φάσις
phásis
G5334 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Utterance, declaration, or statement; the act or result of speaking. In certain contexts, also refers to a report or piece of news, something communicated verbally. The primary sense is the act of saying or expressing something, with extended uses including the communication of information, especially as 'news' or 'tidings' in reported speech.
Semantic Range
utterance, declaration, statement, report, news, tidings, the act of saying or stating
Root / Etymology
From the verb φημί ('to say, to assert, to declare'). The formation φάσις is based on the verb stem, with the –σις suffix typically indicating an action or result (processual noun). Not related to the English 'phase', which derives from φαίνω ('to bring to light, to make appear').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, φάσις primarily denoted the act of saying, a declaration or utterance; in later Hellenistic and Koine periods, it could also take on the sense of 'report' or 'communication,' often in the sense of news being shared (see Polybius, Plutarch). The term is rare in the New Testament and LXX, but where it appears it generally refers to spoken declarations or information being relayed, sometimes with the nuance of an official or noteworthy statement rather than casual speech. Standard English Bible translations render this as 'tidings' or 'report,' but these translations do not always convey the nuance of formal or official declaration present in some contexts. φάσις is distinct from λόγος (more general 'word' or 'discourse') and ἀγγελία (message, announcement), being particularly focused on the act of saying/reporting. Not to be confused with φάσις as a technical astronomical or philosophical term for 'appearance' (from φαίνω) in other sources, which is etymologically and semantically separate.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from φημί (not the same as "phase", which is from φαίνω); a saying, i.e. report:--tidings.
Root Family
φάσις (phasis) — utterance, declaration, statement, report
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5334-01 |
φάσις | phasis | N NOM F SG |
report | utterance | report | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5334-01 |
Acts 21:31 | φάσις | phasis | N NOM F SG |
report | utterance | report |