δευτερόπρωτος (deuteroprōtos)
deuteroprōtos
second-first
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The rare adjective deuteroproōtos literally combines "second" and "first" to describe a specific time in the Jewish calendar. It appears only once in the New Testament, in Luke 6:1, where it refers to a particular Sabbath during the feast season.
Its exact meaning has long puzzled scholars because the phrase seems contradictory. Most likely, it identifies the second Sabbath after Passover, or perhaps the second day of the first week of unleavened bread. Translators often render it as "a Sabbath" or "the second Sabbath," acknowledging that the precise technical definition is lost to time.
This word highlights how specific Jewish agricultural and religious calendars were to Jesus' original listeners. While modern readers see only a simple temporal marker, the term points to the intricate rhythm of feast days that structured daily life in first-century Judea.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The phrase 'second-first' in Luke 6:1 may seem like a confusing puzzle, but it actually grounds us in the real rhythm of Jesus’ life. It refers to a specific time during the barley harvest, right after Passover. This detail shows that Jesus was not removed from the daily concerns of His people. He walked through grain fields with His disciples, engaging with the agricultural cycles that defined their world.
For us, this reminds us that faith is lived out in ordinary moments. God’s Word meets us in the midst of work, rest, and seasonal change. We do not need to solve every historical mystery to find comfort here. Instead, we can trust that Jesus sanctified everyday life by being present within it.
When you face your own busy seasons or periods of uncertainty, remember that Jesus walked these paths too. His presence turns routine tasks into opportunities for grace. You are never alone in your daily walk, whether you are harvesting or resting.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- second [after the] first1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- δευτεροπρώτῳ1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 6:1
Now on the second Sabbath after the first, he was going through the grain fields. His disciples plucked the heads of grain and ate, rubbing them in their hands.
This is the only New Testament occurrence, anchoring the controversy over Sabbath laws in a specific harvest season.