ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos)
anthrōpos
a human
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 502 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek word anthrōpos refers broadly to a human being, encompassing both men and women as part of the same species. Unlike terms that specify gender or social status, it serves as the generic label for humanity in distinction from God, angels, and animals. This fundamental identity is highlighted when Jesus notes that marriage belongs to God’s order rather than human custom (Matthew 19:6), or when Paul contrasts divine wisdom with human reasoning (1 Corinthians 2:5).
Lexical sources note that the term often carries a nuance of frailty or limitation. It describes the condition of being subject to weakness, as seen in references to "human desires" (1 Peter 4:2) or walking "according to man" (1 Corinthians 3:3). The word also functions metaphorically to describe aspects of human nature, such as the inner person versus the outer self (Romans 7:22), or the old self replaced by a new creation in Christ (Ephesians 4:22-24).
Its etymology links it to the face or countenance, suggesting a being defined by relational presence. While frequently translated simply as "man," its scope is inclusive of all people. It appears over five hundred times in the New Testament, serving as the primary term for discussing human responsibility, sin, and redemption across the Gospels and Epistles.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word anthrōpos simply means a human being. It covers everyone, regardless of gender or status. In the New Testament, it reminds us that we are created beings, distinct from God but made for relationship with Him. This identity is not about our strength or wisdom, but about our need for God’s word and grace.
Jesus often used this term to highlight human dependence. When He said man does not live by bread alone, He pointed to a deeper truth: our souls require spiritual nourishment from God. We are fragile, yes, but we are also loved. Our value comes from being known by the Creator, not from what we achieve or how others see us.
Understanding this word helps us see ourselves honestly. We are limited, yet invited into God’s family. This perspective frees us from the pressure to perform for approval. Instead, we can rest in the fact that our worth is secure in Christ, who took on human nature to redeem it. You are seen, known, and valued by God.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 502 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- man114×
- men83×
- a man70×
- of Man60×
- of men25×
- men,17×
- A man12×
- men.11×
- man.11×
- of men.10×
- of man10×
- of Man.10×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἄνθρωπος103×
- ἀνθρώπου101×
- ἀνθρώπων51×
- ἄνθρωπον44×
- ἀνθρώπους28×
- ἀνθρώποις27×
- ἀνθρώπῳ23×
- ἀνθρώπων,21×
- ἄνθρωποι20×
- ἀνθρώπων.13×
- ἄνθρωπός10×
- ἀνθρώπου,10×
Key Verses
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Matthew 4:4
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.’”
This verse defines the fundamental need of every human being for God's spoken word rather than just physical sustenance.
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Matthew 5:16
Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Here the term refers to the audience whose observation of good works should lead them to glorify God, not the doer.
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Matthew 7:12
Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
The Golden Rule uses this word to establish the standard for how we ought to treat all other people.
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Matthew 8:27
The men marveled, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
The crowd uses this term in wonder, questioning the nature of Jesus who commands forces beyond normal human capability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does anthropos only refer to men?
How is this word different from ginosko?
Why does Jesus call himself Son of Man?
Every Occurrence (502 verses across 24 books)
Matthew 106 verses
But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s…
Matthew 4:19He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.”
Matthew 5:13“You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for…
Matthew 5:16Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:19Therefore, whoever shall break one of these least commandments and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the…
Matthew 6:1“Be careful that you don’t do your charitable giving before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from…
Matthew 6:2Therefore, when you do merciful deeds, don’t sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues…
Matthew 6:5“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the…
Matthew 6:14“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 6:15But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:16“Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces that they may be…
Matthew 6:18so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees in…
Matthew 7:9Or who is there among you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?
Matthew 7:12Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
Matthew 8:9For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and tell…
Matthew 8:20Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his…
Matthew 8:27The men marveled, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Matthew 9:6But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins—” (then he said to the paralytic),…
Matthew 9:8But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
Matthew 9:9As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him,…
Matthew 9:32As they went out, behold, a mute man who was demon possessed was brought to him.
Matthew 10:17But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.
Matthew 10:23But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone…
Matthew 10:32Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 10:33But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.
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…
Matthew 10:36A man’s foes will be those of his own household.
Matthew 11:8But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
Matthew 11:19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax…
Matthew 12:8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Matthew 12:10And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” so that…
Matthew 12:11He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if this one falls into a pit on the Sabbath day,…
Matthew 12:12Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath day.”
Matthew 12:13Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out; and it was restored whole, just like the other.
Matthew 12:31Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be…
Matthew 12:32Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it…
Matthew 12:35The good man out of his good treasure brings out good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil…
Matthew 12:36I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
Matthew 12:40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and…
Matthew 12:43“When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he passes through waterless places seeking rest, and doesn’t find it.
Matthew 12:45Then he goes and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The…
Matthew 13:24He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,
Matthew 13:25but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also among the wheat, and went away.
Matthew 13:28“He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’
Matthew 13:31He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took,…
Matthew 13:37He answered them, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,
Matthew 13:41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling and…
Matthew 13:44“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid. In his joy, he goes and…
Matthew 13:45“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls,
Matthew 13:52He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a…
Matthew 15:9And they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’”
Matthew 15:11That which enters into the mouth doesn’t defile the man; but that which proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the…
Matthew 15:18But the things which proceed out of the mouth come out of the heart, and they defile the man.
Matthew 15:20These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands doesn’t defile the man.”
Matthew 16:13Now when Jesus came into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the…
Matthew 16:23But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your…
Matthew 16:26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange…
Matthew 16:27For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will give to everyone according to…
Matthew 16:28Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death until they see the Son of Man…
Matthew 17:9As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Don’t tell anyone what you saw, until the…
Matthew 17:12but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn’t recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to.…
Matthew 17:14When they came to the multitude, a man came to him, kneeling down to him and saying,
Matthew 17:22While they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered up into the hands of…
Matthew 18:7“Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person…
Matthew 18:11For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.
Matthew 18:12“What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go…
Matthew 18:23Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
Matthew 19:3Pharisees came to him, testing him and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”
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…
Matthew 19:6So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart.”
Matthew 19:10His disciples said to him, “If this is the case of the man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry.”
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…
Matthew 19:26Looking at them, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:28Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man…
Matthew 20:1“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire…
Matthew 20:18“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they…
Matthew 20:28even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 21:25The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?” They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say,…
Matthew 21:26But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all hold John as a prophet.”
Matthew 21:28But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’
Matthew 21:33“Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it,…
Matthew 22:2“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a wedding feast for his son,
Matthew 22:11“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t have on wedding clothing,
Matthew 22:16They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach…
Matthew 23:4For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will…
Matthew 23:5But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the fringes of their…
Matthew 23:7the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men.
Matthew 23:13“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers.…
Matthew 23:28Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Matthew 24:27For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Matthew 24:30and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will…
Matthew 24:37As the days of Noah were, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Matthew 24:39and they didn’t know until the flood came and took them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Matthew 24:44Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.
Matthew 25:13Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Matthew 25:14“For it is like a man going into another country, who called his own servants and entrusted his goods to them.
Matthew 25:24“He also who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you…
Matthew 25:31“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his…
Matthew 26:2“You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
Matthew 26:24The Son of Man goes even as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would…
Matthew 26:45Then he came to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and…
Matthew 26:64Jesus said to him, “You have said so. Nevertheless, I tell you, after this you will see the Son of Man sitting at the…
Matthew 26:72Again he denied it with an oath, “I don’t know the man.”
Matthew 26:74Then he began to curse and to swear, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately the rooster crowed.
Matthew 27:32As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might…
Matthew 27:57When evening had come, a rich man from Arimathaea named Joseph, who himself was also Jesus’ disciple, came.