πῶς (pōs)
pōs
how?!
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 102 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek adverb pōs primarily asks "how" or "in what way." It appears over a hundred times in the New Testament, driving questions that seek to understand the method or manner behind an action. We see this clearly when Nicodemus asks Jesus how a person can be born again (John 3:4), or when Peter wonders how someone could remove a splinter from another’s eye while ignoring the beam in their own (Matthew 7:4). In these instances, the word focuses on the practical steps or logical possibility of a situation.
Beyond direct questions, pōs often introduces indirect discourse, linking to what was said or done. For example, after the Gerasene demoniac is healed, he tells people "how much" Jesus had done for him (Mark 5:19), using the word to report the extent of an event. It also functions in exclamations of surprise or wonder, such as when the disciples marvel at how easily a camel might pass through the eye of a needle (Mark 10:26). This shift from inquiry to exclamation highlights the emotional weight behind the question.
The word’s flexibility allows it to bridge the gap between simple curiosity and profound astonishment. Whether asking for clarification on spiritual truths or expressing amazement at divine power, pōs captures the human desire to grasp the mechanics of God’s work in the world.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When life feels uncertain, we often ask 'how' to make sense of what is happening. This Greek word captures that human instinct to seek understanding in the details of our days. It appears when Jesus points to the lilies, asking how they grow without toil, inviting us to notice the quiet provision around us rather than worrying about tomorrow.
It also surfaces in moments of deep confusion or surprise. The disciples marvel at how a fig tree withers instantly, and Peter wonders how anyone can judge another while ignoring their own flaws. These questions are not signs of weak faith but honest attempts to grasp the mechanics of God’s work. They remind us that seeking clarity is part of walking with Him.
Whether you are trying to understand a specific event or simply wondering how grace applies to your current struggle, this word validates your curiosity. You do not need to have all the answers immediately. Instead, you can bring your 'hows' to God, trusting that He meets us in our questions with patience and truth.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 102 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- how67×
- How35×
- why1×
- what1×
- in what manner1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πῶς103×
- Πῶς2×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 6:28
Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they spin,
Jesus uses this word to direct attention to the natural world as evidence of God's care, shifting focus from anxiety to observation.
-
Mark 10:24
The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!
Here the word introduces an exclamation about the difficulty of trusting wealth, highlighting the emotional weight of spiritual obstacles.
-
Matthew 7:4
Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?
It frames a rhetorical question that exposes hypocrisy, challenging the reader to examine their own heart before judging others.
-
Mark 4:40
He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”
Jesus pairs this with a question about fear to challenge the disciples' lack of faith during the storm, linking understanding to trust.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Greek word pōs mean?
How is pōs different from other words for 'how'?
Where does this word appear in the Bible?
Every Occurrence (102 verses across 17 books)
Matthew 14 verses
Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don’t toil, neither do they…
Matthew 7:4Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?
Matthew 10:19But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you…
Matthew 12:4how he entered into God’s house and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were…
Matthew 12:26If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
Matthew 12:29Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first bind the strong man? Then…
Matthew 12:34You offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth…
Matthew 16:11How is it that you don’t perceive that I didn’t speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees…
Matthew 21:20When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree immediately wither away?”
Matthew 22:12and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless.
Matthew 22:43He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying,
Matthew 22:45“If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?”
Matthew 23:33You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna?
Matthew 26:54How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must be so?”