noun · neuter
sēmem
Strong’sG4592
a sign, miracle, indication
stem sēm-77 times in the New Testamentin 11 of 27 books4 of 6 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
Sign, mark, or token — something that identifies or distinguishes a person or thing, or that points to another fact or event 134. This can be as simple as a mark that sets one person or thing apart from others, or an indication attached to a statement or event that shows something else is true 13.
A sign or omen pointing to the future — something that warns of, or portends, events still to come, including the kind of sign associated with the constellations and with coming judgment or crisis 13.
A miracle or wonder, especially one regarded as proof of divine power and authority 124; the same word is also used of wonders performed by false teachers or demonic power, not just genuine miracles 1. It is often used together with related words for "wonders" and "works of power" to describe such displays 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
σημεῖον, -ου, τό
[in LXX chiefly for אוֹת;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4592 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidsay-mi'-on
an indication, especially ceremonially or supernaturally
Fromneuter of a presumed derivative of the base of G4591;
King Jamesmiracle, sign, token, wonder.
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 σημήϊον, Doric dialect σᾱμήϊον Refs 4th c.BC+, σᾱμεῖον Refs 2nd c.BC+, σᾱμᾶον Refs —= σῆμα in all senses, and more common in Prose, but never in Refs 8th c.BC+: mark by which a thing is known, Refs 5th c.BC+; sign of the future, τυραννίδος σ. Refs 5th c.BC+; trace, track, σημεῖα δ᾽ οὔτε θηρὸς οὔτε του κυνῶν.. ἐξεφαίνετο Refs 5th c.BC+; of a cork on a buoy, Refs 2nd c.AD+
b Doric dialect, tomb, Refs 4th c.BC+
2 sign from the gods, omen, Refs 5th c.BC+; wonder, portent, LXX+2nd c.BC+; especially of the constellations, regarded as signs, δύεται σημεῖα Refs 5th c.BC+
3 sign or signal to do a thing, made by flags, ἀνέδεξε σημήϊον τοῖσι ἄλλοισι ἀνάγεσθαι he made signal for the rest to put to sea, Refs 5th c.BC+; signal for battle, τὰ σ. ἤρθη, κατεσπάσθη, Refs 5th c.BC+; καθαιρεῖν τὸ σ. to take it down, strike the flag, as a sign of dissolving an assembly, Refs 5th c.BC+; τὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας σ. Refs 5th c.BC+; ὕστερος ἐλθεῖν τοῦ σ. Refs: generally, signal, σ. ὑποδηλῶσαί τινι ὅτι.. Refs 5th c.BC+; signal to commence work, [ἡ] τοῦ σημείου ἄρσις Refs; σημείῳ ἀβαστάκτῳ, σημείοις ἀβαστάκτοις with unremoved signal (s), of gymnasia, i.e. never closed, Refs 2nd c.AD+
4 standard or flag, on the admiral's ship, Refs 5th c.BC+; on the general's tent, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἔξω τῶν σ. out of the lines, Refs
4.b body of troops under one standard or flag, Refs 2nd c.BC+
5 landmark, boundary, limit, ἔξω τῶν σ. τοῦ ὑμετέρου ἐμπορίου out of the limits of your commercial port, Refs 4th c.BC+; of milestones, Refs 1st c.AD+
6 device upon a shield, Refs 5th c.BC+; upon ships, figure-head, Refs 5th c.BC+
7 signet on ring, etc., Refs 5th c.BC+; figure, image, Διὸς κτησίου Refs 3rd c.BC+; badge, τρίαιναν σ. θεοῦ Refs 4th c.BC+: plural, written characters, γράψαι σημήϊα.. φωνῆς Refs
7.b plural (Doric dialect) σαμεῖα, stripes, Refs 1st c.BC+; clavi· σημεῖα, Refs
8 watchword, war-cry, Refs 5th c.BC+
9 birthmark or distinguishing feature, Wilcken Refs 2nd c.AD+
II sign, token, indication of anything that is or is to be, NT+5th c.BC+
II.2 in reasoning, a sign or proof, Refs 5th c.BC+; ὅτι ἀγαθὸς ἦν.., τοῦτο μέγιστον σ. Refs; τὸ μὴ ἐκδυθῆναι οὐδὲν σ. ἐστι is no proof to the contrary, Refs 5th c.BC+; also, instance, example, Refs 5th c.BC+; σημεῖον δέ· to introduce an argument, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.3 in the Logic of Refs 4th c.BC+, a sign used as a probable argument in proof of a conclusion, opposed to τεκμήριον (a demonstrative or certain proof), Refs
II.3.b in Stoic and Epicurean philosophical, sign as observable basis of inference to the unobserved or unobservable, Refs 4th c.BC+; περὶ σημείων (uncertain meaning), title of work by Zeno, Refs
II.4 in Medicine texts, symptom, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.4.b = Latin lenticula, a kind of skin-eruption, Refs 1st c.AD+
II.5 plural, shorthand symbols, Refs 1st c.AD+
II.6 critical mark, Refs 3rd c.AD+
III ={στιγμή}, mathematical point, Refs 4th c.BC+; also ς. (with or without χρόνου) point of time, instant, Refs 4th c.BC+
III.2 in Prosody and Music, unit of time, Refs 3rd c.AD+
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 or object direct | sēmem18×σημεῖον | sēmeim6×σημεῖα |
| of, belonging to genitive | sēmeu | sēmeiu3×σημείων |
| to, for dative | sēme | sēmei4×σημείοις |
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
sēme 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.
77 occurrences, every one of them listed
sēmem“sign”subject or objectdirect singular18×
Matthew 12:39… ponēras kai moichalidas sēmem epizētatō, kai sēmem ouk dōiti auta ei mē tem …… will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Matthew 12:39“sign”… ouk dōiti auta ei mē tem sēmem Iōnou tou profētou.… will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Matthew 16:4… ponēras kai moichalidas sēmem epizētatō, kai sēmem ouk dōiti auta ei mē tem …… will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them …
Matthew 16:4“sign”… ouk dōiti auta ei mē tem sēmem Iōnou. kai kataleiparantos autoin aperchata.… will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Then He left them and went away.
Matthew 24:3… pote houteim eti, kai tinem tem sēmem tau sau parousiau kai sunteleiau tou …… happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the …
Matthew 24:30kai tote faniti tem sēmem tou huiou tou anthrōpou en to …At that time the sign of the Son of Man will …
Mark 8:12… vi, ei dōiti ta genea houta sēmem.… sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
Mark 13:4… pote houteim eti, kai tinem tem sēmem hotan mellateiō houteim suntelorō panteim.… happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to be …
Luke 2:12kai houtem vi tem sēmem, heuriskavi brefem sparganorēntem kai keiorōntem en …And this will be a sign to you: You will find a …
Luke 11:29… geneas ponēras atō; sēmem zētatō, kai sēmem ouk dōiti auta ei mē tem …… will be given it except the sign of Jonah.
Luke 11:29“sign”… ouk dōiti auta ei mē tem sēmem Iōnou.… will be given it except the sign of Jonah.
Luke 11:30kathōs gar geneta Iōnos toi Nineuitoi sēmem, houtōs eti kai tos huios tou …For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so the Son …
Luke 21:7… oun houteim eti, kai tinem tem sēmem hotan mellateiō houteim genorō?… happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take …
Acts 4:16“sign”… anthrōpoi houtoi? hoti men gar gnōstem sēmem genatē dia autoiu pantoi toi katoikarōntoi …… do with these men?” they asked. “It is clear to everyone living in Jerusalem that a remarkable miracle has occurred through them, and we …
Acts 4:22“sign”… tos anthrōpos epi hon genatelē tem sēmem houtem tau iasiau.For the man who was …
2 Thessalonians 3:17“sign”… ta ēma cheira Paulou, hem atō sēmem en panta epistola; houtōs grafamō.… is in my own hand — Paul. This is my mark in every letter; it is the way I write.
Revelation 12:1Kai sēmem megem horita en to ourano, gunaikas …And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed …
Revelation 12:3kai horita allosem sēmem en to ourano, kai idou drakontos …Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red …
sēmeim“signs”subject or objectdirect plural6×
Mark 16:17sēmeim de toi pisteuarantoi houteim parakolouthati, en …And these signs will accompany those who believe: In …
Luke 21:11… kai loimois eli, fobētreim tē kai sēmeim apo ouranou megeim eti.… along with fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
Luke 21:25Kai eli sēmeim en hēlio kai selēna kai astrei, …There will be signs in the sun and moon and …
Acts 2:43… psucha fobos, polleim tē terateim kai sēmeim dia toiu apostoloiu genote.… the apostles performed many wonders and signs.
Acts 5:12… de taiu cheiraiu toiu apostoloiu genote sēmeim kai terateim polleim en to lao; …The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and …
2 Corinthians 12:12teim men sēmeim tou apostolou katergazita en vi en …The marks of a true apostle — signs, wonders, and miracles — were performed among …
sēmeiu“signs”of, belonging togenitive plural3×
Mark 16:20… ton logon bebaiarōntou dia teiu epakoloutharōnteiu sēmeiu.… them, confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it.
John 2:11houtan poiata archan teiu sēmeiu tos Iēsus en Kana tau Galilaiau …… performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus …
Romans 15:19en dunamia sēmeiu kai terateiu, en dunamia pneumeu; hōste …by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power …
sēmei“signs”to, fordative plural4×
Acts 2:22… eis vin dunamiai kai teratei kai sēmei hei poiata dia autou tos theos …… to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through …
2 Corinthians 12:12“signs”… katergazita en vi en panta hupomona, sēmei tē kai teratei kai dunamiai.… apostle — signs, wonders, and miracles — were performed among you with great perseverance.
2 Thessalonians 2:9“signs”… tou Satanou en panta dunamia kai sēmei kai teratei pseudeu… working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder,
Hebrews 2:4sunepimarturarōntou tou theou sēmei tē kai teratei kai poikilai dunamiai …and was affirmed by God through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of …
sēmeim26×
Matthew 16:3… tou ouranou gnōskavō diakrinarō, teim de sēmeim toiu kairoiu ouk dunovō.… of the sky, but not the signs of the times.
Matthew 24:24… gar pseudochristois kai pseudoprofētois, kai dōali sēmeim megeim kai terateim hōste planara ei …… prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the …
Mark 13:22… gar pseudochristois kai pseudoprofētois kai dōali sēmeim kai terateim pros tem apoplanarō ei …… false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive even the …
John 2:23… tem onomem autou, theōrarōntois autou teim sēmeim heim poiate;… Passover Feast, many people saw the signs He was doing and believed in …
John 3:2… didaskalos; oudenos gar dunotō houteim teim sēmeim poiarō heim sis poiasō, ean mē …… For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were …
John 4:48… tos Iēsus pros auton; Ean mē sēmeim kai terateim horaveia, ouk mē pisteuaveia.… to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.”
John 6:2… auto ochlos pollos, hoti theōrale teim sēmeim heim poiate epi toiu asthenarōntoiu.… followed Him because they saw the signs He was performing on the sick.
John 6:26… vi, zētavō min ouk hoti horava sēmeim alla hoti esthiava ek toiu artoiu …… is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me …
John 7:31… Tos christos hotan erchateia mē pollotereim sēmeim poiati heiu houtos poiata?… Christ comes, will He perform more signs than this man?”
John 9:16… legale; Pōs dunotō anthrōpos hamartōlos toiouteim sēmeim poiarō? kai schismem ate en autoi.… can a sinful man perform such signs?” And there was division among them.
John 11:47… hoti houtos tos anthrōpos polleim poiatō sēmeim?… do? This man is performing many signs.
John 12:37tosouteim de autou sēmeim poiarēntou emprosthen autoiu ouk pisteuale eis …Although Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did …
John 20:30Polleim men oun kai alloseim sēmeim poiata tos Iēsus enōpion toiu mathētoiu, …Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples …
Acts 2:19… terateim en to ourano anō kai sēmeim epi tau gēau katō, haimem kai …… wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and …
Acts 4:30… su ekteinarō sin eis iasian kai sēmeim kai terateim genorō dia teu onomeu …… Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of …
Acts 6:8… charitau kai dunamiau poiate terateim kai sēmeim megeim en to lao.… power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.
Acts 7:36houtos exagata autoin poiarantos terateim kai sēmeim en gēa Aigupta kai en Eruthra …… them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at …
Acts 8:6… te akouarō autoin kai bleparō teim sēmeim heim poiate;… to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform.
Acts 8:13… ate proskarterarōntos to Filippo, theōrarōntos tē sēmeim kai dunamiain megain genorōntain ekstēote.… and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed.
Acts 14:3… to logo tau charitau autou, dōarōnto sēmeim kai terateim genorō dia taiu cheiraiu …… grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.
Acts 15:12… Paulou exēgorōntoiu hoseim poiata tos theos sēmeim kai terateim en tei ethnei dia …… to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among …
1 Corinthians 1:22epeidē kai Ioudaiois sēmeim aitalō kai Hellēnois sofian zētalō;Jews demand signs and Greeks search for wisdom,
Revelation 13:13kai poiatō sēmeim megeim, hina kai purem poiateiō ek …And the second beast performed great signs, even causing fire from heaven to …
Revelation 13:14… katoikarōntoin epi tau gēau dia teim sēmeim heim dōita aute poiara enōpion teu …Because of the signs it was given to perform on …
Revelation 16:14alō gar pneumeim daimoneiu poiarōnteim sēmeim, heim ekporeuotō epi toin basilevoin tau …These are demonic spirits that perform signs and go out to all the …
Revelation 19:20… auteu tos pseudoprofētos tos poiarantos teim sēmeim enōpion auteu, en hei planata toin …… who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark …
sēmem20×
Matthew 12:38… Farisaioiu legarōntois; Didaskalor, thelanō apo su sēmem horara.… Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.”
Matthew 12:39… legata autoi; Geneas ponēras kai moichalidas sēmem epizētatō, kai sēmem ouk dōiti auta …… wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it …
Matthew 16:1… Farisaiois kai Saddoukaiois peirazarōntois eperōtala auton sēmem ek tou ouranou epideikara autoi.… asking Him to show them a sign from heaven.
Matthew 16:4Geneas ponēras kai moichalidas sēmem epizētatō, kai sēmem ouk dōiti auta …… wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it …
Matthew 26:48“sign”tos de paradōarōntos auton dōata autoi sēmem legarōntos; Hon an filameia autos atō; …Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man …
Mark 8:11… archela suzētarō auto, zētarōntois para autou sēmem apo tou ouranou, peirazarōntois auton.… Him by demanding from Him a sign from heaven.
Mark 8:12… legatō; Tinem tas geneas houtas zētatō sēmem? amēn legamō vi, ei dōiti ta …… Why does this generation demand a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign …
Luke 2:34… polloiu en to Israēl kai eis sēmem antilegorōntem,… in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
Luke 11:16heterois de peirazarōntois sēmem ek ouranou zētale para autou.… others tested Him by demanding a sign from heaven.
Luke 11:29… Tas geneas houtas geneas ponēras atō; sēmem zētatō, kai sēmem ouk dōiti auta …… a wicked generation. It demands a sign, but none will be given it …
Luke 23:8… akouarō peri autou, kai elpizate tinem sēmem horara hupo autou genorōntem.… hoping to see Him perform a miracle.
John 2:18… tois Ioudaiois kai legala auto; Tinem sēmem deikasō ni, hoti houteim poiasō?… of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove …
John 4:54houtem de palin deuterem sēmem poiata tos Iēsus ercharantos ek tau …This was now the second sign that Jesus performed after coming from …
John 6:14tois oun anthrōpois horarantois hem poiata sēmem legale hoti Houtos atō alēthōs tos …When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began …
John 6:30… oun auto; Tinem oun poiasō sis sēmem, hina horaneia kai pisteuaneia si? tinem …So they asked Him, “What sign then will You perform, so that …
John 10:41… auton kai legale hoti Iōannos men sēmem poiata oudenem, panteim de hoseim legata …… said, “Although John never performed a sign, everything he said about this man …
John 12:18… hoti akouala houtem auton poiarē tem sēmem.… heard that He had performed this sign.
Romans 4:11kai sēmem labata peritomau, sfragidan tau dikaiosunau tau …And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of …
1 Corinthians 14:22hōste tais glōssais eis sēmem alō ouk toi pisteuarōntoi alla toi …Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers …
Revelation 15:1Kai horama allosem sēmem en to ourano megem kai thaumastem, …… I saw another great and marvelous sign in heaven: seven angels with the …