φυλάσσωphylássō
to guard, watch
Greek (New Testament) · G5442
Meanings
(a) to guard or watch: with cognate accusative, φυλακάς, Luke 2:8; with accusative of person, Acts 12:4, Acts 28:16; passive, Luke 8:29, Acts 23:35; with accusative of thing, Acts 22:20
(b) to guard or protect: with accusative, Luke 11:21, John 12:25, John 17:12, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, 1 Timothy 6:20, 2 Timothy 1:12, 2 Timothy 1:14, 2 Peter 2:5; ἑαυτὸν ἀπό, 1 John 5:21; metaphorically of law, precept, etc., to keep, preserve, observe: Matthew 19:20, Luke 11:28, Luke 18:21, John 12:47, Acts 7:53, Acts 16:4, Acts 21:24, Romans 2:26, Galatians 6:13, 1 Timothy 5:21. Mid., to be on one's guard (against), keep oneself from, beware of: with accusative, Acts 21:25, 2 Timothy 4:15; followed by ἀπό., Luke 12:15; ἵνα μή, 2 Peter 3:17; as in LXX (Exodus 12:17, Leviticus 18:4, and elsewhere), of laws, etc., to keep, observe: ταῦτα πάντα, Mark 10:20 (cf. δια-φυάσσω).
Synonyms
τηρέω, q.v
Same root
- φυλήphylḗ · G5443an offshoot, i.e. race or clan
- φύλαξphýlax · G5441a watcher or sentry
- φυλακτήριονphylaktḗrion · G5440a guard-case, i.e. "phylactery" for wearing slips of Scripture texts
- διαφυλάσσωdiaphylássō · G1314to guard thoroughly, i.e. protect
- φυλακήphylakḗ · G5438a guarding or (concretely, guard), the act, the person; figuratively, the place, the condition, or (specially), the time (as a division of day or night), literally or figuratively
Where it appears
Appears 31 times in the Bible.
- Matthew 19:20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”
- Mark 10:20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”
- Luke 2:8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.
- Luke 8:29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.
- Luke 11:21 For when a strong man is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe—
- Luke 11:28 Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”
Source: G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), public domain.