πλευρά (pleura)
pleura
side
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun pleura refers simply to the side of a physical body. In the New Testament, it appears in only six verses, primarily within the Gospel of John and Acts. The term is concrete and anatomical, denoting the lateral aspect of a person’s torso rather than an abstract concept or a metaphorical position.
Its most significant usage occurs during the crucifixion narrative. In Matthew 27:49 and John 19:34, the word identifies the side from which blood and water flowed after a soldier pierced Jesus’ body with a spear. This specific detail anchors the event in physical reality, confirming the bodily nature of the death.
The term reappears in John’s resurrection accounts to describe the location of the wounds. In John 20:20, 25, and 27, the disciples see or are invited to touch the marks in the side (pleura). Similarly, Acts 12:7 describes an angel striking the side of Peter as he slept in prison. In every instance, the word points to a tangible part of the human frame involved in a pivotal moment.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pleura, meaning 'side,' appears in the New Testament to describe a very real, physical location on Jesus’ body. In John’s Gospel, it marks the spot where a soldier’s spear pierced Jesus after his death, releasing blood and water. This detail is not just anatomical; it confirms that Jesus truly died as a human being, sharing in our full physical experience.
Later, this same side becomes the place of encounter. When Thomas doubts the resurrection, Jesus invites him to touch the wounds in his side. Here, the word points to God’s willingness to bear the marks of suffering and offer them as proof of life. It is a tangible sign that the risen Lord remembers what he endured.
Even in Acts, the angel strikes Peter on the side to wake him from prison. In both cases, the 'side' is where divine action meets human vulnerability. Whether in death or deliverance, this part of the body shows how God engages with us in our most fragile moments.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- side6×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πλευρὰν4×
- πλευράν,1×
- πλευράν1×
Key Verses
-
John 19:34
However, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
This verse uses the word to identify the specific location pierced by the spear, confirming the physical reality of Jesus' death.
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John 20:27
Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.”
Jesus invites Thomas to place his hand into his side, using the wound as a tangible proof of his resurrection for the doubting disciple.
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Acts 12:7
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Stand up quickly!” His chains fell off his hands.
The angel strikes Peter on the side to wake him, showing how this physical location is involved in divine intervention and deliverance.