στῆθος (stēthos)
stēthos
chest
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun stēthos refers simply to the chest or breast, the physical region between the neck and the abdomen. In the New Testament, it appears in only five verses, primarily within the Gospels of Luke and John and in Revelation. Its usage is concrete, pointing to the body part itself rather than serving as a metaphor for the heart or emotions.
Two occurrences highlight a specific cultural gesture of mourning or penitence. In Luke 18:13 and 23:48, the text describes people striking their chests (thuptein eis to stēthos) as an outward sign of deep sorrow, humility, or contrition. This physical act accompanies the prayers of the tax collector and the women at the crucifixion, anchoring their spiritual state in a visible bodily response.
Other references identify Jesus sitting at the table with his disciples (John 13:25) and later appearing on the shore with bread (John 21:10), while Revelation 15:6 places angels clothed in clean linen over their chests. The word’s strength lies in its literal clarity, marking moments of intimacy, presence, or public grief without abstracting the body.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word stēthos refers to the chest, the physical space between neck and abdomen. In the New Testament, it appears in five verses, grounding spiritual moments in tangible reality. It is not used as a metaphor for emotions but as the site of concrete human action.
Two passages highlight a profound gesture of humility: striking the chest in sorrow or penitence. The tax collector in Luke 18 and the crowds at the crucifixion in Luke 23 use this physical act to express deep contrition before God. This simple movement shows that true repentance involves the whole person, not just thoughts.
Other verses place Jesus intimately close to His disciples, leaning on His chest during supper, or depict angels clothed in linen around their chests. These images remind us that faith is lived out in real bodies and real relationships, anchored in presence rather than abstraction.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- breast2×
- chests1×
- breasts1×
- bosom1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- στῆθος3×
- στήθη2×
Key Verses
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Luke 18:13
But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
This verse captures the tax collector's humble posture, using chest-beating to physically manifest his plea for mercy.
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Luke 23:48
All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned home beating their chests.
Here, the crowds' chest-beating signals their collective realization and sorrow upon witnessing the crucifixion events.
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John 13:25
He, leaning back, as he was, on Jesus’ chest, asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
The beloved disciple leaning on Jesus' chest illustrates the intimate trust and closeness shared during the Last Supper.