Skip to content
mannafest.faith

Greek noun (feminine) · G2776

κεφαλή

kephalekef-al-ay'

head

75 uses in the Greek text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key

Concordance spelling: kephalḗ

Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's G2776is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.

  • 11 of 27
    New Testament books
  • 10
    spellings

The definition in full

Strong's key (1890) · G2776

the head (as the part most readily taken hold of), literally or figuratively

The King James renders it: head.

James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.

Summary

kephale is rendered "head". It stands 75 times in the Greek text, across eleven books.

  • Nineteen of the uses stand in Revelation, more than in any other book.
  • Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Matthew 5:36Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.
  • The Greek text spells it ten different ways.

The first use

Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.

Matthew 5:36κεφαλῇ

The first use, in the order of the New Testament's books.

Where the word stands

Nineteen of the word's seventy-five uses are in Revelation.

The other 16 New Testament books never use the word.

What the word means

Each meaning, and the words it is translated by

How the Greek text is glossed, word by word

  • head55
  • heads17
  • chief2
  • the head1

The words built on the same word-part

Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.

κεφάλαιονkephalaionsumUses2
κεφαλίςkephalisscrollUses1
κεφαλαιόωkephalaiooto strike a headUses1

All 75, in canonical order

Every use, in order

Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.

10 spellings and their grammar

STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.

How it is spelled

  • κεφαλὴν24
  • κεφαλῆς15
  • κεφαλὰς13
  • κεφαλὴ10
  • κεφαλῇ4
  • κεφαλαὶ3
  • κεφαλήν3
  • κεφαλή1
  • κεφαλήν.¶1
  • κεφαλῶν1

The grammar of each form

  • noun · accusative (object) · feminine singular28N-ASF
  • noun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singular15N-GSF
  • noun · accusative (object) · feminine plural13N-APF
  • noun · nominative (subject) · feminine singular11N-NSF
  • noun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singular4N-DSF
  • noun · nominative (subject) · feminine plural3N-NPF
  • noun · genitive (“of”) · feminine plural1N-GPF

Matthew

twelve uses
  • Nor should you swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.

    Matthew 5:36

    • κεφαλῇkephaleanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,

    Matthew 6:17

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”

    Matthew 8:20

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

    Matthew 10:30

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

    Matthew 14:8

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • John’s head was brought in on a platter and presented to the girl, who carried it to her mother.

    Matthew 14:11

    • κεφαλὴkephalenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

    Matthew 21:42

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: chief
  • a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as He reclined at the table.

    Matthew 26:7

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand and knelt down before Him to mock Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

    Matthew 27:29

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • Then they spit on Him and took the staff and struck Him on the head repeatedly.

    Matthew 27:30

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • Above His head they posted the written charge against Him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

    Matthew 27:37

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads

    Matthew 27:39

    • κεφαλὰςkephalasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: heads

Mark

eight uses
  • Then she went out and asked her mother, “What should I request?” And her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist.”

    Mark 6:24

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • At once the girl hurried back to the king with her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.”

    Mark 6:25

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • So without delay, the king commanded that John’s head be brought in. He sent an executioner, who went and beheaded him in the prison.

    Mark 6:27

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • The man brought John’s head on a platter and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother.

    Mark 6:28

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • Have you never read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

    Mark 12:10

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: chief
  • While Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke open the jar and poured it on Jesus’ head.

    Mark 14:3

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • They kept striking His head with a staff and spitting on Him. And they knelt down and bowed before Him.

    Mark 15:19

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,

    Mark 15:29

    • κεφαλὰςkephalasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: heads

Luke

seven uses
  • As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.

    Luke 7:38

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume.

    Luke 7:46

    • κεφαλήνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”

    Luke 9:58

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

    Luke 12:7

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • But Jesus looked directly at them and said, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?

    Luke 20:17

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • Yet not even a hair of your head will perish.

    Luke 21:18

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • When these things begin to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

    Luke 21:28

    • κεφαλὰςkephalasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: heads

John

five uses
  • “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!”

    John 13:9

    • κεφαλήν.¶kephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns, set it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe.

    John 19:2

    • κεφαλῇkephaleanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.

    John 19:30

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths.

    John 20:7

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.

    John 20:12

    • κεφαλῇkephaleanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: head

Acts

five uses
  • This Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’

    Acts 4:11

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

    Acts 18:6

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • Paul remained in Corinth for quite some time before saying goodbye to the brothers. He had his head shaved in Cenchrea to keep a vow he had made, and then he sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila.

    Acts 18:18

    • κεφαλήνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • Take these men, purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is no truth to these rumors about you, but that you also live in obedience to the law.

    Acts 21:24

    • κεφαλήνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • So for your own preservation, I urge you to eat something, because not a single hair of your head will be lost.”

    Acts 27:34

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head

Romans

one use
  • On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

    Romans 12:20

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head

1 Corinthians

ten uses
  • But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

    1 Corinthians 11:3

    • κεφαλὴkephalenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: head
    • κεφαλὴkephalenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: head
    • κεφαλὴkephalenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.

    1 Corinthians 11:4

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is just as if her head were shaved.

    1 Corinthians 11:5

    • κεφαλῇkephaleanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: head
    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.

    1 Corinthians 11:7

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • For this reason a woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.

    1 Corinthians 11:10

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you.” Nor can the head say to the feet, “I do not need you.”

    1 Corinthians 12:21

    • κεφαλὴkephalenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: head

Ephesians

four uses
  • And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church,

    Ephesians 1:22

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.

    Ephesians 4:15

    • κεφαλήkephalenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior.

    Ephesians 5:23

    • κεφαλὴkephalenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: head
    • κεφαλὴkephalenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: head

Colossians

three uses
  • And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence.

    Colossians 1:18

    • κεφαλὴkephalenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • And you have been made complete in Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

    Colossians 2:10

    • κεφαλὴkephalenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • He has lost connection to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and knit together by its joints and ligaments, grows as God causes it to grow.

    Colossians 2:19

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head

1 Peter

one use
  • To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”

    1 Peter 2:7

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head

Revelation

nineteen uses
  • The hair of His head was white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a blazing fire.

    Revelation 1:14

    • κεφαλὴkephalenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: the head
  • Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on these thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white, with golden crowns on their heads.

    Revelation 4:4

    • κεφαλὰςkephalasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
  • And the locusts looked like horses prepared for battle, with something like crowns of gold on their heads, and faces like the faces of men.

    Revelation 9:7

    • κεφαλὰςkephalasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
  • Now the horses and riders in my vision looked like this: The riders had breastplates the colors of fire, sapphire, and sulfur. The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and out of their mouths proceeded fire, smoke, and sulfur.

    Revelation 9:17

    • κεφαλαὶkephalainoun · nominative (subject) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
    • κεφαλαὶkephalainoun · nominative (subject) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
  • For the power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; indeed, their tails were like snakes, having heads with which to inflict harm.

    Revelation 9:19

    • κεφαλὰςkephalasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
  • Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun, and his legs were like pillars of fire.

    Revelation 10:1

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed in the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.

    Revelation 12:1

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads.

    Revelation 12:3

    • κεφαλὰςkephalasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
    • κεφαλὰςkephalasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
  • Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.

    Revelation 13:1

    • κεφαλὰςkephalasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
    • κεφαλὰςkephalasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
  • One of the heads of the beast appeared to be mortally wounded. But the mortal wound was healed, and the whole world marveled and followed the beast.

    Revelation 13:3

    • κεφαλῶνkephalonnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
  • And I looked and saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was One like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.

    Revelation 14:14

    • κεφαλῆςkephalesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: head
  • And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.

    Revelation 17:3

    • κεφαλὰςkephalasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
  • “Why are you so amazed?” said the angel. “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.

    Revelation 17:7

    • κεφαλὰςkephalasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
  • This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.

    Revelation 17:9

    • κεφαλαὶkephalainoun · nominative (subject) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
  • Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”

    Revelation 18:19

    • κεφαλὰςkephalasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: heads
  • He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows.

    Revelation 19:12

    • κεφαλὴνkephalennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: head

Where it leads

How the numbers are counted

Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.

Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.

The words it stands beside are the nouns, verbs and adjectives immediately before or after it, counted in every verse where the word stands. The article, the conjunctions and the prepositions are left out, because they stand beside every word.

The family is read from the lexicon by the stem the two words share, with the accents off, and a person or a place named on the stem is left out.

Hebrew and Greek text, word tagging and grammar: STEP Bible (www.STEPBible.org), Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0. Their grammar codes are written out in English here and shown as tagged beside each one.

Meaning and senses: STEP Bible TBESG (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0), the Brief lexicon based on Abbott-Smith (1922).

Dictionary key: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890, public domain). English verse text: Berean Standard Bible (public domain, 2023).

Revised 2026-09-05. Every cited work, the sources registry →