κηπουρός (kēpouros)
kēpouros
gardener
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun kēpouros refers simply to a gardener or keeper of a garden. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in John 20:15, when the risen Jesus speaks to Mary Magdalene outside the tomb.
The word combines kēpos, meaning "garden," with ouros, which means "watcher" or "guard." This etymology highlights a role of active care and protection rather than just cultivation. The image suggests someone who tends a specific place with vigilance.
Its single usage places the gardener in a quiet, intimate moment of recognition. Jesus uses this ordinary title to bridge the gap between the familiar past and the new reality of resurrection, showing how divine presence can meet human need in simple, grounded ways.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kēpouros means gardener, but it carries a deeper sense of watchfulness. In John 20:15, Mary Magdalene meets the risen Jesus and mistakes Him for this keeper of the garden. This moment shows how God often meets us in ordinary places, using familiar roles to reveal new truth. The title bridges her grief with the reality of resurrection, showing that divine presence can appear in simple, grounded ways.
For your faith, this reminds you that God is not distant or abstract. He cares for specific places and people with active protection. When life feels confusing or painful, like Mary’s morning at the tomb, Jesus may be near, waiting to be recognized. His presence brings comfort and clarity, turning sorrow into hope through quiet, personal encounter.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- gardener1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- κηπουρός1×
Key Verses
-
John 20:15
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
This verse uses kēpouros to show how Jesus meets Mary in her grief through a familiar role, bridging her past with the new reality of resurrection.