adverb
pōs
Strong’sG4459
how, in what manner
stem pō-103 times in the New Testamentin 17 of 27 booksnever changes form
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
How or in what way — πῶς is the standard interrogative adverb of manner, used to ask "how?" in direct questions 124. It works the same way in deliberative questions, asking what course of action should be taken 1, and it is also used to introduce indirect questions, reporting the manner in which something happened or is done, a use that becomes increasingly common in later Greek 13. Strong's adds that it can further function much like the word "that," introducing a clause describing the way something occurs 2.
In exclamations, πῶς takes on a different function, meaning how...!, expressing astonishment at the degree or manner of something (e.g. how quickly, how hard) rather than asking a genuine question 13.
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
πῶς, interrog. adv., correl. of ὅπως,
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4459 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpoce
an interrogative particle of manner; in what way? (sometimes the question is indirect, how?); also as exclamation, how much!
Fromadverb from the base of G4226;
King Jameshow, after (by) what manner (means), that.
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
Ionic dialect κῶς, interrogative adverb of Manner, how? Refs 8th c.BC+; sometimes to express displeasure, Refs 5th c.BC+; to express astonishment or doubt, π. εἶπα; Refs 5th c.BC+; π. λέγει; Refs; π. φῄ; Refs 5th c.BC+; π. τοῦτ᾽ ἔλεξα; Refs 4th c.BC+; π. τοῦτ᾽ εἶπες α; Refs 5th c.BC+; also π. μὴ φῶμεν..; surely we must, Refs
b in dialogue, to ask explanation, with a repetition of a word used by the previous speaker, δίκαια— Answ. π. δίκαι; Refs 5th c.BC+; μὴ δίκαιος ὤν—Answ. π. μὴ δίκαιο; Refs; συμβολάς—Answ. π. συμβολά; Refs 2nd c.AD+; πῶς alone, how so, π., ὅς γε..; Refs 5th c.BC+
2 with a second interrogative in the same clause, π. ἐκ τίνος νεώς ποτε.. ἥκετ; how and by what ship..? Refs 5th c.BC+; π. τί τοῦτο λέγει; how say you and what? Refs 5th c.BC+
3 with genitive modi, π. ἀγῶνος ἥκομε; how are we come off in it? Refs 5th c.BC+
4 with Verbs of selling, how? at what price? π. ὁ σῖτος ὤνιο; Refs 5th c.BC+; τὰ δ᾽ ἄλφιθ᾽ ὑμῖν π. ἐπώλου;—Answ. τεττάρων δραχμῶν.. τὸν κόφινον Refs 5th c.BC+
II with other Particles, π. ἂν..; π. κε (ν)..; how possibly..? π. ἂν ἔπειτ᾽ ἀπὸ σεῖο.. λιποίμην οἶο; Refs 8th c.BC+; π. ἂν γένοιτ᾽ ἂν.. ποδῶν ἔκμακτρο; Refs 5th c.BC+: so with indicative, Refs 8th c.BC+
II.b in Trag., π. ἄν with optative is frequently used to express a wish, O how might it be? i.e. would that it might..! π. ἂν θάνοιμ; π. ἂν ὀλοίμη; etc., Refs 5th c.BC+; rare in Comedy texts, Refs 5th c.BC+ (a trace of this usage appears in LXX+8th c.BC+; also with aorist subjunctive (without ἄν), π. κοιμηθ; Refs 2nd c.AD+; π. μή μοι μέγας λέων ἐπιφαν; Refs 2nd c.AD+; with present, π. μὴ χρῄζ; M.Ant. [prev. cited]
II.2 π. ἄρα..; in reply, how then? π. τ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἴω..; Refs 8th c.BC+
II.3 π. γὰρ..; also in reply, as if something had gone before, [that cannot be], for how can..? Refs 8th c.BC+; π. γὰρ κάτοιδ; Refs 5th c.BC+
II.4 π. δὲ..; to introduce a strong objection, π. δὲ σὺ νῦν μέμονας, κύον ἀδδεές..; Refs 8th c.BC+; δόξει δὲ π.; Refs 4th c.BC+
II.5 π. δ; how in the world? π. δὴ φῂς πολέμοιο μεθιέμε; Refs 8th c.BC+; also π. γὰρ δή..; Refs 8th c.BC+; π. δῆτα..; Refs 5th c.BC+
II.6 π. καὶ..; just how..? Refs 5th c.BC+; π. δὲ καὶ..; Refs 5th c.BC+; but καὶ π...; to introduce an objection, Refs 5th c.BC+; alone, but how? impossible! Refs 5th c.BC+
II.7 π. οὐ..; how not so..? i.e. surely it is so.. , π. οὐ δεινὰ εἴργασθ; Refs 5th c.BC+
II.8 π. οὖν..; like{π. ἄρα.}.; Refs 5th c.BC+; π. ἂν οὖν.. with optative, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.9 π. ποτε..; how ever..? Refs 5th c.BC+
III πῶς followed by several of the abovenamed Particles is frequently used in elliptical sentences, as,
III.1 π. γά; inserted parenthesis in a negative sentence, for how is it possible? how can or could it be? hence in emphatic denial, κἀγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἔδρασα, τοῦτ᾽ ἐπίσταμαι, οὐδ᾽ αὖ σύ· π. γά; Refs; οὐκ ἀπορῶν (π. γά;), ὅς γε.. Refs 5th c.BC+; οὐδ᾽ ἐπὶ τὴν ἑστίαν καταφυγών (π. γὰρ ἄ;), ὅστις.. Refs 5th c.BC+; π. γὰρ ο; how can it but be? i.e. it must be so, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. γά; (i.e. ἄλλως ἔχει) is so used in Refs 5th c.BC+
III.2 π. δ; how so? Refs 5th c.BC+; π. δῆτ; Refs 5th c.BC+; π. δα; Refs 5th c.BC+
III.3 π. δ᾽ ο; like{π. γὰρ οὔ}; (see.Refs 5th c.BC+; π. δ᾽ οὐχ; Refs 5th c.BC+; π. δ᾽ οὐκ ἄν..; Refs 4th c.BC+
III.4 π. οὖ; how then? how next? Refs 5th c.BC+; π. οὖν ἄν..; Refs 5th c.BC+
III.5 π. δοκεῖ; parenthesis, in conversation, how think you? hence (losing all interrogative force),= λίαν, wonderfully, Refs 5th c.BC+
IV π. in indirect questions for ὅπως, Refs 5th c.BC+
V in exclamations, ὦ π. πονηρόν ἐστιν ἀνθρώπου φύσις τὸ σύνολον Refs 4th c.BC+; π. παραχρῆμα ἐξηράνθη.. ! NT; π. δυσκόλως.. ! NT
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.
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.
103 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
pōs81×
Matthew 6:28… merimnavō? katamathavar teim krineim tou agrou pōs auxanalō; ouk kopialō oude nēthalō;… do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow …
Matthew 7:4ē pōs legasi to adelfo su; Afiēkasar ekbalameia …How can you say to your brother …
Matthew 10:19hotan de paradōaleia vin, mē merimnaveia pōs ē tinem lalaveia; dōiti gar vi …… you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say …
Matthew 12:26… ton Satanon ekbalatō, epi heauton merizita; pōs oun stēiti tas basileias autou?… Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?
Matthew 12:29ē pōs dunotō tinos eiserchara eis tan oikian …Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s …
Matthew 12:34gennēmeim echidnaiu, pōs dunovō agatheim lalarō ponērois arōntois? ek …You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say …
Matthew 16:11pōs ouk noavō hoti ouk peri artoiu …How do you not understand that I …
Matthew 22:12kai legatō auto; Hetairor, pōs eiserchasa hōde mē echarōntos endumem gamou? …‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without …
Matthew 22:45ei oun David kalatō auton kurion, pōs huios autou atō?So if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how can He be David’s son?”
Matthew 23:33ofioir gennēmeim echidnaiu, pōs fugaveia apo tau krisiau tau geennau?You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of …
Matthew 26:54pōs oun plērileia tais grafais hoti houtōs …But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled …
Mark 4:13… Ouk oidavē tan parabolan houtan, kai pōs pantain tain parabolain gnōskevi?… you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the …
Mark 5:16kai diēgela autoi tois horarantois pōs geneta to daimonizorōnto kai peri toiu …Those who had seen it described what had happened to the demon-possessed man …
Mark 9:12“how”… men ercharantos prōtem apokatastēatō panteim, kai pōs grafotē epi ton huion tou anthrōpou …… Elijah does indeed come first, and he restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected?
Mark 10:24… Iēsus palin apokrinirantos legatō autoi; Tekneim, pōs duskolem atō eis tan basileian tou …… Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the …
Mark 11:18“how”… archierevois kai tois grammatevois, kai zētale pōs auton apolaleia; fobole gar auton, pantos …When the chief priests and scribes heard this, they looked for a way to kill Him. For they were afraid of Him, because the whole crowd was …
Mark 12:41“how”Kai kathizarantos katenanti teu gazofulakieu theōrate pōs tos ochlos balatō chalkon eis tem …… was sitting opposite the treasury, He watched the crowd putting money into it. And …
Mark 14:1“how”… zētale tois archierevois kai tois grammatevois pōs auton en dolo kratarantois apoktenaleia,… away, and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a covert way to arrest Jesus and kill Him.
Mark 14:11“how”… epangelela auto arguriem dōara. kai zētate pōs auton eukairōs paradōateia.… and they promised to give him money. So Judas began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
Luke 6:42pōs dunosō legarō to adelfo su; Adelfor, …How can you say, ‘Brother, let me …
Luke 8:18blepavōr oun pōs akouavō; hos an gar echateiō, dōiti …Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen. Whoever has will be …
Luke 8:36apangelala de autoi tois horarantois pōs sōzita tos daimonizirantos.… those who had seen it reported how the demon-possessed man had been healed.
Luke 10:26… auton; En to nomo tinem grafotē? pōs anagnōskasō?… written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?”
Luke 11:18… kai tos Satanos epi heauton diamerizita, pōs stēiti tas basileias autou? hoti legavō …If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? After all …
Luke 12:11… archain kai tain exousiain, mē merimnaveia pōs ē tinem apologeveia ē tinem legaveia;… and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to …
Luke 12:27katanoavar teim krineim pōs auxanatō; ouk kopiatō oude nēthatō; legamō …Consider how the lilies grow: They do not …
Luke 12:50baptismem de echamō baptizira, kai pōs sunechomō heōs hotinou teliteia.… have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is …
Luke 12:56… oidavē dokimazarō, ton de kairon houton pōs ouk oidavē dokimazarō?… and sky. Why don’t you know how to interpret the present time?
Luke 20:44David oun auton kurion kalatō, kai pōs autou huios atō?Thus David calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?”
Luke 22:2“how”… tois archierevois kai tois grammatevois tem pōs anairaleia auton, fobole gar ton laon.and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they feared the people.
Luke 22:4… sullalata toi archierevoi kai stratēgoi tem pōs autoi paradōateia auton.… the chief priests and temple officers how he might betray Jesus to them.
John 3:12… epigeieim legama vi kai ouk pisteuavō, pōs ean legameia vi teim epouraneim pisteuavi?… things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell …
John 5:44pōs dunovō vis pisteuara, doxan para allēloiu …How can you believe if you accept …
John 5:47… de tei ekeinou grammei ouk pisteuavō, pōs tei ēmei rēmei pisteuavi?… do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”
John 6:42… oidanē ton patron kai tan mētēran? pōs nun legatō hoti Ek tou ouranou …… whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have …
John 8:33… Abraam anō kai oudeno douleuanē pōpote; pōs sis legasō hoti Eleutherois genevi?… have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be …
John 9:15… oun erōtale auton kai tois Farisaiois pōs anablepata. tos de legata autoi; Pēlon …So the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. The …
John 9:19… hon vis legavō hoti tuflos gennita? pōs oun blepatō arti?… you say was born blind? So how is it that he can now …
John 9:21pōs de nun blepatō ouk oidanē, ē …But how he can now see or who …
John 9:26legala oun auto; Tinem poiata si? pōs anoigata su toin ofthalmoin?… He do to you?” they asked. “How did He open your eyes?”
John 11:36legale oun tois Ioudaiois; Ide pōs filate auton.Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
John 12:34… christos menatō eis ton aiōnon, kai pōs legasō sis hoti datō hupsira ton …… the Christ will remain forever. So how can You say that the Son …
John 14:5… Thōmos; Kurior, ouk oidanē pou hupagasō; pōs dunonō tan hodan oidarē?… know where You are going, so how can we know the way?”
John 14:9… tos horarēntos min horatē ton patron; pōs sis legasō; Deikasar ni ton patron?… seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the …
Acts 2:8kai pōs nis akouanō hekastos ta idia dialekta …How is it then that each of …
Acts 4:21“how”… prosapeilerantois apoluala autoin, mēdenem heuriskarōntois tem pōs kolazeleia autoin, dia ton laon, hoti …After further threats they let them go. They could not find a way to punish them, because all the people were glorifying …
Acts 9:27… pros toin apostoloin, kai diēgeta autoi pōs en ta hoda horata ton kurion …… him to the apostles and described how Saul had seen the Lord, who …
Acts 9:27… kurion kai hoti lalata auto kai pōs en Damaska parrēsiazeta en te onome …… on the road to Damascus, and how Saul had spoken boldly in that …
Acts 12:17… autoi ta cheira sigarō diēgeta autoi pōs tos kurios auton exagata ek tau …… hand for silence, and he described how the Lord had brought him out …
Acts 15:36… hai katangelana ton logon tou kuriou, pōs echalō.… word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”
Acts 20:18… apo hau epibainama eis tan Asian pōs meta vu ton panton chronon genema,… to him, he said, “You know how I lived the whole time I …
Romans 3:6mē genetoia; epei pōs krinati tos theos ton kosmon?Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?
Romans 4:10“how”pōs oun logizita? en peritoma arōnto ē …… was it credited? Was it after his circumcision, or before? It …
Romans 6:2mē genetoia; hotinois apothnēskana ta hamarta, pōs ēti zōani en auta?Certainly not! How can we who died to sin …
Romans 8:32… alla huper nu pantoiu paradōata auton, pōs ouchi kai sun auto teim panteim …… gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with …
Romans 10:14… oun epikaleleia eis hon ouk pisteuala? pōs de pisteualeia hou ouk akouala? pōs …… whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One …
Romans 10:14… pōs de pisteualeia hou ouk akouala? pōs de akoualeia chōris kērussarōntou?… whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to …
Romans 10:15pōs de kērussaleia ean mē apostelileia? kathōs …And how can they preach unless they are …
1 Corinthians 3:10… allosos de epoikodomatō. hekastos de blepatōr pōs epoikodomatō;… But each one must be careful how he builds.
1 Corinthians 7:32… tos agamos merimnatō teim tou kuriou, pōs areskateia to kurio;… about the work of the Lord, how he can please the Lord.
1 Corinthians 7:33… de gamarantos merimnatō teim tou kosmou, pōs areskateia ta gunaika,… about the affairs of this world, how he can please his wife,
1 Corinthians 7:34… de gamarantas merimnatō teim tou kosmou, pōs areskateia to andro.… about the affairs of this world, how she can please her husband.
1 Corinthians 14:7… ean diastolan toi fthongoi mē dōateia, pōs gnōskiti tem aulorōntem ē tem kitharizorōntem?… such as the flute or harp, how will anyone recognize the tune they …
1 Corinthians 14:9… glōssau ean mē eusēmon logon dōaveia, pōs gnōskiti tem lalorōntem? evi gar eis …… speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are …
1 Corinthians 14:16… tos anaplērarōntos ton topon tou idiōtou pōs legati tem Amēn epi ta sa …… you speak a blessing in spirit, how can someone who is uninstructed say …
1 Corinthians 15:12… Christos kērussotō hoti ek nekroiu egerotē, pōs legalō en vi tinois hoti anastasias …… has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that …
2 Corinthians 3:8“how”pōs ouchi mallon tas diakonias teu pneumeu …will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
Galatians 2:14… huparcharōntos ethnikōs kai ouk Ioudaikōs zōasō, pōs teim ethneim anankazasō Ioudaizarō?… Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to …
Galatians 4:9… theon, mallon de gnōskirantois hupo theou, pōs epistrefavō palin epi teim astheneim kai …… or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning …
Ephesians 5:15Blepavōr oun akribōs pōs peripatavō, mē hōs asofois alla hōs …Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but …
Colossians 4:6… pantote en charita, halate artuorēntos, oidarē pōs datō vin heno hekasto apokrinorō.… salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
1 Thessalonians 4:1… hina kathōs paralabava para nu tem pōs datō vin peripatarō kai areskarō theo, …… have received from us. This is how you already live, so you should …
1 Timothy 3:5… tou idiou oikou prostēara ouk oidatē, pōs ekklēsau theou epimeliti… how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church …
1 Timothy 3:15ean de bradunameiō, hina oidaseiē pōs datō en oiko theou anastreforō, hotinas …… delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in …
Matthew 12:4“how”pōs eiserchata eis ton oikon tou theou …He entered the house of God, and he …
Mark 2:26“how”pōs eiserchata eis ton oikon tou theou …… Abiathar, he entered the house of God and ate …
Mark 12:26… ta bibla Mōusou epi tou batou pōs legata auto tos theos legarōntos; Mis …… bush in the Book of Moses, how God told him, ‘I am the …
Luke 14:7… de pros toin kalorēntoin parabolan, epecharōntos pōs tain prōtoklisiain eklegole, legarōntos pros autoin;When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of …
Acts 11:13apangelata de ni pōs horata ton angelon en to oiko …He told us how he had seen an angel standing …
1 Thessalonians 1:9… hopoian eisodan echana pros vin, kai pōs epistrefava pros ton theon apo teiu …… of welcome you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols …
2 Thessalonians 3:7autois gar oidavē pōs datō mimorō nin, hoti ouk ataktana …For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because …
Pōs19×
Matthew 21:20kai horarantois tois mathētois thaumazala legarōntois; Pōs parachrēma xēranita tas sukas?… saw this, they marveled and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so …
Matthew 22:43legatō autoi; Pōs oun David en pneume kalatō auton …Jesus said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit …
Mark 3:23… proskalerantos autoin en parabolai legate autoi; Pōs dunotō Satanos Satanon ekbalarō?… to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan?
Mark 4:30Kai legate; Pōs homoianeia tan basileian tou theou, ē …… we compare the kingdom of God? With what parable shall we present it?
Mark 10:23… tos Iēsus legatō toi mathētoi autou; Pōs duskolōs tois teim chrēmeim echarōntois eis …… around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich …
Mark 12:35… Iēsus legate didaskarōntos en te hiere; Pōs legalō tois grammatevois hoti tos christos …… in the temple courts, He asked, “How can the scribes say that the …
Luke 1:34legata de Mariam pros ton angelon; Pōs eti houtem, epei andron ouk gnōskamō?“How can this be,” Mary asked the …
Luke 18:24Horarantos de auton tos Iēsus legata; Pōs duskolōs tois teim chrēmeim echarōntois eis …Seeing the man’s sadness, Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich …
Luke 20:41Legata de pros autoin; Pōs legalō ton christon arō David huion?Then Jesus declared, “How can it be said that the …
John 3:4legatō pros auton tos Nikodēmos; Pōs dunotō anthrōpos gennira gerōnos arōntos? mē …“How can a man be born when …
John 3:9apokrinita Nikodēmos kai legata auto; Pōs dunotō houteim genera?“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
John 4:9… oun auto tas gunaikas tas Samaritias; Pōs sis Ioudaios arōntos para mu pinara …… are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink …
John 6:52… oun pros allēloin tois Ioudaiois legarōntois; Pōs dunotō houtos ni dōara tan sarkan …… Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His …
John 7:15thaumazale oun tois Ioudaiois legarōntois; Pōs houtos grammeim oidatē mē matharēntos?The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man attain such learning …
John 9:10legale oun auto; Pōs anoigila su tois ofthalmois?“How then were your eyes opened?” they …
John 9:16… tem sabbatem ouk tēratō. allosois legale; Pōs dunotō anthrōpos hamartōlos toiouteim sēmeim poiarō? …… keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man perform such …
Acts 8:31tos de legata; Pōs gar an dunomoiō ean mē tinos …“How can I,” he said, “unless someone …
Romans 10:14Pōs oun epikaleleia eis hon ouk pisteuala? …How then can they call on the …
1 Corinthians 15:35Alla legati tinos; Pōs egerolō tois nekrois, poie de sōme …But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what …