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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 27
    New Testament books
  • 10
    spellings

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.

The other 18 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

  • 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.

φυλάσσωphylassoto keep/guard: protectUses31
φύλαξphylaxguardUses3
φυλακίζωphylakizoto imprisonUses1
φυλακτήριονphylakterionphylacteryUses1

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.

    Matthew 5:25

    • 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,

    Matthew 14:3

    • φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
  • and sent to have John beheaded in the prison.

    Matthew 14:10

    • φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
  • During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea.

    Matthew 14:25

    • 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.

    Matthew 18:30

    • 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.

    Matthew 24:43

    • 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.’

    Matthew 25:36

    • φυλακῇphulakeanoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
  • When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’

    Matthew 25:39

    • 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.’

    Matthew 25:43

    • 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?’

    Matthew 25:44

    • 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.

    Mark 6:17

    • 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.

    Mark 6:27

    • 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,

    Mark 6:48

    • 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.

    Luke 2:8

    • φυλακὰςphulakasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: watch
  • Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

    Luke 3:20

    • 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.

    Luke 12:38

    • 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.

    Luke 12:58

    • 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.

    Luke 21:12

    • φυλακάςphulakasnoun · accusative (object) · feminine pluraltagged: prisons
  • “Lord,” said Peter, “I am ready to go with You even to prison and to death.”

    Luke 22:33

    • φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
  • (Barabbas had been imprisoned for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)

    Luke 23:19

    • 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.

    Luke 23:25

    • φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison

John

one use
  • (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)

    John 3:24

    • 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,

    Acts 5:19

    • 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:

    Acts 5:22

    • 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!”

    Acts 5:25

    • 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.

    Acts 8:3

    • 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.

    Acts 12:4

    • φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
  • So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was fervently praying to God for him.

    Acts 12:5

    • 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.

    Acts 12:6

    • 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.

    Acts 12:10

    • 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.

    Acts 12:17

    • 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.

    Acts 16:23

    • φυλακὴνphulakennoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: prison
  • On receiving this order, he placed them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

    Acts 16:24

    • 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.

    Acts 16:27

    • 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!”

    Acts 16:37

    • 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.

    Acts 16:40

    • φυλακῆςphulakesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: prison
  • I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,

    Acts 22:4

    • 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.

    Acts 26:10

    • φυλακαῖςphulakaisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine pluraltagged: prisons

2 Corinthians

two uses
  • in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger;

    2 Corinthians 6:5

    • 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.

    2 Corinthians 11:23

    • φυλακαῖςphulakaisnoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine pluraltagged: imprisonments

Hebrews

one use
  • Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

    Hebrews 11:36

    • φυλακῆςphulakesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: imprisonment

1 Peter

one use
  • in whom He also went and preached to the spirits in prison

    1 Peter 3:19

    • 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.

    Revelation 2:10

    • 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.

    Revelation 18:2

    • 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,

    Revelation 20:7

    • 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.

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 →