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πατήρ

patḗr

G3962 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A male progenitor; one who begets or is the immediate ancestor of another. Denotes primarily the biological or legal father in familial relationships, but also extends to forefathers, ancestors, and persons of the previous generations collectively ('the ancestors'). Contextually, it can also signify an authority figure, founder, or originator of a group or tradition. In literary, philosophical, and religious usage, 'πατήρ' may refer to a patriarch, a spiritual parent, or (especially in Hellenistic, Jewish, and Christian contexts) to the deity regarded as a Father, whether of an individual, a people, or all humankind.

Semantic Range

male parent, progenitor, ancestor, elder, patriarch, founder, metaphorical or spiritual parent, title for God (in religious context), predecessor, parental figure

Root / Etymology

Primary Greek word, not derived from another Greek word. Cognate with Latin 'pater,' Sanskrit 'pitṛ́,' reflecting Proto-Indo-European *pəter-. The form is ancient and widely attested in Indo-European languages.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, πατήρ denotes a biological father, but is also employed for one's ancestors or forefathers (e.g., 'the fathers' meaning 'ancestors'). The term is used for elders, originators, and founders of cities, schools, or traditions. In the Septuagint (LXX), πατήρ renders Hebrew אָב ('av'), maintaining both individual and collective senses. In New Testament usage, it functions in literal family settings, but also becomes a key theological term for God as 'Father' in a spiritual or cosmic sense. The term is frequently applied to Abraham as 'father' of the people (e.g., Rom 4:16), or to God as 'Father' of the Lord Jesus or of believers; this is a contextual extension distinct to Jewish and early Christian thought. Standard English translation as 'father' generally reflects, but sometimes narrows, the range of the term, especially where 'ancestor,' 'patriarch,' or 'founder' might be more precise. Greek πατήρ should not be retroactively equated with modern concepts of fatherhood or religious authority, and encompasses both sociological and metaphorical uses. Contrast with μήτηρ ('mētēr', 'mother'), τέκνον ('teknon', 'child'), ἀββά (Aramaic loanword for 'father' with different connotation in some NT contexts).

Translation Consistency

primary "father" 50 occurrences

'Father' is the natural, common English equivalent for πατήρ across its semantic range — biological or legal male parent, ancestor or forefather, patriarch/elder, founder or originator, and metaphorical/spiritual parent (including as a title for God). It is the overwhelmingly attested rendering in the P2 data and provides the most natural and consistent base form for all inflected or contextual uses.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

apparently a primary word; a "father" (literally or figuratively, near or more remote):--father, parent.

Root Family

πατήρ (patḗr) — to beget, to be a progenitor, to originate

Root πατήρ to beget, to be a progenitor, to originate

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3962-01 Πατὴρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father 134
G3962-08 πατρὸς patros N GEN M SG Father of a father Father 100
G3962-02 πατέρα patera N ACC M SG Father father father 93
G3962-07 Πατρὶ patri N DAT M SG Father to a father Father 33
G3962-04 πατέρες pateres N NOM M PL fathers fathers fathers 24
G3962-05 πατέρων pateron N GEN M PL fathers of fathers of fathers 14
G3962-03 πατέρας pateras N ACC M PL fathers male progenitors fathers 12
G3962-06 πατράσιν patrasin N DAT M PL fathers to the fathers fathers 3

Occurrences in Scripture

413 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3962-08 Matthew 2:22 πατρὸς patros N GEN M SG father of a father father
G3962-02 Matthew 3:9 πατέρα patera N ACC M SG father father father
G3962-08 Matthew 4:21 πατρὸς patros N GEN M SG father of a father the father
G3962-02 Matthew 4:22 πατέρα patera N ACC M SG father father father
G3962-02 Matthew 5:16 Πατέρα patera N ACC M SG Father father father
G3962-08 Matthew 5:45 Πατρὸς patros N GEN M SG Father of a father Father
G3962-01 Matthew 5:48 Πατὴρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-07 Matthew 6:1 Πατρὶ patri N DAT M SG Father to a father Father
G3962-01 Matthew 6:4 Πατήρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-07 Matthew 6:6 Πατρί patri N DAT M SG Father to a father father
G3962-01 Matthew 6:6 Πατήρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-01 Matthew 6:8 Πατὴρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-01 Matthew 6:9 Πάτερ pater N VOC M SG Father father father
G3962-01 Matthew 6:14 Πατὴρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-01 Matthew 6:15 Πατὴρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-07 Matthew 6:18 Πατρί patri N DAT M SG Father to a father to your father
G3962-01 Matthew 6:18 Πατήρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-01 Matthew 6:26 Πατὴρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-01 Matthew 6:32 Πατὴρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-01 Matthew 7:11 Πατὴρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-08 Matthew 7:21 Πατρός patros N GEN M SG Father of a father of the Father
G3962-02 Matthew 8:21 πατέρα patera N ACC M SG father father father
G3962-08 Matthew 10:20 Πατρὸς patros N GEN M SG Father of a father Father
G3962-01 Matthew 10:21 πατὴρ pater N NOM M SG father father father
G3962-08 Matthew 10:29 Πατρὸς patros N GEN M SG Father of a father Father
G3962-08 Matthew 10:32 Πατρός patros N GEN M SG Father of a father Father
G3962-08 Matthew 10:33 Πατρός patros N GEN M SG Father of a father Father
G3962-08 Matthew 10:35 πατρὸς patros N GEN M SG father of a father father
G3962-02 Matthew 10:37 πατέρα patera N ACC M SG father father father
G3962-01 Matthew 11:25 Πάτερ pater N VOC M SG Father father father
G3962-01 Matthew 11:26 Πατήρ pater N VOC M SG Father father father
G3962-08 Matthew 11:27 Πατρός patros N GEN M SG Father of a father Father
G3962-01 Matthew 11:27 Πατήρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-02 Matthew 11:27 Πατέρα patera N ACC M SG Father father father
G3962-08 Matthew 12:50 Πατρός patros N GEN M SG Father of a father Father
G3962-08 Matthew 13:43 Πατρὸς patros N GEN M SG Father of a father Father
G3962-02 Matthew 15:4 πατέρα patera N ACC M SG father father father
G3962-02 Matthew 15:4 πατέρα patera-2 N ACC M SG father father father
G3962-07 Matthew 15:5 πατρὶ patri N DAT M SG father to a father father
G3962-02 Matthew 15:6 πατέρα patera N ACC M SG father father father
G3962-01 Matthew 15:13 Πατήρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-01 Matthew 16:17 Πατήρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-08 Matthew 16:27 Πατρὸς patros N GEN M SG Father of a father of a father
G3962-08 Matthew 18:10 Πατρός patros N GEN M SG Father of a father Father
G3962-08 Matthew 18:14 Πατρὸς patros N GEN M SG Father of a father Father
G3962-08 Matthew 18:19 Πατρός patros N GEN M SG Father of a father Father
G3962-01 Matthew 18:35 Πατήρ pater N NOM M SG Father father father
G3962-02 Matthew 19:5 πατέρα patera N ACC M SG father father father
G3962-02 Matthew 19:19 πατέρα patera N ACC M SG father father father
G3962-02 Matthew 19:29 πατέρα patera N ACC M SG father father father
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