2491. Ióannés

Lexical Summary

Ióannés: John, John's

Original Word: Ἰωάννης
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: Ióannés
Pronunciation: yo-AN-nace
Phonetic Spelling: (ee-o-an'-nace)
KJV: John
NASB: John, John's
Word Origin: [of Hebrew origin (H3110 (יוֹחָנָן - John))]

1. Joannes (i.e. Jochanan), the name of four Israelites

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

John.

Of Hebrew origin (Yowchanan); Joannes (i.e. Jochanan), the name of four Israelites -- John.

see HEBREW Yowchanan

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of Hebrew origin Yochanan
Definition
John, the name of several Isr.
NASB Translation
John (131), John's (4).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 2491: Ἰωάννης

Ἰωάννης and ((so WH uniformly, except in Acts 4:6; Acts 13:5; Revelation 22:8) Tr in the Gospels of Luke and John (in the Acts, excluding Acts 4:6) and the Revelation (excluding Revelation 22:8)) Ἰωάνης (cf. Tdf. Proleg., p. 79; WHs Appendix, p. 159; Scrivener, Introduction, p. 562 (cf. under the word Nu)), genitive Ἰωάννου, dative Ἰωάννῃ and (in (Matthew 11:4 WH; Revelation 1:1 WH); Luke 7:18 T Tr WH (22 T Tr WH) Ἰωαννει (cf. WHs Appendix, p. 158; Buttmann, 17 (16), 7)), accusative Ἰωάννην, 6 (יוחָנָן and יְהוחָנָן, to whom Jehovah is gracious (others whom Jehovah has graciously given), German Gotthold; the Sept. Ἰωανναν (Tdf. Ἰωανάν), 1 Chronicles 3:24; Ἰωνᾶ, 2 Kings 25:23; Ἰωάνης, 2 Chronicles 28:12 (cf. B. D. American edition, under the word )), John; in the N. T. the men of this name are:

1. John the Baptist, the son of Zacharias the priest and Elisabeth, the forerunner of Christ. By order of Herod Antipas he was cast into prison and afterward bebeaded: Matthew 3:1; Matthew 14:3, and often in the historical books of the N. T.; Josephus, Antiquities 18, 5, 2 (B. D. American edition, under the word ).

2. John the apostle, the writer of the Fourth Gospel, son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of James the elder: Matthew 4:21; Matthew 10:2 (3); Mark 1:19; Mark 9:2, 38; Luke 5:10; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13, and often; Galatians 2:9. He is that disciple who (without mention by name) is spoken of in the Fourth Gospel as especially dear to Jesus (John 13:23; John 19:26; John 21:7, 20), and according to the traditional opinion is the author of the Apocalypse, Revelation 1:1, 4, 9; Revelation 21:2 Rec.; . In the latter part of his life he had charge of the churches in Asia Minor, and died there at a very advanced age. That be never came into Asia Minor, but died in Palestine somewhat in years, the following writers among others have attempted to prove, though by considerations far from satisfactory: Lützelberger, Die kirchl. Tradition üb.

d. Ap. Johannes as above Schriften. Lpz. 1840; Keim, i., p. 161ff (English translation, i. 218ff); Holtzmann in Sehenkel iii., p. 332ff; Scholten, Der Ap. Johannes in Kleinasien. Aus. d. Holland. deutsch 5: Spiegel. Berl. 1872. On the other side cf., besides others, Grimm in Ersch u. Gruber's Encyklop. 2nd sect. vol. xxii., p. 6ff; Steitz, Die Tradition üb. die Wirksamkeit des Job. in Ephesus, in the Theol. Studien und Kritiken for 1868, 3rd Heft; Krenkel, Der Apost. Johannes. Berl. 1868; Hilgenfeld in the Zeitschr. f. wissensch. Theol. for 1872, p. 372ff, and for 1877, p. 508ff; (also Einl. in d. N. T., p. 394ff); Luthardt, Der johann. Ursprung des 4ten Evang. (Lpz. 1874), p. 93ff (English translation, p. 115ff; Godet, Commentaire etc. 3rd edition vol. i. Introduction, 50:1; § iv., p. 57ff; Bleek, Einl. in d. N. T. (edited by Mangold), p. 167ff; Fisher, The Beginnings of Christianity, p. 327ff).

3. the father of the apostle Peter: Tdf. in John 1:42 (43) and John 21:15ff (in both passages, R G Ἰωνᾶ, L Tr WH Ιωανου) (see Ἰωνᾶς, 2).

4. a certain man ἐκ γένους ἀρχιερατικοῦ, a member of the Sanhedrin (cf. ἀρχιερεύς, 2): Acts 4:6.

5. John surnamed Mark, the companion of Barnabas and Paul: Acts 12:12, 25; Acts 13:5, 13; Acts 15:37 (Tr everywhere with one nu ν; so WH except in Acts 13:5); see Μᾶρκος.

6. John, according to the testimony of Papias in Eusebius, h. e. 3, 39 (cf. Westcott, Canon, 5th edition, p. 70), a disciple of Christ and afterward a Christian presbyter in Asia Minor, whom not a few at the present day, following the opinion of Dionysius of Alexandria (in Eusebius, h. e. 7, 25) regard as the author of the Apocalypse, and accordingly, esteem him as an eminent prophet of the primitive Christians and as the person referred to in Revelation 1:1, 4, 9; Revelation 21:2 Rec.; Revelation 22:8. Full articles respecting him may be found — by Grimm in Ersch u. Gruber's Encyklop. 2nd sect. vol. xxiv., p. 217f; Gass in Herzog vi., p. 763ff; Holtzmann in Schenkel iii., p. 352f; (Salmon in Dict. of Chris. Biog. iii. 398ff; cf. C. L. Leimbach, Das Papiasfragment (Gotha, 1875), especially, p. 114ff).

Topical Lexicon

Name and Meaning

“John” (Greek Ἰωάννης) carries the Hebrew sense “Yahweh has shown grace.” The name appears one hundred thirty-five times in the Greek New Testament, attached to several men whose ministries form vital strands in the unfolding of redemptive history.

Principal Bearers of the Name

1. John the Baptist – prophetic forerunner of Jesus Christ.
2. John the son of Zebedee – apostle, evangelist, and author of the fourth Gospel, three epistles, and Revelation.
3. John Mark – missionary companion of Paul and Barnabas, traditionally linked to the Gospel of Mark.
4. John of the high-priestly family (Acts 4:6).

John the Baptist: Forerunner of the Messiah

• Birth and Calling: Announced by Gabriel as one who would “turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:16).
• Message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2). He preached a baptism of repentance preparing hearts for Christ (Mark 1:4).
• Witness to Jesus: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
• Martyrdom: Executed by Herod Antipas (Mark 6:14-29), sealing his testimony with blood.
• Prophetic Significance: Fulfilled Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1; 4:5-6. Jesus declared, “Among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11).
• Influence: Even after his death, disciples of John persisted (Acts 19:3-4), revealing the reach of his ministry.

John the Son of Zebedee: Apostle and Evangelist

• Call: While mending nets with James, “immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him” (Matthew 4:21-22).
• Inner-Circle Disciple: Present at the raising of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:37), the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2), and Gethsemane (Mark 14:33).
• Character: Once nicknamed a “Son of Thunder” (Mark 3:17), later known as the apostle of love (1 John 4:7-12), exemplifying grace-wrought transformation.
• Johannine Literature:

– Gospel of John — emphasizes belief, new birth, and the divine Sonship of Christ (John 20:31).

– First, Second, and 3 John — pastoral letters defending truth and love.

– Revelation — apocalyptic prophecy received “on the island of Patmos” (Revelation 1:9).
• Theological Contributions: High Christology (“the Word was God,” John 1:1), Trinitarian insights (John 14–17), assurance of eternal life (1 John 5:13).

John Mark: Missionary Companion

• Background: Cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10), son of Mary of Jerusalem (Acts 12:12).
• Ministry Journey: Accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Cyprus (Acts 13:5) but withdrew in Pamphylia (Acts 13:13). Later restored to fellowship; Paul calls him “helpful to me in the ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).
• Traditional Role: Early church fathers identify him as the author of the Gospel of Mark, recording Peter’s eyewitness testimony.

John of the High-Priestly Family

Named among those questioning Peter and John after the healing of the lame man (Acts 4:6). Likely a member of Annas’s household, representing priestly opposition to the gospel.

Distribution of the Name

Occurrences span every gospel, Acts, Pauline letters, General epistles, and Revelation. Matthew, Mark, and Luke frequently pair John with key events in Christ’s ministry; John’s own Gospel references John the Baptist fifteen times but never names the apostle himself, maintaining authorial humility.

Thematic Highlights

1. Repentance and Preparation (John the Baptist).
2. Love, truth, and eternal life (Apostle John’s writings).
3. Faithful witness unto death (John the Baptist, Revelation’s John).
4. Restoration after failure (John Mark).
5. Prophetic fulfillment and continuity between Old and New Covenants.

Impact on the Early Church

Jewish leaders acknowledged, “All the people hold that John really was a prophet” (Mark 11:32). The Ephesian disciples’ reception of “John’s baptism” decades later (Acts 19:3) displays the enduring influence of his call to repentance. Johannine doctrine shaped church worship and theology—Trinitarian confession, sacrificial love, assurance of salvation, and eschatological hope.

Practical Lessons for Believers

• Bold proclamation of truth (Matthew 14:4).
• Humble exaltation of Christ: “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30).
• Perseverance in love and sound doctrine (2 John 1:6-9).
• Hope amid persecution through the risen Christ (Revelation 1:17-18).

The name “John” therefore gathers within itself a testimony to divine grace working through prophetic voice, apostolic vision, missionary zeal, and prophetic revelation—each strand affirming that “the word of God is alive and active” in every generation.

Forms and Transliterations

ἔδησεν Ιωανει Ἰωάνει Ιωανην Ἰωάνην Ιωανης Ἰωάνης Ἰωάννῃ Ἰωάννην Ἰωάννης Ἰωάννου Ιωανου Ἰωάνου edesen edēsen Ioanen Ioánen Iōanēn Iōánēn Ioanne Iōannē Ioánnei Iōánnēi Ioannen Ioánnen Iōannēn Iōánnēn Ioannes Ioánnes Iōannēs Iōánnēs Ioannou Ioánnou Iōannou Iōánnou

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 3:1 N-NMS
GRK: ἐκείναις παραγίνεται Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς
NAS: in those days John the Baptist came,
KJV: days came John the Baptist, preaching
INT: those comes John the Baptist

Matthew 3:4 N-NMS
GRK: δὲ ὁ Ἰωάννης εἶχεν τὸ
NAS: Now John himself had
KJV: And the same John had his
INT: moreover John had the

Matthew 3:13 N-AMS
GRK: πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην τοῦ βαπτισθῆναι
NAS: at the Jordan [coming] to John, to be baptized
KJV: Jordan unto John, to be baptized of
INT: to John to be baptized

Matthew 3:14 Noun-NMS
GRK: ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν
INT: moreover John was hindering him

Matthew 4:12 N-NMS
GRK: δὲ ὅτι Ἰωάννης παρεδόθη ἀνεχώρησεν
NAS: when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody,
KJV: that John was cast into prison,
INT: moreover that John had been arrested he withdrew

Matthew 4:21 N-AMS
GRK: Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάννην τὸν ἀδελφὸν
NAS: the [son] of Zebedee, and John his brother,
KJV: Zebedee, and John his brother,
INT: of Zebedee and John the brother

Matthew 9:14 N-GMS
GRK: οἱ μαθηταὶ Ἰωάννου λέγοντες Διὰ
NAS: the disciples of John came
KJV: the disciples of John, saying,
INT: the disciples of John saying because of

Matthew 10:2 N-NMS
GRK: Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάννης ὁ ἀδελφὸς
NAS: the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
KJV: Zebedee, and John his brother;
INT: Zebedee and John the brother

Matthew 11:2 N-NMS
GRK: Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης ἀκούσας ἐν
NAS: Now when John, while imprisoned,
KJV: Now when John had heard in
INT: moreover John having heard in

Matthew 11:4 N-DMS
GRK: Πορευθέντες ἀπαγγείλατε Ἰωάννῃ ἃ ἀκούετε
NAS: and report to John what
KJV: and shew John again
INT: Having gone relate to John what you hear

Matthew 11:7 N-GMS
GRK: ὄχλοις περὶ Ἰωάννου Τί ἐξήλθατε
NAS: about John, What
KJV: concerning John, What
INT: crowds concerning John What went you out

Matthew 11:11 N-GMS
GRK: γυναικῶν μείζων Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ
NAS: [anyone] greater than John the Baptist!
KJV: a greater than John the Baptist:
INT: of women one greater than John the Baptist

Matthew 11:12 N-GMS
GRK: τῶν ἡμερῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ
NAS: From the days of John the Baptist
KJV: the days of John the Baptist
INT: the days of John the Baptist

Matthew 11:13 N-GMS
GRK: νόμος ἕως Ἰωάννου ἐπροφήτευσαν
NAS: prophesied until John.
KJV: prophesied until John.
INT: law until John prophesied

Matthew 11:18 N-NMS
GRK: ἦλθεν γὰρ Ἰωάννης μήτε ἐσθίων
NAS: For John came neither
KJV: For John came neither
INT: came indeed John neither eating

Matthew 14:2 N-NMS
GRK: Οὗτός ἐστιν Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστής
NAS: This is John the Baptist;
KJV: This is John the Baptist; he
INT: This is John the Baptist

Matthew 14:3 N-AMS
GRK: κρατήσας τὸν Ἰωάνην ἔδησεν αὐτὸν
NAS: For when Herod had John arrested,
KJV: had laid hold on John, and bound
INT: having seized John he bound him

Matthew 14:4 N-NMS
GRK: γὰρ ὁ Ἰωάννης αὐτῷ Οὐκ
NAS: For John had been saying
KJV: For John said unto him,
INT: indeed John to him Not

Matthew 14:8 N-GMS
GRK: τὴν κεφαλὴν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ
NAS: the head of John the Baptist.
KJV: me here John Baptist's head
INT: the head of John the Baptist

Matthew 14:10 N-AMS
GRK: ἀπεκεφάλισεν τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐν τῇ
NAS: He sent and had John beheaded
KJV: and beheaded John in
INT: he beheaded John in the

Matthew 16:14 N-AMS
GRK: Οἱ μὲν Ἰωάννην τὸν βαπτιστήν
NAS: Some [say] John the Baptist;
KJV: Some [say that thou art] John the Baptist:
INT: some indeed John the Baptist

Matthew 17:1 N-AMS
GRK: Ἰάκωβον καὶ Ἰωάννην τὸν ἀδελφὸν
NAS: and James and John his brother,
KJV: James, and John his brother,
INT: James and John the brother

Matthew 17:13 N-GMS
GRK: ὅτι περὶ Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ
NAS: to them about John the Baptist.
KJV: unto them of John the Baptist.
INT: that concerning John the Baptist

Matthew 21:25 N-GMS
GRK: βάπτισμα τὸ Ἰωάννου πόθεν ἦν
NAS: The baptism of John was from what
KJV: The baptism of John, whence was it?
INT: baptism of John from where was it

Matthew 21:26 N-AMS
GRK: ἔχουσιν τὸν Ἰωάννην
NAS: regard John as a prophet.
KJV: all hold John as a prophet.
INT: hold John

Strong's Greek 2491
135 Occurrences

Ἰωάνην — 1 Occ.
Ἰωάννῃ — 5 Occ.
Ἰωάννην — 36 Occ.
Ἰωάννης — 54 Occ.
Ἰωάννου — 39 Occ.