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δῆμος

dēmos

G1218 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A body of people, specifically the common populace or citizenry, often as distinct from elites or governing authorities; more generally, an organized community or population considered collectively. In civic contexts, refers to the assembly or the active collective of citizens with associated rights.

Semantic Range

the people (as a body), populace, the common populace as distinct from rulers, the assembled citizens with political rights, a civic body or recognized populace, crowd

Root / Etymology

Derived from the Greek root δῆμ- (dēm-), related to notions of people and public. The earlier etymology linking it with δέω ('to bind') is not linguistically supported; δῆμος is an ancient Greek term independently attested in Mycenaean as 'da-mo' (Linear B), denoting a community or district.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, δῆμος primarily identified the common people, distinct from aristocrats (as in a democracy), and could also denote the political assembly of citizens. In the Hellenistic period, it broadly referred to the people of a city-state or region, often as a corporate body acting in official inscriptions (e.g., decrees issued by 'the demos of Athens'). In the Septuagint, δῆμος rarely appears, and its use in the New Testament is likewise infrequent, typically signifying 'the crowd,' 'general populace,' or sometimes a civic body. It does not inherently imply ethnic or religious identity but designates a collective in political or social terms. English Bible translations often render δῆμος as 'people' or 'crowd,' which may not reflect the full political valence of the word in Greek civic contexts, where it could mean the sovereign assembly of free citizens.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from δέω; the public (as bound together socially):--people.

Root Family

δῆμος (dēmos) — people, populace, assembled citizens

Root δῆμ- people, populace, assembled citizens

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G1218-02 δῆμον demon N ACC M SG assembly the populace populace 2
G1218-03 δῆμος demos N NOM M SG people the populace the populace 1
G1218-01 δήμῳ demo N DAT M SG people to the populace populace 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G1218-03 Acts 12:22 δῆμος demos N NOM M SG people the populace the populace
G1218-02 Acts 17:5 δῆμον demon N ACC M SG people the populace populace
G1218-02 Acts 19:30 δῆμον demon N ACC M SG assembly the populace the assembly
G1218-01 Acts 19:33 δήμῳ demo N DAT M SG people to the populace populace
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