ὄρθρος (orthros)
orthros
dawn
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun orthros refers to the specific time of daybreak or early morning light. In the New Testament, it appears only three times, consistently marking the beginning of a new day with a sense of urgency. The word captures the moment when night recedes and visibility returns, serving as a precise temporal marker rather than a general reference to morning.
Its usage in Scripture highlights moments of decisive action taken before full daylight. In Luke 24:1, women visit the tomb at early dawn, while John 8:2 notes Jesus teaching in the temple at daybreak. Acts 5:21 describes the apostles entering the temple as it was getting light. This timing suggests a deliberate choice to act or speak when the world is just waking up.
The term connects to the broader biblical theme of light overcoming darkness. By placing these events at orthros, the texts emphasize clarity and new beginnings. The word itself implies a transition from obscurity to visibility, making it a fitting label for moments where truth or resurrection becomes apparent to those who are watching.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word orthros points to that quiet moment when night fades and the first light touches the horizon. It is not just a time on the clock, but a turning point where darkness gives way to visibility. In Scripture, this specific dawn marks moments of decisive action and new beginnings. When the women arrived at the tomb in Luke 24:1, they came at early dawn, carrying spices for a dead body, only to encounter the living Christ. This shift from grief to hope mirrors our own lives, where clarity often arrives just as we are stepping into the unknown.
Jesus also chose this time to teach in the temple (John 8:2), and the apostles entered the temple at daybreak to speak boldly (Acts 5:21). These instances show that orthros is associated with courage and truth emerging from obscurity. For you, this word invites trust in God’s timing. Even when circumstances feel dark or uncertain, there is a promise that light will come. You can find peace knowing that God brings new beginnings, often in the quiet hours before the day fully begins.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- dawn2×
- Early in the morning1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὄρθρου2×
- ὄρθρον1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 24:1
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they and some others came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared.
This verse uses orthros to mark the precise moment the women arrive at the tomb, highlighting the transition from the darkness of death to the light of the resurrection.
-
John 8:2
Now very early in the morning, he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him. He sat down and taught them.
Here, orthros sets the scene for Jesus teaching in the temple, emphasizing His deliberate choice to engage with people at the start of a new day.
-
Acts 5:21
When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and taught. But the high priest and those who were with him came and called the council together, with all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
The apostles act at daybreak to teach boldly, showing how this time of rising light is linked to courageous witness and divine opportunity.