ναός (G3485) — Greek Lexicon

ναός

naós

G3485 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Inner sanctuary or main structure of a temple; the specific sacred space within a sanctuary where a deity was believed to dwell or where the chief cultic image was kept. In the context of Greco-Roman and Israelite/Judean temples, ναός refers to the restricted, holiest part of the temple complex, often distinguished from the broader precinct.

Semantic Range

inner sanctuary, sanctuary, shrine, temple proper, place where a deity dwells, metaphorical dwelling place (e.g., of a god or divinity)

Root / Etymology

From the Greek verb ναίω ('to dwell, inhabit'), indicating a place where a deity takes up residence. Cognate with other Greek words denoting habitation or dwelling.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In Classical Greek, ναός denoted the central building in a temple complex (as opposed to the surrounding sacred grounds, or ἱερόν), often housing the cult statue. In Hellenistic and Roman periods, the nuance remains: ναός signifies the sacred enclosure proper, reserved for priests and not the general public. In the Septuagint, ναός usually translates Hebrew הֵיכָל (heikhal), referring to the sanctuary or inner sanctuary of the Israelite/Judean temple in Jerusalem (contrast with ἱερόν, which refers to the entire temple precinct). In the New Testament, ναός is used both literally (e.g., of the Jerusalem temple's inner sanctuary) and metaphorically (e.g., of the community or individual as a 'dwelling place' of God). English translations often render both ναός and ἱερόν as 'temple,' though ναός always conveys a more restricted, sacred space. Notably, in non-Israelite contexts, ναός is also used for the inner sanctum of pagan temples, keeping its core meaning of a dwelling space for a deity. Distinct from ἱερόν, which can indicate the full sacred precinct including courts, porches, and outer structures.

Translation Consistency

primary "sanctuary" 43 occurrences

naós most commonly denotes the inner, sacred part of a temple — the sanctuary or shrine where the deity is thought to dwell. "Sanctuary" is a natural, widely understood English noun that preserves the specific sense of the temple’s holy inner space (and comfortably covers metaphorical uses), while avoiding the broader sense of "temple" or the adjectival form "inner."

Alternatives (2 occurrences):

"temples" (1x) "shrines" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from a primary (to dwell); a fane, shrine, temple :--shrine, temple. Compare ἱερόν.

Root Family

ναός (naos) — to dwell, inhabit, sacred dwelling, inner sanctuary

Root ναο- to dwell, inhabit, sacred dwelling

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G3485-03`	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary	13
`G3485-05`	ναοῦ	naou	`N GEN M SG`	temple	of the inner sanctuary	of the inner sanctuary	12
`G3485-04`	ναὸς	naos	`N NOM M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary	10
`G3485-01`	ναῷ	nao	`N DAT M SG`	temple	to the inner sanctuary	to the inner sanctuary	8
`G3485-02`	ναοῖς	naois	`N DAT M PL`	temples	in inner sanctuaries	temples	1
`G3485-06`	ναοὺς	naous	`N ACC M PL`	shrines	inner sanctuaries	shrines	1

Occurrences in Scripture

45 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G3485-01`	Matthew 23:16	ναῷ	nao	`N DAT M SG`	temple	to the inner sanctuary	to the inner sanctuary
`G3485-05`	Matthew 23:16	ναοῦ	naou	`N GEN M SG`	temple	of the inner sanctuary	of the inner sanctuary
`G3485-04`	Matthew 23:17	ναὸς	naos	`N NOM M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-01`	Matthew 23:21	ναῷ	nao	`N DAT M SG`	temple	to the inner sanctuary	to the inner sanctuary
`G3485-05`	Matthew 23:35	ναοῦ	naou	`N GEN M SG`	temple	of the inner sanctuary	of the inner sanctuary
`G3485-03`	Matthew 26:61	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-03`	Matthew 27:5	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-03`	Matthew 27:40	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-05`	Matthew 27:51	ναοῦ	naou	`N GEN M SG`	temple	of the inner sanctuary	of the inner sanctuary
`G3485-03`	Mark 14:58	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-03`	Mark 15:29	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-05`	Mark 15:38	ναοῦ	naou	`N GEN M SG`	temple	of the inner sanctuary	of the inner sanctuary
`G3485-03`	Luke 1:9	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-01`	Luke 1:21	ναῷ	nao	`N DAT M SG`	temple	to the inner sanctuary	sanctuary
`G3485-01`	Luke 1:22	ναῷ	nao	`N DAT M SG`	temple	to the inner sanctuary	to the inner sanctuary
`G3485-05`	Luke 23:45	ναοῦ	naou	`N GEN M SG`	temple	of the inner sanctuary	of the inner sanctuary
`G3485-03`	John 2:19	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-04`	John 2:20	ναὸς	naos	`N NOM M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-05`	John 2:21	ναοῦ	naou	`N GEN M SG`	temple	of the inner sanctuary	of the inner sanctuary
`G3485-02`	Acts 17:24	ναοῖς	naois	`N DAT M PL`	temples	in inner sanctuaries	temples
`G3485-06`	Acts 19:24	ναοὺς	naous	`N ACC M PL`	shrines	inner sanctuaries	shrines
`G3485-04`	1 Corinthians 3:16	ναὸς	naos	`N NOM M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-03`	1 Corinthians 3:17	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-04`	1 Corinthians 3:17	ναὸς	naos	`N NOM M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-04`	1 Corinthians 6:19	ναὸς	naos	`N NOM M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-01`	2 Corinthians 6:16	ναῷ	nao	`N DAT M SG`	temple	to the inner sanctuary	to the inner sanctuary
`G3485-04`	2 Corinthians 6:16	ναὸς	naos	`N NOM M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-03`	Ephesians 2:21	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	a temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-03`	2 Thessalonians 2:4	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-01`	Revelation 3:12	ναῷ	nao	`N DAT M SG`	temple	to the inner sanctuary	to the inner sanctuary
`G3485-01`	Revelation 7:15	ναῷ	nao	`N DAT M SG`	temple	to the inner sanctuary	to the inner sanctuary
`G3485-03`	Revelation 11:1	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-05`	Revelation 11:2	ναοῦ	naou	`N GEN M SG`	temple	of the inner sanctuary	of the inner sanctuary
`G3485-04`	Revelation 11:19	ναὸς	naos	`N NOM M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-01`	Revelation 11:19	ναῷ	nao	`N DAT M SG`	temple	to the inner sanctuary	to the inner sanctuary
`G3485-05`	Revelation 14:15	ναοῦ	naou	`N GEN M SG`	temple	of the inner sanctuary	of the inner sanctuary
`G3485-05`	Revelation 14:17	ναοῦ	naou	`N GEN M SG`	temple	of the inner sanctuary	of the inner sanctuary
`G3485-04`	Revelation 15:5	ναὸς	naos	`N NOM M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-05`	Revelation 15:6	ναοῦ	naou	`N GEN M SG`	temple	of the inner sanctuary	of the inner sanctuary
`G3485-04`	Revelation 15:8	ναὸς	naos	`N NOM M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-03`	Revelation 15:8	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-05`	Revelation 16:1	ναοῦ	naou	`N GEN M SG`	temple	of the inner sanctuary	of the inner sanctuary
`G3485-05`	Revelation 16:17	ναοῦ	naou	`N GEN M SG`	temple	of the inner sanctuary	of the inner sanctuary
`G3485-03`	Revelation 21:22	ναὸν	naon	`N ACC M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary
`G3485-04`	Revelation 21:22	ναὸς	naos	`N NOM M SG`	temple	inner sanctuary	inner sanctuary

← G3484 Greek Lexicon G3486 →