noun · masculine
adelfos
Strong’sG80
a brother
stem adelf-342 times in the New Testamentin 25 of 27 books10 of 10 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
A brother — a male sibling, born of the same parent or parents 1234.
The word also extends more broadly, covering a neighbour, a fellow member of the same nation or tribe, or a kinsman generally, whether close or distant 123. In this wider use it could also serve as a term of address between kings, or as a term of affection, even used by a wife of her husband 3.
In the New Testament the word further denotes a fellow-Christian, a member of the same faith community, a usage also found for members of other religious groups in the period 13. The Gospel references to "brothers of the Lord" have been read as sons of Joseph and Mary, or as sons of Joseph by an earlier marriage; taking the word there to mean "cousin" does not fit ordinary Greek usage 1.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
ἀδελφός, -οῦ, ὁ
(< ἀ- copul., δελφύς, womb),
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G80 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
(ἀ- copulative, δελφύς, Refs 4th c.BC+; compare ἀγάστωρ) properly, son of the same mother:
I as substantive, ἀδελφός, ὁ, vocative ἄδελφ; Epic dialect, Ionic dialect, and Lyric poetry ἀδελφεός (genitive -ειοῦ in Refs 8th c.BC+:—brother, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἀδελφοί brother and sister, Refs 5th c.BC+; so of the Ptolemies, θεοὶ ἀδελφοίRefs 3rd c.BC+; ἀπ᾽ ἀμφοτέρων ἀδελφεόςLXX+5th c.BC+
I.2 kinsman,LXX; tribesman, Ex.Refs
I.3 colleague, associate, Refs; member of a college, Refs
I.4 term of address, used by kings, LXX+2nd c.BC+, etc.:—as a term of affection, applicable by wife to husband, LXX+2nd c.BC+
I.5 brother (as a fellow Christian), NT; of other religious communities, e.g. Serapeum, Refs 2nd c.BC+
I.6 metaphorically, of things, fellow, ἀνὴρ τῷ ἀ. προσκολληθήσεται, of Leviathan's scales, LXX
II adjective, ἀδελφός, ή, όν, brotherly or sisterly, Refs 4th c.BC+; φύσιν ἀ. ἔχοντες, of Hephaistos and Athena, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.2 generally, of anything double, twin, in pairs, Refs 5th c.BC+:—also, akin, cognate, μαθήματαRefs 5th c.BC+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | adelfos43×ἀδελφὸς | adelfois39×ἀδελφοὶ |
| object accusative | adelfon41×ἀδελφὸν | adelfoin39×ἀδελφοὺς |
| direct address vocative | adelfor6×ἀδελφέ | adelfoir105×ἀδελφοί |
| of, belonging to genitive | adelfou17×ἀδελφοῦ | adelfoiu21×ἀδελφῶν |
| to, for dative | adelfo14×ἀδελφῷ | adelfoi17×ἀδελφοῖς |
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
adelfo is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
342 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
adelfos“brother”subjectnominative singular43×, 11 shown
Matthew 5:23… tem thusiastēriem kakei mimnēskiseia hoti tos adelfos su echatō tinem kata su,… altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
Matthew 10:2… tos legorōntos Petros kai Andreos tos adelfos autou, Iakōbos tos tou Zebedaiou kai …… first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and …
Matthew 10:2… tos tou Zebedaiou kai Iōannos tos adelfos autou,… James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Matthew 10:21paradōati de adelfos adelfon eis thanaton kai patros teknem, …Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his …
Matthew 12:50… mu tou en ouranoi, autos mu adelfos kai adelfas kai mētēras atō.… My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew 18:15Ean de hamartateia eis sin tos adelfos su, hupagasōr elenchasar auton metaxu su …If your brother sins against you, go and confront …
Matthew 18:21… Kurior, posakis hamartati eis min tos adelfos mu kai afiēkami auto? heōs heptakis?… many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to …
Matthew 22:24… apothnēskateia mē echarōntos tekneim, epigambreuati tos adelfos autou tan gunaikan autou kai anastēati …… man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and …
Mark 3:35… poiateia tem thelēmem tou theou, houtos adelfos mu kai adelfas kai mētēras atō.… the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.”
Mark 6:3… tektonos, tos huios tau Mariau kai adelfos Iakōbou kai Iōsētou kai Ioudou kai …… the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon …
Mark 12:19… Mōusos grafata ni hoti ean tinou adelfos apothnēskateia kai kataleipateia gunaikan kai mē …… for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but …
adelfon“brother”objectaccusative singular41×, 11 shown
Matthew 4:18… ton legorōnton Petron kai Andreon ton adelfon autou, balarōntoin amfiblēstrem eis tan thalassan, …… brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net …
Matthew 4:21… ton tou Zebedaiou kai Iōannon ton adelfon autou, en te ploie meta Zebedaiou …… James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat …
Matthew 10:21paradōati de adelfos adelfon eis thanaton kai patros teknem, kai …Brother will betray brother to death, and …
Matthew 17:1… Petron kai Iakōbon kai Iōannon ton adelfon autou, kai anaferatō autoin eis orem …… Him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up …
Matthew 18:15… monou. ean su akouateia, kerdainasa ton adelfon su;… to you, you have won your brother over.
Mark 1:16… Galilaiau horata Simōnon kai Andreon ton adelfon Simōnou amfiballarōntoin en ta thalassa, ale …… Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net …
Mark 1:19… ton tou Zebedaiou kai Iōannon ton adelfon autou, kai autoin en te ploie …… James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat …
Mark 3:17… ton tou Zebedaiou kai Iōannon ton adelfon tou Iakōbou kai epitithata autoi onomeim …James son of Zebedee and his brother John ( whom He named Boanerges, meaning …
Mark 5:37… Petron kai Iakōbon kai Iōannon ton adelfon Iakōbou.… except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.
Mark 13:12kai paradōati adelfos adelfon eis thanaton kai patros teknem, kai …Brother will betray brother to death, and …
Luke 6:14… kai onomazata Petron kai Andreon ton adelfon autou kai Iakōbon kai Iōannon kai …… whom He named Peter, and his brother Andrew; James and John; Philip and …
adelfor“brother”direct addressvocative singular6×
Luke 6:42“brother”pōs dunosō legarō to adelfo su; Adelfor, afiēkasar ekbalameia tem karfem tem en …How can you say, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while …
Acts 9:17… epi auton tain cheirain legata; Saoul adelfor, tos kurios apostelatē min, Iēsus tos …… he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord Jesus …
Acts 21:20… ton theon, legala tē auto; Theōrasō, adelfor, posais muriadais alō en toi Ioudaioi …… they said to Paul, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have …
Acts 22:13… min kai epistēarantos legata mi; Saoul adelfor, anablepasar; kamis auta ta hōra anablepama …came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul,’ he said, ‘receive your sight …
Philemon 1:7… splanchneim toiu hagioiu anapauotē dia su, adelfor.… encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the …
Philemon 1:20nai, adelfor, mis su oninemoia en kurio; anapauasar …Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from …
adelfou“brother”of, belonging togenitive singular17×, 10 shown
Matthew 7:3… karfem tem en to ofthalmo tou adelfou su, tan de en to so …… look at the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the …
Matthew 7:5… tem karfem ek tou ofthalmou tou adelfou su.… to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Matthew 14:3… dia Hērōdiadan tan gunaikan Filippou tou adelfou autou,… prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
Mark 6:17… dia Hērōdiadan tan gunaikan Filippou tou adelfou autou, hoti autan gamata;… and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had …
Mark 6:18… exestinatō si echarō tan gunaikan tou adelfou su.… lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!”
Luke 3:1… tau Galilaiau Hērōdou, Filippou de tou adelfou autou tetraarcharōntou tau Itouraiau kai Trachōnitidau …… Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis …
Luke 3:19… autou peri Hērōdiadau tau gunaikau tou adelfou autou kai peri panteiu heiu poiata …… rebuked Herod the tetrarch regarding his brother’s wife Herodias and all the evils …
Luke 6:41… karfem tem en to ofthalmo tou adelfou su, tan de dokan tan en …… look at the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the …
Luke 6:42… karfem tem en to ofthalmo tou adelfou su ekbalara.… to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
John 11:19… Mariam hina paramutheleia autain peri tou adelfou.… them in the loss of their brother.
adelfo“brother”to, fordative singular14×, 10 shown
Matthew 5:22… vi hoti pantos tos orgizorōntos to adelfo autou enochos eti ta krisia; hos …… anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again …
Matthew 5:22… krisia; hos de an legateia to adelfo autou; Raka, enochos eti te sunedrie; …… Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the …
Matthew 5:24… thusiastērieu kai hupagasōr prōtem diallaxisar to adelfo su, kai tote ercharantos prosferasōr tem …… go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
Matthew 7:4ē pōs legasi to adelfo su; Afiēkasar ekbalameia tem karfem ek …How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out …
Matthew 18:35… vi ean mē afiēkaveia hekastos to adelfo autou apo taiu kardiaiu vu.… of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
Matthew 22:24“brother”… gunaikan autou kai anastēati spermem to adelfo autou.… the widow and raise up offspring for …
Matthew 22:25… spermem afiēkata tan gunaikan autou to adelfo autou;… he left his wife to his brother.
Mark 12:19“brother”… tan gunaikan kai exanastēateia spermem to adelfo autou.… no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.
Luke 6:42pōs dunosō legarō to adelfo su; Adelfor, afiēkasar ekbalameia tem karfem …How can you say, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out …
Luke 12:13… tou ochlou auto; Didaskalor, legasar to adelfo mu merizera meta mu tan klēronomian.… said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
adelfois“brothers”subjectnominative plural39×, 10 shown
Matthew 12:46… ochloi idou tas mētēras kai tois adelfois autou stēalelē exō zētarōntois auto lalara.… to the crowds, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to …
Matthew 12:47… Idou tas mētēras su kai tois adelfois su exō stēalē, zētarōntois si lalara.… told Him, “Look, Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak …
Matthew 12:48… mētēras mu, kai tinois alō tois adelfois mu?… My mother, and who are My brothers?”
Matthew 12:49… Idou tas mētēras mu kai tois adelfois mu;… Here are My mother and My brothers.
Matthew 13:55… mētēras autou legotō Mariam kai tois adelfois autou Iakōbos kai Iōsēf kai Simōnos …… mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Matthew 22:25ale de para ni hepta adelfois; kai tos prōtos gamarantos teleutata, kai …Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married …
Matthew 23:8… vu tos didaskalos, pantois de vis adelfois avō;… one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
Mark 3:31… ercholō tas mētēras autou kai tois adelfois autou kai exō stēkarōntois apostelala pros …Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent …
Mark 3:32… Idou tas mētēras su kai tois adelfois su exō zētalō sin.… He was told, “Your mother and brothers are outside, asking for You.”
Mark 3:33… atō tas mētēras mu ē tois adelfois mu?… Who are My mother and My brothers?”
adelfoin“brothers”objectaccusative plural39×, 11 shown
Matthew 1:2… de gennata ton Ioudon kai toin adelfoin autou,… the father of Judah and his brothers.
Matthew 1:11… de gennata ton Iechonion kai toin adelfoin autou epi tau metoikesiau Babulōnau.… the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile …
Matthew 4:18… tan thalassan tau Galilaiau horata duo adelfoin, Simōnon ton legorōnton Petron kai Andreon …… Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother …
Matthew 4:21Kai probainarantos ekeithen horata allosoin duo adelfoin, Iakōbon ton tou Zebedaiou kai Iōannon …… from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his …
Matthew 5:47kai ean aspazeveia toin adelfoin vu monem, tinem perissem poiavō? ouchi …And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than …
Matthew 19:29kai pantos hotinos afiēkata oikiain ē adelfoin ē adelfain ē patron ē mētēran …… everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother …
Mark 10:29… oudenos atō hos afiēkata oikian ē adelfoin ē adelfain ē mētēran ē patron …… one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father …
Mark 10:30… en to kairo houto oikiain kai adelfoin kai adelfain kai mētērain kai tekneim …… in the present age — houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children …
Luke 14:12… fōnasōr toin filoin su mēde toin adelfoin su mēde toin sungenoin su mēde …… do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or rich neighbors. Otherwise …
Luke 14:26… gunaikan kai teim tekneim kai toin adelfoin kai tain adelfain, ēti tē kai …… mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters — yes, even his own …
Luke 16:28echamō gar pente adelfoin, hopōs diamarturoteiō autoi, hina mē kai …for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that …
adelfoir“brothers”direct addressvocative plural105×, 11 shown
Acts 1:16Androir adelfoir, date plērira tan grafan han prolegata …“Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled …
Acts 2:29Androir adelfoir, exestinarōntem legara meta parrēsiau pros vin …Brothers, I can tell you with confidence …
Acts 2:37… toin loipoin apostoloin; Tinem poianeia, androir adelfoir?… asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Acts 3:17Kai nun, adelfoir, oidamē hoti kata agnoian prassava, hōsper …And now, brothers, I know that you acted in …
Acts 6:3episkeptevar de, adelfoir, androin ek vu marturorōntoin hepta plēroin …Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men …
Acts 7:2tos de fēate; Androir adelfoir kai patroir, akouavar; Tos theos tau …And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The …
Acts 13:15… tois archisunagōgois pros autoin legarōntois; Androir adelfoir, ei tinos atō en vi logos …… synagogue leaders sent word to them: “Brothers, if you have a word of …
Acts 13:26Androir adelfoir, huioir geneu Abraam kai tois en …Brothers, children of Abraham, and you Gentiles …
Acts 13:38gnōstem oun atōr vi, androir adelfoir, hoti dia houtou vi afesias hamartaiu …… let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of …
Acts 15:7… anastēarantos Petros legata pros autoin; Androir adelfoir, vis epistovō hoti apo hēmeraiu archaiaiu …… got up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early …
Acts 15:13… sigara autoin apokrinita Iakōbos legarōntos; Androir adelfoir, akouavar mu.… they had finished speaking, James declared, “Brothers, listen to me!
adelfoiu“brothers”of, belonging togenitive plural21×, 10 shown
Matthew 20:24… tois deka aganaktala peri toiu duo adelfoiu.… they were indignant with the two brothers.
Matthew 25:40… epi hosem poiava heno houtoiu toiu adelfoiu mu toiu elachistoiu, mi poiava.… one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’
Luke 21:16paradōivi de kai hupo gonevoiu kai adelfoiu kai sungenoiu kai filoiu, kai thanatali …… be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some …
Acts 1:15“believers”… houtai anastēarantos Petros en mese toiu adelfoiu legata ate tē ochlos onomeiu epi …In those days Peter stood up among the brothers ( a gathering of about a hundred and twenty ) and said,
Acts 3:22“brethren”… anastēati kurios tos theos ek toiu adelfoiu vu hōs min; autou akouevi kata …… Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He …
Acts 7:37“brethren”… vi anastēati tos theos ek toiu adelfoiu vu hōs min.… the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’
Acts 10:23… exerchata sun autoi, kai tinois toiu adelfoiu toiu apo Ioppau sunerchala auto.… them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Joppa.
Acts 14:2… tain psuchain teiu ethneiu kata toiu adelfoiu.… and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
Acts 15:33… chronon apoluila meta eirēnau apo toiu adelfoiu pros toin apostelarantoin autoin.… they were sent off by the brothers in peace to return to those …
Acts 15:40… ta charita tou kuriou hupo toiu adelfoiu,… Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord.
adelfoi“brothers”to, fordative plural17×, 10 shown
Matthew 28:10… Iēsus; Mē fobovōr; hupagavōr apangelavar toi adelfoi mu hina aperchaleia eis tan Galilaian, …… said Jesus. “Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee. There they …
Acts 1:14… mētēra tou Iēsu kai sun toi adelfoi autou.… mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Acts 7:13… en te deutere anagnōrizita Iōsēf toi adelfoi autou, kai fanerem geneta to Faraō …… Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to …
Acts 11:29… pempara toi katoikarōntoi en ta Ioudaia adelfoi;… decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
Acts 12:17… legata tē; Apangelavar Iakōbo kai toi adelfoi houteim. kai exercharantos poreuita eis heteron …… word to James and to the brothers,” he said, and he left for …
Acts 15:3… kai poiale charan megan pantoi toi adelfoi.… bringing great joy to all the brothers.
Acts 15:22… kai Silon, androin hēgorōntoin en toi adelfoi,… and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,
Acts 15:23“believers”… tan Antiocheian kai Surian kai Kilikian adelfoi toi ek ethneiu chairarō.and sent them with this letter: The apostles and the elders, your brothers, To the brothers among the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings.
Acts 18:18… Paulos ēti prosmenarantos hēmerain hikanain toi adelfoi apotasserantos ekplate eis tan Surian, kai …… time before saying goodbye to the brothers. He had his head shaved in …
Romans 8:29… tem arō auton prōtotokon en polloi adelfoi;… would be the firstborn among many brothers.