Greek noun (feminine) · G5438
φυλακή
phylakefoo-lak-ay'
prison/watch: watch
47 uses in the Greek text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key
Concordance spelling: phylakḗ
Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's G5438is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.
- 9 of 27New Testament books
- 10spellings
The definition in full
Strong's key (1890) · G5438
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
The King James renders it: cage, hold, (im-)prison(-ment), ward, watch.
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
phylake is rendered "prison/watch: watch". It stands 47 times in the Greek text, across nine books.
- Sixteen of the uses stand in Acts, more than in any other book.
- Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Matthew 5:25Reconcile 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.
- The Greek text spells it ten different ways.
The first use
Reconcile 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.
Matthew 5:25φυλακὴν
The first use, in the order of the New Testament's books.
Where the word stands
Sixteen of the word's forty-seven uses are in Acts.
What the word means
Each meaning, and the words it is translated by
How the Greek text is glossed, word by word
- prison32
- watch4
- a prison3
- prisons3
- imprisonments2
- guard1
- imprisonment1
- time of night1
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.
| Word | Written | Meaning | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| φυλάσσω | phylasso | to keep/guard: protect | Uses31 |
| φύλαξ | phylax | guard | Uses3 |
| φυλακίζω | phylakizo | to imprison | Uses1 |
| φυλακτήριον | phylakterion | phylactery | Uses1 |
All 47, 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
- φυλακῇ15
- φυλακὴν11
- φυλακῆς6
- φυλακαῖς3
- φυλακὴ3
- φυλακήν3
- φυλακὰς2
- φυλακῇ.¶2
- φυλακάς1
- φυλακήν.¶1
The grammar of each form
- noun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singular17N-DSF
- noun · accusative (object) · feminine singular15N-ASF
- noun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singular6N-GSF
- noun · accusative (object) · feminine plural3N-APF
- noun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine plural3N-DPF
- noun · nominative (subject) · feminine singular3N-NSF
Matthew
ten uses
Reconcile 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.
- φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
and sent to have John beheaded in the prison.
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea.
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: watch
But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt.
- φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
But 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.
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: time of night
I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
I 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.’
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
And 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?’
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
Mark
three uses
For 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.
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
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.
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
He 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,
- φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: watch
Luke
eight uses
And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
- φυλακὰςphulakasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: watch
Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.
- φυλακῇ.¶phulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, those servants will be blessed.
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: watch
Make 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.
- φυλακήνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
But 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.
- φυλακάςphulakasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: prisons
“Lord,” said Peter, “I am ready to go with You even to prison and to death.”
- φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
(Barabbas had been imprisoned for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
- φυλακῇ.¶phulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and handed Jesus over to their will.
- φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
John
one use
(For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)
- φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
Acts
sixteen uses
But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
- φυλακῆςphulakesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they returned with the report:
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
Then someone came in and announced, “Look, the men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people!”
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
- φυλακήν.¶phulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
He 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.
- φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
On 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.
- φυλακήνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
They 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.
- φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: guard
Peter 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.
- φυλακῆςphulakesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
And after striking them with many blows, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.
- φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
- φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
When 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.
- φυλακῆςphulakesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
But 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!”
- φυλακήνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
After 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.
- φυλακῆςphulakesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
- φυλακὰςphulakasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: prisons
And 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.
- φυλακαῖςphulakaisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine pluraltagged: prisons
2 Corinthians
two uses
in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger;
- φυλακαῖςphulakaisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine pluraltagged: imprisonments
Are 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.
- φυλακαῖςphulakaisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine pluraltagged: imprisonments
Hebrews
one use
Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
- φυλακῆςphulakesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: imprisonment
1 Peter
one use
in whom He also went and preached to the spirits in prison
- φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
Revelation
five uses
Do 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.
- φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
And 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.
- φυλακὴphulakenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: a prison
- φυλακὴphulakenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: a prison
- φυλακὴphulakenoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: a prison
When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison,
- φυλακῆςphulakesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
Where it leads
Studies that open this word1
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 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.
