4073. petra

Lexicon

petra: Rock, large stone, cliff

Original Word: πέτρα
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: petra
Pronunciation: peh'-trah
Phonetic Spelling: (pet'-ra)
Definition: Rock, large stone, cliff
Meaning: a rock, ledge, cliff, cave, stony ground.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

rock.

Feminine of the same as Petros; a (mass of) rock (literally or figuratively) -- rock.

see GREEK Petros

HELPS Word-studies

4073 pétra (a feminine noun) – "a mass of connected rock," which is distinct from 4074 (Pétros) which is "a detached stone or boulder" (A-S). 4073 (pétra) is a "solid or native rock, rising up through the earth" (Souter) – a huge mass of rock (a boulder), such as a projecting cliff.

4073 (petra) is "a projecting rock, cliff (feminine noun) . . . 4074 (petros, the masculine form) however is a stone . . . such as a man might throw" (S. Zodhiates, Dict).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
a (large mass of) rock
NASB Translation
rock (10), rocks (3), rocky (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4073: πέτρα

πέτρα, πέτρας, ἡ, from Homer down; the Sept. for סֶלַע and צוּר; a rock, ledge, cliff;

a. properly: Matthew 7:24; Matthew 27:51, 60; Mark 15:46; Luke 6:48; 1 Corinthians 10:4 (on which see πνευματικός, 3 a.); a projecting rock, crag, Revelation 6:15f, rocky ground, Luke 8:6, 13.

b. a rock, large stone: Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:8 (7).

c. metaphorically, a man like a rock, by reason of his firmness and strength of soul: Matthew 16:18 (some interpretations regard the distinction (generally observed in classic Greek; see the commentaries and cf. Schmidt, Syn., chapter 51, §§ 4-6) between πέτρα, the massive living rock, and πέτρος, a detached but large fragment, as important for the correct understanding of this passage; others explain the different genders here as due first to the personal then to the material reference. Cf. Meyer, Keil, others; Green, Critical Note on John 1:43).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek root πέτρος (petros), meaning "stone" or "rock."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Greek πέτρα corresponds to several Hebrew words that convey similar meanings of rock or stone, including:

• H5553 סֶלַע (sela'): Often used to describe a rock or cliff, as seen in passages like Psalm 18:2, "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer."
• H6697 צוּר (tsur): Another term for rock, frequently used to denote strength and protection, as in Deuteronomy 32:4, "He is the Rock, His work is perfect."

These Hebrew terms, like πέτρα, emphasize the themes of strength, stability, and divine protection.

Usage: The term πέτρα is used in the New Testament to describe both literal and metaphorical rocks. It appears in contexts that emphasize strength, foundation, and permanence.

Context: The Greek word πέτρα (petra) is a feminine noun that appears in several key passages in the New Testament, often symbolizing strength and stability. One of the most notable uses of πέτρα is in Matthew 16:18, where Jesus says to Peter, "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it." Here, πέτρα is used metaphorically to refer to the foundational strength upon which the church is built.

In Matthew 7:24-25, πέτρα is used in the parable of the wise and foolish builders: "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock." This passage highlights the concept of πέτρα as a symbol of a firm and unshakeable foundation.

Additionally, πέτρα is used in 1 Corinthians 10:4, where Paul refers to the spiritual rock that accompanied the Israelites in the wilderness: "and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ." Here, πέτρα is used to symbolize Christ as the spiritual sustenance and foundation for believers.

The use of πέτρα in the New Testament underscores the importance of a solid foundation in faith and the enduring strength found in Christ. It serves as a powerful metaphor for the reliability and permanence of God's promises and the church's foundation.

Forms and Transliterations

πετρα πέτρα πέτρᾳ πετραι πέτραι πετραις πέτραις πετραν πέτραν πετρας πέτρας πετρίνας πετροβόλοις πετρόβολον πετροβόλους πετρών petra pétra petrai pétrai pétrāi petrais pétrais petran pétran petras pétras

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 7:24 N-AFS
GRK: ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν
NAS: built his house on the rock.
KJV: house upon a rock:
INT: upon the rock

Matthew 7:25 N-AFS
GRK: ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν
NAS: for it had been founded on the rock.
KJV: it was founded upon a rock.
INT: upon the rock

Matthew 16:18 N-DFS
GRK: ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου
NAS: and upon this rock I will build
KJV: upon this rock I will build my
INT: this the rock I will build my

Matthew 27:51 N-NFP
GRK: καὶ αἱ πέτραι ἐσχίσθησαν
NAS: shook and the rocks were split.
KJV: did quake, and the rocks rent;
INT: and the rocks were split

Matthew 27:60 N-DFS
GRK: ἐν τῇ πέτρᾳ καὶ προσκυλίσας
NAS: he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled
KJV: in the rock: and
INT: in the rock and having rolled

Mark 15:46 N-GFS
GRK: λελατομημένον ἐκ πέτρας καὶ προσεκύλισεν
NAS: hewn out in the rock; and he rolled
KJV: hewn out of a rock, and rolled
INT: cut out of a rock and he rolled

Luke 6:48 N-AFS
GRK: ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν πλημμύρης δὲ
NAS: a foundation on the rock; and when a flood
KJV: on a rock: and
INT: on the rock a flood moreover

Luke 8:6 N-AFS
GRK: ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν καὶ φυὲν
NAS: [seed] fell on rocky [soil], and as soon as it grew
KJV: upon a rock; and
INT: upon the rock and having sprung up

Luke 8:13 N-GFS
GRK: ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας οἳ ὅταν
NAS: Those on the rocky [soil are] those who,
KJV: They on the rock [are they], which,
INT: upon the rock those who when

Romans 9:33 N-AFS
GRK: προσκόμματος καὶ πέτραν σκανδάλου καὶ
NAS: OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE,
KJV: and rock of offence:
INT: of stumbling and rock of offense and

1 Corinthians 10:4 N-GFS
GRK: πνευματικῆς ἀκολουθούσης πέτρας ἡ πέτρα
NAS: from a spiritual rock which followed
KJV: that spiritual Rock that followed them:
INT: a spiritual following rock and the rock

1 Corinthians 10:4 N-NFS
GRK: πέτρας ἡ πέτρα δὲ ἦν
NAS: which followed them; and the rock was Christ.
KJV: and that Rock was
INT: rock and the rock moreover was

1 Peter 2:8 N-NFS
GRK: προσκόμματος καὶ πέτρα σκανδάλου οἳ
NAS: OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE;
KJV: and a rock of offence,
INT: of stumbling and a rock of offense who

Revelation 6:15 N-AFP
GRK: εἰς τὰς πέτρας τῶν ὀρέων
NAS: and among the rocks of the mountains;
KJV: and in the rocks of the mountains;
INT: in the rocks of the mountains

Revelation 6:16 N-DFP
GRK: καὶ ταῖς πέτραις πέσετε ἐφ'
NAS: to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall
KJV: to the mountains and rocks, Fall on
INT: and to the rocks Fall on

Strong's Greek 4073
15 Occurrences

πέτρᾳ — 4 Occ.
πέτραι — 1 Occ.
πέτραις — 1 Occ.
πέτραν — 5 Occ.
πέτρας — 4 Occ.