noun · feminine
mētēras
Strong’sG3384
a mother
stem mētēr-83 times in the New Testamentin 11 of 27 books5 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
Mother in the ordinary, literal sense of a female parent 1234.
The word also extends to anyone who fills a mother's role toward someone, as when a person is addressed or described as if a mother 1. It is used figuratively of a city regarded as the "mother" of its people 1, and symbolically of Babylon as the mother of prostitutes, an image of a corrupting source or origin 1. Strong's likewise notes that the word can be used not only of a literal, immediate mother but figuratively or of a more remote relationship 2.
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
μήτηρ, gen., μητρός, ἡ,
[in LXX chiefly for אֵם;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3384 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidmay'-tare
a "mother" (literally or figuratively, immediate or remote)
Fromapparently a primary word;
King Jamesmother.
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
Doric dialect μάτηρ, ἡ: though paroxytone in nominative, it follows πατήρ in the accent of the indirect cases, genitive μητερος contraction μητρός, dative μητέρι, μητρί, both forms being found in Refs 8th c.BC+, but the longer forms rarely in Trag. exc. Lyric poetry, as ματέρος Refs 5th c.BC+; μητέρος in iambics, Refs 5th c.BC+:—mother, Refs 8th c.BC+; of animals, dam,Refs 8th c.BC+; of a mother-bird, Refs 8th c.BC+; of queen bees, Refs 4th c.BC+; ἀπὸ ματρὸς φίλας, ἐκ ματρός, from one's mother's womb, Refs 5th c.BC+: in plural, mother and grandmother, Refs 1st c.AD+; as an address to elderly women, ὦ μῆτερ Refs 3rd c.BC+, = Mater Patriae, Refs 2nd c.AD+; μ. τῶν ἀηττήτων στρατοπέδων, = Mater invictorum castrorum, of Julia Domna, Refs 3rd c.AD+
2 of lands, μ. μήλων, θηρῶν, mother of flocks, of game, Refs 8th c.BC+; frequently of Earth, γῆ πάντων μ. Refs 8th c.BC+; ἡ Μήτηρ, ={Δημήτηρ}, τῇ Μητρὶ καὶ τῇ Κούρῃ ὁρτὴν ἄγουσι Refs 5th c.BC+; also of Rhea, Refs 5th c.BC+; as title of Isis, Refs 3rd c.BC+
3 frequently of one's native land, μᾶτερ ἐμά, Θήβα Refs 5th c.BC+; and so, like{μητρόπολις}, Refs 5th c.BC+
II poetry, the origin or source of events, μ. ἀέθλων, of Olympia, Refs 5th c.BC+; of night, as the mother of day, Refs 4th c.BC+; the grape of wine, Refs 5th c.BC+; Aphrodite of the Loves, Refs; φάτις ὦ μᾶτερ αἰσχύνας ἐμᾶς, of a rumour, Refs 5th c.BC+: also in Prose, γεωργίαν τῶν ἄλλων τεχνῶν μητέρα Refs 5th c.BC+; πολιτειῶν μητέρες δύο (i.e. μοναρχία and δημοκρατία) Refs 5th c.BC+. (Cf. Latin mater, ORefs 5th c.BC+ módor, etc.)
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 | mētēras32×μήτηρ | mētērais |
| object accusative | mētēran26×μητέρα | mētērain2×μητέρας |
| direct address vocative | mētērar | mētērair |
| of, belonging to genitive | mētērau12×μητρὸς | mētēraiu |
| to, for dative | mētēra11×μητρὶ | mētērai |
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
mētēra 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.
83 occurrences, every one of them listed
mētēras“mother”subjectnominative singular32×
Matthew 12:46… autou lalarōntou toi ochloi idou tas mētēras kai tois adelfois autou stēalelē exō …… still speaking to the crowds, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to …
Matthew 12:47legata de tinos auto; Idou tas mētēras su kai tois adelfois su exō …Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting …
Matthew 12:48… to legarōnto auto; Tinas atō tas mētēras mu, kai tinois alō tois adelfois …But Jesus replied, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?”
Matthew 12:49… toin mathētoin autou legata; Idou tas mētēras mu kai tois adelfois mu;… disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers.
Matthew 12:50… autos mu adelfos kai adelfas kai mētēras atō.… is My brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew 13:55“mother”… tos tou tektonou huios? ouk tas mētēras autou legotō Mariam kai tois adelfois …“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph …
Matthew 20:20Tote proserchata auto tas mētēras toiu huioiu Zebedaiou meta toiu huioiu …Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus …
Matthew 27:56… Marias tas tou Iakōbou kai Iōsēf mētēras kai tas mētēras toiu huioiu Zebedaiou.… of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
Matthew 27:56… Iakōbou kai Iōsēf mētēras kai tas mētēras toiu huioiu Zebedaiou.… them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the …
Mark 3:31Kai ercholō tas mētēras autou kai tois adelfois autou kai …Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside …
Mark 3:32… ochlos, kai legalō auto; Idou tas mētēras su kai tois adelfois su exō …… Him. “Look,” He was told, “Your mother and brothers are outside, asking for …
Mark 3:33… apokrinirantos autoi legatō; Tinas atō tas mētēras mu ē tois adelfois mu?But Jesus replied, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”
Mark 3:34… auton kuklō kathorōntoin legatō; Ide tas mētēras mu kai tois adelfois mu;… Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!
Mark 3:35… houtos adelfos mu kai adelfas kai mētēras atō.… is My brother and sister and mother.”
Mark 15:40… tas Iakōbou tou mikrou kai Iōsētou mētēras kai Salōmas,… them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of …
Luke 1:43… pothen mi houtem hina erchateia tas mētēras tou kuriou mu pros min?… am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to …
Luke 1:60kai apokrinirantas tas mētēras autou legata; Ouchi, alla kaliti Iōannos.But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called …
Luke 2:33… ate tos patros autou kai tas mētēras thaumazarōntois epi tei lalorōntei peri autou.The Child’s father and mother were amazed at what was spoken …
Luke 2:48… ekplēssila, kai legata pros auton tas mētēras autou; Teknem, tinem poiasa ni houtōs? …… You done this to us?” His mother asked. “Your father and I have …
Luke 2:51… kai ate hupotassorōntos autoi. kai tas mētēras autou diatērate panteim teim rēmeim houteim …… was obedient to them. But His mother treasured up all these things in …
Luke 8:19Parageneta de pros auton tas mētēras kai tois adelfois autou, kai ouk …Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see Him …
Luke 8:20apangelita de auto; Tas mētēras su kai tois adelfois su stēalē …He was told, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting …
Luke 8:21tos de apokrinirantos legata pros autoin; Mētēras mu kai adelfois mu houtois alō …But He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear …
Luke 12:53… epi huio kai huios epi patro, mētēras epi thugatran kai thugatras epi tan …… against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother …
John 2:1… Kana tau Galilaiau, kai ate tas mētēras tou Iēsu ekei;… place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,
John 2:3kai husterarantou oinou legatō tas mētēras tou Iēsu pros auton; Oinon ouk …When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no …
John 2:5legatō tas mētēras autou toi diakonoi; Hem tinem an …His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever …
John 2:12… katabainata eis Kafarnaoum autos kai tas mētēras autou kai tois adelfois kai tois …… went down to Capernaum with His mother and brothers and His disciples, and …
John 19:25… para to stauro tou Iēsu tas mētēras autou kai tas adelfas tau mētērau …… the cross of Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as …
John 19:27eita legatō to mathēto; Ide tas mētēras su. kai apo ekeinau tau hōrau …… to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” So from that hour, this disciple …
Galatians 4:26… anō Ierousalēm eleutheras atō, hotinas atō mētēras nu;… is free, and she is our mother.
Revelation 17:5… graforēntem, mustēriem, Babulōnas tas megas, tas mētēras taiu pornaiu kai teiu bdelugmeiu tau …… was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS …
mētēran“mother”objectaccusative singular26×
Matthew 2:13… Egerirantos paralabasar tem paidiem kai tan mētēran autou kai fugasōr eis Aiguptan, kai …… said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there …
Matthew 2:14… egerirantos paralabata tem paidiem kai tan mētēran autou nuktau kai anachōrata eis Aiguptan,… up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt,
Matthew 2:20… Egerirantos paralabasar tem paidiem kai tan mētēran autou kai poreuosōr eis gēan Israēl, …… said. “Take the Child and His mother and go to the land of …
Matthew 2:21… egerirantos paralabata tem paidiem kai tan mētēran autou kai eiserchata eis gēan Israēl.… up, took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of …
Matthew 10:37tos filarōntos patron ē mētēran huper min ouk atō mu axios; …Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy …
Matthew 15:4… legata; Timasōr ton patron kai tan mētēran, kai; Tos kakologarōntos patron ē mētēran …… God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father …
Matthew 15:4… mētēran, kai; Tos kakologarōntos patron ē mētēran thanato teleutatōr;… Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’
Matthew 19:5… kataleipati anthrōpos ton patron kai tan mētēran kai kolliti ta gunaika autou, kai …… man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife …
Matthew 19:19Timasōr ton patron kai tan mētēran, kai Agapasi ton plēsion su hōs …honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Matthew 19:29… adelfoin ē adelfain ē patron ē mētēran ē gunaikan ē tekneim ē agroin …… brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields …
Mark 5:40… ton patron teu paidieu kai tan mētēran kai toin meta autou, kai eisporeuotō …… He took the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and went …
Mark 7:10… Timasōr ton patron su kai tan mētēran su, kai; Tos kakologarōntos patron ē …… said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father …
Mark 7:10… su, kai; Tos kakologarōntos patron ē mētēran thanato teleutatōr;… Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’
Mark 10:7… anthrōpos ton patron autou kai tan mētēran kai proskolliti pros tan gunaikan autou,… man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,
Mark 10:19… Timasōr ton patron su kai tan mētēran.… cheat others, honor your father and mother.’”
Mark 10:29… oikian ē adelfoin ē adelfain ē mētēran ē patron ē tekneim ē agroin …… home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields …
Luke 2:34… Sumeōn kai legata pros Mariam tan mētēran autou; Idou houtos keiotō eis ptōsian …… blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed …
Luke 8:51… ton patron tau paidau kai tan mētēran.… James, and the child’s father and mother.
Luke 12:53… epi thugatran kai thugatras epi tan mētēran, pentheras epi tan numfan autau kai …… mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against …
Luke 14:26… misatō ton patron heautou kai tan mētēran kai tan gunaikan kai teim tekneim …… does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers …
Luke 18:20… Timasōr ton patron su kai tan mētēran.… false witness, honor your father and mother.’”
John 6:42… nis oidanē ton patron kai tan mētēran? pōs nun legatō hoti Ek tou …… son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He …
John 19:26Iēsus oun horarantos tan mētēran kai ton mathēton parastēarēnton hon agapate …When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved …
Romans 16:13… ton eklekton en kurio kai tan mētēran autou kai mu.… chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to …
Ephesians 5:31… kataleipati anthrōpos ton patron kai tan mētēran kai proskolliti ta gunaika autou, kai …… man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife …
Ephesians 6:2timasōr ton patron su kai tan mētēran, hotinas atō entolas prōtas en epangelia,“Honor your father and mother” (which is the first commandment with …
mētērau“mother’s”of, belonging togenitive singular12×
Matthew 1:18… tas genesias houtōs ate. mnēsteuirantau tau mētērau autou Mariau to Iōsēf, prin ē …… of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged in marriage to …
Matthew 2:11… horala tem paidiem meta Mariau tau mētērau autou, kai piptarantois proskunala auto, kai …… they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and …
Matthew 10:35… patrou autou kai thugatran kata tau mētērau autau kai numfan kata tau pentherau …… his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
Matthew 14:8tas de probibazirantas hupo tau mētērau autau; Dōasar mi, fēatō, hōde epi …Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on …
Matthew 19:12“mother’s”alō gar eunouchois hotinois ek koiliau mētērau gennila houtōs, kai alō eunouchois hotinois …For there are eunuchs who were born that way; others were made that way by men; and still others live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept …
Luke 1:15… pneumeu hagieu pimplēiti ēti ek koiliau mētērau autou,… the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
John 3:4… mē dunotō eis tan koilian tau mētērau autou deuterem eiserchara kai gennira?… Nicodemus asked. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time to be …
John 19:25“mother’s”… mētēras autou kai tas adelfas tau mētērau autou, Marias tas tou Klōpou kai …… Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.
Acts 3:2“mother’s”kai tinos andros chōlos ek koiliau mētērau autou huparcharōntos bastazote, hon tithale kata …And a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the …
Acts 12:12… epi tan oikian tau Mariau tau mētērau Iōannou tou epikalorōntou Markou, hou ale …… to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where …
Acts 14:8“mother’s”… toi podoi kathote, chōlos ek koiliau mētērau autou, hos oudepote peripatata.… crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked.
Galatians 1:15… eudokata tos aforizarantos min ek koiliau mētērau mu kai kalarantos dia tau charitau …… who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His …
mētēra“mother”to, fordative singular11×
Matthew 14:11… dōita te korasie, kai ferata ta mētēra autau.… girl, who carried it to her mother.
Matthew 15:5… an legateia to patro ē ta mētēra; Dōrem hem ean ek mu ōfeliseia,… anyone says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from …
Mark 6:24kai exercharantas legata ta mētēra autau; Tinem aitemeia? tas de legata; …… she went out and asked her mother, “What should I request?” And her …
Mark 6:28… kai tem korasiem dōata autan ta mētēra autau.… girl, who gave it to her mother.
Mark 7:11… legateia anthrōpos to patro ē ta mētēra; Korban, hem atō Dōrem, hem ean …… man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from …
Mark 7:12… oudenem poiara to patro ē ta mētēra,… do anything for his father or mother.
Luke 7:12… idou ekkomizote thnēskarēntos monogenos huios ta mētēra autou, kai autas ate chēras, kai …… out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And …
Luke 7:15… archeta lalarō, kai dōata auton ta mētēra autou.… Jesus gave him back to his mother.
John 19:26… mathēton parastēarēnton hon agapate legatō ta mētēra; Gunaikar, ide tos huios su;… standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.”
Acts 1:14… proseucha sun gunaikai kai Mariam ta mētēra tou Iēsu kai sun toi adelfoi …… with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
2 Timothy 1:5… ta mamma su Lōida kai ta mētēra su Eunika, peithomē de hoti kai …… in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am convinced is …
mētērain“mothers”objectaccusative plural2×
Mark 10:30… oikiain kai adelfoin kai adelfain kai mētērain kai tekneim kai agroin meta diōgmoiu, …… houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with …
1 Timothy 5:2presbuterain hōs mētērain, neoterain hōs adelfain en panta hagneia.older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with …