoeō) — to frighten.

πτοέω

and πτοιέω, future -ήσω[Refs 1st c.BC+]aorist ἐπτοίησα, Aeolic dialect ἐπτόαισα (see. below):—passive, Epic dialect aorist ἐπτοιήθην [Refs 3rd c.BC+]perfect ἐπτόημαι, Epic dialect ἐπτοίημαι (see. below):—terrify, scare, [Refs] [same place]:—passive, to be scared, dismayed, φρένες ἐπτοίηθεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐπτοημένας δεινοῖς δράκουσιν by serpents, [NT+5th c.BC+] W.; of animals, [Refs 4th c.AD+]

II. metaphorically, flutter, excite by any passion, τό μοι καρδίαν.. ἐπτόαισεν [Refs 7th c.BC+]; Κύπρις ἐπ᾽ Αἰακίδῃ κούρῃ φρένας ἐπτοίησεν poetical cited in [Refs 1st c.BC+]:—passive, to be passionately excited, [Refs 6th c.BC+]; πτοιηθεὶς ὑπ᾽ ἔρωτι Call.[same place]; τὸ περὶ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας μὴ ἐπτοῆσθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐπὶ τὸ…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

πτοέω

ptoeo

probably akin to the alternate of 4098 (through the idea of causing to

fall) or to 4072 (through that of causing to fly away); to

scare:--frighten.

see GREEK for 4098

see GREEK for 4072

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

πτοέω

v.

I terrify, scare

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

πτοέω ptoeō 2x

to terrify, affright; pass. to be terrified, Lk. 21:9; 24:37*

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

πτοέω to terrify, scare, Anth.:—Pass. to be scared, dismayed, φρένες ἐπτοίηθεν Od.; ἐπτοημένος Aesch., Eur.

metaph. to flutter, excite by any passion, τό μοι καρδίαν ἐπτόασεν Sapph.:—Pass. to be in a flutter, be passionately excited, Theogn.; ἐπτοημένοι φρένας Aesch.; ὡς ἐπτόηται Eur.:—generally, μέθ᾽ ὁμήλικας ἐπτοίηται he gapes like one distraught after his fellows, Hes.; τὸ πτοηθέν distraction, Eur.

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

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

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
50%may be terrified
may be terrified50% · 1×having been terrified50% · 1×

2 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.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
μήNeg
ἀκαταστασίαdisturbance, uph
πτοέωHaving been terrified
what comes after →
δεῖit is necessary, ine
γάρfor
δέbut, on the other ha
καίand, even, also,

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

Concordanceπτοέω · 2× in the New Testament
Luke
Across the New Testament1 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 28 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.

Having been terrified however and filled with fear having been they were thinking [themselves] a spirit to see.
δὲde however G1161 Conjunction
2,787× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Luke as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This is a conjunction that means and, but, or then, used to connect ideas like in Matthew 1:2 and 2 Corinthians 6:15.
Tyndale gloss
then
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

δέ (de) is a post-positive particle in Greek, primarily used as a conjunction to connect clauses. It can express contrast (but, on the other hand) or continuation (and, also), and is often used to transition between ideas or to add emphasis. In the New Testament, it appears frequently in various contexts, such as contrasting statements or resuming interrupted discourse, with notable examples in Matthew and 2 Corinthians.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

δέ (before vowels δ’; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, v. WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96),

post-positive conjunctive particle;

copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mt 1:2ff., II Co 6:15, 16, II Pe 1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Ro 3:21, 22, 9:30, I Co 2:6, Ga 2:2, Phl 2:8; in transition to something new, Mt 1:18 2:19, Lk 13:1, Jo 7:14, Ac 6:1, Read the full entry →

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

δέ (related to δή, as μέν to μήν, ef. Klotz ad Devar. ii. 2 p. 355), a particle adversative, distinctive, disjunctive, but, moreover, (W.§ 53, 7 and 10, 2); it is much more freq. in the historical parts of the N. T. than in the other books, very rare in the Epp. of John and the Apocalypse. {On its general neglect of elision (when the next word begins with a vowel) cf. Tdf. Proleg. p. 96; WH. App. Ῥ 146; W.§5,1a.; B. p.10sq.] It is used ἘΠ ΟἹ δὲ univ. by way of opposition and distinction; it is added to statements opp. to a preceding statement: ἐὰν yap ἀφῆτε... ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε, Mt. vi. 14 sq.; ἐὰν de ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς κτλ. Mt. vi. 23; ἐλεύσονται δὲ ἡμέραι, Mk. ii. 20; it opposes persons to persons or things previously mentioned or thought of, —either with strong emphasis: ἐγὼ δέ, Mt. v. 22, 28, 32, 34, 39,44; ἡμεῖς de, 1 Co. i. 23; 2 Co. x. 13; σὺ δέ, Mt. vi. 6; ὑμεῖς δέ, Mk. viii. 29; of δὲ…

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

δεῖ. For the conjunctive, as in Mt 26%, cf. P Fay 109° (early i/A.D.) ἐάν σε δῇ (for δέῃ) τὸ εἱμάτιόν σου θεῖναι ἐνέχυρον. “even if you have to pawn your cloak” (Edd.). In P Tebt I. 585° (B.c. 111) we have ἐάν followed by the indicative— ἐὰν δεῖ σε συνπεσεῖν τῶι ᾿Ανικήτωι, σύνπεσαι, ‘if you must meet Anicetus, meet him” (Edd.): cf. Mayser G7. p. 325. Other examples of the verb are l’ Par 461® (B.C. 153) διὸ Kal ἡγούμενος δεῖν ἐπ᾿ ἄλλου μὲν μηθενὸς αὐτῶι διακριθῆναι» P Lille I. 267 (iii.B.c.) περὶ (corr. from πεερὶ) δὲ τούτου τοῦ μέρους δεήσει ἐπισχεῖν, P Tebt 11. 3414 (A.p. 140-1) δεήσι ἐπισταλῆναι εἰς δάνε[ι]α σπέρματα κατασπίο]ρᾶς KTA., “ΕἼ will be necessary to send on account of loans of seedcorn for the sowing,” etc., AécheZ 1001" © (Theran Doric —c. B.C. 200) no one may bring forward a proposal ὡς δεείσῃ διαλῦσαι τὸ κοινὸν εἰ τὰς θυσίας, P Flor II. 133" (A.D. 257) ἔδι μὲν ὑμᾶς μηδὲ…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

δέ (de) — then.

δέ,

but: adversative and copulative Particle,

I. answering to μέν (which see), τὴν νῦν μὲν Βοιωτίαν, πρότερον δὲ Καδμηίδα γῆν καλουμένην [Refs 5th c.BC+]

II. without preceding μέν,

II.1. adversative, expressing distinct opposition, αἰεί τοι τὰ κάκ᾽ ἐστὶ φίλα.. μαντεύεσθαι, ἐσθλὸν δ᾽ οὔτε τί πω εἶπας[Refs 5th c.BC+]; so in Prose, οὐκ ἐπὶ κακῷ, ἐλευθερώσει δέ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]

II.2. copulative,

II.2. a in explanatory clauses, ξυνέβησαν.. τὰ μακρὰ τείχη ἑλεῖν (ἦν δὲ σταδίων μάλιστα ὀκτώ) [Refs 8th c.BC+]: when a substantive is followed by words in apposition, Ἀρισταγόρῃ τῷ Μιλησίῳ, δούλῳ δὲ ἡμετέρῳ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so in answers, διπλᾶ λέγειν. —Answ. διπλᾶδ᾽ ὁρᾶν…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

δέ

de

a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and,

etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

δέ

Cj.

but, on the other hand, and

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

δέ de 2x

a conjunctive particle, marking the superaddition of a clause, whether in opposition or in continuation, to what has preceded, and it may be variously rendered but, on the other hand, and, also, now, etc.; καὶ δέ, when there is a special superaddition in continuation, too, yea, etc. It sometimes is found at the commencement of the apodosis of a sentence, Acts 11:17. It serves also to mark the resumption of an interrupted discourse, 2 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 2:6

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

δέ but: conjunctive Particle, with adversative force: it commonly answers to μέν, and may often be rendered by while, whereas, on the other hand, v. μέν:— but μέν is often omitted, δέ being used merely to pass on from one thing to another; ὣς Ἀχιλεὺς θάμβησεν, θάμβησαν δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι Il.; etc.; κινεῖ κραδίην κινεῖ δὲ χόλον Eur.

δέ is often redundant,

to introduce the apodosis, where it may be rendered by then, yet, εἰ δέ κε μὴ δώωσιν, ἐγὼ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕλωμαι if they will not give it, then I will take it, Il.; so at in Lat., si tu oblitus es, at Dii meminerint Catull.

to resume after interruption caused by a parenthesis, where it may be rendered by I say, now, so then, Hdt.

POSITION of δέ: properly second, being often put between the Art. and Subst., the prep. and case.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Conjunction
conjunction — it joins clauses, and never changes form.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

CONJ CONJunction or conjunctive particle

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
33%now
now33% · 974×however27% · 780×then21% · 620×and12% · 360×but5% · 154×other renderings2% · 49×

2,937 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 15 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

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 2,787 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
αὐτόςεἰμίI am, existσύ
λέγωI say, speak
αὐτόςκύριοςlord, Lord, mastπεντακισχίλιοιfive thousand
εἰCond
παλαιόςold, ancient, woσύεἰμίI am, exist
εἰμίI am, exist
περιπατέωI walk, conduct ἀναπίπτωI lie down, reclμνημεῖονa tomb, sepulche
οὗτος
δίδωμιI offer, giveθεόςGod, a godπίστιςfaith, belief, t
δέhowever2787×
what comes after →
Article the
ἸησοῦςJesusθεόςGod, a godκύριοςlord, Lord, mast
αὐτός
Article theκαίand, even, also,ἐπί
λέγωI say, speak
αὐτόςArticle theσύ
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theοὗτοςἸωάννηςJohn
τὶς
Article theαὐτόςὄνομαname, character,

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

Concordanceδέ · 2,787× in the New Testament
Acts Luke Matthew 1 Corinthians John Mark Romans 2 Corinthians Hebrews Galatians James 1 Timothy

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

Across the New Testament26 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Having been terrified however and filled with fear having been they were thinking [themselves] a spirit to see.
καὶkai and G2532 Conjunction
8,978× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Luke as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
And or also, a connecting word used to join ideas or words, like in Matthew 2:18 and Hebrews 1:1.
Tyndale gloss
and
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

καί (kai) is a conjunction meaning 'and,' used to connect words, phrases, and clauses. It serves various functions, including copulative and adjunctive uses, and can express cumulative ideas like 'also' or 'even.' The New Testament frequently employs it to link terms and sentences, as seen in verses like Matthew 2:18 and John 10:3. Abbott-Smith notes its use in both simple and complex structures, while Thayer emphasizes its role as the most common particle in the New Testament.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

καί,

conj.,

and.

Copulative.

Connecting single words;

in general: Mt 2:18 16:1, Mk 2:15, Lk 8:15, He 1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mt 23:23, Lk 14:21, Ro 7:12 9:4, al.;

connecting numerals (WM, § 37, 4): Jo 2:20, Ac 13:20;

joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mt 8:33 26:59, Mk 16:17,

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

καί, a conj., and; the most freq. by far of all the particles in the N. T. [On its uses see W. § 53, 3sqq.; B. 361 (310) sqq., and ef. Ellicott on Phil. iv. 12; on the difference between it and τέ see 8. v. τέ ad init. ] I. It serves as a copulative i.e. to connect (Lat. et, atque, Germ. und) ; 1. it connects single words or terms: a. univ., as of Φαρισαῖοι καὶ Σαδδουκαῖοι, Mt. xvi. 1; ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατήρ, he who is God and Father (see θεός, 3); ἐν καρδίᾳ καλῇ καὶ ἀγαθῇ, Lk. viii. 15; πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως, ΗΘ}. 1. 1; it is repeated before single terms, to each of which its own force and weight is thus given: ἡ υἱοθεσία καὶ ἡ δόξα καὶ ai διαθῆκαι καὶ ἡ νομοθεσία καὶ ἡ λατρεία καὶ αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι, Ro. ix. 4 ; ἁγία καὶ δικαία καὶ ἀγαθή, Ro. vii. 12; add, Mt. xxiii. 23; Lk. xiv. 21; Jn. xvi. 8; Acts xv. 20, 29; xxi. 25; Heb. ix. 10; Rey. v. 12; xviii. 12 sq.; ef. W. 519 sq. (484). b. it…

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

και. In LAE p. 129 ff. Deissmann discusses the thoroughly popular character of the Johannine style with its short paratactic sentences, introduced by kal. . . καί. To illustrate this, he cites amongst other exx. a Dream from the Serapeum, P Par 51 (B.C. 160) (= Selections, p. 18 ff. : see especially the amended readings in Archiv vi. p. 204), which runs—** ὦμ[ην] βατί -- δ)ίζειν pe [ἀπ]ὸ λειβὸς ἕως ἀ[ πηλι]ώτου, καὶ ἀναπίπτομαι ἐπ᾿ ἄχυρον" καὶ [ἄν]θρωπ[ος9] ἀπὸ λιβός μου, ἐχόμενός μου’ ἀναπίπτει καὶ αὐτός, καὶ ὥσπερ κεκλειμμ[évot] μου ἦσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου, καὶ ἐξαί[φνης] ἀνύγω τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς pov, καὶ ὁρῶ kTA., “ I dreamed that I was going from West to East, and I lie down upon chaff. And there | αὐτὸ (deleted in the original) Σεμφθεῖ. | ἐκ καινῆς ἐν Σομολ(ῶ)…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

καί (kai) — and.

καί,

conjunction, copulative, joining words and sentences,

__A and; also adverb, even, also, just, frequently expressing emphatic assertion or assent, corresponding as positive to the negative οὐ (μή) or οὐδέ (μηδέ). copulative, and,

__A.I joining words or sentences to those preceding, ἦ, καὶ κυανέῃσιν ἐπ᾽ ὀφρύσινεῦσε Κρονίων [Refs 8th c.BC+]: repeated with two or more Nouns, αἱ δὲ ἔλαφοι κ. δορκάδες κ. οἱ ἄγριοι οἶες κ. οἱ ὄνοι οἱ ἄγριοι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; joining only the last pair, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ὁ ὄχλος πλείων κ. πλείων ἐπέρρει more and more, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to add epithets after πολύς, πολλὰ κ. ἐσθλά [Refs 8th c.BC+]

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

καί

kai

apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also

a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in

connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and,

also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when,

yet.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

καί

Cj.

and, even, also, namely

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

καί kai 9x

(1) and, Mt. 2:2, 3, 11; 4:22; (2) καί ... καί, both ... and; (3) as a cumulative particle, also, too, Mt. 5:39; Jn. 8:19; 1 Cor. 11:6; (4) emphatic, even, also, Mt. 10:30; 1 Cor. 2:10; in NT adversative, but, Mt. 11:19; also introductory of the apodosis of a sentence, Gal. 3:28; Jas. 2:4

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj — Conjunction
conjunction — it joins clauses, and never changes form.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

CONJ CONJunction or conjunctive particle

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
89%and
and89% · 8448×also8% · 714×other renderings2% · 191×other renderings1% · 124×

9,477 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 42 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
adverbial16%subject13%object10%predicate3%verb2%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 8,978 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
αὐτός
ἐνἐπίπρός
σύ
χάριςgrace, favor, kiπρόςπατήρfather, Father,
ἐγώ
πατήρfather, Father, πρόςθεόςGod, a god
εἰμίI am, exist
αὐτόςArticle theἐγώ
θεόςGod, a god
Article theθέλημαwill, wish, desiδέbut, on the othe
καίand8978×
what comes after →
Article the
ἀδελφόςa brotherπατήρfather, Father, μήτηρa mother
λέγωI say, speak
αὐτόςArticle theπρός
οὐNeg
εἰμίI am, existμήNegδύναμαιI am powerful, a
ὁράωI see, look upon, ex
Article theαὐτόςἀνήρa male human bei
ἐν
Article theπᾶςall, the whole, ὅλοςall, the whole,

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

Concordanceκαί · 8,978× in the New Testament
Luke Matthew Revelation Acts Mark John 1 Corinthians Romans Hebrews 2 Corinthians Ephesians 1 John

3 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 Ignatius of Antioch
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

ἡ 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 4th c. AD 1st c. AD 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 καὶ κανηφόρου τῶν

P.Adl. 11Pathyris99 BC

1 ἔτους ιζ Θῶυθ κη ἀπέδοτο Πετεσοῦχος Φίβιος καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τὸ ὕπαρχον αὐτοῖς ἥμισυ περιστερῶνος τοῦ ὄντος ἐν τῶι ἀπὸ βορρᾶ μέρει

P.Grenf. 2 35Pathyris99 BC

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

Having been terrified however and filled with fear having been they were thinking [themselves] a spirit to see.
ἔμφοβοιemphobos filled with fear G1719 Adjective · nominative · plural · masculine
5× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Luke than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means being afraid or terrified, like the women at Jesus' tomb in Luke 24:5. It describes a fearful or alarmed state, often in response to God's presence. It's used in Acts 10:4 and Revelation 11:13.
Amplified meaning
afraid, filled with fear
Tyndale gloss
afraid
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἔμφοβος (*emphobos*) is an adjective meaning 'terrified' or 'full of fear.' It appears in contexts that convey alarm or timidity, particularly in the New Testament, where it is used in passages like Luke 24:5 and Acts 10:4. The word is built from the prefix meaning 'in' and a root related to fear.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

** ἔμ-φοβος

[in LXX: Si 19:24, I Mac 13:2 * ;]

terrible.

in fear (of Godly fear, Si 19:24), terrified: Lk 24:5, 37, Ac 10:4 24:25, Re 11:13.†

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἔμφοβος (emphobos) — afraid.

ἔμφοβ-ος, ον,

terrible, θεαί [Refs 5th c.BC+]

II. passive, in fear, timorous, ὕπειξις τῆς ψυχῆς [Refs 4th c.BC+]; terrified, frightened, [LXX+NT]. adverb -βως[Refs 5th c.AD+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἔμφοβος

emphobos

from 1722 and 5401; in fear, i.e. alarmed:--affrighted, afraid,

tremble.

see GREEK for 1722

see GREEK for 5401

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἔμφοβος, ον

Adj

full of fear, terrified

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἔμφοβος emphobos 5x

terrible; in NT terrified, Lk. 24:5, 37; Acts 10:4; 24:25; Rev. 11:13*

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἔμφοβος ἔμ-φοβος, ον adje)m-fob os_on ἐν terrible, Lat. formidolosus, Soph.

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

A-NPM Part of Speech: Adjective Case: Nominative Number: Plural Gender: Masculine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fer (yir'ah, yare'; phobos, phobeo):

Terms, etc.:

"Fear" is the translation of many words in the Old Testament; the chief are: yir'ah, "fear," "terror," "reverence," "awe," most often "the fear of God," "fear of Yahweh" (Ge 20:11; 2Ch 19:9, etc.); also of "fear" generally (Job 22:4; Isa 7:25; Eze 30:13, etc.); yare', "to be afraid," "to fear," "to reverence" (Ge 15:1; Le 19:3,14; De 6:2, etc.); pachadh, "fear," "terror," "dread" (

Across the New Testament3 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Having been terrified however and filled with fear having been they were thinking [themselves] a spirit to see.
γενόμενοιginomai having been G1096 Verb · second aorist · middle deponent · participle · nominative · plural · masculine
668× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Luke as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
A versatile word meaning to be, become, or come into being, used in John 1:15 and 1 Corinthians 15:37.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

γίνομαι (ginomai) is a versatile Greek verb meaning to come into being, be born, or arise. It covers a wide range of uses, from the creation of things to events occurring. In the New Testament, it appears in contexts such as birth (e.g., Romans 1:3), occurrences in nature (e.g., John 12:29), and actions being performed (e.g., Matthew 21:42). It can also express the idea of becoming or changing states.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

γίνομαι, Ion. and κοινή for Att. γίγν- (M. Pr., 47; Bl., §6, 8 Mayser, 166 f.),

[in LXX chiefly for היה ;]

of persons, things occurrences, to come into being, be born, arise, come on: Jo 1:15 8:58, I Co 15:37; a first appearance in public, Mk 1:4, Jo 1:6, al.; seq. ἐκ (of birth), Ro 1:3, Ga 4:4; διά, Jo 1:3; βροντή, Jo 12:29; σεισμός, Re 6:12; γογγυσμός, Ac 6:1; χαρά, Ac 8:8, many other similar exx.; ἡμέρα, Lk 22:66, al.; ὀψέ, Read the full entry →

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

γίνομαι (in Ionic prose writ.and in com. Grk. fr. Aristot. on for Attic γίγνομαι) ; [impf. ἐγινόμην ; fut. γενήσομαι ; 2 aor. ἐγενόμην (often in 3 pers. sing. optat. γένοιτο ; [ptep. yevapevos, Lk. xxiv. 22 Tdf. ed. 7]), and, with no diff. in signif., 1 aor. pass. ἐγενήθην, rejected by the Atticists (cf. Lob. ad Phryn. p. 108 sq.; [Thom. Mag. ed. Ritschl p. 75, 6 sq.]), not rare in later Grk., common in Sept. (Acts iv. 4; 1 Th. ii. 14; 1 Co. xv. 10, etc.), impv. γενηθήτω (Mt. vi. 10; xv. 28, ete.) ; pf. γεγένημαι and γέγονα, 3 pers. plur. γέγοναν L T Tr WH in Ro. xvi. 7 and Rey. xxi. 6 (cf. [Tdf. Proleg. p. 124; WH. App. p. 166; Soph. Lex. p. 37 sq.; Curtius, Das Verbum, ii. 187]; W. 36 and 76 (73) sq-; Mullach p. 16; B. 43 (37 sq.)), [ptep. γεγονώς] ; plpf. 3 pers. sing. ἐγεγόνει (Jn. vi. 17 [not Tdf.];. Acts iv. 22 [where L T Tr WH γεγόνει, cf. W. § 12, 9; B. 33 (29); Tdf.’s note on…

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

γίνομαι {Ξ ΠῚ. p. 210) γενοῦ πρὸς "Ata τὸν ποιμένα καὶ δέξαι παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ δραχμὰς διακοσίας, P Flor II. 180 (a.p. 253) ἐὰν γένηται πρός σε Διόσκορος, α΄. Γίνομαι sometimes supplies an aorist fir εἰμί : ἐγενόμην is normally ingressive (= became), but has to serve on occasion for summary (‘‘constative ’’) aorist as well—cf. Prolfeg. p. 109. Thus P. Flor III. 382% (cited ad 72.) might be translated ‘the son whom I neither have nor ever had,’’ as well as ‘‘ nor was ever born to me.” Lk 13? is an instance of this summary use. It appears in a very common technical usage, by which γενόμενος, with the tithe of an official, etc., denotes “ex-’’: where the title forms a verb, the aor, the perf.) partic. of this is used instead. arch” is γυμνασιαρχήσας. For the periphrasis cf. P Oxy I. 3811 (a.p. 49-50) (= Selections, p. 53) καθὰ π|ζα]ρῆλθον ἐπὶ τοῦ γενομένου τοῦ νομοῦ στρατηγοῦ Ilaciwyvos, “1…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

γίνομαι (ginomai) — to be.

γίγνομαι,

Ionic dialect and after [Refs 4th c.BC+] γίνομαι [ῑ], (Attic dialect Inscrr. have γιγν- in fifth and fourth cententury,[Refs]; Thess. γίνυμαι [Refs]; Boeotian dialect γίνιουμαι [Refs]future γενήσομαι: aorist ἐγενόμην (ἐγενάμην [LXX] (προ-) Decrees Byzantine cited in [Refs 4th c.BC+], Ionic dialect 2nd pers. singular γένευ [Refs 8th c.BC+], 3rd.pers. singular γενέσκετο [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Epic dialect γέντο [Refs 8th c.BC+] (gṇ-το): perfect γέγονα [Refs 8th c.BC+]: 3rd.pers. plural γέγοναν [NT]: pluperfect ἐγεγόνει [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Ionic dialect ἐγεγόνεε [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Epic dialect forms (as if from perfect γέγᾰα), 2nd pers. plural γεγάᾱτε [Refs 8th c.BC+]pluperfect ἐκ-γεγάτην [ᾰ] [Refs 8th c.BC+]; infinitive γεγάμεν [ᾰ] [Refs 8th c.BC+]; participle γεγᾰώς -ᾰυῖα, plural -ᾰῶτες, -ᾰυῖαι [Refs 8th c.BC+], contraction γεγώς, -ῶσα [Refs…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

γίνομαι

ginomai

a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be

("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used

with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be

assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be)

come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be

finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen,

have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass,

be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it

was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

γίνομαι

v.

I come into being, am born

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

γίνομαι ginomai 669x

pluperfect, ἐγενόει (3rd sg), to come into existence; to be created, exist by creation, Jn. 1:3, 10; Heb. 11:3; Jas. 3:9; to be born, produced, grow, Mt. 21:19; Jn. 8:58, et al.; to arise, come on, occur, as the phenomena of nature, etc.; Mt. 8:24, 26; 9:16, et al.; to come, approach, as morning or evening, Mt. 8:16; 14:15, 23; to be appointed, constituted, established, Mk. 2:27; Gal.…

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-2ADP-NPM — Verb · second aorist · middle deponent · participle · nominative · plural · masculine
nominative — the one doing it — the subject.
Agrees with anything else marked plural masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-2ADP-NPM Part of Speech: Verb Tense: second Aorist Voice: middle Deponent Mood: Participle Case: Nominative Number: Plural Gender: Masculine

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
9%it came to pass
it came to pass9% · 64×became4% · 28×there was3% · 23×do be3% · 22×came3% · 19×having become3% · 18×was3% · 18×having been3% · 17×other renderings69% · 468×

677 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 180 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
verb57%linking verb42%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 668 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
θάλασσαthe sea, lakeἐκεῖthere, yonder, tεἰμίI am, exist
Article the
δύναμιςmight, power, maεἰμίI am, existαὐτός
δέbut, on the other ha
ὄψιοςlateοὗτοςὡςas, like as, how
μήNeg
ἵναin order that, sοὐNegθεόςGod, a god
αὐτός
ἱμάτιονouter garmentδιάκλάδοςa branch
γίνομαιhaving been668×
what comes after →
Article the
δύναμιςmight, power, maθέλημαwill, wish, desiἔσχατοςlast, at the las
ἐν
Article theσύεἷςone
δέbut, on the other ha
ἐνArticle theἡμέραa day
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theοὐNegἐκφύωI put forth, cau
εἰς
Article theκεφαλήthe headδένδρονa tree

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

Concordanceγίνομαι · 668× in the New Testament
Luke Acts Matthew Mark John 1 Corinthians Revelation Romans Hebrews 1 Thessalonians Galatians 2 Corinthians

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament26 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 Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 11c. AD 40

πρὸς δὲ τὸ μὴ γεγονὸς οἰκείωσις οὐδεμία τῷ μὴ πεποιηκότι.

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

ὡς ὁ κατακλυσμὸς ἐγένετο καὶ ὃν τρόπον Νῶχος σωθεὶς ἐν λάρνακι μετὰ τῶν συγγενῶν κατῴκησεν ἐν τῷ Σινάρῳ πεδίῳ.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 4.11c. AD 100

γενώμεθα πνευματικοί, γενώμεθα ναὸς τέλειος τῷ θεῷ.

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 22Thebais119 BC

ἔχω εἰς τὸν Ἑρμίου λόγον περὶ πῆς τοπογραμματείας τοῦ νγ ἔτους χαλκοῦ τάλαντα δέκα. γίνεται τάλαντα ι. καὶ περὶ τῆς κωμογραμματείας ὁμοίως χαλκοῦ τάλαντα δέκα. γίνεται τάλαντα ι. καὶ

P.Grenf. 1 37Thebais109 BC

ἀποστερέσαι … ησας ἀλλά … τας κατὰ κοινόν … ἐπίσκεψιν ποιησάσθαι. … τούτων γὰρ γενομένων ἐσόμεθα βεβοηθημένοι ὑφʼ ὑμῶν. ἔρρωσθε. ἔτους θ Φαρμοῦθι κζ, ἐπιλέγματος ἀναγνωσθέντος τοῦ ὑπομνήματος ἐκρίθη

P.Adl. 10Pathyris102 BC

λ εὐμεγέθης μελίχρως τετανὸς μακροπρόσωπος εὐθύριν οὐλὴ φαλάνθῳ ἀριστερῶι χαλκοῦ νομίσματος τάλαντα δέκα δύο, γίνεται τάλαντα ιβ, ἄτοκα, ἡμερῶν τριάκοντα ἀπὸ μηνὸς Παῦνι ιθ. τὸ δὲ δάνειον τοῦτο ἀποδότω

Having been terrified however and filled with fear having been they were thinking [themselves] a spirit to see.
ἐδόκουνdokeō they were thinking [themselves] G1380 Verb · imperfect · active · indicative · third person · plural
62× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Luke as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
To think means to have an opinion or suppose something, as in Matthew 24:44 and Luke 12:40. It involves having a thought or idea about something, which may or may not be true.
Amplified meaning
supposing, having an opinion
Tyndale gloss
to think
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

δοκέω is a verb meaning to think, suppose, or seem, derived from the notion of opinion. It appears in various contexts in the New Testament, often indicating subjective judgment or perception, such as in Matthew 3:9 and Luke 10:36. The entries suggest it can also imply a sense of reputation or being reputed, as seen in Galatians 2:6. There is a noted distinction in usage between δοκέω and related terms like ἡγέομαι and νομίζω, which convey different nuances of belief and judgment.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

δοκέω, -ῶ

(< δόκος, opinion, < δέκομαι, Ion, form of δέχ-),

[in LXX for טוֹב, נָדַב, etc. ;]

to be of opinion, suppose: Mt 24:44, Lk 12:40, He 10:29; c. inf., Mt 3:9, Lk 8:18 24:37, Jo 5:39 16:2, Ac 12:9 27:13, I Co 3:18 7:40 8:2 10:12 14:37, Ga 6:3, Phl 3:4, Ja 1:26; c. acc et inf., I Co 12:23, II Co 11:16; seq. ὅτι, Mt 6:7 26:53, Mk 6:49,

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

δοκέω, -ὥ ; impf. ἐδόκουν ; 1 aor. ἔδοξα ; (akin to δέχομαι or δέκομαι, whence δόκος an assumption, opinion, [οἵ. Lat. decus, decet, dignus; Curtius § 15; cf. his Das Verbum, i. pp. 376, 3821}; [fr. Hom. down]; 1. to be of opinion, think, suppose : foll. by ace. with inf., Mk. vi. 49 [RG L Tr]; 2 Co. xi. 16; 1 Co. xii. 23 ; with an inf. relating to the same subject as that of δοκέω itself, Lk. viii. 18 (ὃ δοκεῖ ἔχειν) ; xxiv. 37 (ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν) ; In. v. 39; xvi. 2; Acts xii. 9; xxvii. 13; 1 Co. iil. 18; vii. 40; vili. 25 x. 12; xiv. 375 Gal. vi. 3; Phil. ni.4; Jas. 1. 26, μὴ δόξητε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς do not suppose that ye may think, Mt. iii. 9; οἵ. Fritzsche ad loe. [0]]. by ὅτι, Mt. vi. 7; xxvi. 53; [Mk. vi. 49 T WH]; Lk. xii. 51; xiii. 2, 4; xix.11; Jn. v. 45; xi. 13, [81 T Tr WH]; xiii. 29; xx. 15; 1 Co. iv. 9; 2 Co. xii. 19; Jas.iv.5. so used that the object is easily…

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

δοκέω. The verb is naturally common, e.g. P Par 4015 (8.6. τ64-58) εἶπα αὐτῷ μὴ ἐμὲ ἀξιοῦν, ἀλλά, δόξαντα ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ εἶναι, παραγίνεσθαι, P Oxy VII. 1027° (i/A.D.) ὑπόμνημα ἀφ᾽ οὗ ἔδοξεν δυνήσασθαι ἐμποδισθῆναί μου τὴν πρᾶξιν, “ἃ memorandum by means of which he hoped that my execution might be prevented ” (Ed.), 26. 1032°8(A.p. 162) ἐάν σου τῇ τύχῃ δόξῃ, “if your fortune sees fit.” exx. of this last phrase we may cite P Petr I. 267 (B.c. 241) ἐάν σοι δοκεῖ, P Oxy IV. 718% (a.b. 180-02) ἐάν σοι δόξῃ, and 76. IX. 12208 (iii/A.b.) ἢ δοκῖ σοι, κύριέ pov, πέμψε por For other

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

δοκέω (dokeō) — to think.

δοκέω

[Refs 8th c.BC+]imperfect ἐδόκουν, Epic dialect δοκέεσκον [Refs 6th c.AD+]: —middle, δοκέοντο [Refs 3rd c.AD+]: participle δοκεύμενος[Refs]: the future and other tenses are twofold:

1. future δόξω and aorist 1 ἔδοξα [Refs 5th c.BC+]perfect δέδοχα inferred from pluperfect ἐδεδόχεσαν [Refs 2nd c.AD+]:—passive, aorist ἐδόχθην [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect δέδογμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: pluperfect ἐδέδοκτο [Refs]

2. regular forms (chiefly Trag., Comedy texts, and late Prose), future δοκήσω [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Doric dialect δοκησῶ or -ᾱσῶ[Refs 3rd c.BC+]aorist ἐδόκησα, Epic dialect δόκ- [Refs 8th c.BC+]: perfect δεδόκηκα [Refs 4th c.BC+]:— passive, aorist ἐδοκήθην [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect δεδόκημαι [Refs 5th c.BC+].; but δεδοκημένος (which see) belongs to…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

δοκέω

dokeo

a prolonged form of a primary verb, doko dok'-o (used only in an

alternate in certain tenses; compare the base of 1166) of the same

meaning; to think; by implication, to seem (truthfully or

uncertainly):--be accounted, (of own) please(-ure), be of reputation,

seem (good), suppose, think, trow.

see GREEK for 1166

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

δοκέω

v.

I think, seem, appear, it seems

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

δοκέω dokeō 62x

to think, imagine, suppose, presume, Mt. 3:9; 6:7; to seem, appear, Lk. 10:36; Acts 17:18; it seems; it seems good, best, or right, it pleases, Lk. 1:3; Acts 15:22, 25

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

δοκέω = videor mihi, to think, suppose, imagine, expect, c. acc. et inf., δοκέω νικησέμεν Il.; οὔ σε δοκέω πείθεσθαι Hdt.; τεκεῖν δράκοντ᾽ ἔδοξεν she thought a serpent bare young ones, Aesch.; ἔδοξα ἰδεῖν, Lat. visus sum videre, methought I saw, Eur.; ἀείδειν δοκῶ I think to sing, Aesch.

absol. to have or form an opinion, περί τινος Hdt.; in parenthetic phrases, ὡς δοκῶ Trag.; πῶς δοκεῖς; how think you? Eur.

δοκῶ μοι in attic, just like δοκεῖ μοι, as Lat. videor mihi for videtur mihi, I seem to myself, methinks, c. inf., Hdt., etc.; also, I am determined, resolved, c. inf., Ar.

c. inf., also, to seem or pretend to be doing, Lat. simulo, or with a negat. to seem or pretend not to be doing, Lat. dissimulo; ἤκουσά του λέγοντος, οὐ δοκῶν κλύειν…

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Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-IAI-3P — Verb · imperfect · active · indicative · third person · plural
imperfect active indicative — a continuing action in past time.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-IAI-3P Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Imperfect Voice: Active Mood: Indicative Person: third Number: Plural

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
9%think you
think you9% · 6×it seemed good8% · 5×thinks6% · 4×thinking6% · 4×esteemed6% · 4×thought5% · 3×he seems3% · 2×it seems3% · 2×other renderings53% · 34×

64 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 33 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
verb98%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 62 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
σύ
τίςIrgδέbut, on the otheὅτιthat, since, bec
Article the
δέbut, on the otheὅτιthat, since, becὥστεso that, therefo
τὶς
εἰCondδέbut, on the othe
αὐτός
λέγωI say, speakἀποκτείνωI put to death, τίςIrg
μήNeg
καίand, even, also,ἵναin order that, s
δοκέωthey were thinking [themselves]62×
what comes after →
ὅτιthat, since, because
Article theοὐNegφάντασμαan apparition, g
Article the
δέbut, on the otheυἱόςa son, descendenἀπόστολοςan apostle, a me
γάρfor
Article theὅτιthat, since, bec
σύ
γίνομαιI come into beinὅτιthat, since, bec
αὐτός
ὅτιthat, since, becπαιδεύωI discipline, ed

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

Concordanceδοκέω · 62× in the New Testament
Luke Matthew 1 Corinthians Acts John Galatians Hebrews 2 Corinthians James Mark Philippians
Across the New Testament11 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 20 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 Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 21c. AD 40

εἰ γάρ τις ἐθελήσειε τὴν αἰτίαν ἧς ἕνεκα τόδε τὸ πᾶν ἐδημιουργεῖτο διερευνᾶσθαι, δοκεῖ μοι μὴ διαμαρτεῖν σκοποῦ φάμενος, ὅπερ καὶ τῶν ἀρχαίων εἶπέ τις, ἀγαθὸν εἶναι τὸν πατέρα καὶ ποιητήν·

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.44c. AD 75–95

φύλλοις οὖν ἑαυτοὺς συκῆς ἐσκέπασαν καὶ ταῦτα πρὸ τῆς αἰδοῦς προβαλόμενοι μᾶλλον ἐδόκουν εὐδαιμονεῖν ὡς ὧν πρότερον ἐσπάνιζον εὑρόντες.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 8.1c. AD 100

Τίνα δὲ δοκεῖτε τύπον εἶναι, ὅτι ἐντέταλται τῷ Ἰσραὴλ προσφέρειν δάμαλιν τοὺς ἄνδρας, ἐν οἷς εἰσὶν ἁμαρτίαι τέλειαι, καὶ σφάξαντας κατακαίειν, καὶ αἴρειν τότε τὴν σποδὸν παιδία καὶ βάλλειν εἰς ἄγγη καὶ περιτιθέναι τὸ ἔριον τὸ κόκκινον ἐπὶ ξύλον ʽἴδε…

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. BC 3rd c. AD 6th c. AD 4th c. AD
P.Edg. $1Arsinoites245 BC

αὐτὸν οὐκ ἀποδέδωκεν, ἀλλὰ παρείλκυκέν με ἕως τοῦ νῦν. δέομαι οὖν σου, εἴ σοι δοκεῖ, προστάξαι Ἀγήνορι τῶι στρατηγῶι ἀνακαλέσαι αὐτὸν καὶ, ἐὰν ἦι ἀληθῆ, ἐπαναγκάσαι αὐτὸν κομισάμενον τὰς

r … γενέθλια τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ βασιλίσσης οἴνου παλαιοῦ εὐώδους κεράμια ὅσα ἄν σοι δόξῃ, ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ἱερεῖα … προαπο … ν … εἰς τὴν ἑορτὴν

P.Edg. $1Philadelphia? (Arsinoites)241 BC

ἤρξατο Ἀμμώνιος τὰς ὠνὰς ἐπικηρύσσειν. γίνωσκε δὲ καὶ τὰ βαλανεῖα μισθούμενα ἀνυπόλογα παντὸς ὑπολόγου. ἔδοξεν οὖν μοι μηθὲν ὑποστῆναι ἕως τοῦ σε παραγενέσθαι. ἐὰν οὖν εὔκαιρόν σοι ἦι, παραγενοῦ,

Having been terrified however and filled with fear having been they were thinking [themselves] a spirit to see.
πνεῦμαpneuma a spirit G4151 Noun · accusative · singular · neuter
379× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Luke as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
The Greek word for spirit or breath refers to the vital principle or mental disposition of a person, as seen in John 3:8 and 1 Corinthians 5:5. It can also mean a superhuman spirit, like the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:2.
Amplified meaning
the vital principle or mental disposition
Tyndale gloss
spirit/breath: spirit
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word πνεῦμα (i.e., *pneuma*) means 'spirit' or 'breath' and is derived from the verb πνέω (to blow). It encompasses various meanings, including air in motion, the vital principle of life, and spiritual beings such as angels and demons. In the New Testament, it frequently refers to the Holy Spirit and the human spirit, appearing in contexts that contrast it with the body or flesh.

Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament — πνοή, πνεῦμα, ἄνεμος, θύελλα from a scan

From the words into comparison with which πνεῦμα is here brought, it will be evident that it is proposed to deal with it in its natural and earthly, not in its supernatural and heavenly, meaning. Only I will observe, that on the relations between πνοή and πνεῦμα in this its higher sense there is a discussion in Augustine, De Civ. Dei, xiii. 22; cf. De Anim. et huj. Orig. i. 14, 19. The first three words of this group, as they designate not things heavenly but things earthly, differ from one another exactly as, according to Seneca, do in the Latin ‘aér,’ ‘spiritus,’ ‘ ventus’ (Nat. Qu. v. 13) : ‘Spiritum a vento motus' separat; vehementior enim spiritus ventus est; invicem spiritus leviter fluens aer.’ Πνοή and πνεῦμα occur not seldom together, as at Isai. xlii. 5; lvii. 16; πνοή conveying the impression of a lighter, gentler, motion of the air than πνεῦμα, as ‘aura’ than ‘ventus.’…

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Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

πνεῦμα, -τος, τό,

(< πνέω),

[in LXX chiefly and very freq. for רוּחַ;]

of air in motion;

wind: Jo 3:8; pl., He 1:7(LXX);

breath: π. ζωῆς, Re 11:11; π. τοῦ στόματος, fig., II Th 2:8 (cf. Ps 32 (33):6).

Of the vital principle, the spirit (Arist., Polyb., al.): Lk 8:55, Jo 19:30, Ac 7:59, al.; opp. to σάρξ, Mt 26:41, Mk 14:38, I Co 5:5, al.; to σῶμα, Ro 8:10, I Co 6:17 7:34,

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

πνεῦμα, -τος, τό, (πνέω), Grk. writ. fr. Aeschyl. and Hdt. down; Hebr. may, Lat. spiritus; i. 6. 1. a movement of air, (gentle) blast; a. of the wind: ἀνέμων πνεύματα, Hat. 7,16, 1; Paus. 5, 25; hence the wind itself, Jn. iii. 8; plur. Heb. i. 7, (1 K. xviii. 45; xix. 11; Job i. 19; Ps. ciii. (civ.) 4, etc.; often in Grk. writ.). b. breath of the nostrils or mouth, often in Grk. writ. fr. Aeschyl. down: πνεῦμα τοῦ στόματος, 2 Th. ii. 8 (Ps. xxxii. (xxxiii.) 6, ef. Is. xi. 4); mv. ζωῆς, the breath of life, Rev. xi. 11 (Gen. vi. 17, cf. πνοὴ ζωῆς, il. 7). [πνεῦμα and πνοή seem to have been in the main coincident terms; but avon became the more poetical. Both retain a suggestion of their evident etymology. Even in class. Grk. πνεῦμα became as freq. and as wide in its application as ἄνεμος. (Schmidt ch. 55, 7; Trench § lxxiii.) ] 2. the spirit, i.e. the vital principle by which the body 18…

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

πνεῦμα. This is a notable ex. of those words, whose meaning has been so deepened and enriched through Christian influences, that we cannot expect our sources to throw much light on their use in the NT. One or two points may, however, be noted. Thus for the more literal meaning of the word we may cite P Oxy VI. 9047 (v/A.D.), where a certain Flavius petitions a praeses on the ground ὡς λοιπὸν εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ τῆς σωτηρίας πνεῦμα δυστυχῖν pe, “so that at last the very breath of my life is in danger” (Edd.). In P Leid Wii 2 (ii/iii A.D.) (= II. p. 157) reference is made to a book which περιέχει γέννησιν πνεύματος, πυρὸς Kal okdTo(=ov)s, ‘contains the creation of spirit, fire and darkness.” The same document αν. 4 shows οὐ ἀντιτάξεταί μοι πᾶν πνεῦμα, οὐ δαιμόνιον, οὐ συνάτ(--άντ)ημα. Reminiscent of LXX Numb 1622, 2716, isthe Jewish ‘‘ prayer for vengeance” from Rheneia, Sy// 816 (=#1181)*, which…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

πνεῦμα (pneuma) — spirit/breath: spirit.

πνεῦμα, ατος, τό,

(πνέω) blast, wind, first in [Refs 6th c.BC+]: frequently in Trag., etc., ἀνέμων πνεύματα πάντων [Refs 4th c.BC+]; θαλάσσας.. πνεύματι λάβρῳ [Refs 5th c.BC+] is commoner in Poets; [Refs 8th c.BC+]; κατὰ πρύμναν ἵσταται τὸ π.[Refs 5th c.BC+]; κατὰ πνεῦμα στῆναι τοῦ ἄρρενος to leeward of him, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; but κατὰ π. προσιόντες down wind, [Refs]; πνεύματος ἀνείλησις, ἐκπύρωσις, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; as an element, air, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]

2. metaphorically, θαλερωτέρῳ π. with more genial breeze or influence, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; αἰδοίῳ π. χώρας with air or spirit of respect on the part of the country, [Refs]; π. ταὐτὸν οὔποτ᾽.. ἐν ἀνδράσιν φίλοις βέβηκεν the…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

πνεῦμα

pneuma

from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by

analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by

implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or

(superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the

Holy Spirit:--ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind. Compare 5590.

see GREEK for 4154

see GREEK for 5590

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

πνεῦμα, ατος, τό

n.n.

wind, breath, spirit

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

πνεῦμα pneuma 379x

wind, air in motion, Jn. 3:8; breath, 2 Thess. 2:8; the substance spirit, Jn. 3:6; a spirit, spiritual being, Jn. 4:24; Acts 23:8, 9; Heb. 1:14; a bodiless spirit, specter, Lk. 24:37; a foul spirit, δαιμόνιον, Mt. 8:16; Lk. 10:20; spirit, as a vital principle, Jn. 6:63; 1 Cor.…

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Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

πνεῦμα πνεῦμα, ατος, τό, πνέω a blowing, πνεύματα ἀνέμων Hdt., Aesch.: alone, a wind, blast, Trag., etc.

metaph., θαλερωτέρῳ πν. with more genial breeze or influence, Aesch.; λύσσης πν. μάργῳ id. Aesch.; πν. ταὐτὸν οὔποτ᾽ ἐν ἀνδράσιν φίλοις βέβηκεν the wind is constantly changing even among friends, Soph.

like Lat. spiritus or anima, breathed air, breath, Aesch.; πν. βίου the breath of life, id. Aesch.; πν. ἀθροίζειν to collect breath, Eur.; πν. ἀφιέναι, ἀνιέναι, μεθιέναι to give up the ghost, id. Eur.; πνεύματος διαρροαί the wind-pipe, id. Eur.

that is breathed forth, odour, scent, id. Eur.

spirit, Lat. afflatus, Anth.: inspiration, NTest.

the spirit of man, id. NTest.

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

N-ASN Part of Speech: Noun Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Neuter

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

spir'-it (ruach; pneuma; Latin, spiritus):

1. Primary and Figurative Senses

(1) As Wind, Breath

(2) As Anger or Fury

(3) As Mental and Moral Qualities in Man

2. Shades of Meaning

(1) As Life-Principle

(2) As Surviving Death

(3) Spiritual Manifestations

3. Human and Divine Spirit

(1) The Human as Related with the Divine

(2) Operations of the Divine Spirit as Third Person of the Trinity

4. Old Testament Applications

5. Various Interpretations

1. Primary and Figurative Senses:

(1) As Wind, Breath:

Used primarily in the Old Testament and New Testament of the wind, as in Ge 8:1; Nu 11:31; Am 4:13 ("createth the wind"); Heb 1:7 (angels, "spirits" or "winds" in margin); often used of the breath, as…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Spirit

(Heb. ruah; Gr. pneuma), properly wind or breath. In 2 Thess. 2:8 it means “breath,” and in Eccl. 8:8 the vital principle in man. It also denotes the rational, immortal soul by which man is distinguished (Acts 7:59; 1 Cor. 5:5; 6:20; 7:34), and the soul in its separate state (Heb. 12:23), and hence also an apparition (Job 4:15; Luke 24:37, 39), an angel (Heb. 1:14), and a demon (Luke 4:36; 10:20). This…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A word employed in various senses in Scripture.

1. For THE HOLY, HOLINESS SPIRIT, the third person of the Holy Trinity, who inspired the prophets, animates good men, pours his unction into our hearts, imparts to us life and comfort; and in whose name we are baptized and blessed, as well as in that of the Father and the Son. When the adjective Holy is applied to the term Spirit, we should always understand it as here explained; but there are many places whether it must be taken in this sense, although the term Holy is omitted. See HOLY, HOLINESS SPIRIT.

2. BREATH, respiration; or the principle of animal life, common to men and animal: this God has given, and this he recalls when he takes away life, Ec 3:21. See SOUL.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Called “the inner man,” Ro 7:22; Eph 3:16

→ See ANGELS

→ See DEMONS

→ See HOLY SPIRIT

→ See MAN, A SPIRIT

→ See SATAN

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
90%spirit
spirit90% · 346×spirits8% · 31×other renderings2% · 8×

385 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 9 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
adverbial39%subject29%object21%predicate7%indirect object2%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 379 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
καίand, even, also,δέbut, on the otheτίςIrg
ἐν
βαπτίζωI dip, submerge,δέbut, on the otheἄνθρωποςa man, one of th
ἅγιοςset apart, holy, sac
Article theγάρforσύ
αὐτός
Article theθυγάτριονa little daughteλέγωI say, speak
καίand, even, also, nam
πίνωI drink, imbibeἸσραήλPropμάστιξa scourge, lash,
πνεῦμαa spirit379×
what comes after →
Article the
ἅγιοςset apart, holy,ἀκάθαρτοςunclean, impureθεόςGod, a god
ἅγιοςset apart, holy, sac
καίand, even, also,Article theἀτενίζωI direct my gaze
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theδύναμιςmight, power, maἀλήθειαtruth
ἐγώ
ἐπίἐπιτάσσωI give order, coοὗτος
εἰμίI am, exist
Article theἅγιοςset apart, holy,καίand, even, also,

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

Concordanceπνεῦμα · 379× in the New Testament
Acts 1 Corinthians Luke Romans John Revelation Mark Matthew Galatians 2 Corinthians Ephesians 1 John

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament25 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 173 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
Philo of Alexandria The Shepherd of Hermas Josephus Clement of Rome Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 29c. AD 40

εἶθ’ ὕδατος ἀσώματον οὐσίαν καὶ πνεύματος καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἑβδόμου φωτός, ὃ πάλιν ἀσώματον ἦν καὶ νοητὸν ἡλίου παράδειγμα καὶ πάντων ὅσα φωσφόρα ἄστρα κατὰ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἔμελλε συνίστασθαι.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.27c. AD 75–95

ταύτης δʼ ὑπʼ ὄψιν οὐκ ἐρχομένης, ἀλλὰ βαθεῖ μὲν κρυπτομένης σκότει, πνεύματος δʼ αὐτὴν ἄνωθεν ἐπιθέοντος, γενέσθαι φῶς ἐκέλευσεν ὁ θεός.

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
7th c. AD 4th c. AD 8th c. AD 5th c. AD 6th c. AD

ἐν ὀνόματι τῆς ἁγίας καὶ ὁμοουσίου τριάδος πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος βασιλείας τοῦ θειοτάτου καὶ εὐσεβεστάτου ἡμῶν δεσπότου Φλαυίου Φωκᾶ τοῦ αἰωνίου Αὐγούστου Αὐτοκράτορος καὶ

Tyche 20 (2005), p. 1-9HerakleopolitesAD 603

r ἐν ὀνόματι τῆς ἁγίας τριάδος πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος καὶ τῆς δεσποίνης ἡμῶν τῆς θεοτόκου καὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων, βασιλείας τοῦ θειοτάτου καὶ

SB 1 4740ArsinoitesAD 602–AD 610

ἐν ὀνόματι τῆς ἁγίας καὶ ὁμοουσίου τριάδος πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος καὶ τῆς δεσποίνης

Having been terrified however and filled with fear having been they were thinking [themselves] a spirit to see.
θεωρεῖν.theōreō to see. G2334 Verb · present · active · infinitive
57× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Luke as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
To see or experience something means to discern or acknowledge it, as seen in John 6:40 and Acts 3:16. This Greek word is about perceiving or understanding something, whether physically or spiritually. It is used to describe a deep level of awareness or insight.
Amplified meaning
beheld, experienced
Tyndale gloss
to see/experience
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

θεωρέω (theoreo) means to look at, gaze, or behold, often with a sense of contemplation or experience. It is used in various contexts in the New Testament, such as to perceive or discern something noteworthy. The word can also imply a mental consideration or experience, as seen in references like John 8:51. While the core meaning remains consistent, some sources note a lighter usage in certain contexts.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

θεωρέω, -ῶ

(< θεωρός, a spectator, < θεάομαι),

[in LXX chiefly for ראה, חזה;]

(pres. and impf. only, exc. Jo 7:3 (fut.), Mt 28:1, Lk 23:48, Jo 8:51, Re 11:12 (aor.); Bl., §24);

(cl.), to look at, gaze, behold: absol., Mt 27:55, Mk 15:40, Lk 23:35; seq. πῶς, Mk 12:41; ποῦ, Mk 15:47; c. acc. pers., Jo 6:40, 62 12:45 16:10-19, Ac 3:16 20:38 25:24, Re 11:11, 12; id. c. ptcp., Mk 5:15, Lk…

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

θεωρέω, -@; impf. ἐθεώρουν; [fut. θεωρήσω, Jn. vii. 8. Ὁ Tr WH]; 1 aor. ἐθεώρησα ; (θεωρός a spectator, and this fr. θεάομαι, q. v- [ef. Vanitéek p. 407; L. and S. 8. v.; Allen in the Am. Journ. of Philol. i. p. 131 sq.J); [fr. Aeschyl. and Hat. down]; Sept. for 87 and Chald. nin; 1. to be a spectator, look at, behold, Germ. schauen, (the θεωροί were men who attended the games or the sacrifices as public deputies; οἵ. Grimm on 2 Mace. iv. 19); absol.: Mt. xxvii. 55; Mk. xv. 40; Lk. xxiii. 35; foll. by indir. dise., Mk. xii. 41; xv. 47; used esp. of persons and things looked upon as in some respect noteworthy : τινά, Jn. vi. 40; xvi. 10,16 sq.19; Acts iii. 16; xxv. 24; Rey. xi. 11 sq.; 6 θεωρῶν τὸν υἱὸν θεωρεῖ τὸν πατέρα. the majesty of the Father resplendent in the Son, Jn. xii. 45; τινά with ptep. [B. 301 (258) : Mk. ν. 15]; Lk. x. 18; Jn. vi. 19; [τ 12]; xx. 12, 14; [1 Jn. ii. 17]…

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

θεωρέω. A tendency to use θεωρέω more lightly might be deduced from such passages as P Tebt I. 585 (B.c. 111) οὗτος οὖν θεωρήσας pe ds προσεδρεύοντα καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ὡσεὶ δεδίλανται, “seeing me in daily attendance he has as it were turned coward’ (Edd.), though ‘‘ watched” will translate it here ; 26. 61 (4)°9 (B.C. 118-7) ἠξίουν] . . . συνθεωρεῖσθαι, ““ copguir?,” and again 373 θεωρῆσίθαι (/. τεθεωρῆσ[θαι) ἐκ τῆς] γε[γεν]ημένης εἰκασίας μετὰ ταῦτα, ‘it was perceived from the subsequent estimate.” But whether the verb belonged to the Volkssprache (Blass N.T. Grammatik®, p. 59, s.v. ὁρᾶν) or not, it was hardly a synonym of ὁράω : cf. the use of the two verbs in Jn 16% (Abbott /oz. Voc., p. 104 ff.). See P Oxy I. 33 verso t-9 (ii/A.D.) θεωρήσατε ἕνα ἀπ᾽ αἰῶνος ἀπαιυγόμ[ενο]ν, ‘behold one led off to death” (lit. ‘from life”), P Giss I. 91° (ii/a.D.) ὡς δὲ οὐτὲ ἴχνος ἐθεώροζυν, of a woman…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

θεωρέω (theōreō) — to see/experience.

θεωρ-έω:—

passive, future -ηθήσομαι[Refs 2nd c.AD+]: future middle in passivesense,[Refs 2nd c.AD+]: (θεωρός):—to be a θεωρός [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of the states which sent θεωροί, οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ἐθεώρουν ἐς τὰ Ἴσθμια [Refs 5th c.BC+]

2. to be sent to consult an oracle, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

II. of spectators at games, τὰ Ὀλύμπια [Refs 5th c.BC+]; θ. τινά to see him act, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to go as a spectator, ἐς τὰ Ἐφέσια [Refs 5th c.BC+]; see entry ὀβολός [Refs]

III. look at, behold, γῆν πολλήν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; inspect, review soldiers, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: absolutely, gaze, gape, ἑστηκὼς θ. [Refs 4th c.BC+]

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

θεωρέω

theoreo

from a derivative of 2300 (perhaps by addition of 3708); to be a

spectator of, i.e. discern, (literally, figuratively (experience) or

intensively (acknowledge)):--behold, consider, look on, perceive, see.

Compare 3700.

see GREEK for 2300

see GREEK for 3708

see GREEK for 3700

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

θεωρέω

v.

I behold, look at, experience

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

θεωρέω theōreō 58x

to be a spectator, to gaze on, contemplate; to behold, view with interest and attention, Mt. 27:55; 28:1; to contemplate mentally, consider, Heb. 7:4; in NT to see, perceive, Mk. 3:11; to come to a knowledge of, Jn. 6:40; from the Hebrew, to experience, undergo, Jn. 8:51

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

θεωρέω θεωρέω, φυτ. -ήσω θεωρός to look at, view, behold, Hdt., Aesch., etc.: to inspect or review soldiers, Xen.

of the mind, to contemplate, consider, observe, Plat., etc.

to view the public games, of spectators, θ. τὰ Ὀλύμπια Hdt., etc.; θ. τινά to see him act, Dem.: —absol. to go as a spectator, ἐς τὰ Ἐφέσια Thuc.

to be a θεωρός or state-ambassador to the oracle or at the games, Ar., Thuc.

in θεωρήσασα τοὐμὸν ὄμμα Soph., the acc. ὄμμα may be taken as in βαίνειν πόδα, having beheld with mine eye.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-PAN — Verb · present · active · infinitive
present active infinitive — an action in progress.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-PAN Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Present Voice: Active Mood: iNfinitive TVM equivalent: G5721

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

se: In addition to the ordinary sense of perceiving by the eye, we have

(1) chazah, "to see" (in vision): "Words of Amos .... which he saw concerning Israel" (Am 1:1). The revelation was made to his inward eye. "The word of Yahweh .... which he (Micah) saw concerning Samaria" (Mic 1:1), describing what he saw in prophetic vision (compare Hab 1:1); see REVELATION, III, 4;

(2) horao, "to take heed": "See thou say nothing" (Mr 1:44);

(3) eidon, "to know," "to note with the mind": "Jesus saw that he answered discreetly" (Mr 12:34);

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
10%you see
you see10% · 6×beholding10% · 6×seeing9% · 5×see9% · 5×he beholds5% · 3×you do behold5% · 3×i understand3% · 2×looking on3% · 2×other renderings45% · 26×

58 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 30 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
verb98%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 57 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
ἸησοῦςJesusἀρχισυνάγωγοςa leader of the μνημεῖονa tomb, sepulche
αὐτός
ὅτανwhen, whensoeverδέbut, on the otheὄνομαname, character,
Article the
πᾶςall, the whole, καίand, even, also,ἐπί
οὐNeg
καίand, even, also,ὅτιthat, since, bec
οὐκέτιNeg
καίand, even, also,ἐγώ
θεωρέωto see.57×
what comes after →
Article the
ἸησοῦςJesusυἱόςa son, descendenοὐρανόςthe sky, the hea
ἐγώ
καίand, even, also,θεωρέωI behold, look aὅτιthat, since, bec
αὐτός
Article theοὐδέNeg
ὅτιthat, since, because
ἀποκυλίωI roll awayπροφήτηςa prophet, poetοὐNeg
καίand, even, also, nam
οἶδαI know, rememberἀκούωI hear, listen

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

Concordanceθεωρέω · 57× in the New Testament
John Acts Luke Mark Matthew Revelation 1 John Hebrews
Across the New Testament8 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 12 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
Philo of Alexandria Josephus Clement of Rome
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 54c. AD 40

ἡ δ’ ἑστιωμένη θεαμάτων ἐπαλλήλων, ἐξ ἑτέρων γὰρ ἦν ἕτερα, πολλὴν ἀπληστίαν εἶχε τοῦ θεωρεῖν·

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 12.422c. AD 75–95

οὗτοι τὸ Βακχίδου πλῆθος θεωρήσαντες ἔδεισαν καὶ τὴν παρεμβολὴν καταλιπόντες ἔφυγον πάντες πλὴν ὀκτακοσίων.

Clement of RomeFirst Clement 16.16c. AD 96

πάντες οἱ θεωροῦντές με ἐξεμυκτήρισάν με, ἐλάλησαν ἐν χείλεσιν, ἐκίνησαν κεφαλήν: Ἤλπισεν ἐπὶ κύριον, ῥυσάσθω αὐτόν, σωσάτω αὐτόν, ὅτι θέλει αὐτόν.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 2nd c. BC 4th c. AD 7th c. AD
CdÉ 41 (1966), p. 347-353Heptakomia (Apollonopolites)AD 114–AD 119

δραχμὰς ἐζημιώθην εἰς αὐτὰ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἐνεργεῖν αὐτά. καὶ Ἡράκλειος δὲ οἶδε καὶ θεωρεῖ πῶς ἐστιν ἀργὰ διὰ τὸ μηδένα προσέρχεσθαι μήτε πρὸς ἐνοίκησιν μήτε τ … ο

P.Giss. 1 9Apollonopolites HeptakomiasAD 113–AD 120

αὐτῆς ει … … … ν Θοτσύτμιν … … . ὡς δὲ οὐδὲ ἴχνος ἐθεώρουν καὶ τῆς συκα … … ο … γεγονυίης ἐπὶ τὴν ἔπαυλίν μου ἐπορεύθησαν καὶ

ZPE 22 (1976), p. 49-52Philadelphia (?) (Arsinoites)AD 176–AD 200

χαίρειν. εὐθὺς ἐλθὼν εἰς τὴν Ἀντινόου ἐκομισάμην σου τὰ γράμματα διʼ ὧν ἔδοξά σε θεωρεῖν. διὸ παρακαλῶ τὸ αὐτὸ ποιεῖν συνεχῶς, οὕτως γὰρ αὐξηθήσεται ἡμῶν ἡ φιλία. ὃταν δέ

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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