ἀδελφ-ή G0079
sister — a female sibling or fellow female believer in the Christian community
Adelphe is the feminine counterpart of adelphos ('brother'), covering both biological and spiritual kinship in its 26 New Testament occurrences. In narrative contexts it names literal sisters: Martha and Mary as sisters of Lazarus (John 11:1-5), the sisters of Jesus mentioned by his skeptical townspeople (Matt 13:56; Mark 6:3), and Herodias's relationship as Philip's wife (implied in Mark 6:17-19). Jesus redefines the term when he declares that 'whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother' (Matt 12:50; Mark 3:35), opening the word to designate any female fellow-believer. Paul addresses specific women as 'our sister' — Phoebe the deacon (Rom 16:1) and unnamed co-workers — giving the term an ecclesial warmth. Spanish 'hermana,' French 'soeur,' and German 'Schwester' all preserve this dual literal-and-spiritual range without ambiguity.
Senses
1. sister — A female sibling or, by extension, a fellow female believer in the community of faith. Literally designates Martha, Mary, and the sisters of Jesus (Matt 13:56; Mark 6:3; John 11:1). Spiritually redefined by Jesus: 'whoever does the will of my Father is my brother and sister' (Matt 12:50; Mark 3:35). Paul uses the term for co-workers like Phoebe (Rom 16:1). Every major translation language maps to a single kinship word — Spanish 'hermana,' French 'soeur' — reflecting that no sense split is needed. 26×
AR["-الأُختِ", "أَخَوَاتٍ", "أُختٌ", "أُختِكِ", "أُختِي", "أُخْتاً", "أُخْتي", "أُخْتٌ", "أُخْتَنَا،", "أُخْتَهَا", "أُخْتُ", "أُخْتِ", "أُخْتِهَا", "أُخْتِهِ،", "الأُخْتُ"]·ben["বোন", "বোন,", "বোনকে", "বোনদের", "বোনের", "ভগিনীর"]·DE["Schwester"]·EN["a-sister", "sister", "sisters"]·FR["sœur"]·heb["אֲחוֹת", "אֲחוֹתִי", "אֲחוֹתֵנוּ", "אֲחוֹתָהּ", "אֲחוֹתוֹ", "אַחָיוֹת", "אָחוֹת", "הָ-אָחוֹת"]·HI["बहन", "बहन-को", "बहनके", "बहनों-को", "बहिन", "बेहेनोन-को"]·ID["saudara-perempuan", "saudari", "saudari,", "saudari-saudari", "saudari;", "saudarinya"]·IT["sorella"]·jav["saderekipun-èstri", "sadherek-èstri", "sadherek-èstri,", "sadhèrèk", "sadhèrèk-wadon,", "sadhèrèk-èstri", "sadhèrèk-èstri,", "sadhèrèk-èstri;", "sadèrèkipun-èstri", "sedhèrèk-èstri"]·KO["누이-의", "자매", "자매-가", "자매-를", "자매-에게", "자매가", "자매들", "자매들-을", "자매를", "자매인", "자매치"]·PT["irmã", "irmã,", "irmã;", "irmãs", "irmãs,"]·RU["его", "нашу", "сестра", "сестре;", "сестру", "сестру,", "сестры", "сестёр", "сестёр,"]·ES["hermana", "hermanas", "una-hermana"]·SW["au", "dada", "dada,", "kaka", "ndugu-wa-kike"]·TR["karıyı", "kız-kardeş", "kız-kardeşi", "kız-kardeşim", "kız-kardeşim,", "kız-kardeşimdir", "kız-kardeşimizi", "kız-kardeşine", "kız-kardeşinin", "kız-kardeşler", "kız-kardeşleri", "kızkardeş;", "kızkardeşi", "kızkardeşini", "kızkardeşinin", "o-"]·urd["بہن", "بہنوں", "بہنوں-کو"]
Matt 12:50, Matt 13:56, Matt 19:29, Mark 3:32, Mark 3:35, Mark 6:3, Mark 10:29, Mark 10:30, Luke 10:39, Luke 10:40, Luke 14:26, John 11:1 (+14 more)
Related Senses
H0376 1. man, person, human male (2130×)H0251 1. brother (blood sibling) (573×)H0120 1. man, human being (individual/generic) (527×)H0802 1. woman, female person (519×)H0802 2. wife, spouse (255×)H0517 1. mother, female parent (217×)G0435 1. man, male person (202×)G1135 1. woman, adult female (190×)H2233 1. offspring, descendants (172×)H0001 2. ancestor, forefather (146×)H5288 1. Youth, young man (122×)H0269 1. sister (female sibling) (113×)H1755 1. generation, contemporaries (96×)G5043 1. child, offspring (89×)G0444 2. people, humankind (86×)H3206 1. child, boy, youth (86×)H2145 1. male (human being) (79×)G3384 1. mother (77×)H6485a 1. Qal passive participle: numbered ones, enrollment (76×)H1397 1. man (strong/mighty) (65×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀδελφ-ή, ἡ, feminine of ἀδελφός, sister, Trag., E Refs 4th c.BC+: Ionic dialect ἀδελφ-εή, Refs 5th c.BC+; Epic dialect ἀδελφ-ειή, Refs 4th c.AD+; Doric dialect ἀδελφ-εά, Refs 5th c.BC+, and in lyr, passages of Trag., Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 kinswoman, LXX __3 term of endearment, LXX; applied to a wife, Refs 3rd c.BC+:—sister (as a fellow Christian), NT