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Matthew 27:16 — Word Study

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N1904εἶχον δὲ τότε δέσμιον ἐπίσημον λεγόμενον Ἰησοῦν Βαραββᾶν.

BSAThey were holdingechō [had in custody, possessing] nowde at that timetote [then, at a specific point] a prisonerdesmios [one held captive] notableepisēmos [notable, well-known] being namedlegō [called, known as] Jesus Barabbas.Barabbas [a notorious, infamous Israelite]

Word
Listen & take awayMatthew 27
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 16 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 (Barabbas) — no per-word recordings of the Greek exist to link to.
Take it away
Matthew 27:16quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse states that at a specific time, a well-known prisoner named Barabbas was in custody.
Who is speakingThe narrative is presented by the Gospel writer, recounting events during the trial of Jesus.
Where we areThis verse occurs during the trial of Jesus, just before the crowd's choice between Jesus and Barabbas.
The hard wordἐπίσημος
Take awayBarabbas was a notable figure, recognized for his infamy.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them › clause verbἔχω 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 — Matthew 27:16

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 Trial of Jesusgenerated

15Now it was the governor’s custom at the feast to release to the crowd a prisoner of their choosing.
16At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.
17So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
18For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.

Matthew 27:16 describes the moment when the crowd had the opportunity to choose between Barabbas and Jesus. This event highlights the tension and choices faced during Jesus' trial, where political and social pressures influenced the decision of the crowd. The governor, Pilate, had a custom of releasing a prisoner during the feast, which sets the stage for this pivotal moment in the narrative.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Mark 15:7And a man named Barabbas was imprisoned with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection.
2Luke 23:18–19But they all cried out in unison: “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”
3John 18:40“Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.)
4Acts 3:14You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
5Romans 1:32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 5 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word ἐπίσημος, episēmosgenerated

The word ἐπίσημος, transliterated as episēmos, means notable or well-known. It can carry both positive and negative connotations, depending on the context. In this verse, it describes Barabbas as a notorious prisoner, indicating his infamy among the people.

This adjective is used to emphasize Barabbas' reputation, which is significant in the context of the choice presented to the crowd. The parsing shows it as an accusative singular masculine, indicating it directly modifies the noun δέσμιον, or prisoner.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In comparing translations, the Berean Standard Bible (BSB) uses notorious to describe Barabbas, a rendering shared by the DRA and FBV. The KJV and ASV opt for notable, which aligns with the original Greek meaning but lacks the negative connotation present in notorious.

The translations agree on the identity of Barabbas but differ in the emphasis of his character. The BSB's choice of notorious suggests a more negative reputation than notable does in the KJV and ASV.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is εἶχον, they were holding, which governs the entire clause. This verb is followed by an adverbial phrase τότε indicating the time of the action, and it includes a noun phrase that describes the object being held — δέσμιον, a prisoner, modified by the adjective ἐπίσημον, notable.

The structure is straightforward, with the main action clearly presented, followed by descriptive elements that provide context and detail about Barabbas.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

τότε appears in the Septuagint, often translating the Hebrew word אָז, meaning 'then' or 'at that time.' This connection emphasizes the timing of events, which is crucial in the narrative of Jesus' trial.

While ἐπίσημος does not have a direct equivalent in the Septuagint, its use in the New Testament aligns with its function in the LXX to denote significance or notoriety.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Matthew 27:16 tells us that at a specific time, the authorities were holding a well-known prisoner named Barabbas. This moment is significant because it sets up the choice the crowd would make between Barabbas and Jesus, highlighting the political and social dynamics at play during Jesus' trial.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who was Barabbas?

Barabbas was a notorious prisoner mentioned in the Gospels, known for being released instead of Jesus during the trial, as described in Matthew 27:16.

What does it mean that Barabbas was a 'notorious' prisoner?

Being called 'notorious' indicates that Barabbas had a reputation for wrongdoing or infamy, making him a significant figure in the narrative of Jesus' trial.

Why did Pilate offer to release Barabbas?

Pilate offered to release Barabbas as part of a custom during the feast, allowing the crowd to choose which prisoner to free, as seen in Matthew 27:15.

What is the significance of the crowd's choice?

The choice between Barabbas and Jesus reflects the political and social tensions of the time, showcasing how the crowd's decision was influenced by envy and pressure from the religious leaders.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does Barabbas' release instead of Jesus reveal about the nature of the crowd's choice?
  2. How can we understand the implications of being labeled as 'notorious' in our own lives?
  3. In what ways do societal pressures influence our decisions today, similar to the crowd's choice in this passage?
  4. How does this event reflect the themes of justice and mercy in the context of Jesus' trial?

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

Early church writers reflect on the significance of Barabbas in the context of Jesus' trial. Their insights help us understand the deeper meanings behind this choice.

Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON Matthew 121 c. 185–253
I believe that these events reveal something of a mystery. Barabbas represents the one who enacts dissension, war and murder in human souls, but Jesus is the Son of God who works peace, reason, wisdom and everything good.
Early Church Fathers on Matthew 27 →
JeromeVerse 16 onwards c. 347–420
At that time he had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them: Whom do you want me to release to you, Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ? For he knew that they had handed Him over out of envy.
Early Church Fathers on Matthew 27 →

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Matthew 27:16 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And they had then a notable prisoner,.... The Vulgate Latin reads, "he had"; that is, Pilate, who had committed him to prison, and under whose power he was: for the Jews had lost all authority of

Read John Gill on Matthew 27 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. For the exposition, see the notes at Luke 23:1-25, and at John 18:28-40.

Read Robert Jamieson on Matthew 27 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Ver. 16. A notable prisoner, called Barabbas] That is, by interpretation, his father’ s son, his white son, his darling, his tidling, whom he had cockered and not crossed from his youth. Such children are often undone, as Absalom, Amnon, and Adonijah were by their parents’ indulgence. How many a Barabbas, brought to the gallows, blameth his fond father, and haply curseth him in hell! A pampered or spoiled child; a darling, pet; a young, delicate, or puny child or animal, needing special care; a weakling, ‘ dilling’ . ŒD

Read John Trapp on Matthew 27 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) A notable prisoner, called Barabbas.—There is considerable, though not quite decisive, evidence in favour of the reading which gives “Jesus Barabbas” as the name of the prisoner. The name Bar-abbas (=son of Abbas, or of “a father”), like Bar-timseus and Bartholomew, was a patronymic, and it would be natural enough that the man who bore it should have another more personal name. We can easily understand (1) that the commonness of the name Jesus might lead to his being known to his comrades and to the multitude only or chiefly as Barabbas; and (2) that the reverence which men felt in after years for the Name which is above every name, would lead them to blot out, if it were possible, the…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Matthew 27 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 16. A notable prisoner - Barabbas.] This person had, a short time before, raised an insurrection in Jerusalem, in which it appears, from Mr 15:7, some lives were lost. In some MSS., and in the Armenian and Syriac Hieros., this man has the surname of Jesus. Professor Birch has discovered this reading in a Vatican MS., written in 949, and numbered 354, in which is a marginal note which has been attributed to Anastasius, bishop of Antioch, and to Chrysostom, which asserts that in the most ancient MSS. the passage was as follows: - Τιναθελετεαποτωνδυωαπολυσωυμιν, ΙΝτονβαραββαν, ηΙΝτονλεγομενονΧΝ: Which of the two DO ye wish me to release unto you, Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called…

Read AdamClarke on Matthew 27 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. Barabbas] = “Son of a father,” or perhaps, “Son of a Rabbi.” The reading, “Jesus Barabbas” (Matthew 27:17), which appears in some copies, is rightly rejected by the best editors. As Alford remarks, Matthew 27:20 is fatal to the insertion. St Mark and St Luke add that Barabbas had committed murder in the insurrection.

Read Cambridge on Matthew 27 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

16. A notable prisoner — A famous outlaw. Mark says that he had raised “an insurrection,” and that his adherents, who “had committed murder in the insurrection,” were also, like himself, under arrest and in prison.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Matthew 27 →

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

At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

They had then a notable prisoner called Barabbas.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.

NETBNew English Translation2006

At that time they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Jesus Barabbas.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they had then a notable prisoner, named Barabbas.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and they had then a noted prisoner, called Barabbas,

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and they had a noted prisoner then, called Barabbas,

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

At that time they had a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And he had then a notorious prisoner, that was called Barabbas.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

At that time a notorious prisoner was being held, a man named Barabbas.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And they had then an important prisoner, whose name was Barabbas.

Word by word, the decisions they made

εἶχονechō They were holding G2192 5 different renderings
they hadASV BBE DBY GNV KJV LSV NWB RVA ULB WEB YLT
they were holdingBSB MSB
hadDRA
had in custodyNETB
beingFBV
τότεtote at that time G5119 2 different renderings
thenASV BBE DBY DRA GNV KJV LSV NWB RVA WEB YLT
at that timeBSB FBV MSB NETB ULB
Βαραββᾶν.Barabbas Barabbas. G912 2 different renderings
barabbasASV BBE DBY GNV KJV LSV NWB RVA WEB YLT
a notoriousBSB DRA FBV MSB NETB ULB

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.

clauseδὲnowclauseverbεἶχονThey were holdingadverbialτότεat that timenoun phrase · objectnoun phraseδέσμιονa prisonerἐπίσημονnotableadjective phraseclauselinking verbλεγόμενονcalledpredicateΒαραββᾶνBarabbas

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

habebat autem tunc vinctum insignem, qui dicebatur Barabbas.

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

ܐܣܝܪ ܗܘܐ ܠܗܘܢ ܕܝܢ ܐܣܝܪܐ ܝܕܝܥܐ ܕܡܬܩܪܐ ܒܪ-ܐܒܐ

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

εἶχον δὲ τότε δέσμιον ἐπίσημον λεγόμενον Ἰησοῦν Βαραββᾶν.

The standard critical text of the New Testament.

Nestle-Aland 27th edition1993 · Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft

εἶχον δὲ τότε δέσμιον ἐπίσημον λεγόμενον Ἰησοῦν Βαραββᾶν.

The previous edition, still widely cited.

SBL Greek New Testament2010 · Michael Holmes

εἶχον δὲ τότε δέσμιον ἐπίσημον λεγόμενον Ἰησοῦν Βαραββᾶν.

The Society of Biblical Literature edition, freely licensed.

Westcott–Hort1881 · Westcott and Hort

εἶχον δὲ τότε δέσμιον ἐπίσημον λεγόμενον Βαραββᾶν.

The edition that turned scholarship toward the earliest manuscripts.

Tregelles1857–1879 · Samuel Prideaux Tregelles

εἶχον δὲ τότε δέσμιον ἐπίσημον λεγόμενον Βαραββᾶν.

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

Tyndale House Greek NT2017 · Tyndale House, Cambridge

εἶχον δὲ τότε δέσμιον ἐπίσημον λεγόμενον Βαραββᾶν.

A recent critical edition following documentary evidence closely.

Byzantine majority text2018 · Robinson–Pierpont

εἶχον δὲ τότε δέσμιον ἐπίσημον λεγόμενον Βαραββᾶν.

The reading of the majority of surviving manuscripts.

Textus Receptus1550/1894 lineage

εἶχον δὲ τότε δέσμιον ἐπίσημον λεγόμενον Βαραββᾶν.

The printed tradition behind the King James Version.

Every witness on this verse they differ
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

WordEditions carrying itMissing from
Ἰησοῦν JesusNA28, NA27, SBLWH, Treg, Tyn, TR, Byz

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.

Matthew 27:16ἔχωThey were hThey were holdiἔχωδέnownowδέτότεat that timat that timeτότεδέσμιοςa prisonera prisonerδέσμιοςἐπίσημοςnotablenotableἐπίσημοςλέγωbeing namedbeing namedλέγωἸησοῦςJesusJesusἸησοῦςΒαραββᾶςBarabbas.Barabbas.Βαραββᾶςδεσμόςn.m. & n.nn.m. & n.n. a bδεσμόςἐπίPrep. on, Prep. on, to, aἐπίὅτεAdv whenAdv whenὅτεArticle thArticle theφημίv. I sayv. I sayφημίχρείαn.f. need,n.f. need, neceχρείακακῶςAdv badly,Adv badly, evilκακῶςνηστεύωv. I fastv. I fastνηστεύωἄρχωv. I beginv. I beginἄρχωΠαῦλοςn.m. Pauln.m. PaulΠαῦλοςεἷςAdj oneAdj oneεἷςἀμήνHebr. veriHebr. verily, tἀμήνδιδάσκαλοςn.m. a tean.m. a teacherδιδάσκαλοςΝαζωραῖοςn.m. Nazarn.m. NazareneΝαζωραῖοςσωτήρn.m. a savn.m. a savior, σωτήρἀπολύωv. I releav. I release, lἀπολύωἸησοῦςn.m. Jesusn.m. JesusἸησοῦς
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 Matthew 27:16

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.

They were holding now at that time a prisoner notable being named Jesus Barabbas.
εἶχονechō They were holding G2192 Verb · imperfect · active · indicative · third person · plural
709× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Matthew as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This Greek word means to have or hold something, like a possession or ability. It is used in many ways, such as having power or being with someone. The Bible uses it in Revelation 5:8 and 14:6.
Amplified meaning
had in custody, possessing
Tyndale gloss
to have/be
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἔχω, transliterated as echō, means 'to have' or 'to hold' and is used in various contexts, including possession, ability, and condition. It appears frequently in the New Testament, often relating to physical possession or metaphorical concepts like keeping faith or emotions. Notably, it can also refer to being pregnant, as seen in Matthew 1:18. The entries do not show significant disagreement.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἔχω,

[in LXX for אָצֵל (ἐχόμενος), בַּעַל, יֵשׁ, etc., 59 words in all;]

(on the Aktionsart of the various tenses, v. M, Pr., 110, 145, 150, 183),

to have, as in cl., in various senses and constructions.

Trans.;

to have, hold, hold fast, etc.;

to hold, as, in the hand: Re 5:8 14:6, al.; ἐν τ. χειρί, Re 1:16 10:2, al.;

of arms and clothing, = φέρω, φορέω, to bear, wear: Mt 3:4 22:12, al.; so freq. pres. ptcp. (LS, s.v., A, I, 6; Bl., § 74, 2), Mk 11:13, Jo 18:10, Re 9:17, al.;

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

ἔχω ; fut. ἕξω ; impf. εἶχον, [1 pers. plur. εἴχαμεν, 2 Jn. ἔχω 266 5 T Tr WH], 8 pers. plur. εἶχαν (Mk. viii. 7 L T Tr WH; Rey. ix. 8 LT Tr WH; but ef. [ Soph. Lex., Intr. p. 38; Tdf. Proleg. p. 123; WH. App. p. 165]; B. 40 (35)) and εἴχοσαν (LT Tr WH in Jn. xv. 22, 24; but ef. Bitm. in Theol. Stud. u. Krit. 1858, pp. 485 sqq. 491; see his N. T. Gr. p. 43 (37); [Soph. Lex., Intr. p. 39; Τὰ Proleg. p. 124; WH. App. p. 165; ef. δολεόω ]) ; pres. mid. ptep. ἐχόμενος ; to have,—with 2 aor. act. ἔσχον; pf. ἔσχηκα; I. Transitively. have (hold) in the hand: τὶ ἐν τῇ χειρί, Rev. i. 16; vi. 5; x. 2; xvii. 4; and simply, Rev. v. 8; viii. 3, 6; xiv. 6, ete.; Heb. viii. 3. Ὁ. in the sense of wearing (Lat. gestare) ; of garments, arms and the like: τὸ ἔνδυμα, Mt. iii. 4; xxii. 12; κατὰ κεφαλῆς ἔχων, sc. τί, having a covering hanging down from the head, i.e. having the head covered [B. $130, 5; W. §…

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

ἔχω. It may be well to illustrate some of the less usual forms of this common verb. The future σχήσω (cf. Kithner-Blass Gr. 1. ii. p. 112 n.8) is restored by the editor in OGZS 751° (ii/ B.C.) ἐπεὶ θλιβέντες ἐμ πλείοσιν ἀσθενῶς [σχή]σετε. For the 2 aor. with 1 aor. termination (cf. Ac 757 D συνἐσχαν) see BGU 11. 4518 (i/ii A.D.) ἀναγκαίως ἔσχαμεν δ[ι7᾽ ἐπιστολῆς σε ἀσπάσεσθαι, and for ἔσχοσαν cf. OG/S 315°" (B.C. 164-159) ὑφοψίαν μοχθηράν, ἣν Kal περὶ Tod ἀδελφοῦ ἔσχοσαν. In 20. 2237 (iii/B.c.) we have αὐτοὶ ἀπολογισάμενοι περί τε τῆς εὐνοίας ἣν διὰ παντὸς εἰσχήκατε εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν οἰκίαν, and for similar forms see the editor's note ® to 2b. 323. For the trans. use of the verb see such passages as P Oxy IV. 743!® (B.c. 2) εἰ καὶ m[p]ds ἄλλους εἶχον πρᾶγμα, βοηθὸν αὐτοῦ γ[εἸνέσθαι διὰ ἣν ἔχομε(ν) πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς φιλίαν, BGU I. 228(a.p. 114) (= «ϑελδείζογις, p. 74), which illustrate 1 Cor…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἔχω (echō) — to have/be.

ἔχω,

__A2nd pers. singular ἔχεισθα conjecture in [Refs 7th c.BC+]; 2nd pers. singular subjunctive ἔχῃσθα [Refs 8th c.BC+]imperfect εἶχον, Epic dialect ἔχον [Refs 8th c.BC+], Ionic dialect and poetry ἔχεσκον [Refs 8th c.BC+]future ἕξω, Epic dialect infinitive ἑξέμεναι [Refs 3rd c.BC+] (of momentary action, especially in sense check, see below [Refs 4th c.BC+], not found in Attic dialect Inscrr. or [Refs]; 2nd pers. singular σχήσησθα [Refs]aorist 1 ἔσχης α falsa lectio in [Refs 3rd c.AD+]aorist 2 ἔσχον, imperative σχές [Refs 5th c.BC+] only in Oracle texts cited in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; subjunctive σχῶ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; 3rd.pers. plural σχοίησαν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; infinitive σχεῖν [Refs 8th c.BC+], Epic dialect σχέμεν [Refs] (in Alexandr. Gr. 3rd.pers. plural imperfect and aorist 2 εἴχοσαν [NT+3rd c.BC+], see at {Σχέθω}: perfect ἔσχηκα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Epic…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἔχω

echo

scheo skheh'-o; (used in certain tenses only)

a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally

or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability,

contiuity, relation, or condition):--be (able, X hold, possessed

with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count,

diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, +

lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, +

recover, + reign, + rest, + return, X sick, take for, + tremble, +

uncircumcised, use.

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἔχω

v.

I have, hold, possess

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἔχω echō 708x

pluperfect., ἐσχήκειν, to hold, Rev. 1:16; to seize, possess a person, Mk. 16:8; to have, possess, Mt. 7:29, et al. freq.; to have, have ready, be furnished with, Mt. 5:23; Jn. 5:36; 6:68; to have as a matter of crimination, Mt. 5:23; Mk. 11:25; to have at command, Mt. 27:65; to have the power, be able, Mt. 18:25; Lk. 14:14; Read the full entry →

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

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hol'-ding: Occurs with various shades of meaning:

(1) as the translation of tamakh, "to acquire," it has the sense of taking, obtaining (Isa 33:15, the Revised Version (British and American) "that shaketh his hands from taking a bribe," the English Revised Version, as the King James Version, "holding");

(2) of kul, "to hold," "contain," having the sense of containing or restraining (Jer 6:11, "I am weary with holding in");

(3) of krateo, "to receive," "observe," "maintain" (Mr 7:3, "holding the tradition of the elders"; 1Ti 1:19, echo, "holding faith and a good conscience"; 1Ti 3:9, "holding the mystery of the faith in a pure…

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
29%having
having29% · 211×has9% · 62×have8% · 58×you have7% · 52×i have5% · 36×we have5% · 35×he has3% · 24×had3% · 21×other renderings30% · 217×

716 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 97 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
verb99%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 709 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
οὐNeg
καίand, even, also,ἄρτοςbread, a loaf, fἄνθρωποςa man, one of th
Article the
ἄγγελοςan angel, messenαὐτόςκαίand, even, also,
μήNeg
Article theδέbut, on the otheπρόβατονa sheep
ὅς
καίand, even, also,ἐνεἰμίI am, exist
χρείαneed, necessity, bus
οὐNegαὐτόςὅς
ἔχωThey were holding709×
what comes after →
Article the
ἑπτάIndecυἱόςa son, descendenδέbut, on the othe
καίand, even, also, nam
Article theοὐNegὅς
ἐν
Article theἑαυτοῦΧριστόςanointed, the Me
οὖςthe ear
ἀκούωI hear, listen
ἐξουσίαpower, authority, we
Article theἀλλάbut, exceptἐκβάλλωI throw, cast, p

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

Concordanceἔχω · 709× in the New Testament
Revelation John Luke Matthew Mark 1 Corinthians Acts Hebrews 1 John Romans 2 Corinthians 1 Timothy

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

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 11c. AD 40

ἀπεριμάχητον δὲ δόγμα καὶ ἀνωφελὲς ἀναρχίαν ὡς ἐν πόλει κατασκευάζον τῷδε τῷ κόσμῳ τὸν ἔφορον ἢ βραβευτὴν ἢ δικαστὴν οὐκ ἔχοντι, ὑφ’ οὗ πάντ’ οἰκονομεῖσθαι καὶ πρυτανεύεσθαι θέμις.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.11c. AD 75–95

ὁ δὲ τῶν παρʼ ἡμῖν ἀρχιερέων οὐδενὸς ἀρετῇ δεύτερος Ἐλεάζαρος τῷ προειρημένῳ βασιλεῖ ταύτης ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς ὠφελείας οὐκ ἐφθόνησε πάντως ἀντειπὼν ἄν, εἰ μὴ πάτριον ἦν ἡμῖν τὸ μηδὲν ἔχειν τῶν καλῶν ἀπόρρητον.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 1.5c. AD 100

λογισάμενος οὖν τοῦτο, ὅτι ἐὰν μελήσῃ μοι περὶ ὑμῶν τοῦ μέρος τι μεταδοῦναι ἀφ̓ οὗ ἔλαβον, ὅτι ἔσται μοι τοιούτοις πνεύμασιν ὑπηρετήσαντι εἰς μισθόν, ἐσπούδασα κατὰ μικρὸν ὑμῖν πέμπειν, ἵνα μετὰ τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν τελείαν ἔχητε τὴν γνῶσιν.

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 3rd c. BC 6th c. AD 4th c. AD
P.Gen. 1 20Pathyris110 BC

ἔτους η Μεχεὶρ β, ἐπὶ Σώσου ἀγορανόμου. ὁμολογεῖ Ἁρκοννῆσις Φιγήριος Πέρσης τῶν μισθοφόρων ἱππέων ἔχειν παρὰ Ναομσήσιος τῆς Σπεμμίνιος εἰς λύτρα τετάρτης μερίδος γῆς ἠπείρου σιτοφόρου ἐν τῆι κάτω

P.Bad. 2 3Pathyris110 BC

Μεχεὶρ β ἐν Παθύρει ἐπὶ Σώσου ἀγορανόμου. ὁμολογεῖ Ἁρκοννῆσις Φιγήριος Πέρσης τῶν μισθοφόρων ἱππέων ἔχειν παρὰ Ναομσήσιος τῆς Σπεμμίνιος εἰς λύτρα τετάρτης μερίδος γῆς ἠπείρου σιτοφόρου ἐν τῇ κάτω

P.Adl. 4Ptolemais (Oberägypten)110 BC

Ψεμμῖνις … ου Ὥρωι Νεχούτου χαίρειν. ὁμολογῶ ἔχειν παρὰ σοῦ χαλκοῦ νομίσματος τάλαντα τρῖα ἄτοκα ?. ταῦτα δέ ἐστιν ἃ προσωφείλετό σοι

They were holding now at that time a prisoner notable being named Jesus Barabbas.
δὲde now G1161 Conjunction
2,787× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Matthew 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…

Read the full entry →
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…

Read the full entry →
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…

Read the full entry →
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
δέnow2787×
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
They were holding now at that time a prisoner notable being named Jesus Barabbas.
τότεtote at that time G5119 Adverb
159× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Matthew than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
The Greek word for then, used to describe a specific point in time, as seen in Matthew 2:17 and Galatians 4:8. It can refer to concurrent or consequent events, and is often used to introduce a new action or event.
Amplified meaning
then, at a specific point
Tyndale gloss
then
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word τότε (i.e., *tote*) is a demonstrative adverb meaning 'then' or 'at that time.' It is used to refer to specific points in the past or future, often in relation to concurrent or consequent events. The New Testament frequently employs it, especially in the Gospel of Matthew, to indicate transitions in narrative or to specify timing.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

τότε, demonstr. adv. of time, correlat. of ὅτε,

then, at that time;

of concurrent events: Mt 2:17 3:5 and freq., Ro 6:21; seq. ptcp., Mt 2:16, Ga 4:8; opp. to νῦν, Ga 4:29, He 12:26; ὁ τ. κόσμος, II Pe 3:6;

of consequent events, then, thereupon: Mt 2:7 3:5 4:1 and freq., Lk 11:26; τ. οὖν, Jo 11:14 19:1, 16 20:8; εὐθέως τ., Ac 17:14; ὅτε .…

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

τότε, demonstr. ady. of time, (fr. the neut. art. τό, and the enclit. τέ [q. v.]; answering to the relative ore [Kiihner $506, 2 ¢.]), fr. Hom. down, then; at that time; a. then i.e. at the time when the things under consideration were taking place, (of a concomitant event): Mt. ii. 17 (τότε ἐπληρώθη) ; iii. 9, 13; xii. 22, 38; xv. 1; xix. 13; xx. 20; xxvii.9, 16; Ro. vi. 21; foll. by a more precise specification of the time by means of an added participle, Mt. ii. 16; Gal. iv. 8; opp. to νῦν, Gal. iv. 29; Heb. xii. 26; 6 τότε κόσμος, the world that then was, 2 Pet. iii. 6. b. then i. e. when the thing under consideration had been said or done, thereupon; so in the historical writers (esp. Matthew), by way of transition from one thing mentioned to another which could not take place before it [W. 540 (503); B. § 151, 31 fin.]: Mt. iv. 1,5; xxvi. 14; xxvii. 38; Actsi.12; x. 48; xxi. 33…

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

τότε (tote) — then.

τότε,

Doric dialect τόκᾰ (which see) (both forms in [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Aeolic dialect τότᾰ [Refs 7th c.BC+] accusative to codices of [Refs 3rd c.BC+], compare ποτα, ὄτα):— adverb at that time, then, corresponding to Relat. ὅτε or ὁπότε (below [Refs]; mostly of some point in past time, opposed to νῦν, [Refs 8th c.BC+]: also of a future time, τότε κέν μιν.. πεπίθοιμεν [Refs 8th c.BC+] (or of imagined circumstances, in that case [Refs 5th c.BC+]; sometimes, then, next, πρῶτον μὲν.., εἶτα.., καὶ τ... [Refs 4th c.BC+]:—in Trag. and Attic dialect also in indefinite sense, formerly, καὶ νῦν θ᾽ ὁμοίως καὶ τότ᾽ ἐξεπίσταμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]just now, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τ. μὲν.., νῦν δὲ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]at one time or other, [Refs 5th…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

τότε

tote

from (the neuter of) 3588 and 3753; the when, i.e. at the time that

(of the past or future, also in consecution):--that time, then.

see GREEK for 3753

see GREEK for 3588

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

τότε

Adv

then

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

τότε tote 160x

then, at that time, Mt. 2:17; 3:5; 11:20; then, Mt. 12:29; 13:26; 25:31; ἀπὸ τότε, from that time, Mt. 4:17; 16:21; ὁ τότε, which then was, 2 Pet. 3:6

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

τότε at that time, then, Lat. tunc, Antec. to Relat. ὅτε or ὁπότε, opp. to νῦν, Il., Hom., etc.:—also in indef. sense, in those times, formerly, Soph., etc.; τότ᾽ ἢ τότε at one time or other, Aesch., Eur.

joined with other Particles, καὶ τότε δή Hom.; καὶ τότ᾽ ἔπειτα Il.; τότε δή ῥα Od., etc.; τότ᾽ ἤδη then at length, Hes.

with the Article, οἱ τότε the men of that time, Il., etc.; οἱ τότε ἄνθρωποι Hdt.; τῇ τόθ᾽ ἡμέρᾳ Soph.; ἐν τῷ τότε (sc. χρόνῳ) Thuc.

εἰς τότε until then, Dem.; ἐκ τότε or ἐκτότε since then, Plut.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Adv — Adverb
adverb — it qualifies the verb, and never changes form.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

ADV ADVerb or adverb and particle combined

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tim: The basis of the Hebrew measurement of time was the day and the lunar month, as with the Semites generally. The division of the day into hours was late, probably not common until after the exile, although the sun-dial of Ahaz (2Ki 20:9; Isa 38:8) would scent to indicate some division of the day into periods of some sort, as we know the night was divided, The word used for "hour" is Aramaic she`a' (sha`ta'), and does not occur in the Old Testament until the Book of Daniel (4:33; 5:5), and even there it stands for an indefinite period for which "time" would answer as well.

1. The Day:

The term "day" (yom) was in use from the earliest times, as is indicated in the story of the Creation (Ge 1). It there doubtless denotes an indefinite period, but is marked off by "evening and…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Besides the ordinary uses of this word, the Bible sometimes employs it to denote a year, as in Da 4:16; or a prophetic year, consisting of three hundred and sixty natural year, a day being taken for a year. Thus in Da 7:25 12:7, the phrase "a time, times, and the dividing of a time" is supposed to mean three and a half prophetic years, or 1,260 natural years. This period is elsewhere paralleled by the expression, "forty-two months," each month including thirty years, Re 11:2-3 12:6,14 13:5.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Beginning of Ge 1:1,14

→ Epochs of

Before the flood Jos 24:2

→ The exodus Ex 19:1; 40:17; 1Ki 6:1

→ Daniel' s reckoning of time, and times, and half times Da 7:25; 12:7

→ Indicated by a sun-dial 2Ki 20:9-11; Isa 38:8

→ Division of, into watches Ex 14:24; 1Sa 11:11; Mt 14:25; Mr 6:48

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- The duration of the world

Job 22:16; Re 10:6

- The measure of the continuance of anything

Jud 18:31

- An appointed season

Ne 2:6; Ec 3:1,17

- COMPUTED BY

. Years

Ge 15:13; 2Sa 21:1; Da 9:2

. Months

Nu 10:10; 1Ch 27:1; Job 3:6

. Weeks

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
91%then
then91% · 148×at that time5% · 8×that time2% · 4×other renderings1% · 2×

162 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 5 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
adverbial99%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 159 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
σύνυμφίοςa bridegroomδοκόςa beam
ἀπό
καίand, even, also,ἸωάννηςJohn
δέbut, on the other ha
ἔχωI have, hold, poεὐθέωςimmediately, soo
ἸησοῦςJesus
Article theδοξάζωI glorify, honor
ἀσθενέωI am weak, sick
ὅτιthat, since, becγάρfor
τότεat that time159×
what comes after →
Article the
ΠαῦλοςPaulἸησοῦςJesusἐν
λέγωI say, speak
αὐτόςArticle theεἰς
ἀποκρίνομαιI answer, reply
αὐτόςArticle theκαίand, even, also,
ἄρχωI begin
λέγωI say, speakArticle theὀνειδίζωI reproach, revi
προσέρχομαιI come near, consent
Article theαὐτόςἐπιβάλλωI throw upon, la

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

Concordanceτότε · 159× in the New Testament
Matthew Acts Luke John 1 Corinthians Mark Galatians Hebrews 1 Thessalonians 2 Corinthians 2 Peter 2 Thessalonians

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament14 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 102 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 The Epistle of Barnabas The Didache
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 88c. AD 40

οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὑστερίζοντες τῶν ὑποζυγίων καὶ κατόπιν αὐτῶν ἐξεταζόμενοι ᾗ ἂν ἐθέλωσιν αὐτὰ ἄγουσι τῶν ἡνιῶν ἐνειλημμένοι καὶ τοτὲ μὲν ἐφιέντες πρὸς ὀξὺν δρόμον τοτὲ δ’ ἀναχαιτίζοντες, εἰ φορᾷ τοῦ δέοντος πλείονι θέοι·

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

ὅπως Ἅβραμος ὁ πρόγονος ἡμῶν ἐξελθὼν ἐκ τῆς Χαλδαίων γῆς κατέσχε τὴν τότε μὲν Χαναναίαν νῦν δὲ Ἰουδαίαν λεγομένην.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 3.4c. AD 100

τότε ῥαγήσεται πρώϊμον τὸ φῶς σου, καὶ τὰ ἱμάτιά σου ταχέως ἀνατελεῖ, καὶ προπορεύσεται ἔμπροσθέν σου ἡ δικαιοσύνη, καὶ ἡ δόξα τοῦ θεοῦ περιστελεῖ σε.

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 6th c. AD 3rd c. BC
C.Erbstreit16Diospolis Magna (Theben)135 BC

καὶ ἐν ἄλληι σφραγῖδι ἄλλων ἀρουρῶν ι, πασῶν περὶ Παθῦριν, ἐπέδωκαν ὑπόμνημα … τῷ τοτε στρατηγῶι κατά τε ἡμῶν καὶ τοῦ τῆς Σενενούπιος … Θράσωνος. τούτων ἀδίκως ἐνποιούμενοι και

P.Amh. 2 77Soknopaiu Nesos (Arsinoites)AD 139

ὅπερ φανερὸν τοῦτο ἐγένετο τοῖς τε τῆς νομαρχίας ἐπιτηρηταῖς καὶ τῷ ἐπὶ τῶν τόπων τότε ὄντι βενεφικιαρίωι

ÉdP 5 (1939), p. 94Karanis (Arsinoites)AD 298

σιτικὰς δημοσίας ἀρούρας ταῖς μὴ δυναμέναις ὑπαντᾶν τοῖς φόροις τῶν ἀρουρῶν. προσήλθαμεν δὲ καὶ τότε τῷ γενομένῳ πρωτοστάτῃ τῆς κώμης Σερήνῳ τῷ καὶ Ἁρποκρᾷ καὶ ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν ἅπαντα τὰ

They were holding now at that time a prisoner notable being named Jesus Barabbas.
δέσμιονdesmios a prisoner G1198 Noun · accusative · singular · masculine
16× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Matthew as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
A prisoner is someone held captive, often in chains or bonds, like those mentioned in Matthew 27:15 and Acts 16:25. This term is used to describe people being held against their will.
Amplified meaning
one held captive
Tyndale gloss
prisoner
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word δέσμιος (desmios) means 'bound' or 'captive,' primarily referring to a prisoner. It is derived from the root for 'binding' and is used in the New Testament to describe individuals in captivity, such as in Matthew 27:15 and Mark 15:6. The lexicons consistently define it as a prisoner or one who is bound, without significant disagreement.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

δέσμιος, -ον (also -α, -ον;

< δεσμός), [in LXX for אסר;]

binding.

bound, captive; ὁ δ., as subst., a prisoner: Mt 27:15, 16, Mk 15:6, Ac 16:25, 27 23:18 25:14, 27 28:16 (Rec.) 17, He 10:34 13:3; ὁ δ. τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Eph 3:1, II Ti 1:8, Phm 1, 9; ὁ δ. ἐν κυρίῳ, Eph 4:1.†

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

δέσμιος, -ov, 6, bound, in bonds, a captive, a prisoner, [fr. Soph. down]: Mt. xxvii. 15 sq.; Mk. xv. 6; Acts xvi. 25, 27; xxiii. 18; xxv. 14, 27; xxviii. 16 [RG], 17; Heb. x. 34 GLT Tr txt. WH; xiii. 3; ὁ δέσμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ, whom Christ, i. 6. his truth which I have preached, has put in bonds (W. 189 (178) ; [B. 169 (147) ]), Eph. iii. 1; 2 Tim.i.8 ; Philem. 1, 9; in the same sense ὁ δέσμιος ἐν κυρίῳ, Eph. iv. 1; [ef. Bp. Lghtft. on Philem. 13].

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

δέσμιος in its NT sense of ‘* prisoner” may be illustrated from P | Tebt I. 2218. (n.c. 112) δέσμ[ιο]ν αὐτὸν ἐξαπόστειλον πρὸς ἡμᾶς, P Oxy III. 580 (ii/a.p.) eis ἐπιτή]ρ[ησιν] τῶν κατὰ (corr. from παρὰ) φυλακὴν δεσμίων δίδωμι τὸν ὑπογεγραμμένο(ν) ὄντα εὔπορον καὶ [ἐπιτήδ]ειον ...

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

δέσμιος (desmios) — prisoner.

δέσμ-ιος, ον,

binding: metaphorically, binding as with a spell, enchaining, with genitive, ὕμνος ἐξ Ἐρινύων δ. φρενῶν [Refs 4th c.BC+]

II. passive, bound, captive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; on leash, [κύων] probably in [Refs]; δ. φυγών, ={ἐκ δεσμῶν}, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

δέσμιος

desmios

from 1199; a captive (as bound):--in bonds, prisoner.

see GREEK for 1199

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

δέσμιος, ου, ὁ

n.m.

one bound, a prisoner

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

δέσμιος desmios 16x

one bound, a prisoner, Mt. 27:15, 16; Mk. 15:6

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

δέσμιος δεσμός binding: metaph. binding as with a spell, enchaining, c. gen., ὕμνος δ. φρενῶν Aesch.

pass. bound, in bonds, captive, Soph., Eur., etc.

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

N-ASM Part of Speech: Noun Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
71%prisoner
prisoner71% · 12×prisoners29% · 5×

17 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
object38%subject31%predicate19%adverbial13%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 16 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
ἐγώαὐτόςἐκφεύγωI flee out, away
ὄχλοςa crowd
Article the
τότεthen
δέbut, on the othe
εἷςone
αὐτός
ΦῆλιξFelix
ὑπό
δέσμιοςa prisoner16×
what comes after →
ὅς
θέλωI will, wish, deπαραιτέομαιI make excuse, r
Χριστόςanointed, the Messia
ἸησοῦςJesus
ἐπίσημοςnotable, conspicuous
λέγωI say, speak
ΠαῦλοςPaul
προσκαλέωI summon
μήNeg
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

Concordanceδέσμιος · 16× in the New Testament
Acts Ephesians Hebrews Matthew Philemon 2 Timothy Mark
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 Clement of Rome Philo of Alexandria
JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 10.150c. AD 75–95

ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς τοῦ μὲν ἀρχιερέως καὶ τῶν ἡγεμόνων ἐκέλευσεν ἐκεῖ τὰς κεφαλὰς ἀποτεμεῖν, αὐτὸς δὲ πάντας τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους καὶ τὸν Σαχχίαν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα δέσμιον ἐπήγετο καὶ Ἰωσάδακον τὸν ἀρχιερέα ὄντα υἱὸν Σαραία τοῦ ἀρχιερέως, ὃν ἀπέκτεινεν ὁ…

Clement of RomeFirst Clement 59.4c. AD 96

τοὺς ἐν θλίψει ἡμῶν σῶσον, τοὺς ταπεινοὺς ἐλέησον, τοὺς πεπτωκότας ἔγειρον, τοῖς δεομένοις ἐπιφάνηθι, τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς ἴασαι, τοὺς πλανωμένους τοῦ λαοῦ σου ἐπίστρεψον: χόρτασον τοὺς πεινῶντας, λύτρωσαι τοὺς δεσμίους ἡμῶν, ἐξανάστησον τοὺς ἀσθενοῦντας,…

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. BC 2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD 4th c. AD 6th c. AD
P.Tebt. 1 22Kerkeosiris (Arsinoites)113 BC

σου ἀπολέγοντος αὐτόν. περὶ δὲ τοῦ φυλακίτου ἐὰν τε διάξῃ ἀντιποιούμενος περὶ τῶν σπερμάτων δέσμιον αὐτὸν ἐξαπόστειλον πρὸς ἡμᾶς. ἔρρωσο. ἔτους ϛ Φαῶφι κα. προσταυσως

P.Oxy. 3 580 descr.OxyrhynchosAD 101–AD 200

1 … εἰς ἐπιτήρησιν τῶν κατὰ φυλακὴν δεσμίων δίδωμι τὸν ὑπογεγραμμένον ὄντα εὔπορον καὶ ἐπιτήδειον vestiges

ZPE 106 (1995), p. 219- no. 12Philadelphia bzw. Karanis (Arsinoites)AD 215–AD 216

Ἰουλίῳ Ἰσιδώρῳ στρατηγῷ Ἀρσινοίτου Ἡρακλείδου μερίδος παρὰ Αὐρηλίου Πασίωνος κωμογραμματέως Φιλαδελφείας. εἰς τὸ καταστῆσαι δεσμίους πεμπομένους εἰς Ἀλεξάνδρειαν τῷ λαμπροτάτῳ ἡγεμόνι Αὐρηλίῳ Σεπτιμίῳ Ἡρακλείτῳ δίδωμι τοὺς…

They were holding now at that time a prisoner notable being named Jesus Barabbas.
ἐπίσημονepisēmos notable G1978 Adjective · accusative · singular · masculine
2× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Matthew than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Describing someone or something as notable or remarkable, like a famous person in Romans 16:7.
Amplified meaning
notable, well-known
Tyndale gloss
notable
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἐπίσημος (i.e., *episēmos*) is derived from the root for 'mark' and signifies something that is marked or stamped, particularly in relation to money. It can denote notable or illustrious qualities in a positive sense, as well as notorious or infamous characteristics in a negative sense, appearing in contexts such as Romans 16:7 and Matthew 27:16.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἐπίσημος, -ον

(< σῆμα, a mark),

[in LXX: Ge 30:42 (קָשַׁר), Es 5:4 8:13, I Mac 11:37 14:48, II Mac 15:36, III Mac 6:1 * ;]

bearing a mark; of money, stamped, coined.

Metaph.,

in good sense, notable, illustrious: Ro 16:7;

in bad sense, notorious: Mt 27:16.†

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

ἐπίσημος, -ov, (ojpaasign,mark); 1. prop. having a mark on it, marked, stamped, coined: ἀργύριον, χρυσός, (Hat., Thue., Xen., Polyb., Joseph.). 2. trop. marked (Lat. insignis). both in a good and bad sense ; in a good sense, of note, illustrious: Ro. xvi. 7 (Hdt. et sqq.-) ; in a bad sense, notorious, infamous: Mt. xxvii. 16 (Eur. Or. 249; Joseph. antt. 5,7, 1; Plut. Fab. Max. 14; al.).

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἐπίσημος (episēmos) — notable.

ἐπί-σημος,

Doric dialectἐπί-σᾱμος, ον, (σῆμἀ serving to distinguish, τοῖς δ᾽ ὄνομ᾽ ἄνθρωποι κατέθεντ᾽ ἐ. ἑκάστῳ [Refs 4th c.BC+]

II. having a mark, inscription or device on it, especially of money, stamped, coined, χρυσὸς ἐ., opposed to ἄσημος, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so ἀναθήματα οὐκ ἐ. offerings with no inscription on them, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀσπίδες ἐ., opposed to λεῖαι, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

II.2. of epileptic patients, bearing the marks of the disease, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of cattle, spotted or striped, [LXX]

II.3. notable, remarkable, μνῆμ᾽ ἐ. a speaking remembrance, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εὐνή, λέχος, [Refs]; τάφος ἐπισημότατος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of garments, fine, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; and of persons, ἐ. σοφίην notable for wisdom, [Refs 5th…

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἐπίσημος

episemos

from 1909 and some form of the base of 4591; remarkable, i.e.

(figuratively) eminent:--notable, of note.

see GREEK for 1909

see GREEK for 4591

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἐπίσημος, ον

Adj

notable, conspicuous

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἐπίσημος episēmos 2x

pr. bearing a distinctive mark or device; noted, eminent, Rom. 16:7; notorious, Mt. 27:16*

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἐπίσημος ἐπί-σημος, ον σῆμα having a mark on it, of money, stamped, coined, Hdt., Thuc., etc.; ἀναθήματα οὐκ ἐπ. offerings with no inscription on them, Hdt.

notable, remarkable, Lat. insignis, id. Hdt., attic: in bad sense, notorious, Eur.

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

A-ASM Part of Speech: Adjective Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

no'-ta-b'-l (chazuth; gnostos): "Notable" is the translation of chazuth, "conspicuous" (chazah, "to see"), e.g. Da 8:5, "a notable horn," i.e. "conspicuous," the King James Version margin "a horn of sight"; Da 8:8, "notable (horns)"; of gnostos, "known" "knowledge" (Ac 4:16); of episemos, "noted," "notable" (Mt 27:16; in Ro 16:7 "of note" of epiphanes, "very manifest," "illustrious" (compare "Antiochus Epiphanes"); Ac 2:20, "that great and notable day," quoted from Joe 2:31; Septuagint for yare', "to be feared," the…

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
50%note
note50% · 1×notable50% · 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
δέσμιοςone bound, a prisone
τότεthen
εἰμίI am, exist
ὅστις
ἐπίσημοςnotable
what comes after →
λέγωI say, speak
ΒαραββᾶςBarabbas
ἐν
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

Concordanceἐπίσημος · 2× in the New Testament
Matthew Romans
Across the New Testament2 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria
Philo of AlexandriaOn Flight and Finding 10c. AD 40

ἐπίσημον δὲ πάλιν καὶ ποικίλον ἐν μὲν τοῖς ὅλοις τὸ εἶδος, ἐν δὲ ἀνθρώποις ἡ εὐπαίδευτος καὶ φιλομαθὴς διάνοια.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 2.argc. AD 75–95

ὡς αὐτὸς οὗτος εἰς Αἴγυπτον πραθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν διὰ τὸ πρὸς αὐτὸν μῖσος καὶ γενόμενος ἐπίσημος ἐκεῖ καὶ λαμπρότατος τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἔσχεν ὑποχειρίους.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
3rd c. BC 1st c. BC 1st c. AD 2nd c. AD 6th c. AD
BGU 4 1101 VoAlexandria14 BC

ἐνωτίων χρυσῶν ζεῦγος τεταρτῶν δύο καὶ ψέλια ἀργυρᾶ δ ἕκαστον ὁλκῆς δραχμῶν δ καὶ ἐπίσημον τὰ δὲ πάντα εἰς λόγον ἀργυρίου δραχμῶν διακοσίων , ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν τὸν Ἀμμώνιον

νομοῦ Ὀξυρυγχίτου. Ἀμμώνιος Ἀμμωνίου κυβερνήτης πλοίου δημοσίου οὗ ἐπίσημον α … ς, διʼ ἐπιπλόου Λουκίου Οὐκλατίου στρατιώτου λεγεῶνος κβ σπείρης β κεντυρίας Μαξίμου

P.Hamb. 1 2Babylon (Heliopolites)AD 59

τριακάδος τοῦ ἐνεστῶτος ἕκτου ἔτους Νέρωνος Κλαυδίου Καίσαρος Σεβαστοῦ Γερμανικοῦ Αὐτοκράτορος ἀτόκους διαγράφοντες ἀργύριον ἐπίσημον δόκιμον ἀρεστὸν ἀνυπόλογον παντὸς ὑπολόγου. ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀποδῶμεν καθότι πρόκιται, ἐκτίσομεν τὴν…

They were holding now at that time a prisoner notable being named Jesus Barabbas.
λεγόμενονlegō being named G3004 Verb · present · passive · participle · accusative · singular · masculine
2,255× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Matthew as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to say or speak, and it is used by Jesus and others in the New Testament to share teachings and tell stories. It appears in Matthew 9:34 and John 1:29.
Amplified meaning
called, known as
Tyndale gloss
to say
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

λέγω (legō) is a primary Greek verb meaning 'to say' or 'to speak.' It encompasses a range of uses, including expressing thoughts, making declarations, and narrating events. The New Testament frequently employs it in direct speech and as a way to convey meaning, such as in Matthew 27:11. Abbott-Smith notes its distinction from similar verbs like λαλέω.

Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament — λαλέω, λέγω, λαλιά, λόγος from a scan

In dealing with synonyms of the N. T. we plainly need not concern ourselves with such earlier, or even contemporary, uses of the words which we are discriminating, as lie altogether outside of the N. T. sphere, when these uses do not illustrate, and have not affected, their Scriptural employment. It follows from this that all those contemptuous uses of λαλεῖν as to talk at random, as one ἀθυρόστομος, or with no door to his lips, might do; of λαλιά, as chatter («Kpacia λόγου ἄλογος, Plato, Defin. 416)—for I cannot believe that we are to find this at John iv. 42—may be dismissed and set aside. The antithesis in the line of Eupolis (Meineke, /ragm. Com. Gr. p. 174), Λαλεῖν ἄριστος, ἀδυνατώτατος λέγειν, does little or nothing to illustrate the matter in hand. The distinction which indeed exists between the words may in this way be made clear. There are two leading aspects under which speech…

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Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

λέγω,

[in LXX very freq., chiefly for אמר; λέγει for נְאֻם, Ge 22:16, al.;]

in Hom., to pick out, gather, reckon, recount.

In Hdt. and Att., to say, speak, affirm, declare: absol., Ac 13:15 24:10; seq. orat. dir., Mt 9:34, Mk 3:11, Jo 1:29, al.; seq. ὅτι recit., Mk 3:21, Lk 1:24, Jo 6:14, al.; acc. et. inf., Lk 11:18, Jo 12:29, al.; after another verb of speaking, προσφωνεῖν κ. λέγειν, Mt 11:17, al.; ἀπεκρίθη (ἐλάλησεν) λέγων (καὶ λέγει; Dalman…

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

λέγω (in the N. T. only the pres. and impf. act. and pres. pass. are in use; 3 pers. plur. impf. ἔλεγαν, Jn. xi. 56 Tdf. [ef. ἔχω, init.]): I. in its earliest use in Hom. to lay (like Lat. lego, Germ. legen; οἵ. J. G. Miiller in Theol. Stud. u. Krit. for 1835, p. 127 sqq.; Curtius § 538) ; to cause to lie down, put to sleep; 1. to collect, gather; to pick out. 2. lo lay with, count with; to enumerate, recount, narrate, describe; [οἷ. Eng. tale, Germ. ztihlen). II. to put word to word in speaking, join words together, i. e. to say (how it differs fr. λαλεῖν, see under that word ad init.) ; once so by Hom. in 1]. 2, 222 [yet ef. Schmidt, Syn. i. ch. 1, §§ 20; 48, 2; L. and S. s. vy. B. II. 2]; often in Pind., and by far the most com. use in Attic; Sept. more than thirteen hundred times for 728; often also for D8} (saying, dictum); very rarely for 1393; and soin N.T. 1. univ. a. absol. to…

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

λέγω. (1). “‘I say, speak”: see e.g. P Par 47 {= Selections, Ῥ- 21 ff.), ¢. B.C. 153, which is addressed on the verso—mpds τοὺς τὴν ἀλήθεαν λέγοντες (—-as), P Fay 12378 (c. A.D. 100) γνώσομαι yap εἰ ἀληθῶς λέγι, “1 will find out whether he is speaking the truth,” P Ryl 11. 7615 (late li/A.D.) ἃ καὶ ἀναγνώσομαι λεγομένου τοῦ [π]ράγματος, “1 will read them when the case is argued” (Edd.), P Flor II. 1327 (A.D. 257) ἔλεζξ]αν πεποιηκέναι ταῦτα ἀγνοίᾳ, ‘they said they had done this in ignorance,” and the magical P Par 5741238 (iii/A.D.) (= Selectzons, p. 113) λόγος λεγόμενος ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, ‘ invocation to be uttered over the head (of the possessed one).”” For the phrase τὸ αὐτὸ λέγειν, cf. I Cor 11°, Weiss (Meyer 15 ad 1) cites a sepulchral inscr. of husband and wife from Rhodes, /J/Ae 149 (ii/B.c.) ταὐτὰ λέγοντες ταὐτὰ φρονοῦντες ἤλθομεν τὰν ἀμέτρητον ὁδὸν εἰς ᾿Αἴδαν. (2). Closely…

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Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

λέγω (legō) — to say.

λέγω,

__B pick up, etc.: tenses for signification 1 and 11, future λέξω [Refs 8th c.BC+]: aorist ἔλεξα [Refs 4th c.BC+]:—middle, future in passive sense λέξομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἐλεξάμην [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Epic dialect ἐλέγμην [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—passive, aorist ἐλέχθην [Refs 8th c.BC+]-; post-[Refs 8th c.BC+]perfect εἴλοχα (κατ-, συν-), passive εἴλεγμαι, in these senses rarely λέλεγμαι (see. the compounds); also future λεγήσομαι (συλ-): aorist 2 ἐλέγην (κατ-, συν-):—gather, pick up, ὀστέα.. λέγωμεν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; αἱμασιάς τε λέγων picking out stones for building walls, [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—middle, gather for oneself, ἐπὶ δὲ ξύλα πολλὰ λέγεσθε [Refs 8th c.BC+]

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Strong's Greek Dictionary

λέγω

lego

a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate

(in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas 2036 and

5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech

respectively; while 4483 is properly to break silence merely, and 2980

means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:--ask,

bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on),

shew, speak, tell, utter.

see GREEK for 2036

see GREEK for 5346

see GREEK for 4483

see GREEK for 2980

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

λέγω

v.

I say, speak

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

λέγω legō 2x

to lay, to arrange, to gather; to say, Mt. 1:20; to speak, make an address or speech, Acts 26:1; to say mentally, in thought, Mt. 3:9; Lk. 3:8; to say in written language, Mk. 15:28; Lk. 1:63; Jn. 19:37; to say, as distinguished from acting, Mt. 23:3; to mention, speak of, Mk. 14:71; Lk. 9:31; Read the full entry →

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-PPP-ASM — Verb · present · passive · participle · accusative · singular · masculine
accusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked singular masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-PPP-ASM Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Present Voice: Passive Mood: Participle Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
35%saying
saying35% · 480×says13% · 175×i say12% · 164×he says9% · 122×say5% · 70×he was saying3% · 42×they say2% · 31×other renderings17% · 225×other renderings4% · 48×

1,357 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 107 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 2,255 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
αὐτόςἸησοῦςJesusἀποκρίνομαιI answer, reply
αὐτός
πρόςμαθητήςa learner, disciἀποκρίνομαιI answer, reply
δέbut, on the other ha
Article theοὗτοςἐγώ
ἸησοῦςJesus
Article theδέbut, on the otheγόνυa knee
ἀμήνHebr
ἀμήνHebrαὐτόςλέγωI say, speak
λέγωbeing named2255×
what comes after →
αὐτός
Article theτίςIrgκύριοςlord, Lord, mast
Article the
μαθητήςa learner, disciἸησοῦςJesusΠέτροςPeter
σύ
ὅτιthat, since, becοὐNegἐάνCond
δέbut, on the other ha
Article theπρόςαὐτός
ὅτιthat, since, because
Article theοὗτοςσύ

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

Concordanceλέγω · 2,255× in the New Testament
Luke John Matthew Mark Acts Revelation Hebrews Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians James Galatians

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

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

Counted over the 1,290 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 The Epistle of Barnabas Clement of Rome
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 5c. AD 40

οὐ μὴν διὰ τοῦθ’ ἡσυχαστέον, ἀλλ’ ἕνεκα τοῦ θεοφιλοῦς καὶ ὑπὲρ δύναμιν ἐπιτολμητέον λέγειν, οἴκοθεν μὲν οὐδέν, ὀλίγα δ’ ἀντὶ πολλῶν, ἐφ’ ἃ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην διάνοιαν φθάνειν εἰκὸς ἔρωτι καὶ πόθῳ σοφίας κατεσχημένην.

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

ὅπως Ἅβραμος ὁ πρόγονος ἡμῶν ἐξελθὼν ἐκ τῆς Χαλδαίων γῆς κατέσχε τὴν τότε μὲν Χαναναίαν νῦν δὲ Ἰουδαίαν λεγομένην.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 2.4c. AD 100

πεφανέρωκεν γὰρ ἡμῖν διὰ πάντων τῶν προφητῶν, ὅτι οὕτε θυσιῶν οὔτε ὁλοκαυτωμάτων οὔτε προσφορῶν χρῄζει, λέγων ὅτε μέν:

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 1st c. AD 4th c. AD
P.Grenf. 2 33Pathyris101 BC

τὸ ἐπιβάλλον αὐτῷ μέρος ἧς ἐμισθώσατο σὺν Πακοίβι Σχώτου καὶ τοῖς μετόχοις γῆς σιτοφόρου λεγομένης Νεχθαραῦτι θεοῦ μεγάλου παρὰ τῶν ἱερέων ἐτῶν δέκα εἰς τὰ ἐνλιπόντα αὐτῷ ἑτέρων ,

P.Stras. 2 89Pathyris100 BC

ἑτερᾶς· νότου γῆ Τακοίμιος, βορρᾶ γῆ Χενσθώτου, ἀπηλιώτου Ἀείους, λιβὸς περίχωμα, τῆς δʼ ἄλλης λεγομένης Πκρώ· νότου γῆ Σενπελαίας, βορρᾶ γῆ Πανᾶτος ἀπηλιώτου ποταμός, λιβὸς Ἀραμείους, ἢ οἳ ἂν

P.Adl. 16Pathyris100 BC

οἱ Φίβιος τοῦ Πανεχάτου υἱοί, ἀπηλιώτου ὁδὸς βασιλική, λιβὸς γῆ Ψεμμώνθου τοῦ Πανεχάτου, ἄλλης λεγομένης Φαμούνιος νότου γῆ Παθώτου τοῦ Πατοῦτος, βορρᾶ γῆ Πατσεοῦτος τοῦ Φίβιος, ἀπηλιώτου ποταμός, λιβὸς

They were holding now at that time a prisoner notable being named Jesus Barabbas.
Ἰησοῦν Jesus G2424
913× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in Matthew as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Jesus is the Greek name for Joshua, which means God is salvation. It is used to refer to Jesus Christ, the son of God, as well as other Israelites with the same name. The name Jesus appears over 900 times in the New Testament.
Tyndale gloss
Joshua
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word Ἰησοῦς (*Iēsous*) refers primarily to Jesus, the Savior, and is derived from the Hebrew name Joshua or Jehoshua. It appears frequently in the New Testament, denoting Jesus Christ, and also refers to other figures named Jesus, such as Jesus, son of Eliezer, and Jesus Justus. The entries consistently identify it as a common name among Israelites.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

Ἰησοῦς, -οῦ, dat., voc. -οῦ, acc., -οῦν (Heb. יְהוֹשׁוּעַ, יְהֹשֻׁעַ, יֵשׁוּעַ),

JESUS: Mt 1:21, al.; ὁ Ἰ, Mt 3:13, al.; Ἰ. Χριστός, Mt 1:1, Mk 1:1, al.; Χρ. Ἰ., Ro 2:26, al.; κύριος Ἰ., Ac 28:31, al.; Ἰησοῦ, voc., Mk 1:24, al.

Joshua: Ac 7:45, He 4:8.

Jesus, son of Eliezer: Lk 3:29.

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

Ἰησοῦς, -οὔ, dat. -οὔ, ace. -vdv, voc. -od, [W. § 10, 1], 6, Jesus (ΠῚ and ace. to a later form jw, Syr. > ” Saas, i. e. whose help is Jehovah; Germ. Gotthilf; but later writ. gave the name the force of My31w, see Mt. i. 21, cf. Sir. xlvi. 1 Ἰησοῦς ὃς ἐγένετο κατὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ μέγας ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ ἐκλεκτῶν αὐτοῦ, of Joshua, the successor of Moses; Philo, nom. mutat. § 21 Ἰησοῦς ἑρμηνεύεται σωτηρία κυρίου), a very Com. prop. name among the Israelites; cf. Delitzsch, Der Jesusname, in the Zeitschr. f. d. luth. Theol. for 1876, p. 209 sq. [or Talmud. Stud. xv.]. Inthe N. T. 1. Joshua [fully Jehoshua], the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor: Acts vii. 45; Heb. iv. 8. 2. Jesus, son of Eliezer, one of Christ’s ancestors: Lk. iii. 29 L T Tr WH. 3. Jesus, the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind: Mt. i. 21, 25; ΓΚ. i. 31; ii. 21, and very often; see κύριος and Χριστός. 4. Jesus…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

Ἰησοῦς nor in language of disrespect to the established religion of our city”: see further CRE® p. 260, and Lightfoot Assays on Supernatural Religion, p. 299f., who cites an inscr. found in this very temple of Ephesus, though of a later date than the passage in Acts,—éorw ἱεροσυλία kal ἀσέβεια, ““let it be regarded as sacrilege and impiety” (Wood Zzscr. vi. I, p. 14). Other exx. of the adj. from the inscrr. are Syll 523% (iii/B.c.) ὁ δὲ εἴπας ἢ [πρήξ]ας τι παρὰ τόνδε τὸν νόμον .. . ἔστω ἱερόσυλος, 2). 6028 (iv/iii B.c.) ἢν δέ τις [τὴν στήλην] ἀφαν[(ζηι ἢ τὰ γράμματα], πασχέτω ὡς ἱερόσυλος, and 24. 680!° (Rom.). The new Menander shows several exx. of ἱερόσυλε used in abuse with a general sense (cf. ‘‘ horse-thief’’): e.g. Menandrea, p. 60 388 tep[d]ovde παῖ, Ρ. 3852: ἱερόσυλε…

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

Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous) — Jesus.

Jesus, Greek form of Hebrew Joshua or Jehoshua, Saviour , [Refs 1st c.AD] (from Middle LSJ)

Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous) — Jesus.

Jesus, Greek form of Hebrew Joshua or Jehoshua, Saviour , [Refs 1st c.AD] (from Middle LSJ)

Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous) — Joshua.

Jesus, Greek form of Hebrew Joshua or Jehoshua, Saviour , [Refs 1st c.AD] (from Middle LSJ)

Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous) — Jesus.

Jesus, Greek form of Hebrew Joshua or Jehoshua, Saviour , [Refs 1st c.AD] (from Middle LSJ)

Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous) — Joshua.

Ἰωσή, see: Ἰωσῆς - -ῆ (Rec. -ή Luk.3:29; AV, Jose; see: Ἰησοῦς, 3), and -ῆτος (Mk, ll with), ὁ,

Joses;

1. brother of our Lord: Mrk.6:3, Mat.13:55 (Rec., see…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

Ἰησοῦς

Iesous

of Hebrew origin (3091); Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord

and two (three) other Israelites:--Jesus.

see HEBREW for 03091

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

Ἰησοῦς, οῦ, ὁ

n.m.

Jesus

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

Ἰησοῦς Iēsous 917x

a Savior, Jesus, Mt. 1:21, 25; 2:1, et al. freq.; Joshua, Acts 7:45; Heb. 4:8; Jesus, a Jewish Christian, Col. 4:11

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

Ἰησοῦς Jesus, Greek form of Hebrew Joshua or Jehoshua, Saviour, NTest.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

je'-zus (Iesous, for yehoshua`):

(1) Joshua, son of Nun (the King James Version Ac 7:45; Heb 4:8; compare 1 Macc 2:55; 2 Esdras 7:37).

(2) (3) High priest and Levite.

See JESHUA, 2, 5.

(4) Son of Sirach.

See SIRACH.

(5) An ancestor of Jesus (Lu 3:29, the King James Version "Jose").

(6) (7) See the next three articles.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jesus

(1.) Joshua, the son of Nun (Acts 7:45; Heb. 4:8; R.V., “Joshua”).

(2.) A Jewish Christian surnamed Justus (Col. 4:11).

Je’sus, the proper, as Christ is the official, name of our Lord. To distinguish him from others so called, he is spoken of as “Jesus of Nazareth” (John 18:7), and “Jesus the son of Joseph” (John 6:42).

This is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which was originally Hoshea (Num. 13:8, 16), but changed by Moses into Jehoshua (Num. 13:16;

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

savior; deliverer

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
99%jesus
jesus99% · 979×other renderings1% · 9×

988 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 6 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
subject56%adverbial23%object14%predicate4%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 913 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
αὐτόςδέbut, on the otheἀποκρίνομαιI answer, reply
Χριστόςanointed, the Messia
ἐνArticle theκαίand, even, also,
κύριοςlord, Lord, master,
Article theκαίand, even, also,ἐν
δέbut, on the other ha
Article theλέγωI say, speakαὐτός
ἐγώ
κύριοςlord, Lord, mastἀποστέλλωI send forth, seὁμολογίαa profession, co
ἸησοῦςJesus913×
what comes after →
Χριστόςanointed, the Messia
Article theκαίand, even, also,εἰς
Article the
κύριοςlord, Lord, mastΝαζωραῖοςNazareneυἱόςa son, descenden
λέγωI say, speak
αὐτόςArticle theοὐNeg
καίand, even, also, nam
λέγωI say, speakArticle theὁράωI see, look upon
εἰς
Article theἹεροσόλυμαJerusalemχωρίονa place, piece o

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

ConcordanceἸησοῦς · 913× in the New Testament
John Matthew Luke Mark Acts Romans 1 Corinthians Philippians Ephesians 2 Corinthians Galatians 1 Thessalonians

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament26 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 43 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 Ignatius of Antioch Clement of Rome The Epistle of Barnabas Philo of Alexandria
Philo of AlexandriaOn Drunkenness 96c. AD 40

λέγεται γὰρ ὅτι „ἀκούσας Ἰησοῦς τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ λαοῦ κεκραγότων εἶπε πρὸς Μωυσῆν·

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 3.49c. AD 75–95

ὁ δὲ τῆς πληθύος ἀποκρίνας πᾶν τὸ μάχιμον Ἰησοῦν ἐφίστησιν αὐτῷ Ναυήκου μὲν υἱὸν φυλῆς τῆς Ἐφραιμίτιδος, ἀνδρειότατον δὲ καὶ πόνους ὑποστῆναι γενναῖον καὶ νοῆσαί τε καὶ εἰπεῖν ἱκανώτατον καὶ θρησκεύοντα τὸν θεὸν ἐκπρεπῶς καὶ Μωυσῆν διδάσκαλον τῆς…

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 2.6c. AD 100

ταῦτα οὖν κατήργησεν, ἵνα ὁ καινὸς νόμος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἄνευ ζυγοῦ ἀνάγκης ὤν, μὴ ἀνθρωποποίητον ἔχῃ τὴν προσφοράν.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
7th c. AD 6th c. AD 2nd c. AD 1st c. AD 4th c. AD
P.Got. 60Arsinoites (?)AD 591–AD 602

οτο Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ … … ιλείας τοῦ θειοτάτου … … Τιβερίου τοῦ ωηις

Tyche 21 (2006), p. 1-10OxyrhynchosAD 599

r ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρίου καὶ δεσπότου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν. ὑπατείας τοῦ αὐτοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου ἡμῶν δεσπότου ἔτους ιϛ,

P.Rain.Cent. 120ArsinoitesAD 612

r ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρίου καὶ δεσπότου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν. Βασιλείας τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου καὶ φιλανθρώπου ἡμῶν δεσπότου Φλαουίου

They were holding now at that time a prisoner notable being named Jesus Barabbas.
Βαραββᾶν.Barabbas Barabbas. G912 Noun · accusative · singular · masculine
11× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in Matthew than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Barabbas was an Israelite prisoner, released by Pontius Pilate instead of Jesus, as told in Matthew 27:16 and Mark 15:7. His name means son of a father.
Amplified meaning
a notorious, infamous Israelite
Tyndale gloss
Barabbas
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word Βαραββᾶς (transliterated as Barabbas) means 'son of a father' and is derived from Aramaic origins. It refers to a notable figure in the New Testament, specifically a prisoner released by Pilate instead of Jesus. The word appears in several passages across the Gospels, with some manuscripts differing on its presentation.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

Βαραββᾶς, -ᾶ, ὁ

(Aram. בַּר־אַבָּא, lit., son of a father, i.e. acc. to Jerome, filius magistri),

Barabbas: Mt 27:16, 17, 20, 21, 26, Mk 15:7, 11, 15, Lk 23:18, Jo 18:40. (In Mt 27:16, some MSS. read Ἰησοῦν Β.; v. WH, App., 19 f.).†

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

Βαραββᾶς, -a, 4, (fr. 13 son, and 838 father, hence son of a father i. 6. of a master [cf. Mt. xxiii. 97), a captive robber whom the Jews begged Pilate to release instead of Christ: Mt. xxvii. 16 sq. (where codd. mentioned by Origen, and some other authorities, place Ἰησοῦν before βαραββᾶν, approved by Fritzsche, De Wette, Meyer, Bieek, al.; [ef. WH. App. and Tdf.’s note ad loc.; also 5 Βαρθολομαῖος Treg. Printed Text, etc. p. 194 sq.]), 20 sq. 26; Mk. xv. 7,11,15; Lk. xxiii. 18; Jn. xviii. 40.

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

Βαραββᾶς (Barabbas) — Barabbas.

Βαραββᾶς, -ᾶ, ὁ (Aram. בַּר־אַבָּא, lit., son of a father, i.e. accusative to Jerome, filius magistri),

Barabbas: Mat.27:16, 17 20, 21, 26, Mrk.15:7, 11 15, Luk.23:18, Jhn.18:40. (In Mat.27:16, some MSS. read Ἰησοῦν Β.; see WH, App., 19f.).†

(From Abbott-Smith. LSJ has no entry)

Strong's Greek Dictionary

Βαραββᾶς

Barabbas

of Chaldee origin (1347 and 5); son of Abba; Bar-abbas, an

Israelite:--Barabbas.

see HEBREW for 01347

see HEBREW for 05

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

Βαραββᾶς, ᾶ, ὁ

n.m.

Barabbas

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

Βαραββᾶς Barabbas 11x

Barabbas, pr. name

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

N-ASM Part of Speech: Noun Case: Accusative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ba-rab'-as (Barabbas): For Aramaic Bar-abba = literally, "son of the father," i.e. of the master or teacher. Abba in the time of Jesus was perhaps a title of honor (Mt 23:9), but became later a proper name. The variant Barrabban found in the 19- Harclean Syriac would mean "son of the rabbi or teacher." Origen knew and does not absolutely condemn a reading of Mt 27:16,17, which gave the name "Jesus Barabbas," but although it is also found in a few cursives and in the Aramaic and the Jerusalem Syriac versions in this place only, it is probably due to a scribe's error in transcription (Westcott-Hort, App., 20). If the name was simply Barabbas or Barrabban, it may still have meant that the man was a rabbi's son, or it may have been a purely conventional proper name, signifying…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Barabbas

I.e., son of Abba or of a father, a notorious robber whom Pilate proposed to condemn to death instead of Jesus, whom he wished to release, in accordance with the Roman custom (John 18:40; Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19). But the Jews were so bent on the death of Jesus that they demanded that Barabbas should be pardoned (Matt. 27:16-26; Acts 3:14). This Pilate did.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(son of Abba), a robber, (John 18:40) who had committed murder in an insurrection, (Mark 15:7; Luke 28:18) in Jerusalem and was lying in prison the time of the trial of Jesus before Pilate.p

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A noted robber in Christ’s time, who was imprisoned and awaiting death for the crimes of sedition and murder. It was a custom of the Roman government, for the sake of conciliating the Jews, to release one Jewish prisoner, whom they might choose, at the yearly Passover. Pilate desired thus to release Jesus, but the Jews demanded Barabbas, Mt 27:16-26.

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
91%barabbas
barabbas91% · 10×barabbas!9% · 1×

11 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
object73%predicate18%subject9%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 11 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
αὐτόςαἰτέωI ask, request, λέγωI say, speak
λέγωI say, speak
ἐπίσημοςnotable, conspicArticle the
σύ
ἀπολύωI release, let g
ΒαραββᾶςBarabbas.11×
what comes after →
Article the
δέbut, on the othe
Disj
ἸησοῦςJesus
μετά
Article the
ἀπολύωI release, let go, s
αὐτός
καίand, even, also, nam
παραδίδωμιI hand over, del

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

ConcordanceΒαραββᾶς · 11× in the New Testament
Matthew Mark John Luke
Across the New Testament4 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
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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