2776. kephalé

Lexicon

kephalé: Head

Original Word: κεφαλή
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: kephalé
Pronunciation: kef-al-ay'
Phonetic Spelling: (kef-al-ay')
Definition: Head
Meaning: (a) the head, (b) met: a corner stone, uniting two walls; head, ruler, lord.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

head.

From the primary kapto (in the sense of seizing); the head (as the part most readily taken hold of), literally or figuratively -- head.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
the head
NASB Translation
chief (4), hair (1), head (50), heads (19), very (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 2776: κεφαλή

κεφαλή, κεφαλῆς, ἡ, the Sept. for רֹאשׁ; the head, both of men: Matthew 5:36; Mark 6:24; Luke 7:38, 44 (Rec.),46; John 13:9; Acts 18:18; 1 Corinthians 11:4; Revelation 1:14; Revelation 4:4, and often; and of animals: Revelation 9:7, 17, 19, etc.; on the phrases κλίνειν τήν κεφαλήν, ἐπαίρειν τήν κεφαλήν, see κλίνω, 1 and ἐπαίρω; on the saying in Romans 12:20, see under ἄνθραξ. Since the loss of the head destroys the life, κεφαλή is used in phrases relating to capital and extreme punishments: so in τό αἷμα ὑμῶν ἐπί τήν κεφαλήν ὑμῶν (see αἷμα, 2 a., p. 15{b}), Acts 18:6, and similar phrases in classical Greek; see Passow, under the word, p. 1717{a}; Pape under the word, 3; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, I. 3 and 4). Metaphorically, anything supreme, chief, prominent; of persons, master, lord: τίνος, of a husband in relation to his wife, 1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:23; of Christ, the lord of the husband, 1 Corinthians 11:3 (cf. Buttmann, 124f (109)); of the church, Ephesians 4:15; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 2:19 (cf. Buttmann, § 143, 4 c.); τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας, Colossians 1:18; πάσης ἀρχῆς καί ἐξουσίας, Colossians 2:10; so Judges 11:11; 2 Samuel 22:44, and in Byzantine writings of things: κεφαλῆς γωνίας, the corner-stone, see γωνία, a. ((From Homer down.))

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the primary word κάπτω (kaptō), meaning "to seize" or "to grasp."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • רֹאשׁ (rosh) • Strong's Hebrew 7218: This Hebrew term is often translated as "head" and shares similar meanings with "κεφαλή," including the physical head and a leader or chief. It is used extensively in the Old Testament to denote both literal and figurative heads, such as in Genesis 3:15, where it refers to the head of the serpent.

Usage: The word "κεφαλή" is used in various contexts within the New Testament, including:
• The physical head of a person or creature.
• A metaphorical head, indicating leadership or authority, such as Christ being the head of the church.
• Symbolically, to denote the source or origin, as in the head of a river.

Context: The Greek term "κεφαλή" appears frequently in the New Testament and carries significant theological and symbolic meanings. In its literal sense, it refers to the physical head, as seen in passages like Matthew 8:20, "Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head."

Metaphorically, "κεφαλή" is used to describe authority and leadership. Ephesians 5:23 states, "For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior." This passage illustrates the concept of headship, where "κεφαλή" signifies a position of leadership and responsibility.

Additionally, "κεφαλή" can imply the source or origin, as in Colossians 1:18, "And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence." Here, Christ is depicted as the source and leader of the church, emphasizing His preeminence and foundational role.

The use of "κεφαλή" in the New Testament underscores the importance of understanding both the literal and metaphorical applications of the term, particularly in discussions of authority, leadership, and relational dynamics within the Christian faith.

Forms and Transliterations

κεφαλαι κεφαλαί κεφαλαὶ κεφαλαίς κεφαλας κεφαλάς κεφαλὰς κεφαλη κεφαλή κεφαλὴ κεφαλῇ κεφαλην κεφαλήν κεφαλὴν κεφαλης κεφαλής κεφαλῆς κεφαλων κεφαλών κεφαλῶν kephalai kephalaì kephalas kephalás kephalàs kephale kephalē kephalḗ kephalḕ kephalêi kephalē̂i kephalen kephalēn kephalḗn kephalḕn kephales kephalês kephalēs kephalē̂s kephalon kephalôn kephalōn kephalō̂n

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 5:36 N-DFS
GRK: ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ σου ὀμόσῃς
NAS: shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot
KJV: by thy head, because thou canst
INT: by the head of you shall you swear

Matthew 6:17 N-AFS
GRK: σου τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ τὸ
NAS: anoint your head and wash
KJV: anoint thine head, and wash
INT: your head and the

Matthew 8:20 N-AFS
GRK: ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃ
NAS: nowhere to lay His head.
KJV: where to lay [his] head.
INT: [place] where the head he might lay

Matthew 10:30 N-GFS
GRK: τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς πᾶσαι ἠριθμημέναι
NAS: hairs of your head are all
KJV: hairs of your head are all
INT: hairs of the head all numbered

Matthew 14:8 N-AFS
GRK: πίνακι τὴν κεφαλὴν Ἰωάννου τοῦ
NAS: on a platter the head of John
KJV: John Baptist's head in a charger.
INT: a dish the head of John the

Matthew 14:11 N-NFS
GRK: ἠνέχθη ἡ κεφαλὴ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ
NAS: And his head was brought on a platter
KJV: And his head was brought in
INT: was brought the head of him on

Matthew 21:42 N-AFS
GRK: ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας παρὰ
NAS: BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER
KJV: is become the head of the corner:
INT: is become the chief corner from

Matthew 26:7 N-GFS
GRK: ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ ἀνακειμένου
NAS: and she poured it on His head as He reclined
KJV: on his head, as he sat [at meat].
INT: on the head of him as he reclined [at table]

Matthew 27:29 N-GFS
GRK: ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ
NAS: they put it on His head, and a reed
KJV: [it] upon his head, and a reed
INT: on the head of him and

Matthew 27:30 N-AFS
GRK: εἰς τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ
NAS: and [began] to beat Him on the head.
KJV: him on the head.
INT: on the head of him

Matthew 27:37 N-GFS
GRK: ἐπάνω τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ τὴν
NAS: And above His head they put
KJV: over his head his accusation
INT: over the head of him the

Matthew 27:39 N-AFP
GRK: κινοῦντες τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν
NAS: at Him, wagging their heads
KJV: wagging their heads,
INT: shaking the heads of them

Mark 6:24 N-AFS
GRK: εἶπεν Τὴν κεφαλὴν Ἰωάννου τοῦ
NAS: for? And she said, The head of John
KJV: she said, The head of John
INT: she said The head of John the

Mark 6:25 N-AFS
GRK: πίνακι τὴν κεφαλὴν Ἰωάννου τοῦ
NAS: me at once the head of John
KJV: a charger the head of John
INT: a dish the head of John the

Mark 6:27 N-AFS
GRK: ἐνέγκαι τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ
NAS: [him] to bring [back] his head. And he went
KJV: his head to be brought:
INT: to be brought the head of him And

Mark 6:28 N-AFS
GRK: ἤνεγκεν τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ
NAS: and brought his head on a platter,
KJV: brought his head in a charger,
INT: brought the head it upon

Mark 12:10 N-AFS
GRK: ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας
NAS: THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER [stone];
KJV: is become the head of the corner:
INT: is become the chief corner

Mark 14:3 N-GFS
GRK: αὐτοῦ τῆς κεφαλῆς
NAS: the vial and poured it over His head.
KJV: [it] on his head.
INT: his the head

Mark 15:19 N-AFS
GRK: αὐτοῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν καλάμῳ καὶ
NAS: They kept beating His head with a reed,
KJV: him on the head with a reed,
INT: his head with a reed and

Mark 15:29 N-AFP
GRK: κινοῦντες τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν καὶ
NAS: at Him, wagging their heads, and saying,
KJV: wagging their heads, and saying,
INT: shaking the heads of them and

Luke 7:38 N-GFS
GRK: θριξὶν τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς ἐξέμασσεν
NAS: them with the hair of her head, and kissing
KJV: of her head, and
INT: hairs of the head of her she was wiping [them]

Luke 7:46 N-AFS
GRK: ἐλαίῳ τὴν κεφαλήν μου οὐκ
NAS: You did not anoint My head with oil,
KJV: My head with oil thou didst
INT: With oil the head of me not

Luke 9:58 N-AFS
GRK: ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃ
NAS: nowhere to lay His head.
KJV: where to lay [his] head.
INT: where the head he might lay

Luke 12:7 N-GFS
GRK: τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν πᾶσαι
NAS: hairs of your head are all
KJV: hairs of your head are all
INT: hairs of the head of you all

Luke 20:17 N-AFS
GRK: ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας
NAS: THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER [stone]'?
KJV: is become the head of
INT: is become into [the] head of [the] corner

Strong's Greek 2776
75 Occurrences

κεφαλαὶ — 3 Occ.
κεφαλὰς — 13 Occ.
κεφαλῇ — 15 Occ.
κεφαλὴν — 28 Occ.
κεφαλῆς — 15 Occ.
κεφαλῶν — 1 Occ.