ἔδαφος (edaphos)
edaphos
ground
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun edaphos refers to the solid surface beneath one’s feet, translated as ground or pavement. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Acts 22:7, where Paul recounts his conversion experience on the road to Damascus. The voice from heaven identifies itself using this term, grounding the divine encounter in a tangible, physical reality.
This word emphasizes the literal earth rather than abstract space. Its usage here highlights the immediacy of the event; the speaker stands on the dust and stone of the journey, yet receives a call that will reshape history. The term serves as a reminder that spiritual truths often intersect with the material world at specific places and times.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word edaphos simply means the solid ground beneath your feet. In Acts 22:7, Paul describes falling to this earth as he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. This detail reminds us that God’s encounters are not just spiritual ideas floating in the air; they happen in real places, with real people standing on real soil.
When life feels unstable or your footing is shaky, this word offers a quiet comfort. It suggests that even in moments of sudden change or overwhelming revelation, you are still supported by the earth. God meets us where we stand, grounding His truth in our physical reality rather than leaving it as an abstract concept.
This tangible nature of faith invites you to trust that the same God who spoke from heaven also cares about the dust under your feet. Your daily steps matter to Him, and He is present in the ordinary moments of your journey.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- ground1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἔδαφος1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 22:7
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
The term 'ground' anchors Paul's physical fall to the specific moment he heard the divine voice, emphasizing that his conversion was a real event in history.