ἄρτος (artos)

artos

bread

G0740 · Greek · New Testament · 91 verses

Language: Koine Greek
Testament: New Testament
Occurrences: 91 verses
Root: —

Word Overview

The Greek word artos refers to bread as a staple food, specifically a loaf made from flour and water that was baked into a round or oblong shape. In the ancient world, these loaves were often thick enough to be broken by hand rather than cut with a knife. This physical reality shapes how the term is used in Scripture, where it frequently appears in narratives involving sharing meals or breaking bread together, such as when Jesus feeds the crowds (Mark 6:41) or shares the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26).

Beyond its literal sense of sustenance, artos carries significant metaphorical weight. In John’s Gospel, Jesus identifies himself as the "bread of life" (John 6:35), using the familiar image of daily food to describe spiritual nourishment that satisfies deep human longing. The term also connects to Old Testament traditions, appearing in phrases like "bread of the Presence" (Matthew 12:4) to recall the sacred loaves kept in the temple. Translators generally render it simply as "bread" or "loaf," preserving its concrete, everyday nature while allowing its theological depth to emerge from context.

Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).

What This Word Means for Your Faith

Bread was the foundation of daily life in the ancient world, a simple loaf shared at every meal. When Jesus used this everyday image, He spoke directly into the rhythms of ordinary existence. In Matthew 6:11, He taught His followers to ask for their 'daily bread,' acknowledging that physical sustenance is a gift from God that deserves gratitude and trust.

Yet the word carries a deeper resonance beyond mere calories. At the Last Supper, Jesus broke bread and identified it with His own body (Matthew 26:26), transforming a common act of eating into a profound sign of unity and sacrifice. This duality reminds us that God cares for our physical needs while simultaneously offering spiritual nourishment that satisfies the soul’s deepest hunger.

We can approach this word with both simplicity and reverence. It invites us to thank God for the food on our table, recognizing it as His provision, while also looking to Christ as the true source of life. In moments of scarcity or abundance, bread serves as a tangible reminder that we are held by a Father who provides what is truly needed.

How it's translated

How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 91 verses where it appears, by frequency.

bread47×
loaves27×
loaves,4×
bread,4×
loaf3×
bread.3×
of bread2×
with bread1×
of loaves1×
of bread,1×
loaves?1×
loaves of bread1×

Forms in the text

The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.

ἄρτον33×
ἄρτους26×
ἄρτος9×
ἄρτων5×
ἄρτους,4×
ἄρτον,4×
ἄρτοι4×
ἄρτου3×
ἄρτῳ2×
ἄρτων,2×
ἄρτους;1×
ἄρτου.¶1×

Key Verses

Matthew 6:11
Give us today our daily bread.

This verse grounds the concept of daily dependence on God in a practical request for physical sustenance.
Matthew 26:26
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”

Here the word is central to the institution of the Lord's Supper, linking the physical loaf directly to Christ's sacrificial body.
Matthew 14:19
He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.

The breaking of the five loaves demonstrates Jesus' power to multiply simple resources to meet overwhelming human need.
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.’”

Jesus contrasts physical bread with God's word, establishing that spiritual truth is more essential than mere survival.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the word artos specifically refer to in the Bible?

Artos generally refers to a loaf of bread made from flour and water, typically baked into a round or oblong shape. In the first century, these loaves were often thick enough to be broken by hand rather than sliced with a knife, making sharing meals a communal act.

How is artos different from other Greek words for food?

While other terms might refer to general food or grain, artos specifically denotes the prepared loaf. It appears frequently in narratives about feeding multitudes and the Last Supper, emphasizing the communal and sacrificial aspects of eating together.

Why is bread mentioned so often in Jesus' miracles?

Bread was a staple necessity, not a luxury. By multiplying loaves, Jesus addressed immediate physical hunger while pointing to His role as the provider of life. These acts demonstrated compassion and authority over creation.

Every Occurrence (91 verses across 9 books)

Matthew 20 verses

Matthew 4:3

The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

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…

Matthew 6:11

Give us today our daily bread.

Matthew 7:9

Or who is there among you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

Matthew 12:4

how he entered into God’s house and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were…

Matthew 14:17

They told him, “We only have here five loaves and two fish.”

Matthew 14:19

He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to…

Matthew 15:2

“Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”

Matthew 15:26

But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

Matthew 15:33

The disciples said to him, “Where could we get so many loaves in a deserted place as to satisfy so great a multitude?”

Matthew 15:34

Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”

Matthew 15:36

and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples…

Matthew 16:5

The disciples came to the other side and had forgotten to take bread.

Matthew 16:7

They reasoned among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.”

Matthew 16:8

Jesus, perceiving it, said, “Why do you reason among yourselves, you of little faith, because you have brought no bread?

Matthew 16:9

Don’t you yet perceive or remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up,

Matthew 16:10

or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up?

Matthew 16:11

How is it that you don’t perceive that I didn’t speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees…

Matthew 16:12

Then they understood that he didn’t tell them to beware of the yeast of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and…

Matthew 26:26

As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples and said, “Take, eat;…

Mark 20 verses

Luke 16 verses

John 20 verses

Acts 5 verses

I Corinthians 6 verses

II Corinthians 1 verse

II Thessalonians 2 verses

Hebrews 1 verse