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The Blue Letter Bible

Lexicon :: Strong's G5438 - phylakē

Aa
φυλακή
Transliteration
phylakē (Key)
Pronunciation
foo-lak-ay'
Listen
Part of Speech
feminine noun
Root Word (Etymology)
Dictionary Aids

Vine's Expository Dictionary: View Entry

TDNT Reference: 9:241,1280

Strong’s Definitions

φυλακή phylakḗ, foo-lak-ay'; from G5442; a 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:—cage, hold, (im-)prison(-ment), ward, watch.

KJV Translation Count — Total: 47x

The KJV translates Strong's G5438 in the following manner: prison (36x), watch (6x), imprisonment (2x), hold (1x), cage (1x), ward (1x).

KJV Translation Count — Total: 47x
The KJV translates Strong's G5438 in the following manner: prison (36x), watch (6x), imprisonment (2x), hold (1x), cage (1x), ward (1x).

  1. guard, watch

    1. a watching, keeping watch

      1. to keep watch

    2. persons keeping watch, a guard, sentinels

    3. of the place where captives are kept, a prison

    4. of the time (of night) during which guard was kept, a watch i.e. a period of time during which part of the guard was on duty, and at the end of which others relieved them. As the earlier Greeks divided the night commonly into three parts, so, previous to the exile, the Israelites also had three watches in a night; subsequently, however, after they became subject to the Romans, they adopted the Roman custom of dividing the night into four watches

Strong’s Definitions [?](Strong’s Definitions Legend)
φυλακή phylakḗ, foo-lak-ay'; from G5442; a 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:—cage, hold, (im-)prison(-ment), ward, watch.
STRONGS G5438:
φυλακή, φυλακῆς, ἡ (φυλάσσω), from Homer down, the Sept. for מִשְׁמֶרֶת, מִשְׁמָר, מַטָּרָה (a prison), כֶּלֶא (enclosure, confinement), guard, watch, i. e.
a. in an active sense, a watching, keeping watch: φυλάσσειν φυλακάς, to keep watch, Luke 2:8 (often in the Greek writings from Xenophon, an. 2, 6, 10, etc.; Plato legg. 6, p. 758 d. down; (cf. φυλακάς ἔχειν, etc. from Homer (Iliad 9, 1 etc.) on); often also in the Sept. for מִשְׁמָרות שָׁמַר).
b. like the Latincustodia and more frequently the pluralcustodiae (see Klotz, Hdwrbch. (or Harpers' Latin Dict.) under the word), equivalent to persons keeping watch, a guard, sentinels: Acts 12:10 (here A. V. ward) (and very often in secular authors from Homer down).
c. of the place where captives are kept, a prison: Matthew 14:10; Matthew 25:36,(39),43f; Mark 6:17, 27(28); Luke 3:20; Luke 21:12; Luke 22:33; Acts 5:19, 22; Acts 8:3; Acts 12:5f, 17; Acts 16:27, 40; Acts 22:4; Acts 26:10; 2 Corinthians 6:5 (here, as in Hebrews 11:36, A. V. imprisonment); 2 Corinthians 11:23; 1 Peter 3:19; Revelation 18:2 (twice; rendered in A. V. hold and cage (R. V. hold)); Rev. 20:7 (Herodotus 3, 152; Thucydides 3, 34; Plutarch, others; the Sept. for מַטָּרָה, כֶּלֶא בֵּית, and הַכֶּלֶא בֵּית, מִשְׁמָר); βάλλειν or τιθέναι τινα εἰς (τήν) φυλακήν or ἐν (τῇ) φυλακή: Matthew 5:25; Matthew 14:3 (R G, others, ἀπέθετο); Matt. 18:30; Luke 12:58; Luke 23:19, 25; John 3:24; Acts 5:25; Acts 8:3 (here παραδιδόναι εἰς φυλακήν); Acts 12:4; 16:23f,37; Revelation 2:10.
d. of the time (of night) during which guard was kept, a watch i. e. the period of time during which a part of the guard were on duty, and at the end of which others relieved them. As the earlier Greeks divided the night commonly into three parts (see Liddell and Scott, under the word I. 4), so, previously to the exile, the Israelites also had three watches in a night; subsequently, however, after they became subject to Rome, they adopted the Roman custom of dividing the night into four watches: Matthew 24:43; ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ, τρίτῃ, Luke 12:38; τετάρτῃ, Matthew 14:25; Mark 6:48. Cf. Winer's RWB under the word Nachtwache; (McClintock and Strong's Cyclopaedia, under the word ; B. D. under the phrase, ).
THAYER’S GREEK LEXICON, Electronic Database.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011 by Biblesoft, Inc.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.

BLB Scripture Index of Thayer's

Matthew
5:25; 14:3; 14:10; 14:25; 18:30; 24:43; 25:36
Mark
6:17; 6:27; 6:48
Luke
2:8; 3:20; 12:38; 12:58; 21:12; 22:33; 23:19; 23:25
John
3:24
Acts
5:19; 5:22; 5:25; 8:3; 8:3; 12:4; 12:5; 12:10; 12:17; 16:23; 16:27; 16:37; 16:40; 22:4; 26:10
2 Corinthians
6:5; 11:23
Hebrews
11:36
1 Peter
3:19
Revelation
2:10; 18:2; 20:7

Word / Phrase / Strong's Search

Strong's Number G5438 matches the Greek φυλακή (phylakē),
which occurs 47 times in 45 verses in the MGNT Greek.

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Unchecked Copy BoxMat 5:25

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 5:25 - Come to an agreement quickly with him who has a cause against you at law, while you are with him on the way, for fear that he may give you up to the judge and the judge may give you to the police and you may be put into prison.

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Unchecked Copy BoxMat 14:3

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 14:3 - For Herod had taken John and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.

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Unchecked Copy BoxMat 14:10

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 14:10 - And he sent and had John's head cut off in the prison.

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Unchecked Copy BoxMat 14:25

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 14:25 - And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.

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Unchecked Copy BoxMat 18:30

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 18:30 - And he would not: but went and put him into prison till he had made payment of the debt.

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Unchecked Copy BoxMat 24:43

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 24:43 - But be certain of this, that if the master of the house had had knowledge of the time when the thief was coming, he would have been watching, and would not have let his house be broken into.

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Unchecked Copy BoxMat 25:36

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 25:36 - I had no clothing, and you gave it to me: when I was ill, or in prison, you came to me.

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Unchecked Copy BoxMat 25:39

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 25:39 - And when did we see you ill, or in prison, and come to you?

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Unchecked Copy BoxMat 25:43

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 25:43 - I was wandering, and you took me not in; without clothing, and you gave me no clothing; ill, and in prison, and you came not to me.

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Unchecked Copy BoxMat 25:44

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 25:44 - Then will they make answer, saying, Lord, when did we see you in need of food or drink, or wandering, or without clothing, or ill, or in prison, and did not take care of you?

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Unchecked Copy BoxMar 6:17

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 6:17 - For Herod himself had sent men out to take John and put him in prison, because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had taken for himself.

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Unchecked Copy BoxMar 6:27

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 6:27 - And straight away the king sent out one of his armed men, and gave him an order to come back with the head: and he went and took off John's head in prison,

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Unchecked Copy BoxMar 6:48

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 6:48 - And seeing that they had trouble in getting their boat through the water, because the wind was against them, about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea; and he would have gone past them;

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Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 2:8

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 2:8 - And in the same country there were keepers of sheep in the fields, watching over their flock by night.

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Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 3:20

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 3:20 - Did this most evil thing of all, and had John shut up in prison.

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Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 12:38

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 12:38 - And if he comes in the second division of the night or in the third, and they are watching for him, happy are those servants.

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Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 12:58

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 12:58 - For if anyone has a cause at law against you, and you are going with him before the ruler, make an attempt, on the way, to come to an agreement with him, for if you do not, he may take you before the judge and the judge will give you up to the police, and they will put you in prison.

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Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 21:12

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 21:12 - But before all this, they will take you and be very cruel to you, giving you up to the Synagogues and to prisons, taking you before kings and rulers, because of my name.

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Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 22:33

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 22:33 - And he said to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.

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Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 23:19

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 23:19 - Now this man was in prison because of an attack against the government in the town, in which there had been loss of life.

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Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 23:25

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 23:25 - And in answer to their request, he let that man go free who had been in prison for acting against the government and causing death, and Jesus he gave up to their pleasure.

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Unchecked Copy BoxJhn 3:24

Unchecked Copy BoxJhn 3:24 - For at this time John had not been put into prison.

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 5:19

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 5:19 - But in the night an angel of the Lord, opening the doors of the prison, took them out and said,

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 5:22

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 5:22 - But the men who were sent saw that they were not in the prison, and came back with the news,

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 5:25

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 5:25 - And someone came and said to them, The men, whom you put in prison, are in the Temple teaching the people.

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 8:3

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 8:3 - But Saul was burning with hate against the church, going into every house and taking men and women and putting them in prison.

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 12:4

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 12:4 - And having taken him, he put him in prison, with four bands of armed men to keep watch over him; his purpose being to take him out to the people after the Passover.

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 12:5

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 12:5 - So Peter was kept in prison: but the church made strong prayer to God for him.

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 12:6

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 12:6 - And when Herod was about to take him out, the same night Peter was sleeping in chains between two armed men, and the watchmen were keeping watch before the door of the prison.

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 12:10

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 12:10 - And when they had gone past the first and second watchmen they came to the iron door into the town, which came open by itself: and they went out and down one street; and then the angel went away.

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 12:17

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 12:17 - But he made a sign to them with his hand to be quiet, and gave them an account of how the Lord had taken him out of prison. And he said, Give the news to James and the brothers. And then he went away.

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 16:23

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 16:23 - And when they had given them a great number of blows, they put them in prison, giving orders to the keeper of the prison to keep them safely:

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 16:24

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 16:24 - And he, having such orders, put them into the inner prison with chains on their feet.

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 16:27

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 16:27 - And the keeper, coming out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, took his sword and was about to put himself to death, fearing that the prisoners had got away.

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 16:37

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 16:37 - But Paul said to them, They have given us who are Romans a public whipping without judging us, and have put us in prison. Will they now send us out secretly? no, truly, let them come themselves and take us out.

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 16:40

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 16:40 - And they came out of the prison and went to the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brothers they gave them comfort and went away.

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 22:4

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 22:4 - And I made attacks on this Way, even to death, taking men and women and putting them in prison.

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Unchecked Copy BoxAct 26:10

Unchecked Copy BoxAct 26:10 - And this I did in Jerusalem: and numbers of the saints I put in prison, having had authority given to me from the chief priests, and when they were put to death, I gave my decision against them.

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Unchecked Copy Box2Co 6:5

Unchecked Copy Box2Co 6:5 - In blows, in prisons, in attacks, in hard work, in watchings, in going without food;

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Unchecked Copy Box2Co 11:23

Unchecked Copy Box2Co 11:23 - Are they servants of Christ? (I am talking foolishly) I am more so; I have had more experience of hard work, of prisons, of blows more than measure, of death.

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Unchecked Copy BoxHeb 11:36

Unchecked Copy BoxHeb 11:36 - And others were tested by being laughed at or by blows, and even with chains and prisons:

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Unchecked Copy Box1Pe 3:19

Unchecked Copy Box1Pe 3:19 - By whom he went to the spirits in prison, preaching to those

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Unchecked Copy BoxRev 2:10

Unchecked Copy BoxRev 2:10 - Have no fear of the things which you will have to undergo: see, the Evil One will send some of you into prison, so that you may be put to the test; and you will have great trouble for ten days. Be true till death, and I will give you the crown of life.

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Unchecked Copy BoxRev 18:2

Unchecked Copy BoxRev 18:2 - And he gave a loud cry, saying, Babylon the great has come down from her high place, she has come to destruction and has become a place of evil spirits, and of every unclean spirit, and a hole for every unclean and hated bird.

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Unchecked Copy BoxRev 20:7

Unchecked Copy BoxRev 20:7 - And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be let loose out of his prison,
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