μήτηρ (mētēr)
mētēr
mother
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 78 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek word mētēr simply means "mother," appearing 78 times in the New Testament with a heavy concentration in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and Mark. It refers to the biological parent in nearly every instance, from the birth narratives of Jesus to his interactions with family members during his ministry. The term carries the full weight of familial authority and affection, serving as a primary reference point for human relationships.
Beyond its literal sense, the word expands into figurative territory to describe spiritual or symbolic origins. In Matthew 12:49-50, Jesus points to his disciples and declares them his mother and brothers, redefining kinship around shared obedience to God rather than blood ties. Similarly, Paul uses the term in Galatians 4:26 to describe Jerusalem as the "mother" of believers, while Revelation 17:5 calls Babylon "the great mother of prostitutes," using the image to signify a source or origin of influence.
This flexibility highlights how ancient language often used family structures to explain complex social and theological concepts. The word functions not just as a label for a parent but as a metaphor for nurturing, origin, and identity. Whether describing a historical figure like Mary or a symbolic city, mētēr anchors abstract ideas in the universal experience of maternal care.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word mētēr anchors us in the reality of human origin and care. In the Gospels, it appears most often referring to Mary, Jesus’ mother, grounding the divine story in ordinary family life. When the Magi found the child with his mother, they recognized that God’s entry into the world respected the natural bonds of kinship. This reminds us that our own families, with all their complexities, are part of the fabric of God’s creation.
Yet the term also expands beyond biology. Jesus redefines who belongs to his family not by blood, but by shared obedience to God. He points to his disciples and calls them his mother and brothers, showing that spiritual kinship can be as deep as any birth tie. This offers comfort to those whose earthly relationships are strained or absent; we find our true identity in the community of faith.
Understanding this word helps us see how Scripture values both natural affection and spiritual belonging. It invites us to honor our parents where possible, while also recognizing that our primary allegiance is to God. In doing so, we participate in a broader family that transcends geography and lineage, united by grace rather than genetics.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 78 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- mother65×
- mother,3×
- of mother2×
- of [the] mother2×
- mother;2×
- of [their] mother1×
- mother’,1×
- mothers,1×
- mothers1×
- mother?1×
- mother.’1×
- mother.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- μήτηρ33×
- μητέρα19×
- μητρὸς11×
- μητρὶ6×
- μητέρα,4×
- μητρί3×
- μητέρα.2×
- μητρί·2×
- μητέρας,1×
- μητέρας1×
- μητέρα;1×
- μητρός1×
Key Verses
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Matthew 1:18
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
This verse establishes the historical reality of Jesus’ birth through his mother Mary, emphasizing that the incarnation entered human history via a specific familial line.
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Matthew 12:50
For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Here Jesus redefines kinship by declaring that obedience to God creates a spiritual family bond that parallels and surpasses biological ties.
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Matthew 15:4
For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.’
Jesus quotes the commandment to honor one’s mother, affirming the enduring moral weight of familial respect within the law.
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Mark 3:31
His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him.
This scene sets up Jesus’ teaching on spiritual family by showing his earthly relatives seeking him, prompting his definition of true kinship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Greek word mētēr mean?
How is mētēr different from terms for other family members?
Where does this word appear most often?
Does mētēr have any symbolic meanings?
Every Occurrence (78 verses across 11 books)
Matthew 24 verses
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together,…
Matthew 2:11They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening…
Matthew 2:13Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the…
Matthew 2:14He arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt,
Matthew 2:20“Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s…
Matthew 2:21He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
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 10:37He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t…
Matthew 12:46While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him.
Matthew 12:47One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking to speak to you.”
Matthew 12:48But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
Matthew 12:49He stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!
Matthew 12:50For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Matthew 13:55Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
Matthew 14:8She, being prompted by her mother, said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer.”
Matthew 14:11His head was brought on a platter and given to the young lady; and she brought it to her mother.
Matthew 15:4For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to…
Matthew 15:5But you say, ‘Whoever may tell his father or his mother, “Whatever help you might otherwise have gotten from me is a…
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 19:12For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by…
Matthew 19:19‘Honor your father and your mother.’ And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Matthew 19:29Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my…
Matthew 20:20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, kneeling and asking a certain thing of him.
Matthew 27:56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.