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σάββατον

sábbaton

G4521 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The seventh day of the week, observed as a rest day in accordance with commandment or tradition, as well as the institution or observance of this rest period itself; in broader usage, it can refer to a full week (the interval from one Sabbath to the next). In certain contexts, it also encompasses festivals or special rest days specified by tradition or law beyond the regular weekly rest.

Semantic Range

Sabbath day of rest, institution or observance of the Sabbath, special festival 'Sabbaths', a seven-day week (interval between Sabbaths), multiple Sabbath days

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew שַׁבָּת (shabbat), meaning 'rest' or 'cessation,' borrowed into Greek as σάββατον. The Greek form is a transliteration rather than a translation, reflecting direct adoption from the Israelite/Judean context.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Σάββατον is a loanword, introduced into Greek via Judean religious and cultural influence. In classical Greek, the term is absent, appearing first in Hellenistic Jewish texts such as the Septuagint. In these texts, as well as the New Testament, it primarily denotes the weekly day of rest rooted in Torah tradition (Genesis 2:2–3, Exodus 20:8–11), observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening. Secondarily, the plural τὰ σάββατα is regularly used to indicate either multiple Sabbath days or, by metonymy, a 'week' (the seven-day interval between Sabbaths; cf. Mark 16:2, 9). While English translations render σάββατον as 'Sabbath' or sometimes 'week,' this latter usage does not correspond to native Greek temporal reckoning but reflects continued Hebrew/Aramaic idiom. Non-Judean Greeks encountering σάββατον in the Hellenistic world often recognized it as a distinctive feature of Judean (not generic 'Jewish') practice. Over time, 'Sabbath' in English usage acquired religious and ethical connotations in Christian tradition that are somewhat different from the Second Temple and NT contexts, where it is primarily a day of cessation, assembly, and scripture reading. There is a difference between σάββατον (the weekly seventh day) and other Greek terms for festival or sacred days, which may specify different occasions (ἑορτή, πανήγυρις).

Translation Consistency

primary "Sabbath" 17 occurrences

The primary and most natural English rendering of σάββατον is “Sabbath” (the day/institution of rest). This single noun covers the usual senses—the weekly day of rest, the observance/institution, pluralized as needed for multiple or special rest days (“Sabbaths”). Less common senses (an interval from one Sabbath to the next) can be handled by context or phrasing, but “Sabbath” is the typical, natural choice for consistent rendering.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):
"week" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of Hebrew origin (שַׁבָּת); the Sabbath (i.e. Shabbath), or day of weekly repose from secular avocations (also the observance or institution itself); by extension, a se'nnight, i.e. the interval between two Sabbaths; likewise the plural in all the above applications:--sabbath (day), week.

Root Family

σάββατ- (sábbaton) — to rest, cessation from labor

Root σάββατ- to rest, cessation from labor

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4521-04 Σάββατον sabbaton N ACC N SG Sabbath Sabbath rest day Sabbath rest day 25
G4521-03 Σαββάτῳ sabbato N DAT N SG Sabbath on the Sabbath rest on the Sabbath 16
G4521-01 Σάββασιν sabbasin N DAT N PL Sabbaths to the Sabbaths Sabbaths 13
G4521-05 Σαββάτου sabbatou N GEN N SG Sabbath of the Sabbath rest of the Sabbath rest 13
G4521-02 Σάββατα sabbata N ACC N PL Sabbaths Sabbath rest days Sabbath rest days 1

Occurrences in Scripture

68 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4521-04 John 9:14 Σάββατον sabbaton N NOM N SG Sabbath Sabbath rest day Sabbath rest day
G4521-04 John 9:16 Σάββατον sabbaton N ACC N SG Sabbath Sabbath rest day Sabbath rest day
G4521-03 John 19:31 Σαββάτῳ sabbato N DAT N SG Sabbath on the Sabbath rest on the Sabbath
G4521-05 John 19:31 Σαββάτου sabbatou N GEN N SG Sabbath of the Sabbath rest of the Sabbath rest
G4521-04 John 20:1 σαββάτων sabbaton N GEN N PL week Sabbath rest day Sabbath rest day
G4521-04 John 20:19 σαββάτων sabbaton N GEN N PL of the week Sabbath rest day of the week
G4521-05 Acts 1:12 Σαββάτου sabbatou N GEN N SG Sabbath of the Sabbath rest of the Sabbath rest
G4521-04 Acts 13:14 Σαββάτων sabbaton N GEN N PL Sabbath Sabbath rest day Sabbath rest day
G4521-04 Acts 13:27 Σάββατον sabbaton N ACC N SG Sabbath Sabbath rest day Sabbath rest day
G4521-04 Acts 13:42 Σάββατον sabbaton N ACC N SG Sabbath Sabbath rest day Sabbath rest day
G4521-03 Acts 13:44 Σαββάτῳ sabbato N DAT N SG Sabbath on the Sabbath rest on the Sabbath
G4521-04 Acts 15:21 Σάββατον sabbaton N ACC N SG Sabbath Sabbath rest day Sabbath rest day
G4521-04 Acts 16:13 Σαββάτων sabbaton N GEN N PL Sabbaths Sabbath rest day Sabbath rest day
G4521-02 Acts 17:2 Σάββατα sabbata N ACC N PL Sabbaths Sabbath rest days Sabbath rest days
G4521-04 Acts 18:4 Σάββατον sabbaton N ACC N SG Sabbath Sabbath rest day Sabbath rest day
G4521-04 Acts 20:7 σαββάτων sabbaton N GEN N PL week Sabbath rest day Sabbath rest day
G4521-05 1 Corinthians 16:2 σαββάτου sabbatou N GEN N SG day of the week of the Sabbath rest of the Sabbath rest
G4521-04 Colossians 2:16 Σαββάτων sabbaton N GEN N PL Sabbaths Sabbath rest day Sabbath rest day
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