πῶς
pōs
how?!
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Greek word πῶς (pōs) is a fundamental interrogative adverb that translates to "how." It is used to inquire about the manner, means, or circumstances of something. With 105 occurrences in the Bible, πῶς is a versatile word that appears in various contexts, from everyday conversations to philosophical debates. The range of usage for πῶς is broad, encompassing questions about methods, procedures, and even the feasibility of tasks. It is often used in conjunction with other words to form more specific questions, such as "πῶς δύναται" (how is it possible) or "πῶς λέγεις" (how do you say). This word allows speakers to express curiosity, skepticism, or even incredulity, making it a crucial component of Greek communication. The significance of πῶς lies in its ability to facilitate critical thinking and inquiry. By inquiring about the "how," speakers can challenge assumptions, seek clarification, and encourage discussion. In the biblical context, πῶς is often used to probe the nature of God's actions, the workings of the universe, or the human condition, highlighting the importance of questioning and seeking understanding.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
105 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin,
Matthew 7:4Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?
Matthew 10:19But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say.
Matthew 12:4how he entered into God’s house, and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests?
Matthew 12:26If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
Matthew 12:29Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then he will plunder his house.
Matthew 12:34You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Matthew 16:11How is it that you don’t perceive that I didn’t speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Matthew 21:20When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree immediately wither away?”
Matthew 22:12and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless.
Matthew 22:43He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying,
Matthew 22:45“If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?”
Matthew 23:33You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna?
Matthew 26:54How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must be so?”
Mark 2:26How he entered into God’s house at the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?”
Mark 3:23He summoned them, and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan?
Mark 4:13He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables?
Mark 4:30He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?
Mark 4:40He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”
Mark 5:16Those who saw it declared to them what happened to him who was possessed by demons, and about the pigs.
Mark 8:21He asked them, “Don’t you understand yet?”
Mark 9:12He said to them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and restores all things. How is it written about the Son of Man, that he should suffer many things and be despised?
Mark 10:23Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!”
Mark 10:24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!
Mark 11:18The chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching.
Mark 12:26But about the dead, that they are raised; haven’t you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
Mark 12:35Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?
Mark 12:41Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much.
Mark 14:1It was now two days before the feast of the Passover and the unleavened bread, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might seize him by deception, and kill him.
Mark 14:11They, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. He sought how he might conveniently deliver him.
Luke 11:18If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.
Luke 1:34Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
Luke 6:42Or how can you tell your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck of chaff that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the beam that is in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck of chaff that is in your brother’s eye.
Luke 8:18Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has.”
Luke 8:36Those who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed.
Luke 10:26He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”
Luke 12:11When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, don’t be anxious how or what you will answer, or what you will say;
Luke 12:27Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Luke 12:50But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!
Luke 12:56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don’t interpret this time?
John 3:12If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
Luke 14:7He spoke a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the best seats, and said to them,
Luke 18:24Jesus, seeing that he became very sad, said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!
Luke 20:41He said to them, “Why do they say that the Christ is David’s son?
Luke 20:44“David therefore calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”
Luke 22:2The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death, for they feared the people.
Luke 22:4He went away, and talked with the chief priests and captains about how he might deliver him to them.
John 3:4Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”
John 4:9The Samaritan woman therefore said to him, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
John 5:44How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God?