ἀδελφός (adelphos)
adelphos
brother
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 321 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek word adelphos literally means "brother," deriving from roots that reference the womb or shared birth. In the New Testament, it carries this concrete sense in genealogies and family narratives, such as when Jesus is identified as the brother of James and Joseph (Matthew 1:2). However, the term frequently expands beyond biological ties to describe a broader kinship.
It commonly signifies a fellow countryman or neighbor, reflecting the Jewish understanding of shared identity within the covenant people. This usage appears when Moses addresses an Israelite as his brother in Exodus 2:14, and it continues into the New Testament when Paul refers to his Jewish relatives in Romans 9:3. The word bridges the gap between blood relation and communal belonging.
In Christian contexts, adelphos takes on a distinct theological weight, designating members of the church as siblings in Christ. This spiritual brotherhood is central to early Christian identity, as seen when Paul addresses the entire congregation in Corinth as brothers (1 Corinthians 1:1). The term also appears in passages where Jesus redefines his family circle to include those who do God’s will (Mark 3:31-35), emphasizing that faith creates a bond as significant as natural lineage.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word adelphos begins with the simple reality of shared family ties. In the New Testament, it first describes biological siblings, such as the brothers of Jesus or the fishing partners Simon and Andrew. This concrete meaning grounds us in the importance of kinship and community. We see this when Jesus speaks about reconciling with a brother before offering gifts at the altar, highlighting that human relationships carry spiritual weight.
Yet the term expands far beyond bloodlines. Jesus redefines family around shared faith, declaring that those who do God’s will are his brothers and sisters. This shift invites every believer into a deep, spiritual kinship with Christ and one another. It is not merely a social label but a new identity rooted in heaven.
For your daily life, this means you belong to a family that transcends geography and background. When conflicts arise, remember that the person across from you shares this sacred bond. Prioritizing reconciliation reflects the heart of Christ, who calls us to forgive as we have been forgiven.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 321 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- brothers118×
- brother102×
- brothers,68×
- brothers.12×
- brothers;6×
- Brothers,6×
- brother,5×
- a brother4×
- brother.3×
- to brothers2×
- brothers?2×
- brothers —2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀδελφοί,68×
- ἀδελφοί34×
- ἀδελφὸν32×
- ἀδελφὸς30×
- ἀδελφοὶ30×
- ἀδελφοὺς26×
- ἀδελφῶν15×
- ἀδελφοῦ15×
- ἀδελφῷ12×
- ἀδελφοῖς12×
- ἀδελφός11×
- ἀδελφόν7×
Key Verses
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Matthew 12:50
For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
This verse establishes the theological expansion of the word, defining spiritual kinship through obedience to God rather than biological descent.
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Matthew 5:24
leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Here the term underscores the priority of interpersonal reconciliation over religious ritual, showing how broken relationships hinder worship.
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Matthew 18:21
Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”
Peter uses this word to ask about forgiveness limits, framing the challenge of grace within the context of sibling-like community life.
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Matthew 4:18
Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
This occurrence anchors the word in its literal sense, identifying the first disciples as brothers before their spiritual calling reshaped that bond.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does adelphos mean in the New Testament?
Is adelphos used only for biological brothers?
How does this word change how we treat others?
Every Occurrence (321 verses across 25 books)
Matthew 31 verses
Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers.
Matthew 1:11Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
Matthew 4:18Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net…
Matthew 4:21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with…
Matthew 5:22But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment. Whoever…
Matthew 5:23“If therefore you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you,
Matthew 5:24leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer…
Matthew 5:47If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?
Matthew 7:3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?
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 7:5You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your…
Matthew 10:2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the…
Matthew 10:21“Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents and cause…
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 14:3For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.
Matthew 17:1After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by…
Matthew 18:15“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have…
Matthew 18:21Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven…
Matthew 18:35So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”
Matthew 19:29Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my…
Matthew 20:24When the ten heard it, they were indignant with the two brothers.
Matthew 22:24saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up…
Matthew 22:25Now there were with us seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother.
Matthew 23:8But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’, for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers.
Matthew 25:40“The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,…
Matthew 28:10Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go tell my brothers that they should go into Galilee, and there they will…