Greek · G2962 · unreviewed
κύριος
Lord: God
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κύριος G2962
Pronunciation kýrios
What does κύριος (kýrios) mean in the Bible?
κύριος (kýrios) is a Greek word meaning "lord: God". κύριος, -α, -ον (also -ος, -ον), [in LXX (subst. Affirms Christ’s authority over life, death, and final judgment. This term runs through the canonical themes of Covenant, Justice, Messiah.
Meaning
lord: God
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
One who possesses ultimate authority; in NT, distinctively applied to the risen Jesus Christ alongside God.
having power (κῦρος) or authority; as subst., ὁ κ., lord, master;
1in general: with genitive of thing(s), Mat.9:38 20:8, Mrk.12:9 13:35, Luk.19:33; τ. σαββάτου, Mat.12:8, Mrk.2:28, Luk.6:5; with genitive of person(s), δούλου, etc., Mat.10:24, Luk.14:21, Act.16:16, al.; absol, opposite to οἱ δοῦλοι, Eph.6:5, 9 al.; of the Emperor (Deiss., LAE, 161), Act.25:26; θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κ. πολλοί, 1Co.8:5; of a husband, 1Pe.3:6; in voc, as a title of respect to masters, teachers, magistrates, etc., Mat.13:27 16:22 27:63, Mrk.7:28, Luk.5:12, Jhn.4:11, Act.9:5, al.
2As a divine title (frequently in π.; Deiss., LAE, 353 ff.); in NT,
aof God: ὁ κ., Mat.5:33, Mrk.5:19, Luk.1:6, Act.7:33, Heb.8:2, Jas.4:15, al.; anarth. (Bl., §46, 6), Mat.21:9, Mrk.13:20, Luk.1:17, Heb.7:21, 1Pe.1:25, al.; κ. τ. οὐρανοῦ καὶ τ. γῆς, Mat.11:25; τ. κυριευόντων, 1Ti.6:15; κ. ὁ θεός, Mat.4:7, 10 al.; id. before παντοκράτωρ, Rev.4:8; κ. σαβαώθ, Rom.9:29; (ὁ) ἄγγελος κυρίου, Mat.1:20 2:13, Luk.1:11, al.; πνεῦμα κυρίου, Luk.4:18, Act.8:39;
bof the Christ: Mat.21:3, Mrk.11:3, Luk.1:43 20:44, al.; of Jesus after his resurrection (Dalman, Words, 330), Act.10:36, Rom.14:8, 1Co.7:22, Eph.4:5, al.; ὁ κ. μου, Jhn.20:28; ὁ κ. Ἰησοῦς, Act.1:21, 1Co.11:23, al.; id. before Χριστός, Eph.1:2, al.; ὁ κ. ἡμῶν, 1Ti.1:14, Heb.7:14, al.; id. before Ἰησοῦς, 1Th.3:11, Heb.13:20, al.; Χριστός, Rom.16:18; Ἰ Χ., 1Co.1:2, 1Th.1:3, al.; Ἰ. Χ. (Χ. Ἰ) ὁ κ. (ἡμῶν), Rom.1:4, Col.2:6, Eph.3:11, al.; ὁ κ. καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ, 2Pe.3:2; id. before Ἰ. Χ., ib. 18; anarth., 1Co.7:22, 25 Jas.5:4, al.; κ. κυρίων, Rev.19:16; with prep., ἀπὸ (κατὰ, πρὸς, σὺν, etc.) κ., Col.3:24, al. SYN: see: δεσπότης.
Why This Word Matters
Affirms Christ’s authority over life, death, and final judgment. Acts 2:14-41
Declares Christ’s authority over covenant sign and law. Acts 9:1-19
Affirms Jesus’ authority. Colossians 3:18–4:1
Affirms divine authority. Luke 1:39–56
Affirms Jesus’ sovereign authority over covenant institutions. Luke 2:1–20
Affirms the divine authority and covenant identity of Jesus. James 1:1
Declares Jesus’ divine authority and sovereignty.
Affirms Christ’s divine authority and exalted status.
Affirms sovereign authority over divine ordinance.
Expresses Christ’s sovereign authority.
Recognition of risen authority.
Repeatedly applied to Christ, grounding all authority under Him.
Calling Jesus ‘Lord’ affirms His exalted authority and demands personal allegiance.
Saul’s acknowledgment of Jesus as Lord marks decisive submission.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Nominative · Singular · Masculine Matt 10:25 · Matt 12:8 · Matt 18:25 · Matt 18:27 · Matt 18:32 · Matt 18:34 · Matt 20:8 · Matt 21:3 · Matt 21:40 · Matt 22:44 · Matt 24:42 · Matt 24:45 · Matt 24:46 · Matt 24:48 · Matt 24:50 · Matt 25:19 176×
Nominative · Plural · Masculine Luke 19:33 · Acts 16:19 · 1 Cor 8:5 · Eph 6:9 · Col 4:1 5×
Genitive · Singular · Masculine Matt 1:20 · Matt 1:22 · Matt 1:24 · Matt 2:13 · Matt 2:15 · Matt 2:19 · Matt 3:3 · Matt 9:38 · Matt 21:9 · Matt 21:42 · Matt 23:39 · Matt 25:18 · Matt 25:21 · Matt 25:23 · Matt 28:2 · Mark 1:3 239×
Genitive · Plural · Masculine Matt 15:27 · Rev 17:14 · Rev 19:16 3×
Dative · Singular · Masculine Matt 5:33 · Matt 18:31 · Matt 22:44 · Mark 12:36 · Luke 1:17 · Luke 2:22 · Luke 2:23 · Luke 14:21 · Luke 16:5 · Luke 17:5 · Luke 20:42 · Acts 2:34 · Acts 5:14 · Acts 11:23 · Acts 11:24 · Acts 13:2 99×
Dative · Plural · Masculine Matt 6:24 · Luke 16:13 · Acts 16:16 · Eph 6:5 · Col 3:22 5×
Accusative · Singular · Masculine Matt 4:7 · Matt 4:10 · Matt 10:24 · Matt 22:37 · Matt 22:43 · Matt 22:45 · Mark 12:30 · Mark 12:37 · Luke 1:16 · Luke 1:46 · Luke 4:8 · Luke 4:12 · Luke 7:19 · Luke 10:27 · Luke 12:36 · Luke 19:8 67×
Vocative · Singular · Masculine Matt 7:21 · Matt 7:22 · Matt 8:2 · Matt 8:6 · Matt 8:8 · Matt 8:21 · Matt 8:25 · Matt 9:28 · Matt 11:25 · Matt 13:27 · Matt 14:28 · Matt 14:30 · Matt 15:22 · Matt 15:25 · Matt 15:27 · Matt 16:22 118×
Vocative · Plural · Masculine Acts 16:30 1×
Canonical Themes
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
New Testament Witnesses
Acts 2:14-41 Lord kýrios Dative · Singular · Masculine
Master or sovereign ruler, used of Jesus to affirm His divine authority.
Acts 9:1-19 Lord kýrios
Master or sovereign authority.
Colossians 3:18–4:1 κύριος kýrios Nominative · Plural · Masculine
Lord
Luke 1:39–56 κύριος kýrios Accusative · Singular · Masculine
Lord
Luke 2:1–20 Κύριος kýrios
Lord
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.
Word Pictures (Robertson)
A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.
1 Corinthians 12 — One Spirit, Many Gifts, and One Body in Christ 1 Corinthians 7 — Marriage, Singleness, Calling, and Undistracted Devotion to the Lord 1 Corinthians 8 — Knowledge, Love, and the Weak Brother in a World of Idols Acts 10 — God Opens the Gospel Door to the Gentiles Acts 11 — Jerusalem Recognizes God’s Grace to the Gentiles Acts 14 — Through Many Hardships into the Kingdom Acts 15 — The Gospel of Grace Clarified and the Gentiles Received Acts 16 — The Gospel Enters Macedonia: Opened Hearts, Broken Chains, and Household Faith Acts 17 — The Gospel Reasoned from Scripture and Proclaimed to the Nations Acts 19 — The Word of the Lord Grows Mightily in Ephesus Acts 28 — Paul in Rome: The Kingdom Proclaimed Without Hindrance Acts 9 — The Risen Christ Converts His Fiercest Persecutor Colossians 4 — Prayer, Wise Witness, Faithful Service, and Gospel Fellowship John 12 — The Anointed King, the Lifted-Up Son of Man, and the Hour of Glory John 13 — The Servant-Lord, the Washed Disciples, and the New Command of Love John 20 — The Risen Lord: Empty Tomb, Eyewitness Faith, Peace, Mission, Spirit, Thomas, and the Purpose of the Gospel John 21 — The Risen Lord Restores, Commissions, Shepherds, and Testifies through His Witness John 9 — The Man Born Blind, the Light of the World, and the Blindness of Religious Unbelief Luke 10 — The Kingdom Mission Expanded, Mercy Defined, and the Better Portion Chosen Luke 19 — The Son of Man Seeks the Lost, Receives the Kingly Kingdom, and Weeps over Jerusalem Luke 2 — The Savior Born, Revealed, Presented, and Growing in Wisdom Luke 20 — The Rejected Son, the Questioned Authority, and the Lord Who Silences His Opponents Luke 24 — The Risen Christ Opens the Scriptures, Commissions Witnesses, and Ascends in Blessing Luke 5 — The Authority of Jesus to Call, Cleanse, Forgive, and Make New Luke 6 — The Lord of the Sabbath Forms a Kingdom People Mark 11 — The King Comes to Jerusalem: Fig Tree, Temple Judgment, Faith, Forgiveness, and Authority Mark 12 — The Rejected Son, the Greatest Commandment, the Lord of David, and the Widow’s Offering Mark 2 — The Son of Man Has Authority: Forgiveness, Fellowship, and Lordship Matthew 1 — The Genealogy and Birth of Jesus the Messiah Matthew 10 — The Mission of the Twelve, Costly Witness, and Allegiance to Christ Matthew 11 — The Messiah Question, the Rejected Generation, and Rest for the Weary Matthew 12 — The Lord of the Sabbath, the Servant of the Lord, and the Crisis of Unbelief Matthew 14 — The Death of John, the Compassion of Jesus, and the Son of God over Bread, Sea, and Fear Matthew 15 — Tradition, the Heart, Gentile Faith, and the Compassionate Bread of the Messiah Matthew 20 — The First-Last Kingdom, the Ransom-Giving Son of Man, and Mercy for the Blind Matthew 21 — The King Enters Jerusalem, Judges Fruitless Religion, and Exposes Rejected-Son Leadership Matthew 22 — The Wedding Banquet, the King’s Invitation, and the Messiah Who Is David’s Lord Matthew 23 — Woes upon Hypocritical Leadership and the Lament over Jerusalem Matthew 24 — The Olivet Discourse: Temple Desolation, Coming Judgment, the Son of Man, and Watchful Readiness Matthew 25 — Readiness, Stewardship, and the Final Judgment of the Son of Man Matthew 28 — The Resurrection of Jesus and the Great Commission of the Risen King Matthew 3 — The Forerunner, the Kingdom, and the Beloved Son Matthew 6 — Hidden Righteousness, the Father’s Reward, and Seeking First the Kingdom Matthew 7 — Kingdom Discernment, the Narrow Way, and the Wise Builder Matthew 8 — The Authority of Jesus over Uncleanness, Sickness, Discipleship, Storms, and Demons Matthew 9 — Authority to Forgive, Mercy for Sinners, and Compassion for the Harvest Philippians 2 — The Mind of Christ and the Humility of Gospel Witness Philippians 3 — Counting All Things Loss and Pressing On Toward Christ Romans 10 — Christ the End of the Law and the Righteousness Received by Faith Romans 13 — Submission to Governing Authorities, Love as the Fulfillment of the Law, and Life in the Light of the Coming Day Romans 14 — Receiving One Another, Honoring the Lord, and Pursuing Peace in Matters of Conscience Romans 16 — Gospel Partnership, Holy Greeting, False-Teacher Warning, and Doxology to the God Who Establishes
A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain