noun · feminine
thalassas
Strong’sG2281
the sea, lake
stem thalass-90 times in the New Testamentin 12 of 27 books4 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
The word means the sea, the large body of salt water 1234. It covers the sea in general, and in the Bible is used of the Mediterranean and of the Red Sea, as well as figuratively of the sea as it appears in symbolic and poetic contexts such as a glassy sea, or of the whole created world spoken of together with heaven and earth 1.
The same word is also used for a large inland body of water, a lake, following a Hebrew idiom that calls a lake by the same word as "sea" — most notably the Sea of Galilee 14.
In the Greek Old Testament the word is further used for a channel of water, and for a large bronze basin used as a washing vessel (a "laver") 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
θάλασσα, -ης, ἡ,
[in LXX chiefly for יָם;]
SYN.: πέλαγος, the vast expanse of open water"; θ., "the sea as contrasted with the land" (Tr., Syn., xiii).
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2281 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidthal'-as-sah
the sea (genitive case or specially)
Fromprobably prolonged from G251;
King Jamessea.
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
Attic dialectθᾰλᾰμ-ττα Refs (but θάλασσα 22.236 Refs 4th c.BC+, ἡ: —sea, Refs 8th c.BC+: frequently of the Mediterranean sea, ἥδε ἡ θ. Refs 5th c.BC+; ἡ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν θ. Refs 5th c.BC+; ἡ ἐντὸς καὶ κ. ἡ. λεγομένη θ. Refs 1st c.BC+; ἡ ἔσω θ. Refs 4th c.BC+; ἡ ἔξω θ., of the Ocean, Refs; ἡ Ἀτλαντικὴ θ. Refs; ἡ μεγάλη θ. Refs 1st c.AD+; of a salt lake, Refs 5th c.BC+; κατὰ θάλασσαν by sea, opposed to πεζῇ, Refs 5th c.BC+; opposed to κατὰ γῆς, Refs 5th c.BC+; κατά τε γῆν καὶ κατὰ θ. Refs 5th c.BC+; τῆς θ. ἀνθεκτέα ἐστί one must engage in maritime affairs, Refs 5th c.BC+; οἱ περὶ τὴν θ. sea-faring men, Refs 4th c.BC+ a sea of troubles, Refs 4th c.BC+; ὁ Κρὴς τὴν θ. (i.e. ἀγνοεῖ), of pretended ignorance, Refs
2 sea-water, ἔστω ἐν χαλκῷ ἡ θ. Refs 5th c.BC+
3 well of salt water, said to be produced by a stroke of Poseidon's trident, in the Acropolis at Athens, Refs 5th c.BC+
4 channel, LXX
5 χαλκῆ θ. laver,LXX
6 θ. κοίλη wooden theatre, Refs 2nd c.AD+ —For the _Laconian dialect_ form σάλασσα, see at {θαλασσομέδων}.
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 | thalassas6×θάλασσα | thalassais |
| object accusative | thalassan43×θάλασσαν | thalassain |
| direct address vocative | thalassar | thalassair |
| of, belonging to genitive | thalassau29×θαλάσσης | thalassaiu |
| to, for dative | thalassa12×θαλάσσῃ | thalassai |
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
thalassa 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.
90 occurrences, every one of them listed
thalassas“sea”subjectnominative singular6×
Matthew 8:27… hoti kai tois anemois kai tas thalassas auto hupakoualō?… this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!”
Mark 4:41… hoti kai tos anemos kai tas thalassas hupakouatō auto?… that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
John 6:18tas tē thalassas anemou megou pnarōntou diegeirote.… strong wind was blowing, and the sea grew agitated.
Revelation 4:6kai enōpion tou thronou hōs thalassas hualinas homoias krustallo. Kai en mese …… the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal …
Revelation 20:13kai dōata tas thalassas toin nekroin toin en auta, kai …The sea gave up its dead, and Death …
Revelation 21:1… tas prōtas gēas aperchala, kai tas thalassas ouk atō ēti.… earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
thalassan“sea”objectaccusative singular43×
Matthew 4:18Peripatarōntos de para tan thalassan tau Galilaiau horata duo adelfoin, Simōnon …As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers …
Matthew 4:18… adelfon autou, balarōntoin amfiblēstrem eis tan thalassan, ale gar halievois;… were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
Matthew 8:32… agelas kata tou krēmnou eis tan thalassan, kai apothnēskala en tei hudei.… down the steep bank into the sea and died in the waters.
Matthew 13:1… Iēsus tau oikiau kathote para tan thalassan;… the house and sat by the sea.
Matthew 13:47… toiu ouranoiu sagēna baliranta eis tan thalassan kai ek panteu geneu sunagaranta;… net that was cast into the sea and caught all kinds of fish.
Matthew 14:25… erchata pros autoin peripatarōntos epi tan thalassan.… out to them, walking on the sea.
Matthew 15:29… ekeithen tos Iēsus erchata para tan thalassan tau Galilaiau, kai anabainarantos eis tem …… from there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then He went up …
Matthew 17:27… de mē skandalizaneia autoin, poreuirantos eis thalassan balasar ankistrem kai ton anabainaranton prōton …… not offend them, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take the …
Matthew 21:21… legaveia; Airisar kai balisar eis tan thalassan, geneti;… lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.
Matthew 23:15… kai Farisaioir hupokritoir, hoti periagavō tan thalassan kai tan xēran poiara henon prosēluton, …… you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and …
Mark 1:16Kai paragarōntos para tan thalassan tau Galilaiau horata Simōnon kai Andreon …As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and …
Mark 2:13Kai exerchata palin para tan thalassan; kai pantos tos ochlos erchote pros …… again Jesus went out beside the sea. All the people came to Him …
Mark 3:7… toiu mathētoiu autou anachōrata pros tan thalassan; kai pollem plēthem apo tau Galilaiau …… withdrew with His disciples to the sea, accompanied by a large crowd from …
Mark 4:1Kai palin archeta didaskarō para tan thalassan. kai sunagotō pros auton ochlos pollotatos, …… Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered …
Mark 4:1“sea”… kai pantos tos ochlos pros tan thalassan epi tau gēau ale.… crowded along the shore.
Mark 5:13… agelas kata tou krēmnou eis tan thalassan, hōs dischilioi, kai pnigole en ta …… down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water.
Mark 5:21… epi auton, kai ate para tan thalassan.… crowd gathered around Him beside the sea.
Mark 7:31… Turau erchata dia Sidōnau eis tan thalassan tau Galilaiau ana mesem teiu horeiu …… and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region …
Mark 9:42… trachēlon autou kai balotē eis tan thalassan.… and to be thrown into the sea.
Mark 11:23… houte; Airisar kai balisar eis tan thalassan, kai mē diakriniteia en ta kardia …… lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and has no doubt in his …
Luke 17:2… trachēlon autou kai riptotē eis tan thalassan ē hina skandalizateia toiu mikroiu houtoiu …… and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these …
John 6:16… katabainala tois mathētois autou epi tan thalassan,… His disciples went down to the sea,
John 21:7… gumnos, kai balata heauton eis tan thalassan;… removed it . . . ) and jumped into the sea.
Acts 4:24… ouranon kai tan gēan kai tan thalassan kai panteim teim en autei,… heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them.
Acts 10:6… Simōno bursevo, ho atō oikias para thalassan.… tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
Acts 10:32… xenizotō en oikia Simōnou bursevou para thalassan.… of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’
Acts 14:15… ouranon kai tan gēan kai tan thalassan kai panteim teim en autei;… who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.
Acts 17:14“sea”… tois adelfois poreuorō heōs epi tan thalassan; hupomenala tē tos tē Silos kai …The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.
Acts 27:30… kai chalarantoiu tan skafan eis tan thalassan profasia hōs ek prōrau ankurain mellarōntoiu …… let the lifeboat down into the sea.
Acts 27:38… ploiem ekbalorōntois ton siton eis tan thalassan.… by throwing the grain into the sea.
Acts 27:40… tain ankurain periairarantois easale eis tan thalassan, hama aniēkarantois tain zeuktēriain teiu pēdalieiu, …… anchors, they left them in the sea as they loosened the ropes that …
Hebrews 11:29Pistia diabainala tan Eruthran Thalassan hōs dia xērau gēau, hau peiran …… the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when …
Revelation 7:2… autoi adikara tan gēan kai tan thalassan,… to harm the land and the sea:
Revelation 7:3… Mē adikaveia tan gēan mēte tan thalassan mēte teim dendreim, achri sfragizaneia toin …“Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have placed …
Revelation 8:8… megem pure kaiorōntem balita eis tan thalassan; kai geneta tem tritem tau thalassau …… with fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned …
Revelation 10:6… kai teim en auta kai tan thalassan kai teim en auta, hoti chronos …… and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it: “There will …
Revelation 12:12… skēnarōntoir. ouai tan gēan kai tan thalassan, hoti katabainata tos diabolos pros vin, …… woe to the earth and the sea; with great fury the devil has …
Revelation 14:7… ton ouranon kai tan gēan kai thalassan kai pēgain hudeiu.… heavens and the earth and the sea and the springs of waters.”
Revelation 15:2Kai horama hōs thalassan hualinan migorēntan pure, kai toin nikarōntoin …And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, beside …
Revelation 15:2“sea”… teu onomeu auteu stēarēntoin epi tan thalassan tan hualinan, echarōntoin kitharain tou theou.… with fire, beside which stood those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name. They were holding harps from God,
Revelation 16:3… ekchata tan fialan autou eis tan thalassan; kai geneta haimem hōs nekrou, kai …… poured out his bowl into the sea, and it turned to blood like …
Revelation 18:17… plarōntos, kai nautois kai hosois tan thalassan ergazolō, apo makrothen stēala… who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance
Revelation 18:21… mulinon megon, kai balata eis tan thalassan legarōntos; Houtōs hormēme baliti Babulōnas tas …… millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great …
thalassau“sea”of, belonging togenitive singular29×
Matthew 4:15Gēas Zaboulōn kai gēas Nefthalim, hodan thalassau, peran tou Iordanou, Galilaias teiu ethneiu,… of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the …
Matthew 14:26… de mathētois horarantois auton epi tau thalassau peripatarōnton tarassila legarōntois hoti Fantasmem atō, …… disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost …
Matthew 18:6… kai katapontiziteia en te pelage tau thalassau.… drowned in the depths of the sea.
Mark 5:1Kai erchala eis tem peran tau thalassau eis tan chōran toiu Gerasēnoiu.On the other side of the sea, they arrived in the region of …
Mark 6:47… ate tem ploiem en mese tau thalassau, kai autos monos epi tau gēau.… was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on land.
Mark 6:48… erchotō pros autoin peripatarōntos epi tau thalassau; kai thelate parerchara autoin.… out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them,
Mark 6:49tois de horarantois auton epi tau thalassau peripatarōnton dokala hoti fantasmem atō kai …… they saw Him walking on the sea, they cried out, thinking He was …
Luke 21:25… gēau sunochas ethneiu en aporia ēcheu thalassau kai salou,… bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves.
John 6:1… houteim aperchata tos Iēsus peran tau thalassau tau Galilaiau tau Tiberiadau.… to the other side of the Sea of Galilee ( that is, the Sea …
John 6:17… embainarantois eis ploiem archole peran tau thalassau eis Kafarnaoum. kai skotias ēdē genatelē …… a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark …
John 6:19… theōralō ton Iēsun peripatarōnton epi tau thalassau kai engus teu ploieu genorōnton, kai …… approaching the boat, walking on the sea — and they were terrified.
John 6:22… tos ochlos tos stēarēntos peran tau thalassau horala hoti ploiariem allosem ouk ate …… on the other side of the sea realized that only one boat had …
John 6:25Kai heuriskarantois auton peran tau thalassau legala auto; Rabbi, pote hōde genasē?… on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did …
John 21:1… tos Iēsus toi mathētoi epi tau thalassau tau Tiberiadau; fanerata de houtōs.Later, by the Sea of Tiberias, Jesus again revealed Himself …
Acts 28:4… anthrōpos houtos hon diasōziranton ek tau thalassau tas dikas zōarō ouk easata.… Although he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to …
Romans 9:27… huioiu Israēl hōs tas ammoas tau thalassau, tem hupoleimmem sōziti;… is like the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved.
1 Corinthians 10:1… nefelan ale kai pantois dia tau thalassau dierchala,… that they all passed through the sea.
Hebrews 11:12“sea”… ammoas tas para tem cheilem tau thalassau tas anarithmētas.… as the sand on the seashore.
James 1:6… diakrinorōntos, tos gar diakrinorōntos eoikatē kludōno thalassau anemizorōnto kai ripizorōnto;… is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
Jude 1:13kumeim agrieim thalassau epafrizarōnteim tain heauteiu aischunain, asterois planētois …They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering …
Revelation 5:13… hupokatō tau gēau kai epi tau thalassau, kai teim en autoi panteim, akouama …… under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them …
Revelation 7:1… epi tau gēau mēte epi tau thalassau mēte epi pantem dendrem.… wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree.
Revelation 8:8… thalassan; kai geneta tem tritem tau thalassau haimem,… the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood,
Revelation 10:2… podon autou ton dexon epi tau thalassau, ton de euōnumon epi tau gēau,… placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the …
Revelation 10:5… angelos, hon horama stēarēnton epi tau thalassau kai epi tau gēau, airata tan …… I had seen standing on the sea and on the land lifted up …
Revelation 10:8… tou angelou tou stēarēntou epi tau thalassau kai epi tau gēau.… of the angel standing on the sea and on the land.”
Revelation 12:18“sea”kai stēita epi tan ammoan tau thalassau.
Revelation 13:1Kai horama ek tau thalassau thērem anabainarōntem, echarōntem kerateim deka kai …… seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on …
Revelation 20:8“sea”… arithmos autoiu hōs tas ammoas tau thalassau.… battle. Their number is like the sand of the …
thalassa“sea”to, fordative singular12×
Matthew 8:24… idou seismos megos geneta en ta thalassa, hōste tem ploiem kaluptorō hupo teiu …… violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was engulfed …
Matthew 8:26… egerirantos epitimata toi anemoi kai ta thalassa, kai geneta galēnas megas.… and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.
Mark 1:16… ton adelfon Simōnou amfiballarōntoin en ta thalassa, ale gar halievois;… were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
Mark 4:1“sea”… eis ploiem embainaranton kathorō en ta thalassa, kai pantos tos ochlos pros tan …… that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people crowded along the shore.
Mark 4:39… epitimata to anemo kai legata ta thalassa; Siōpasōr, fimosēr. kai kopazata tos anemos, …… and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And …
Mark 5:13“sea”… hōs dischilioi, kai pnigole en ta thalassa.… herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water.
Luke 17:6… houta; Ekrizisar kai futeuisar en ta thalassa; kai hupakouata an vi.… Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
1 Corinthians 10:2… en ta nefela kai en ta thalassa,… in the cloud and in the sea.
2 Corinthians 11:26… pola, kindunoi en erēmia, kindunoi en thalassa, kindunoi en pseudadelfoi,… the country, in danger on the sea and among false brothers,
Revelation 8:9… tritem teiu ktismeiu teiu en ta thalassa, teim echarōnteim psuchain, kai tem tritem …… of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the …
Revelation 16:3… psuchas zōau apothnēskata teim en ta thalassa.… and every living thing in the sea died.
Revelation 18:19… tois echarōntois teim ploieim en ta thalassa ek tau timiotau autau, hoti hena …… all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For …