νεωκόρος (neōkoros)
neōkoros
temple guard
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun neōkoros literally means a temple-keeper or one who has charge of maintaining a sanctuary. Its roots combine words for "temple" and "to sweep," pointing originally to the practical duty of cleaning and preserving sacred space. Over time, the term evolved into an honorary civic title bestowed upon cities that hosted significant temples or imperial cults.
In Acts 19:35, the city clerk uses this title to describe Ephesus’s unique status as the guardian of the great temple of Artemis. This usage reflects a broader Roman practice where cities competed for the prestige of being designated neōkoroí, effectively claiming a special divine protection or association. The word captures both the physical maintenance of holy places and the political honor attached to hosting them.
Though it appears only once in the New Testament, the term illustrates how religious language intersected with civic identity in the ancient world. It reminds readers that early Christian encounters often took place within cities deeply invested in their own sacred reputations and public honors.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word neōkoros originally described someone who cleaned and guarded a temple, but in Acts 19:35 it became a badge of civic pride for Ephesus. The city clerk used this title to remind the crowd that their town held a special honor as the guardian of Artemis’s shrine. This shows how deeply religious identity was tied to public status in the ancient world.
For your faith, this word highlights a contrast between human honors and divine truth. While Ephesus boasted of its temple guard title, the gospel proclaimed a God who does not dwell in temples made by hands. You can find comfort in knowing that your standing before God rests on His grace, not on any earthly prestige or reputation.
This passage invites you to look beyond surface-level honors. True security comes from Christ alone, not from cultural titles or religious landmarks. Let this remind you that your value is secure in Him, offering peace amidst a world that often measures worth by external status.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- temple-keeper1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- νεωκόρον1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 19:35
When the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he said, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?
The city clerk uses this term to assert Ephesus’s unique civic and religious honor as the guardian of Artemis’s temple.