noun
theos
Strong’sG2316
God, a god
stem the-1,307 times in the New Testamentin 27 of 27 books9 of 20 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
God — the one supreme divine being worshipped as the true God — is the word's primary sense in the New Testament, used both of God's nature (often without the article) and of his person (often with the article), and appearing in many phrases describing him as the source, object, or agent of action 14.
The same word also denotes a god, a deity in the ordinary, polytheistic sense, used of gods worshipped by other peoples, whether singular or plural 134.
By a Hebraism, the word can be applied to human judges or those set in authority, reflecting a use in which such persons are called "gods" 123.
By a related Hebraism, it can also function as an intensifier, roughly meaning very or exceedingly — as when something is described as great or fair "before God," meaning very great or very fair 12.
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
θεός, -οῦ, ὁ, ἡ (Ac 19:37 only; v. M, Pr., 60, 244), late voc., θεέ (Mt 27:46; cf. De 3:24, al.),
[in LXX chiefly for אֱלֹהִים, also for אֵל and other cognate forms, יהוה, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2316 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidtheh'-os
figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very
Fromof uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity;
King JamesX exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).
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
Boeotian dialect θιός, Laconian dialect σιός (see. below), Refs 5th c.AD+, Cretan dialect θιός Refs, Doric dialect also θεύς Refs 3rd c.BC+; vocative (only late) θεός, also θεέ LXX+NT; but classical in compound names, Ἀμφίθεε, Τιμόθεε:—God, the Deity, in general sense, both singular and plural (εἰ καὶ ἐπὶ θεοὺς καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐπὶ θεὸν ἁρμόζει μεταφέρειν Refs 8th c.BC+; σὺν θ. εἰρημένον Refs 5th c.BC+: so in plural, σύν γε θεοῖσιν Refs 8th c.BC+; οὐ θεῶν ἄτερ pi.Refs 8th c.BC+; ὑπὲρ θεόν against his will,Refs 4th c.BC+; θεῶν συνεθελόντων, βουλομένων, Refs 5th c.BC+bless you! good heavens! for heaven's sake! Refs 8th c.BC+: doubled in poets, θεὸν θεόν τις ἀγλαϊζέτω Refs 5th c.BC+; θεοί (Cretan dialect θιοί) as an opening formula in Inscrr. (i.e. τύχην ἀγαθὴν διδοῖεν), Refs.1, etc.: in Prose also with the Article, ὁ θ. πάντων ἂν εἴη αἴτιος Refs 5th c.BC+; τὰ πρὸς τοὺς θ., τὰ παρὰ τῶν θ., Refs 5th c.BC+
b θεοί, opposed to ἄνδρες, πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε Refs 8th c.BC+; also in singular, θεῷ ἐναλίγκιος αὐδήν Refs 8th c.BC+, of an 'angel's visit', Refs 3rd c.BC+
c of special divinities, νέρτεροι θ. Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐνέρτεροι θ. Refs 8th c.BC+; οἱ κάτωθεν θ. Refs 5th c.BC+; οἱ δώδεκα θ. Refs 5th c.BC+; μὰ τοὺς δώδεκα θ. Refs 4th c.BC+; in dual, τὼ σιώ (Laconian dialect), of Castor and Pollux, ναὶ τὼ σ. Refs 5th c.BC+
d ὁ θ., of natural phenomena, ὁ θ. ὕει (i.e. Ζεύς) Refs 5th c.BC+; ἔσεισεν ὁ θ. (i.e. Ποσειδῶν) Refs 5th c.BC+; of the sun, Refs 5th c.BC+; δύνοντος τοῦ θ. Refs 2nd c.AD+; the weather, τί δοκεῖ τὰ τοῦ θεο; Refs 4th c.BC+
e Astrology texts, θεοί,= ἀστέρες, Refs 4th c.AD+
f θεός (i.e. Ἥλιος), name of the 9th τόπος, Rhetor.Refs
2 metaphorically, of abstract things, τὸ δ᾽ εὐτυχεῖν τόδ᾽ ἐν βροτοῖς θεός τε καὶ θεοῦ πλέον Refs 5th c.BC+; ὁ πλοῦτος τοῖς σοφοῖς θ. Refs; φθόνος κάκιστος θ. Refs
3 as title of rulers, θεῶν ἀδελφῶν (i.e. Ptolemy Il and Arsinoe), Refs 3rd c.BC+; Ἀντίοχος ὅτῳ θεὸς ἐπώνυμον γίγνεται Refs 2nd c.AD+; θεὸς ἐκ θεοῦ, of Augustus, Refs 1st c.BC+
3.b = Latin Divus, Refs 1st c.BC+; οἱ ἐν θεοῖς αὐτοκράτορες,= divi Imperatores, Refs
3.c generally of the dead, καὶ ζῶντός σου καὶ εἰς θεοὺς ἀπελθόντος Refs 3rd c.BC+; θεοῖς χθονίοις,= Latin Dis Manibus, Refs
4 one set in authority, judge, τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ θ., ἐνώπιον τοῦ θ., LXX
II θεός feminine, goddess, μήτε θήλεια θεός, μήτε τις ἄρσην Refs 8th c.BC+; especially at Athens, of Athena, Decrees cited in Refs 5th c.BC+; ἁ Διὸς θεός, Ζηνὸς ἡ θ., Refs 5th c.BC+; of other goddesses, ποντία θεός Refs 5th c.BC+; ἡ νερτέρα θ.,= Περσεφόνη, Refs 5th c.BC+; of Thetis, Refs 5th c.BC+; of Niobe, Refs 5th c.BC+: in dual, of Demeter and Persephone, τὰ τοῖν θεοῖν ψηφίσματα Refs 5th c.BC+
III as adjective in comparative θεώτερος, divine, θύραι θ., opposed to καταιβαταὶ ἀνθρώποισιν, Refs 8th c.BC+; χορὸς θ. Refs 5th c.BC+ (κόσμῳ θέντες τὰ πρήγματα), by Refs 5th c.BC+ [In Epic dialect (twice in Refs 8th c.BC+, as monosyllable by synizesis, θεοί Refs 8th c.BC+
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 | feminine singular | masculine singular | feminine plural | masculine plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | theas | theos294×θεὸς | theais | theois5×θεοὶ |
| object accusative | thean1×θεὸν | theon147×θεόν | theain | theoin2×θεοὺς |
| direct address vocative | thear | theor13×θεός | theair | theoir |
| of, belonging to genitive | theau | theou687×θεοῦ | theaiu | theoiu |
| to, for dative | thea | theo157×θεῷ | theai | theoi1×θεοῖς |
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
the 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.
1,307 occurrences, 100 of them printed here — the rest are in the reader
thean“goddess”objectaccusative singular1×
Acts 19:37… houtoin oute hierosuloin oute blasfēmarōntoin tan thean nu.… robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.
theos“God”subjectnominative singular294×, 20 shown
Matthew 1:23… hem atō methermēneuorōntem Meta nu tos theos.… will call Him Immanuel” ( which means, “God with us”).
Matthew 3:9… legamō gar vi hoti dunotō tos theos ek toiu lithoiu houtoiu egerara tekneim …… you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
Matthew 6:30… kai aurion eis klibanon balorōnton tos theos houtōs amfiennuatō, ouk polle mallon vin, …If that is how God clothes the grass of the field …
Matthew 15:4tos gar theos legata; Timasōr ton patron kai tan …For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ …
Matthew 19:6… alla sarkas henas. hem oun tos theos suzeugata anthrōpos mē chōrizatōr.… two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not …
Matthew 22:32Mis amō tos theos Abraam kai tos theos Isaak kai …‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac …
Matthew 22:32… amō tos theos Abraam kai tos theos Isaak kai tos theos Iakōb? ouk …… am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of …
Matthew 22:32… kai tos theos Isaak kai tos theos Iakōb? ouk atō tos theos nekroiu …… the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the …
Matthew 22:32… tos theos Iakōb? ouk atō tos theos nekroiu alla zōarōntoiu.… of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the …
Mark 2:7… afiēkarō hamartain ei mē henos tos theos?… blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Mark 10:9hem oun tos theos suzeugata anthrōpos mē chōrizatōr.Therefore what God has joined together, let man not …
Mark 10:18… oudenos agathos ei mē henos tos theos.… replied. “No one is good except God alone.
Mark 12:26… tou batou pōs legata auto tos theos legarōntos; Mis tos theos Abraam kai …… in the Book of Moses, how God told him, ‘I am the God …
Mark 12:26… auto tos theos legarōntos; Mis tos theos Abraam kai tos theos Isaak kai …… God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac …
Mark 12:26… Mis tos theos Abraam kai tos theos Isaak kai tos theos Iakōb?… am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of …
Mark 12:26… kai tos theos Isaak kai tos theos Iakōb?… the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
Mark 12:27ouk atō theos nekroiu alla zōarōntoiu; pollem planovō.He is not the God of the dead, but of the …
Mark 12:29… Prōtas atō; Akouasōr, Israēl, kurios tos theos nu kurios henos atō,… Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.
Mark 13:19“God”… apo archau ktisiau han ktizata tos theos heōs tou nun kai ouk mē …… tribulation unseen from the beginning of God’s creation until now, and never to …
Luke 1:32… kaliti, kai dōati auto kurios tos theos ton thronon David tou patrou autou,… of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of …
theon“God”objectaccusative singular147×, 19 shown
Matthew 4:7… Palin grafotē; Ouk ekpeirazasi kurion ton theon su.… Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Matthew 4:10… Hupagasōr, Satanor; grafotē gar; Kurion ton theon su proskunasi kai auto mono latreuasi.… is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
Matthew 5:8… katharois ta kardia, hoti autois ton theon horeli.… in heart, for they will see God.
Matthew 9:8… tois ochlois fobila kai doxazala ton theon ton dōaranton exousian toioutan toi anthrōpoi.… were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to …
Matthew 15:31… kai tufloin bleparōntoin; kai doxazala ton theon Israēl.… blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
Matthew 22:37… de fēate auto; Agapasi kurion ton theon su en hola ta kardia su …Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with …
Matthew 27:43peithatē epi ton theon, ruetar nun ei thelatō auton; legata …He trusts in God. Let God deliver Him now if He wants …
Mark 2:12… hōste ekstēorō pantoin kai doxazarō ton theon legarōntoin hoti Houtōs oudepote horana.… they were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything …
Mark 5:7… theou tou hupsistou? horkizamō sin ton theon, mē min basanizaseia.… High God? I beg You before God not to torture me!”
Mark 12:30kai agapasi kurion ton theon su ek holau tau kardiau su …Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with …
Luke 1:16… huioiu Israēl epistrefati epi kurion ton theon autoiu;… turn back to the Lord their God.
Luke 1:64… glōssas autou, kai lalate eulogarōntos ton theon.… and he began to speak, praising God.
Luke 2:13… angelo plēthem stratiau ouraniau ainarōntoiu ton theon kai legarōntoiu;… multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying:
Luke 2:20… tois poimenois doxazarōntois kai ainarōntois ton theon epi pantei hei akouala kai horala …The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and …
Luke 2:28… eis tain ankalain kai eulogata ton theon kai legata;… Him in his arms and blessed God, saying:
Luke 4:8… Iēsus legata auto; Grafotē; Kurion ton theon su proskunasi kai auto mono latreuasi.… is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”
Luke 4:12… hoti Legotē; Ouk ekpeirazasi kurion ton theon su.… Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Luke 5:25… eis ton oikon autou doxazarōntos ton theon.… lying on, and went home glorifying God.
Luke 5:26… ekstasias labata hapantoin kai doxazale ton theon, kai pimplēila fobou legarōntois hoti Horana …… was taken with amazement and glorified God. They were filled with awe and …
theor“God”direct addressvocative singular13×
Matthew 27:46… Ēli ēli lema sabachthaniasa? houtem atō; Theor mu theor mu, hinati min enkatalipasa?… Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken …
Matthew 27:46… lema sabachthaniasa? houtem atō; Theor mu theor mu, hinati min enkatalipasa?… sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Mark 15:34… lema sabachthaniasa? hem atō methermēneuorōntem Tos theor mu tos theor mu, eis tinem …… Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken …
Mark 15:34… atō methermēneuorōntem Tos theor mu tos theor mu, eis tinem enkatalipasa min?… sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Luke 18:11… stēirantos pros heauton houteim proseuchote; Tos theor, eucharistamō si hoti ouk amō hōsper …… Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am …
Luke 18:13… tuptate tem stēthem autou legarōntos; Tos theor, hilaskisar mi to hamartōlo.… he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’
John 20:28… auto; Tos kurior mu kai tos theor mu.Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”
Hebrews 1:8… ton huion; Tos thronos su tos theor eis ton aiōnon tou aiōnou, kai …… Son He says: “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice …
Hebrews 10:7… grafotē peri mu, teu poiara, tos theor, tem thelēmem su.… come to do Your will, O God.’”
Revelation 4:11Axios asō, tos kurior kai tos theor nu, labara tan doxan kai tan …“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and …
Revelation 11:17legarōntois; Eucharistanō si, kurior, tos theor, tos pantokratoror, tos arōntor kai tos …… give thanks to You, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and …
Revelation 15:3… thaumasteim teim ergeim su, kurior, tos theor, tos pantokratoror; dikaiais kai alēthinais tais …… wonderful are Your works, O Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your …
Revelation 16:7… teu thusiastērieu legarōnteu; Nai, kurior, tos theor, tos pantokratoror, alēthinais kai dikaiais tais …… heard the altar reply: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are Your …
theou“God”of, belonging togenitive singular687×, 20 shown
Matthew 3:16… anoigila tois ouranois, kai horata pneumem theou katabainarōntem hōsei peristeran erchorōntem epi auton;… and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting …
Matthew 4:3… legata auto; Ei huios asō tou theou, legasar hina tois lithois houtois artois …… If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
Matthew 4:4… epi pante rēme ekporeuorōnte dia stomeu theou.… that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:6… legatō auto; Ei huios asō tou theou, balasar siauton katō; grafotē gar hoti …“If You are the Son of God,” he said, “throw Yourself down. For …
Matthew 5:9makariois tois eirēnopoiois, hoti autois huiois theou kalili.… they will be called sons of God.
Matthew 5:34“God”… to ourano, hoti thronos atō tou theou;… either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
Matthew 8:29… Tinem ni kai si, huior tou theou? erchasa hōde pro kairou basanizara nin?… You want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have You come here …
Matthew 12:4pōs eiserchata eis ton oikon tou theou kai toin artoin tau prothesiau esthiala, …He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate …
Matthew 12:28ei de en pneume theou mis ekbalamō teim daimoneim, ara fthanata …… out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has …
Matthew 12:28… fthanata epi vin tas basileias tou theou.… of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Matthew 14:33… te ploie proskunala auto legarōntois; Alēthōs theou huios asō.… Truly You are the Son of God!”
Matthew 15:3… kai vis parabainavō tan entolan tou theou dia tan paradosian vu?… do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
Matthew 15:6… autou; kai akurava ton logon tou theou dia tan paradosian vu.… Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
Matthew 16:16… asō tos christos tos huios tou theou tou zōarōntou.… Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Matthew 16:23… mu, hoti ouk fronasō teim tou theou alla teim toiu anthrōpoiu.… have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
Matthew 19:24… ē plousion eis tan basileian tou theou.… man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Matthew 21:31… proagalō vin eis tan basileian tou theou.… prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.
Matthew 21:43… airiti apo vu tas basileias tou theou kai dōiti ethne poiarōnte toin karpoin …… tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you …
Matthew 22:16… alēthos asō kai tan hodan tou theou en alētheia didaskasō, kai ouk meleiatō …… that You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You …
Matthew 22:21… teim Kaisarou Kaisaro kai teim tou theou to theo.… Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
theo“God”to, fordative singular157×, 19 shown
Matthew 6:24… kai tou heterou katafronati. ouk dunovō theo douleuarō kai mamōno.… the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Matthew 19:26… anthrōpoi houtem adunatem atō, para de theo panteim dunateim.… man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 22:21… Kaisaro kai teim tou theou to theo.… Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Mark 10:27… Para anthrōpoi adunatem alla ouk para theo, panteim gar dunateim para to theo.… this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with …
Mark 10:27… theo, panteim gar dunateim para to theo.… For all things are possible with God.”
Mark 12:17… Kaisaro kai teim tou theou to theo. kai ekthaumazale epi auto.… Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they marveled …
Luke 1:30… Mariam, heuriskasa gar charitan para to theo;… for you have found favor with God.
Luke 1:47… agalliata tem pneumem mu epi to theo to sōtēro mu;and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
Luke 2:14Doxas en hupsistei theo kai epi gēau eirēnas en anthrōpoi …“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth …
Luke 2:38… auta ta hōra epistēarantas anthomologote to theo kai lalate peri autou pantoi toi …… that moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the Child to …
Luke 2:52… sofia kai hēlikia kai charita para theo kai anthrōpoi.… and stature, and in favor with God and man.
Luke 16:13… kai tou heterou katafronati. ouk dunovō theo douleuarō kai mamōno.… the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Luke 17:18ouk heuriskila hupostrefarantois dōara doxan to theo ei mē tos allogenos houtos?… to return and give glory to God?”
Luke 18:27… adunateim para anthrōpoi dunateim para to theo atō.… impossible with man is possible with God.”
Luke 18:43… tos laos horarantos dōata ainon to theo.… they saw it, gave praise to God.
Luke 20:25… Kaisaro kai teim tou theou to theo.… Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
John 3:21… faneriteia autou teim ergeim hoti en theo atō ergazorēnteim.… has done has been accomplished in God.”
John 5:18… ton theon, ison heauton poiarōntos to theo.… own Father, making Himself equal with God.
John 9:24… kai legala auto; Dōasar doxan to theo; nis oidanē hoti houtos tos anthrōpos …… blind and said, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is …
theois“gods”subjectnominative plural5×
John 10:34… to nomo vu hoti Mis legama; Theois avō?… Law: ‘I have said you are gods’?
Acts 14:11… tan fōnan autoiu Lukaonisti legarōntois; Tois theois homoiirantois anthrōpoi katabainala pros nin… voices in the Lycaonian language: “The gods have come down to us in …
Acts 19:26… hikanon ochlon, legarōntos hoti ouk alō theois tois dia cheiraiu genorōntois.… turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.
1 Corinthians 8:5kai gar eiper alō legorōntois theois eite en ourano eite epi gēau, …For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth …
1 Corinthians 8:5… ourano eite epi gēau, hōsper alō theois pollois kai kuriois pollois,… earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords),
theoin“gods”objectaccusative plural2×
John 10:35ei ekeinoin legata theoin pros hoin tos logos tou theou …If he called them gods to whom the word of God …
Acts 7:40legarantois to Aarōn; Poiasar ni theoin hois proporeueli nu; tos gar Mōusos …They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us! As …
theoi“gods”to, fordative plural1×
Galatians 4:8… theon douleuava toi fusia mē arōntoi theoi;… those who by nature are not gods.