adverb
pothen
Greekπόθεν (pothen)
Strong’sG4159
whence
stem pothen-29 times in the New Testamentin 6 of 27 books
Translated as
What it means
πόθεν,
adv.,G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4159 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpoth'-en
from which (as interrogative) or what (as relative) place, state, source or cause
Fromfrom the base of G4213 with enclitic adverb of origin;
King Jameswhence.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Every form
This word never changes. It is spelled the same wherever it appears, so there is nothing to learn beyond the word itself.
Where it appears
29 occurrences, every one of them listed
pothen21×
Matthew 13:27“how”prosercharatois de tois doulois tou oikodespotou legala auto; Kurior, ouchi kalem spermem speirasa en to so agro? pothen oun echatō zizanieim?The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
Matthew 13:56“where”kai tais adelfais autou ouchi pantais pros nin alō? pothen oun houto houteim panteim?Aren’t all His sisters with us as well? Where then did this man get all these things?”
Matthew 21:25“where … from”tem baptismem tem Iōannou pothen ate? ek ouranou ē ek anthrōpoiu? tois de dialogizele en heautoi legarōtois; Ean leganeia; Ek ouranou, legati ni; Dia tinem oun ouk pisteuava auto?What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
Mark 12:37“how”autos David legatō auton kurion, kai pothen autou atō huios? kai tos pollos ochlos akouate autou hēdeōs.David himself calls Him ‘Lord.’ So how can He be David’s son?” And the large crowd listened to Him with delight.
Luke 1:43“why”kai pothen mi houtem hina erchateia tas mētēras tou kuriou mu pros min?And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Luke 13:25“where … from”apo hou an egeiriteia tos oikodespotos kai apokleiateia tan thuran, kai archeveia exō histanarē kai krouarō tan thuran legarōtois; Kurior, anoigasar ni; kai apokriniratos legati vi; Ouk oidamē vin pothen avō.After the master of the house gets up and shuts the door, you will stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ But he will reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’
Luke 13:27“where … from”kai legati legarōtos vi; Ouk oidamē pothen avō; afistanavar apo mu, pantoir ergatoir adikiau.And he will answer, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’
Luke 20:7“where … from”kai apokrinila mē oidarē pothen.So they answered that they did not know where it was from.
John 2:9“where … from”hōs de geueta tos architriklinos tem hudōrem oinon ginirētem, kai ouk oidatelē pothen atō, tois de diakonois oidalelē tois antlarētois tem hudōrem, fōnatō ton numfion tos architriklinosand the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not know where it was from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside
John 3:8“where”tem pneumem hopou thelatō pnatō, kai tan fōnan auteu akouasō, alla ouk oidasē pothen erchetō kai pou hupagatō; houtōs atō pantos tos gennirētos ek teu pneumeu.The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
John 4:11“where”legatō auto tas gunaikas; Kurior, oute antlēmem echasō kai tem frearem atō bathuem; pothen oun echasō tem hudōrem tem zōarōtem?“Sir,” the woman replied, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where then will You get this living water?
John 7:27“where … from”alla houton oidanē pothen atō; tos de christos hotan ercheteiō oudenos gnōskatō pothen atō.But we know where this man is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.”
John 7:27“where … from”alla houton oidanē pothen atō; tos de christos hotan ercheteiō oudenos gnōskatō pothen atō.But we know where this man is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where He is from.”
John 7:28“where … from”krazata oun en te hiere didaskarōtos tos Iēsus kai legarōtos; Kamin oidavē kai oidavē pothen amō; kai apo miautou ouk erchamē, alla atō alēthinos tos pemparatos min, hon vis ouk oidavē;Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “You know Me, and you know where I am from. I have not come of My own accord, but He who sent Me is true. You do not know Him,
John 8:14“where … from”apokrinita Iēsus kai legata autoi; Kan mis marturameiō peri miautou, alēthas atō tas marturias mu, hoti oidamē pothen erchama kai pou hupagamō; vis de ouk oidavē pothen erchemō ē pou hupagamō.Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going.
John 8:14“where … from”apokrinita Iēsus kai legata autoi; Kan mis marturameiō peri miautou, alēthas atō tas marturias mu, hoti oidamē pothen erchama kai pou hupagamō; vis de ouk oidavē pothen erchemō ē pou hupagamō.Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going.
John 9:29“where … from”nis oidanē hoti Mōuso lalatē tos theos, houton de ouk oidanē pothen atō.We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this man is from.”
John 9:30“where … from”apokrinita tos anthrōpos kai legata autoi; En houte gar tem thaumastem atō hoti vis ouk oidavē pothen atō, kai anoigata mu toin ofthalmoin.“That is remarkable indeed!” the man said. “You do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes.
James 4:1“from where”Pothen polemois kai pothen machais en vi? ouk enteuthen, ek taiu hēdonaiu vu taiu strateuerōtaiu en tei melei vu?What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
Revelation 2:5“from where”mnēmoneuasōr oun pothen piptasē, kai metanoasar kai teim prōteim ergeim poiasar; ei de mē, erchemō si, kai kinami tan luchnan su ek tou topou autau, ean mē metanoaseia.Therefore, keep in mind how far you have fallen. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
Revelation 7:13“where … from”Kai apokrinita henos ek toiu presbuteroiu legarōtos mi; Houtois tois periballerētois tain stolain tain leukain tinois alō kai pothen erchala?Then one of the elders addressed me: “These in white robes,” he asked, “who are they, and where have they come from?”
Pothen8×
Matthew 13:54“where”kai ercharatos eis tan patridan autou didaskate autoin en ta sunagōga autoiu, hōste ekplēssirō autoin kai legarō; Pothen houto tas sofias houtas kai tais dunamiais?Coming to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?” they asked.
Matthew 15:33“where”kai legalō auto tois mathētois; Pothen ni en erēmia artois tosoutois hōste chortazara ochlon tosouton?The disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”
Mark 6:2“where”kai ginerateu sabbateu archeta didaskarō en ta sunagōga; kai tois pollois akouarōtois ekplēssile legarōtois; Pothen houto houteim, kai tinas tas sofias tas dōiratas houto, kai tais dunamiais toioutais dia taiu cheiraiu autou ginerōtais?When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. “Where did this man get these ideas?” they asked. “What is this wisdom He has been given? And how can He perform such miracles?
Mark 8:4“where”kai apokrinila auto tois mathētois autou hoti Pothen houtoin duneti tinos hōde chortazara artoiu epi erēmiau?His disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could anyone find enough bread to feed all these people?”
John 1:48“how”legatō auto Nathanaēl; Pothen min gnōskasō? apokrinita Iēsus kai legata auto; Pro teu sin Filippon fōnara arōton hupo tan sukan horama sin.“How do You know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
John 6:5“where”epairaratos oun toin ofthalmoin tos Iēsus kai theaseratos hoti pollos ochlos erchetō pros auton legatō pros Filippon; Pothen agorazaneia artoin hina esthialeia houtois?When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”
John 19:9“where … from”kai eiserchata eis tem praitōriem palin kai legatō to Iēso; Pothen asō sis? tos de Iēsus apokrisian ouk dōata auto.and he went back into the Praetorium. “Where are You from?” he asked. But Jesus gave no answer.
James 4:1“what is the source”Pothen polemois kai pothen machais en vi? ouk enteuthen, ek taiu hēdonaiu vu taiu strateuerōtaiu en tei melei vu?What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?