4655. skotos
Strong's Lexicon
skotos: Darkness

Original Word: σκότος
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine; Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: skotos
Pronunciation: SKO-tos
Phonetic Spelling: (skot'-os)
Definition: Darkness
Meaning: darkness, either physical or moral.

Word Origin: Derived from the base of σκεῦος (skeuos), meaning "a vessel" or "implement," which metaphorically extends to the concept of obscurity or darkness.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - H2822 - חֹשֶׁךְ (choshek): Often used in the Old Testament to describe physical darkness and metaphorically for ignorance or evil (e.g., Genesis 1:2, Exodus 10:21).

Usage: In the New Testament, "skotos" primarily refers to physical darkness, the absence of light. However, it is often used metaphorically to describe spiritual or moral darkness, symbolizing ignorance, sin, and separation from God. It contrasts with "phos" (light), representing truth, righteousness, and divine presence.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Greek culture, darkness was often associated with chaos, evil, and the unknown. This symbolism carried into Jewish thought, where darkness was seen as the domain of evil forces and a state of spiritual blindness. The New Testament writers, drawing from this cultural backdrop, used "skotos" to depict the spiritual condition of those who live apart from God's truth and light.

HELPS Word-studies

4655 skótos (a neuter noun) – properly, darkness (obscurity); (figuratively) the principle of sin with its certain results.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
darkness
NASB Translation
darkness (30).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4655: σκότος, σκότου

σκότος, σκότου, σκοτου, (cf. σκοτία, at the beginning), from Homer down, darkness: Hebrews 12:18 Rec. (cf. WHs Appendix, p. 158; Winer's Grammar, 66 (64); B 22 (20)).

STRONGS NT 4655: σκότοςσκότος, σκότους, τό, from Pindar down (see the preceding word, and σκοτία, at the beginning), the Sept. chiefly for חֹשֶׁך, darkness;

a. properly: Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44; Acts 2:20; 2 Corinthians 4:6; αὕτη ἐστιν ἐξουσία τοῦ σκότους, this is the power of (night's) darkness, i. e. it has the power of rendering men bold to commit crimes, Luke 22:53; τά κρυπτά τοῦ σκότους (see κρυπτός), 1 Corinthians 4:5; of darkened eyesight or blindness: σκότος ἐπιπίπτει ἐπί τινα i. e. on one deprived of sight, Acts 13:11; in figurative discourse, εἰ οὖν ..., τό σκότος πόσον; if the light that is in thee is darkness, darkened (i. e. if the soul has lost its perceptive power), how great is the darkness (how much more deplorable than bodily blindness), Matthew 6:23, cf. Luke 11:35. by metonymy, put for a dark place: Matthew 8:12; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 25:30 (see ἐξώτερος); ζόφος τοῦ σκότους (see ζόφος), 2 Peter 2:17; Jude 1:13.

b. metaphorically, of ignorance respecting divine things and human duties, and the accompanying ungodliness and immorality, together with their consequent misery (see σκοτία): John 3:19; Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 1:13; 1 Peter 2:9; (abstract for the concrete) persons in whom darkness becomes visible and holds sway, Ephesians 5:8; τά ἔργα τοῦ σκότους, deeds done in darkness, harmonizing with it, Romans 13:12; Ephesians 5:11; σκότους εἶναι, to be given up to the power of darkness (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 30, 5 a.), 1 Thessalonians 5:5; ἐν σκότει εἶναι, 1 Thessalonians 5:4; οἱ ἐν σκότει, Luke 1:79; Romans 2:19; λαός καθήμενος ἐν ἐκοτει, Matthew 4:16 R G T; ἐν σκότει περιπατεῖν, 1 John 1:6.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
darkness.

From the base of skia; shadiness, i.e. Obscurity (literally or figuratively) -- darkness.

see GREEK skia

Forms and Transliterations
σκοτει σκότει σκοτος σκότος σκοτους σκότους σκότω skotei skótei skotos skótos skotous skótous
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 4:16 N-DNS
GRK: καθήμενος ἐν σκότει φῶς εἶδεν
INT: were sitting in darkness a light have seen

Matthew 6:23 N-NNS
GRK: ἐν σοὶ σκότος ἐστίν τὸ
NAS: the light that is in you is darkness, how great
KJV: thee be darkness, how great
INT: in you darkness is that

Matthew 6:23 N-NNS
GRK: ἐστίν τὸ σκότος πόσον
NAS: how great is the darkness!
KJV: how great [is] that darkness!
INT: is that darkness how great

Matthew 8:12 N-ANS
GRK: εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον
NAS: out into the outer darkness; in that place there
KJV: into outer darkness: there shall be
INT: into the darkness the outer

Matthew 22:13 N-ANS
GRK: εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον
NAS: him into the outer darkness; in that place there
KJV: outer darkness; there
INT: into the darkness outer

Matthew 25:30 N-ANS
GRK: εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον
NAS: into the outer darkness; in that place there
KJV: into outer darkness: there shall be
INT: into the darkness outer

Matthew 27:45 N-NNS
GRK: ἕκτης ὥρας σκότος ἐγένετο ἐπὶ
NAS: hour darkness fell
KJV: hour there was darkness over all
INT: sixth [the] hour darkness was over

Mark 15:33 N-NNS
GRK: ὥρας ἕκτης σκότος ἐγένετο ἐφ'
NAS: hour came, darkness fell over
KJV: there was darkness over
INT: [the] hour sixth darkness came over

Luke 1:79 N-DNS
GRK: τοῖς ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ
NAS: WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW
KJV: in darkness and
INT: those in darkness and in [the] shadow

Luke 11:35 N-NNS
GRK: ἐν σοὶ σκότος ἐστίν
NAS: out that the light in you is not darkness.
KJV: be not darkness.
INT: in you darkness is

Luke 22:53 N-GNS
GRK: ἐξουσία τοῦ σκότους
NAS: and the power of darkness are yours.
KJV: and the power of darkness.
INT: power of the darkness

Luke 23:44 N-NNS
GRK: ἕκτη καὶ σκότος ἐγένετο ἐφ'
NAS: the sixth hour, and darkness fell over
KJV: and there was a darkness over all
INT: sixth and darkness came over

John 3:19 N-ANS
GRK: μᾶλλον τὸ σκότος ἢ τὸ
NAS: and men loved the darkness rather than
KJV: men loved darkness rather than
INT: rather the darkness than the

Acts 2:20 N-ANS
GRK: μεταστραφήσεται εἰς σκότος καὶ ἡ
NAS: WILL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS AND THE MOON
KJV: into darkness, and
INT: will be turned into darkness and the

Acts 13:11 N-NNS
GRK: ἀχλὺς καὶ σκότος καὶ περιάγων
NAS: a mist and a darkness fell
KJV: and a darkness; and
INT: a mist and darkness and going about

Acts 26:18 N-GNS
GRK: ἐπιστρέψαι ἀπὸ σκότους εἰς φῶς
NAS: so that they may turn from darkness to light
KJV: [them] from darkness to
INT: [they] may turn from darkness to light

Romans 2:19 N-DNS
GRK: τῶν ἐν σκότει
NAS: a light to those who are in darkness,
KJV: a light of them which are in darkness,
INT: of those in darkness

Romans 13:12 N-GNS
GRK: ἔργα τοῦ σκότους ἐνδυσώμεθα δὲ
NAS: the deeds of darkness and put
KJV: the works of darkness, and
INT: works of darkness should put on moreover

1 Corinthians 4:5 N-GNS
GRK: κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους καὶ φανερώσει
NAS: the things hidden in the darkness and disclose
KJV: the hidden things of darkness, and
INT: hidden things of darkness and will make manifest

2 Corinthians 4:6 N-GNS
GRK: εἰπών Ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψει
NAS: shall shine out of darkness, is the One who
KJV: to shine out of darkness, hath shined
INT: having spoken out of darkness light to shine

2 Corinthians 6:14 N-ANS
GRK: φωτὶ πρὸς σκότος
NAS: fellowship has light with darkness?
KJV: hath light with darkness?
INT: light with darkness

Ephesians 5:8 N-NNS
GRK: γάρ ποτε σκότος νῦν δὲ
NAS: for you were formerly darkness, but now
KJV: ye were sometimes darkness, but now
INT: indeed once darkness now however

Ephesians 5:11 N-GNS
GRK: ἀκάρποις τοῦ σκότους μᾶλλον δὲ
NAS: deeds of darkness, but instead
KJV: works of darkness, but
INT: unfruitful of darkness instead moreover

Ephesians 6:12 N-GNS
GRK: κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τούτου πρὸς
NAS: of this darkness, against
KJV: the rulers of the darkness of this
INT: world's rulers of the darkness this against

Colossians 1:13 N-GNS
GRK: ἐξουσίας τοῦ σκότους καὶ μετέστησεν
NAS: us from the domain of darkness, and transferred
KJV: the power of darkness, and
INT: dominion of darkness and transferred [us]

Strong's Greek 4655
31 Occurrences


σκότει — 5 Occ.
σκότος — 14 Occ.
σκότους — 12 Occ.















4654
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