Word Study · Strong's G5438 · Greek
φυλακή
phylake
foo-lak-ay'
Strong's 1890 spelling: phylakḗ
“a guarding or (concretely, guard), the act, the person”
Strong's Dictionary · 1890 · public domain
a guarding or (concretely, guard), the act, the person; figuratively, the place, the condition, or (specially), the time (as a division of day or night), literally or figuratively
Rendered in the KJV as
cage, hold, (im-)prison(-ment), ward, watch.
- 47occurrencesin the New Testament
- 9 of 27New Testament bookswhere the word stands
- 17inflected formsdistinct spellings
Across 47 occurrences
The word itself
Inflected forms · 17
- φυλακῇ11
- φυλακὴν11
- φυλακὴ3
- φυλακαῖς2
- φυλακὰς2
- φυλακῇ.2
- φυλακῇ.¶2
- φυλακήν.2
- φυλακῆς2
- φυλακῆς,2
- φυλακῆς·2
- φυλακαῖς,1
and 5 more spellings in the ledger below.
How it is rendered · 13
- prison20
- prison.7
- watch4
- a prison3
- prison,3
- prison;2
- prisons2
- guard1
- imprisonment;1
- imprisonments1
- imprisonments,1
- prisons,1
The sense the word carries at each spot — how the translators read it there, not a fixed translation.
How it parses · 6
- noun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singular17
- noun · accusative (object) · feminine singular15
- noun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singular6
- noun · accusative (object) · feminine plural3
- noun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine plural3
- noun · nominative (subject) · feminine singular3
Show the grammar codes as tagged
- N-DSF · 17
- N-ASF · 15
- N-GSF · 6
- N-APF · 3
- N-DPF · 3
- N-NSF · 3
All 47, in canonical order
The ledger of occurrences
Where this word lives
Acts carries the most and opens below; every other book is one click.
Matthew10 occurrences
- Matthew 5:25φυλακὴνphulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singularReconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise, he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.here: prison
- Matthew 14:3φυλακῇphulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularNow Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,here: prison
- Matthew 14:10φυλακῇ.phulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularand sent to have John beheaded in the prison.here: prison.
- Matthew 14:25φυλακῇphulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularDuring the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea.here: watch
- Matthew 18:30φυλακὴνphulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singularBut he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt.here: prison
- Matthew 24:43φυλακῇphulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularBut understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.here: time of night
- Matthew 25:36φυλακῇphulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularI was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’here: prison
- Matthew 25:39φυλακῇphulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularWhen did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’here: prison
- Matthew 25:43φυλακῇphulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularI was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’here: prison
- Matthew 25:44φυλακῇphulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularAnd they too will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’here: prison
Mark3 occurrences
- Mark 6:17φυλακῇphulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularFor Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married.here: prison
- Mark 6:27φυλακῇphulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularSo without delay, the king commanded that John’s head be brought in. He sent an executioner, who went and beheaded him in the prison.here: prison
- Mark 6:48φυλακὴνphulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singularHe could see that the disciples were straining to row, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them,here: watch
Luke8 occurrences
- Luke 2:8φυλακὰςphulakasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluralAnd there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.here: watch
- Luke 3:20φυλακῇ.¶phulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularHerod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.here: prison.
- Luke 12:38φυλακῇphulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularEven if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed.here: watch
- Luke 12:58φυλακήν.phulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singularMake every effort to reconcile with your adversary while you are on your way to the magistrate. Otherwise, he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison.here: prison.
- Luke 21:12φυλακάς,phulakasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluralBut before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. On account of My name they will deliver you to the synagogues and prisons, and they will bring you before kings and governors.here: prisons,
- Luke 22:33φυλακὴνphulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singular“Lord,” said Peter, “I am ready to go with You even to prison and to death.”here: prison
- Luke 23:19φυλακῇ.¶phulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singular(Barabbas had been imprisoned for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)here: prison.
- Luke 23:25φυλακὴνphulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singularAs they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and handed Jesus over to their will.here: prison
John1 occurrence
Acts16 occurrences
- Acts 5:19φυλακῆς,phulakēsnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singularBut during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,here: prison,
- Acts 5:22φυλακῇ.phulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularBut on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they returned with the report:here: prison.
- Acts 5:25φυλακῇ,phulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularThen someone came in and announced, “Look, the men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people!”here: prison
- Acts 8:3φυλακήν.¶phulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singularBut Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.here: prison.
- Acts 12:4φυλακὴνphulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singularHe arrested him and put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out to the people after the Passover.here: prison
- Acts 12:5φυλακῇ·phulakēanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singularSo Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.here: prison;
- Acts 12:6φυλακήν.phulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singularOn the night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, with sentries standing guard at the entrance to the prison.here: prison.
- Acts 12:10φυλακὴνphulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singularThey passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city, which opened for them by itself. When they had gone outside and walked the length of one block, the angel suddenly left him.here: guard
- Acts 12:17φυλακῆς·phulakēsnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singularPeter motioned with his hand for silence, and he described how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Send word to James and to the brothers,” he said, and he left for another place.here: prison;
- Acts 16:23φυλακὴνphulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singularAnd after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.here: prison
- Acts 16:24φυλακὴνphulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singularOn receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.here: prison
- Acts 16:27φυλακῆς,phulakēsnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singularWhen the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.here: prison,
- Acts 16:37φυλακήν,phulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singularBut Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!”here: prison,
- Acts 16:40φυλακῆςphulakēsnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singularAfter Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house to see the brothers and encourage them. Then they left the city.here: prison
- Acts 22:4φυλακὰςphulakasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluralI persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,here: prisons
- Acts 26:10φυλακαῖςphulakaisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine pluralAnd that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.here: prisons
2 Corinthians2 occurrences
- 2 Corinthians 6:5φυλακαῖς,phulakaisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine pluralin beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger;here: imprisonments,
- 2 Corinthians 11:23φυλακαῖςphulakaisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine pluralAre they servants of Christ? I am speaking like I am out of my mind, but I am so much more: in harder labor, in more imprisonments, in worse beatings, in frequent danger of death.here: imprisonments
Hebrews1 occurrence
1 Peter1 occurrence
Revelation5 occurrences
- Revelation 2:10φυλακὴνphulakēnnoun · accusative (object) · feminine singularDo not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.here: prison
- Revelation 18:2φυλακὴphulakēnoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singularAnd he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.here: a prison
- Revelation 18:2φυλακὴphulakēnoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singularAnd he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.here: a prison
- Revelation 18:2φυλακὴphulakēnoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singularAnd he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.here: a prison
- Revelation 20:7φυλακῆςphulakēsnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singularWhen the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison,here: prison