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ὁδός

hodós

G3598 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A road or path used for travel; by extension, a way, route, or course (literal or figurative). In figurative usage, denotes a manner, method, or course of conduct; also used for a way of life, a system of behavior, or means of achieving a purpose. In philosophical, ethical, or religious contexts, can refer to a way or path to knowledge, virtue, or salvation; in some early Christian contexts, refers to 'the Way,' designating followers' manner of life or collective movement.

Semantic Range

road, physical pathway, route, journey, direction, way of acting or living, method, manner, system, path to a goal, collective movement (esp. in NT 'the Way')

Root / Etymology

Primary Greek noun with no clear derivation from other Greek terms; possibly from Proto-Indo-European *sed- ('to sit, to go'), but ultimately etymology is uncertain. Appears as ὁδός in earliest Greek.

Historical & Contextual Notes

ὁδός is a common Greek noun from Homeric through Koine Greek, originally denoting a physical road or path. In classical and Hellenistic sources, also used metaphorically for a method, approach, way of acting, or path in philosophical discourse (e.g., Parmenides' 'ways' of truth and opinion). In the Septuagint, frequently translates Hebrew דֶּרֶךְ (derekh), similarly covering both literal and figurative uses (path, journey, manner, conduct). In the New Testament, the word is used in diverse senses: literal travel routes, manner of life or conduct, and, especially in Acts (e.g., Acts 9:2), as a designation for the movement or communal lifestyle of early Jesus-followers ('the Way'). Later Christian tradition rendered this phrase as referring to 'Christianity,' but the original sense is broader, relating to communal practice and ethical commitment. English translations often render the term as 'way,' 'road,' 'path,' 'journey,' or 'manner,' but may not capture the rich interplay between concrete, philosophical, and religious senses in different contexts.

Translation Consistency

primary "way" 96 occurrences

"Way" best fits both the literal (road, path) and the dominant figurative senses (manner, method, course of life, the NT "the Way"). It is the most frequent natural English rendering in the corpus (70 of 101 occurrences), reads smoothly in singular and plural forms, and preserves theological/philosophical uses without awkwardness that more literal choices like "road" would cause.

Alternatives (5 occurrences):
"journey" (3x) "road" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

apparently a primary word; a road; by implication, a progress (the route, act or distance); figuratively, a mode or means:--journey, (high-)way.

Root Family

ὁδός (hodos) — road, way, path

Root ὁδό- road, way, path

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3598-04 ὁδὸν odon N ACC F SG way a way a way 52
G3598-01 ὁδῷ odo N DAT F SG way in a way in a way 23
G3598-06 ὁδοῦ odou N GEN F SG way of a way way 8
G3598-07 ὁδοὺς odous N ACC F PL ways ways ways 8
G3598-05 ὁδὸς odos N NOM F SG way way way 5
G3598-03 ὁδοῖς odois N DAT F PL ways to/for the ways ways 3
G3598-02 ὁδοὶ odoi N NOM F PL ways ways ways 2

Occurrences in Scripture

101 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3598-06 Matthew 2:12 ὁδοῦ odou N GEN F SG way of a way of a way
G3598-04 Matthew 3:3 ὁδὸν odon N ACC F SG way a way a way
G3598-04 Matthew 4:15 ὁδὸν odon N ACC F SG way a way a way
G3598-01 Matthew 5:25 ὁδῷ odo N DAT F SG way in a way in a way
G3598-05 Matthew 7:13 ὁδὸς odos N NOM F SG the way way way
G3598-05 Matthew 7:14 ὁδὸς odos N NOM F SG way way way
G3598-06 Matthew 8:28 ὁδοῦ odou N GEN F SG way of a way way
G3598-04 Matthew 10:5 ὁδὸν odon N ACC F SG way a way a way
G3598-04 Matthew 10:10 ὁδὸν odon N ACC F SG the way a way a way
G3598-04 Matthew 11:10 ὁδόν odon N ACC F SG way a way a way
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