noun · feminine
kefalas
Strong’sG2776
the head
stem kefal-75 times in the New Testamentin 11 of 27 books7 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
κεφαλή means the head, the literal head of a person or animal 1234. Strong's traces it to a root meaning "to seize," describing the head as the part of the body most readily taken hold of 2.
Figuratively, it describes one person's position of authority over another: a husband is called the "head" of his wife, and Christ is called the "head" of the church 1.
It is also used of the topmost or key stone of a structure, in the phrase "head of the corner," referring to the capstone or corner-stone of a building 13.
In two other figurative expressions it stands for a person bearing the consequences of something: "coals on the head" and blood coming "on" a person's head, both meaning that the person is left to answer for the outcome; a related saying, "on my own head be it," carries the same idea of taking responsibility onto oneself 13.
In the Greek Old Testament the word can also mean per head, that is, for each individual person, used when counting people 3, and can denote a band or company of men 3.
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
κεφαλή, -ῆς, ἡ,
[in LXX nearly always for רֹאשׁ;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2776 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidkef-al-ay'
the head (as the part most readily taken hold of), literally or figuratively
Fromfrom the primary κάπτω (in the sense of seizing);
King Jameshead.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
head of man or beast, Refs 8th c.BC+; κεφαλῇ.. μείζονες taller in stature, Refs 8th c.BC+; so μείων.. κεφαλήνRefs 3rd c.BC+
a κατὰ κεφαλῆς, Epic dialect κὰκ κεφαλῆς, down over the head, κόνιν.. χεύατο κὰκ κεφαλῆς Refs 8th c.BC+
b κατὰ κεφαλήν, Epic dialect κὰκ κεφαλήν on the head, Ἐρύλαον.. βάλε πέτρῳ μέσσην κὰκ κεφαλήν Refs 8th c.BC+: in Prose, from above, Refs 5th c.BC+: c.genitive, above, κ. κ. τινῶν γενέσθαι Refs; τὸ κ. κ. ὕδωρ, of rain water, Refs 4th c.BC+ (-ῆς): in Architecture texts, upright, Refs; also, per head, each person (compare below 1.2), LXX+4th c.BC+
c ἐς πόδας ἐκ κεφαλῆς from head to foot, Refs 8th c.BC+
d ἐπὶ κεφαλήν head foremost, ἐπὶ κ. κατορύξαι to bury head downwards, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐπὶ κ. ὠθέεσθαι to be thrust headlong, Refs 5th c.BC+; οὐ βουλόμενος πολίτας ἄνδρας ἐπὶ κ. εἰσπράττειν τὸν μισθόν recklessly, Refs 4th c.BC+; ἐπὶ ταῖς κεφαλαῖς περιφέρειν carry on high, in token of admiration, Refs 5th c.BC+
2 as the noblest part, periphrastic for the whole person, πολλὰς ἰφθίμους κ. Refs 8th c.BC+; ἶσον ἐμῇ κ. no less than myself, Refs 8th c.BC+: in bad sense, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί Refs 5th c.BC+: in bad sense, ἡ μιαρὰ καὶ ἀναιδὴς αὕτη κ. Refs 4th c.BC+; μεγάλη κ. a great personage, Vett. Val.Refs
3 life, ἐμῇ κ. περιδείδια Refs 8th c.BC+; παρθέμενοι κεφαλάς staking their heads on the cast, Refs 8th c.BC+; τὴν κ. ἀποβαλέεις Refs 5th c.BC+
4 in imprecations, ἐς κεφαλὴν τράποιτ᾽ ἐμοί on my head be it! Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐς κ. σοί (i.e. τράποιτο) NT+5th c.BC+
II of things, extremity,
II.a in Botany, κ. σκορόδου head (= inflorescence) of garlic, Refs 5th c.BC+; ῥίζα κ. ἔχουσα πλείονας tubers, Refs 1st c.AD+
II.b in Anatomy, κεφαλαὶ τῆς κάτω γνάθου, probably the condyloid and coronoid processes, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἡ κ. τοῦ ὄρχεως, ={ἐπιδιδυμίς}, Refs 4th c.BC+; μηροῦ, κνήμης κ., Refs 2nd c.AD+; of the base of the heart, Refs 2nd c.AD+; but, apex, Refs 5th c.BC+; of the sac in poulps, Refs 4th c.BC+; of muscles, origin, Refs 2nd c.AD+
II.c generally, top, brim of a vessel, Refs 3rd c.BC+; coping of a wall, Refs 5th c.BC+; capital of a column, LXX+2nd c.AD+
II.d in plural, source of a river, Refs 5th c.BC+ (butsg., mouth, οἶδα Γέλα ποταμοῦ κεφαλῇ ἐπικείμενον ἄστυ Refs: generally, source, origin, Ζεὺς κ. (variant{ἀρχή}), Ζεὺς μέσσα, Διὸς δ᾽ ἒκ πάντα τελεῖται τέτυκται codices) Refs 5th c.AD+; starting-point, κ. χρόνου Refs 6th c.AD+
II.e extremity of a plot of land, Refs 3rd c.BC+
III Ὁμηρείη κ. bust of Homer, Refs
IV κ. περίθετος wig, head-dress, Refs 5th c.BC+
V metaphorically, κ. δείπνου pièce de résistance, Refs 2nd c.AD+
V.2 crown, completion, κεφαλὴν ἐπιθεῖναι Refs 5th c.BC+; consummation, σχεῖν κ. Refs 5th c.BC+
V.3 sum, total, πάσας ἐρρηγείας Refs; of money, Refs 4th c.BC+
V.4 band of men, LXX; right-hand half of a phalanx (opposed to οὐρά), Refs 2nd c.AD+
V.5 Astron., κ. τοῦ κόσμου, of Aries, Refs 4th c.AD+. (ghebh-, compare κεβλή and Engl. gable.)
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 | kefalas11×κεφαλὴ | kefalais3×κεφαλαὶ |
| object accusative | kefalan29×κεφαλὴν | kefalain13×κεφαλὰς |
| direct address vocative | kefalar | kefalair |
| of, belonging to genitive | kefalau14×κεφαλῆς | kefalaiu1×κεφαλῶν |
| to, for dative | kefala4×κεφαλῇ | kefalai |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
kefala 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
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
75 occurrences, every one of them listed
kefalas“head”subjectnominative singular11×
Matthew 14:11kai ferita tas kefalas autou epi pinaxo kai dōita te …John’s head was brought in on a platter …
1 Corinthians 11:3… vin oidarē hoti pantou androu tas kefalas tos Christos atō, kefalas de gunaikau …… want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and …
1 Corinthians 11:3… androu tas kefalas tos Christos atō, kefalas de gunaikau tos andros, kefalas de …… every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and …
1 Corinthians 11:3… atō, kefalas de gunaikau tos andros, kefalas de tou Christou tos theos.… the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
1 Corinthians 12:21… su ouk echamō, ē palin tas kefalas toi podoi; Chreian vu ouk echamō;… not need you.” Nor can the head say to the feet, “I do …
Ephesians 4:15… auton teim panteim, hos atō tas kefalas, Christos,… into Christ Himself, who is the head.
Ephesians 5:23hoti andros atō kefalas tau gunaikau hōs kai tos Christos …For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is …
Ephesians 5:23… tau gunaikau hōs kai tos Christos kefalas tau ekklēsau, autos sōtēros teu sōmeu.… the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of …
Colossians 1:18kai autos atō tas kefalas teu sōmeu tau ekklēsau; hos atō …And He is the head of the body, the church; He …
Colossians 2:10… en auto plērorēntois, hos atō tas kefalas pantau archau kai exousiau,… complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
Revelation 1:14tas de kefalas autou kai tais trichais leukais hōs …The hair of His head was white like wool, as white …
kefalan“head”objectaccusative singular29×
Matthew 6:17sis de nēsteuarōntos aleifesar su tan kefalan kai tem prosōpem su niptesar,But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
Matthew 8:20… tou anthrōpou ouk echatō pou tan kefalan klinateiō.… has no place to lay His head.”
Matthew 14:8… mi, fēatō, hōde epi pinaxo tan kefalan Iōannou tou baptistou.… me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
Matthew 21:42“chief”… apodokimazala tois oikodomarōntois houtos genita eis kefalan gōniau; para kuriou geneta houtas, kai …… The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is …
Matthew 27:30… ton kalamon kai tuptale eis tan kefalan autou.… staff and struck Him on the head repeatedly.
Mark 6:24… Tinem aitemeia? tas de legata; Tan kefalan Iōannou tou baptizarōntou.… request?” And her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist.”
Mark 6:25… exautēs dōaseia mi epi pinaxo tan kefalan Iōannou tou baptistou.… want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a …
Mark 6:27… tos basilevos spekoulatōron epitassata ferara tan kefalan autou. kai apercharantos apokefalizata auton en …… delay, the king commanded that John’s head be brought in. He sent an …
Mark 6:28kai ferata tan kefalan autou epi pinaxo kai dōata autan …The man brought John’s head on a platter and presented it …
Mark 12:10“chief”… apodokimazala tois oikodomarōntois, houtos genita eis kefalan gōniau;… The stone the builders rejected has become …
Mark 15:19kai tuptale autou tan kefalan kalamo kai emptuale auto, kai titharōntois …They kept striking His head with a staff and spitting on …
Luke 7:46elaie tan kefalan mu ouk aleifasa; houtas de mure …You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed …
Luke 9:58… tou anthrōpou ouk echatō pou tan kefalan klinateiō.… has no place to lay His head.”
Luke 20:17“chief”… apodokimazala tois oikodomarōntois, houtos genita eis kefalan gōniau?… The stone the builders rejected has become …
John 13:9… alla kai tain cheirain kai tan kefalan.… feet, but my hands and my head as well!”
John 19:30… Iēsus legata; Telotē, kai klinarantos tan kefalan paradōata tem pneumem.… It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.
Acts 4:11“chief”… vu toiu oikodomoiu, tos generantos eis kefalan gōniau.… the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’
Acts 18:6… autoin; Tem haimem vu epi tan kefalan vu; katharos mis; apo tou nun …… Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From …
Acts 18:18… kai Akulos, keirerantos en Kenchreai tan kefalan, echate gar euchan.… to the brothers. He had his head shaved in Cenchrea to keep a …
Acts 21:24… dapanasar epi autoi hina xureli tan kefalan, kai gnōskeli pantois hoti heiu katēcholē …… expenses so they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that …
Romans 12:20… poiarōntos anthrakoin pureu sōreuasi epi tan kefalan autou.… will heap burning coals on his head.”
1 Corinthians 11:4… profēteuarōntos kata kefalau echarōntos kataischunatō tan kefalan autou;… with his head covered dishonors his head.
1 Corinthians 11:5… profēteuarōntas akatakalupta ta kefala kataischunatō tan kefalan autau, henem gar atō kai tem …… who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for it …
1 Corinthians 11:7… men gar ouk ofeilatō katakaluptorō tan kefalan, eikonas kai doxas theou huparcharōntos; tas …… man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and …
Ephesians 1:22… toin podoin autou, kai auton dōata kefalan huper panteim ta ekklēsa,… under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church,
Colossians 2:19kai ouk kratarōntos tan kefalan, ek hou pantem tem sōmem dia …He has lost connection to the head, from whom the whole body, supported …
1 Peter 2:7“head”… apodokimazala tois oikodomarōntois houtos genita eis kefalan gōniau… believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become …
Revelation 10:1… nefelan, kai tas irias epi tan kefalan autou, kai tem prosōpem autou hōs …… cloud, with a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun …
Revelation 19:12… autou flogas pureu, kai epi tan kefalan autou diadēmeim polleim, echarōntos onomem graforēntem …… and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on …
kefalau“head”of, belonging togenitive singular14×
Matthew 10:30vu de kai tais trichais tau kefalau pantais arithmorēntais alō.… even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Matthew 26:7… mureu barutimeu kai katachata epi tau kefalau autou anakeiorōntou.… perfume, which she poured on His head as He reclined at the table.
Matthew 27:29… stefanon ek akanthaiu epitithala epi tau kefalau autou kai kalamon en ta dexa …… thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His …
Matthew 27:37kai epitithala epanō tau kefalau autou tan aitian autou graforēntan; Houtos …Above His head they posted the written charge against …
Mark 14:3… suntribarantas tan alabastran katachata autou tau kefalau.… jar and poured it on Jesus’ head.
Luke 7:38“head”… podoin autou kai tai trichai tau kefalau autau ekmassate, kai katafilate toin podoin …… wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them …
Luke 12:7alla kai tais trichais tau kefalau vu pantais arithmolē; mē fobovōr; polleiu …… even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not …
Luke 21:18kai trichas ek tau kefalau vu ouk mē apoleteia.… not even a hair of your head will perish.
John 20:7… tem soudariem, hem ate epi tau kefalau autou, ouk meta teiu othonieiu keiorōntem …… cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from …
Acts 27:34… oudenou gar vu trichas apo tau kefalau apoleti.… not a single hair of your head will be lost.”
1 Corinthians 11:4pantos andros proseuchorōntos ē profēteuarōntos kata kefalau echarōntos kataischunatō tan kefalan autou;… who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.
1 Corinthians 11:10… tas gunaikas exousian echarō epi tau kefalau dia toin angeloin.… a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.
Revelation 12:1… toiu podoiu autau, kai epi tau kefalau autau stefanos asteroiu dōdeka,… crown of twelve stars on her head.
Revelation 14:14… homoion huion anthrōpou, echarōntos epi tau kefalau autou stefanon chrusouon kai en ta …… with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His …
kefala“head”to, fordative singular4×
Matthew 5:36mēte en ta kefala su omnuaseia, hoti ouk dunosō henan …Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single …
John 19:2… stefanon ek akanthaiu epitithala autou ta kefala, kai himatiem porfurouem peribalala auton,… of thorns, set it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple …
John 20:12… en leukei kathezorōntoin, henon pros ta kefala kai henon pros toi podoi, hopou …… Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.
1 Corinthians 11:5… gunaikas proseuchorōntas ē profēteuarōntas akatakalupta ta kefala kataischunatō tan kefalan autau, henem gar …… with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is just as if …
kefalais“heads”subjectnominative plural3×
Revelation 9:17… kai huakinthinoin kai theiōdoin; kai tais kefalais toiu hippoiu hōs kefalais leontoiu, kai …… of fire, sapphire, and sulfur. The heads of the horses were like the …
Revelation 9:17… kai tais kefalais toiu hippoiu hōs kefalais leontoiu, kai ek teiu stomeiu autoiu …… of the horses were like the heads of lions, and out of their …
Revelation 17:9… nouos tos echarōntos sofian. tais hepta kefalais hepta oreim alō, hopou tas gunaikas …… a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the …
kefalain“heads”objectaccusative plural13×
Matthew 27:39… de paraporeuorōntois blasfēmale auton kinarōntois tain kefalain autoiu… heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads
Mark 15:29… tois paraporeuorōntois blasfēmale auton kinarōntois tain kefalain autoiu kai legarōntois; Oua tos kataluarōntor …… heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are …
Luke 21:28… houteiu genorō anakuptavar kai eparavar tain kefalain vu, dioti engizatō tas apolutrōsias vu.… stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Revelation 4:4… en himatiei leukei, kai epi tain kefalain autoiu stefanoin chrusouoin.… white, with golden crowns on their heads.
Revelation 9:7… hetoimazorēntoi eis polemon, kai epi tain kefalain autaiu hōs stefanois homoiois chruso, kai …… like crowns of gold on their heads; and their faces were like the …
Revelation 9:19… gar ourais autoiu homoiais ofioi, echarōntais kefalain, kai en autai adikalō.… their tails were like snakes, having heads with which to inflict harm.
Revelation 12:3… kai idou drakontos megos purros, echarōntos kefalain hepta kai kerateim deka kai epi …… a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns …
Revelation 12:3… kai kerateim deka kai epi tain kefalain autou hepta diadēmeim,… and seven royal crowns on his heads.
Revelation 13:1… thērem anabainarōntem, echarōntem kerateim deka kai kefalain hepta, kai epi teiu kerateiu auteu …… a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea …
Revelation 13:1… auteu deka diadēmeim, kai epi tain kefalain auteu onomeim blasfēmiau.… horns and blasphemous names on its heads.
Revelation 17:3… thērem kokkinem, gemarōnteim onomeim blasfēmiau, echarōntos kefalain hepta kai kerateim deka.… with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.
Revelation 17:7… bastazarōnteu autan, teu echarōnteu tain hepta kefalain kai teim deka kerateim;… carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.
Revelation 18:19kai balala chouon epi tain kefalain autoiu kai krazala klaiarōntois kai pentharōntois …… they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and …
kefalaiu“heads”of, belonging togenitive plural1×
Revelation 13:3kai henan ek taiu kefalaiu auteu hōs sfazorēntan eis thanaton, kai …One of the heads of the beast appeared to have …