μήτηρ
mētēr
mother
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word μήτηρ (mētēr), corresponding to Strong's number G3384, is defined as "mother." It is used a total of 85 times in the Bible. As the term for a parent or female progenitor, μήτηρ has a broad range of usage, encompassing both physical and metaphorical contexts. In physical contexts, μὴτηρ refers to the biological mother of a person, as in describing family relationships or genealogies. In metaphorical contexts, it can symbolize spiritual guidance, nurturing, or care, as when God is referred to as the "mother" of creation. This dual usage underscores the significance of mothers in ancient Greek culture and their roles in both secular and spiritual contexts. The frequency of μὴτηρ's occurrence in the Bible (85 times) highlights its importance in Christian teaching and tradition. The use of this term not only illustrates the cultural significance of motherhood but also underscores its spiritual significance as a model for nurturing, love, and care.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
85 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
His head was brought on a platter, and given to the young lady; and she brought it to her mother.
Matthew 1:18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 2:11They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
Matthew 2:14He arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt,
Matthew 2:20“Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.”
Matthew 2:21He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
Matthew 10:35For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
Matthew 10:37He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.
Matthew 12:46While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
Matthew 12:47One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.”
Matthew 12:48But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
Matthew 12:49He stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!
Matthew 12:50For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Matthew 13:55Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
Matthew 14:8She, being prompted by her mother, said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer.”
Matthew 15:4For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’
Matthew 15:4For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’
Matthew 15:5But you say, ‘Whoever may tell his father or his mother, “Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a gift devoted to God,”
Matthew 15:6he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition.
Matthew 27:56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Matthew 27:56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Matthew 19:5and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?’
Matthew 19:12For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.”
Matthew 19:19‘Honor your father and your mother.’ And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
Matthew 19:29Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life.
Matthew 20:20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him.
Mark 3:31His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him.
Mark 3:32A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, “Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside looking for you.”
Mark 3:33He answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”
Mark 3:34Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!
Mark 3:35For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and mother.”
Mark 5:40They ridiculed him. But he, having put them all out, took the father of the child, her mother, and those who were with him, and went in where the child was lying.
Mark 6:24She went out, and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” She said, “The head of John the Baptizer.”
Mark 6:28and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young lady; and the young lady gave it to her mother.
Mark 7:10For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother;’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’
Mark 7:10For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother;’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’
Mark 7:11But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban,” ’ ” that is to say, given to God,
Mark 7:12“then you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or his mother,
Mark 10:7For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will join to his wife,
Mark 10:19You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and mother.’ ”
Mark 10:29Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for my sake, and for the sake of the Good News,
Mark 10:30but he will receive one hundred times more now in this time: houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions; and in the age to come eternal life.
Mark 15:40There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
Luke 1:15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
Luke 1:43Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Luke 1:60His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”
Luke 2:33Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him,
Luke 2:34and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.
Luke 2:43and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother didn’t know it,