KJV

KJV

Click to Change

Return to Top

Return to Top

Printer Icon

Print

The Blue Letter Bible
Study Resources :: Dictionaries :: Brother, Brethren, Brotherhood, Brotherly

Dictionaries :: Brother, Brethren, Brotherhood, Brotherly

Choose a new font size and typeface
Below are articles from the following dictionary:
Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
1 Strong's Number: g80 Greek: adelphos

Brother, Brethren, Brotherhood, Brotherly:

denotes "a brother, or near kinsman;" in the plural, "a community based on identity of origin or life." It is used of:

(1) male children of the same parents, Matt 1:2; 14:3;

(2) male descendants of the same parents, Act 7:23, 26; Hbr 7:5;

(3) male children of the same mother, Mat 13:55; 1Cr 9:5; Gal 1:19;

(4) people of the same nationality, Act 3:17, 22; Rom 9:3. With "men" (aner, "male"), prefixed, it is used in addresses only, Act 2:29, 37, etc.;

(5) any man, a neighbor, Luk 10:29; Mat 5:22; 7:3;

(6) persons united by a common interest, Mat 5:47;

(7) persons united by a common calling, Rev 22:9;

(8) mankind, Mat 25:40; Hbr 2:17;

(9) the disciples, and so, by implication, all believers, Mat 28:10; Jhn 20:17;

(10) believers, apart from sex, Mat 23:8; Act 1:15; Rom 1:13; 1Th 1:4; Rev 19:10 (the word "sisters" is used of believers, only in 1Ti 5:2);

(11) believers, with aner, "male," prefixed, and with "or sister" added, 1Cr 7:14 (RV), 15; Jam 2:15, male as distinct from female, Act 1:16; 15:7, 13, but not Act 6:3. *
[* From Notes on Thessalonians, by Hogg and Vine, p. 32.]

Notes:

(1) Associated words are adelphotes, primarily, "a brotherly relation," and so, the community possessed of this relation, "a brotherhood," 1Pe 2:17 (see 5:9, marg.); philadelphos, (phileo, "to love," and adelphos), "fond of one's brethren," 1Pe 3:8; "loving as brethren," RV; philadelphia, "brotherly love," Rom 12:10; 1Th 4:9; Hbr 13:1; "love of the brethren," 1Pe 1:22; 2Pe 1:7, RV; pseudadelphos, "false brethren," 2Cr 11:26; Gal 2:4.

(2) In Luk 6:16; Act 1:13, the RV has "son," for AV, "brother."

(3) In Act 13:1, for suntrophos, see BRING, B, Note (6).

BLB Searches
Search the Bible
KJV
 [?]

Advanced Options

Other Searches

Multi-Verse Retrieval
x
KJV

Daily Devotionals
x

Blue Letter Bible offers several daily devotional readings in order to help you refocus on Christ and the Gospel of His peace and righteousness.

Daily Bible Reading Plans
x

Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year.

One-Year Plans

Two-Year Plan

CONTENT DISCLAIMER:

The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.