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βίβλος

bíblos

G976 noun

SILEX Entry

Root βιβλ- papyrus, writing material, document

Definition

Primary meaning: the inner bark of the papyrus plant; by extension, any writing material made from papyrus, such as a sheet, roll, or document. In a broader sense, it refers to a written document, letter, or book, whether a single scroll or a formal literary work. In later contexts, it can serve generally for 'book' as a physical or conceptual object.

Semantic Range

papyrus (plant material), sheet of papyrus, writing material, written document, scroll, book, letter, literary work

Root / Etymology

From βύβλος, referring to the papyrus plant (Cyperus papyrus), especially its inner bark used for making writing material. The geographical city Βύβλος (Byblos) in Phoenicia (modern Jbeil, Lebanon) supplied papyrus to the Greek world and may have influenced the term, though the plant and word likely predate the use for the city's name. Ultimately of Egyptian origin, passed into Greek via Phoenician intermediaries.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, βίβλος denoted both the papyrus reed and the writing material produced from it; over time, it came to mean a scroll or written document. In the Hellenistic and Roman periods, particularly in Koine Greek, the sense 'book' or 'written work' became prominent, even as the physical form shifted from scroll to codex. New Testament and Septuagint uses generally refer to a document or scroll containing text, often singular, but sometimes generic ('a book', 'the book'). The word is the origin of the term 'Bible' via pluralization (βιβλία 'books'). English translations as 'book' or 'scroll' capture part of its meaning, but in its original context may lack the modern bound-book concept. Contrasts with related terms such as γραφή (writing, scripture) and τόμος (roll, volume), which specify either the act of writing or the form of the object more precisely. The semantic shift from specific material to generic document mirrors developments in book technology across the Mediterranean world.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

properly, the inner bark of the papyrus plant, i.e. (by implication) a sheet or scroll of writing:--book.

Root Family

βίβλος (biblos) — papyrus, writing material, document

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G976-01 βίβλῳ biblo N DAT F SG book to a papyrus document 7
G976-02 βίβλος biblos N NOM F SG book papyrus document 1
G976-03 βίβλου biblou N GEN F SG of the document 1
G976-04 βίβλους biblous N ACC F PL books papyrus documents 1

Occurrences in Scripture

10 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G976-02 Matthew 1:1 βίβλος biblos N NOM F SG book papyrus document
G976-01 Mark 12:26 βίβλῳ biblo N DAT F SG book to a papyrus document
G976-01 Luke 3:4 βίβλῳ biblo N DAT F SG the book to a papyrus document
G976-01 Luke 20:42 βίβλῳ biblo N DAT F SG book to a papyrus document
G976-01 Acts 1:20 βίβλῳ biblo N DAT F SG book to a papyrus document
G976-01 Acts 7:42 βίβλῳ biblo N DAT F SG book to a papyrus document
G976-04 Acts 19:19 βίβλους biblous N ACC F PL books papyrus documents
G976-01 Philippians 4:3 βίβλῳ biblo N DAT F SG book to a papyrus document
G976-03 Revelation 3:5 βίβλου biblou N GEN F SG of the document
G976-01 Revelation 20:15 βίβλῳ biblo N DAT F SG book to a papyrus document
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