πρόσωπονprósōpon
the front (as being towards view), i.e. the countenance, aspect, appearance, surface; by implication, presence, person
Greek (New Testament) · G4383
Meanings
1. properly, of persons (so always in classical Greek)
(a) the face, countenance: Matthew 6:16, Matthew 6:17, Mark 14:65, Luke 9:29, 2 Corinthians 3:7, Revelation 4:7, and elsewhere; τὸ π. τῆς γενέσεως (EV, natural face), James 1:23; πίπτειν ἐπὶ (τὰ) π., Matthew 17:6, Luke 5:12, Revelation 7:11, and elsewhere; ἀγνοούμενος τῷ π., Galatians 1:22; π., οὐ καρδίᾳ, 1 Thessalonians 2:17; κατὰ πρόσωπον, when present, face to face, Acts 25:16, 2 Corinthians 10:1, 2 Corinthians 10:7, Galatians 2:11; id. with genitive, as compound preposition, in the presence of, Luke 2:31, Acts 3:13; similarly ἀπὸ π., from the presence of, Acts 3:19, Acts 5:41, Acts 7:45, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, Revelation 12:14, Revelation 20:11; πρὸ π. (Heb. לִפְנֵי), before, Matthew 11:10, Mark 1:2, Luke 7:27(LXX), and elsewhere; in other phrases resembling Heb. idiom (Thackeray, Gr., 42), βλέπειν (ὁρᾶν, θεωρεῖν, ἰδεῖν) τὸ π., to see one's face, i.e. see him in person, Matthew 18:10, Acts 20:25, Acts 20:38, 1 Thessalonians 3:10, Revelation 22:4; ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ π. τοῦ θεοῦ, Hebrews 9:24; ἐν π. Χριστοῦ, 2 Corinthians 2:10, 2 Corinthians 4:6; μετὰ τοῦ π. σου, with thy presence, Acts 2:28(LXX); εἰς π. τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, 2 Corinthians 8:24; στηρίζειν τὸ π. (Heb. שׂוּם פָּנִים: Jeremiah 21:10, and elsewhere; see Dalman, Words, 30), with infinitive, to set one's face towards, Luke 9:51; similarly, τὸ π. αὐτοῦ ἦν πορευόμενον (op. cit., 31), Luke 9:53; τὸ π. τοῦ κυρίου ἐπί, 1 Peter 3:12(LXX)
(b) form, person: καυχᾶσθαι ἐν π. καὶ μὴ ἐν καρδίᾳ, 2 Corinthians 5:12 (cf. 1 Samuel 16:7); metaphorically, as in Heb. idiom, of judgment according to appearance, external condition or circumstances: λαμβάνειν π., Luke 20:21, Galatians 2:6; βλέπειν εἰς π., Matthew 22:16, Mark 12:14; θαυμάζειν πρόσωπα, Jude 1:16.
2. Of things
(a) face, appearance (Psalms 104:30): Matthew 16:3, Luke 12:56, James 1:11
(b) surface (Genesis 2:6): Luke 21:35, Acts 17:26.
Same root
- πρόςprós · G4314a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e. pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of, i.e. near to; usually with the accusative case, the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation, i.e. whither or for which it is predicated)
- ὀπτάνομαιoptánomai · G3700to gaze (i.e. with wide-open eyes, as at something remarkable; and thus differing from G991 (βλέπω), which denotes simply voluntary observation; and from G1492 (εἴδω), which expresses merely mechanical, passive or casual vision; while G2300 (θεάομαι), and still more emphatically its intensive G2334 (θεωρέω), signifies an earnest but more continued inspection; and G4648 (σκοπέω) a watching from a distance)
- εὐπροσωπέωeuprosōpéō · G2146to be of good countenance, i.e. (figuratively) to make a display
- ἀπροσωπολήπτωςaprosōpolḗptōs · G678in a way not accepting the person, i.e. impartially
- προσωπολήπτηςprosōpolḗptēs · G4381an accepter of a face (individual), i.e. (specially), one exhibiting partiality
Where it appears
Appears 75 times in the Bible.
- Matthew 6:16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.
- Matthew 6:17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face.
- Matthew 11:10 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.’
- Matthew 16:3 red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times!
- Matthew 17:2 As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.
- Matthew 17:6 The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground.
See every passage
- Matthew 6:16, 6:17, 11:10, 16:3, 17:2, 17:6, 18:10, 22:16, 26:39, 26:67
- Mark 1:2, 12:14, 14:65
- Luke 2:31, 5:12, 7:27, 9:29, 9:51, 9:52, 9:53, 10:1, 12:56, 17:16, 20:21, 21:35, 24:5
- Acts 2:28, 3:13, 5:41, 6:15, 7:45, 13:24, 17:26, 20:25, 20:38, 25:16
- 1 Corinthians 13:12, 14:25
- 2 Corinthians 1:11, 2:10, 3:7, 3:13, 3:18, 4:6, 5:12, 8:24, 10:1, 10:7, 11:20
- Galatians 1:22, 2:6, 2:11
- Colossians 2:1
- 1 Thessalonians 2:17, 3:10
- 2 Thessalonians 1:9
- Hebrews 9:24
- James 1:11, 1:23
- 1 Peter 3:12
- Jude 1:16
- Revelation 4:7, 6:16, 7:11, 9:7, 10:1, 11:16, 12:14, 20:11, 22:4
Source: G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), public domain.