ὁδός G3598
Way, road, path; a physical route, a figurative course of life or conduct, or 'the Way' as the early Christian movement.
Few words in the New Testament carry as much theological freight as hodos. At its simplest it means a physical road—the path to Emmaus, the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. But it quickly becomes the Bible's great metaphor for life, conduct, and destiny: John the Baptist prepares 'the way of the Lord' (Matt 3:3), Jesus declares 'I am the way' (John 14:6), and the broad and narrow ways define two ultimate destinies (Matt 7:13-14). Most strikingly, the earliest Christians called their movement simply 'the Way' (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23), before the name 'Christian' took hold. Spanish camino and German Weg replicate this same literal-to-figurative arc.
Senses
1. [split] way, road, path (literal and figurative) — A physical road, route, or path, and by natural extension a figurative way of life, conduct, or spiritual direction. This encompasses the vast majority of occurrences (79x) in singular forms. Literal uses include the road to Egypt (Matt 2:12), the 'way of the sea' (Matt 4:15), and the path along which the sower's seed falls (Matt 13:4). Figurative uses include 'the way of the Lord' (Matt 3:3), 'the way of righteousness' (Matt 21:32), and Jesus' self-identification as 'the way' (John 14:6). Spanish camino and French chemin span both registers identically. 0×
AR["-", "الطَّريقِ", "الطَّرِيقِ", "طَريقَ", "طَريقَكَ", "طَريقُ", "طَريقِ", "طَرِيقَ", "طَرِيقُ", "طَرِيقِ"]·ben["পথ", "পথে", "পথে;", "পথের"]·DE["Weg"]·EN["a-way", "path", "road", "the-way", "way"]·FR["chemin"]·heb["אֶת-", "דֶּרֶךְ"]·HI["मरग-को", "मार्ग", "मार्ग-के-लिए", "मार्ग-को", "मार्ग-पर", "मार्ग-में", "मार्ग-से", "रअस्त", "रअस्ते", "रअस्ते-के"]·ID["jalan", "perjalanan"]·IT["via"]·jav["lampah,", "margi", "margi,", "margi.", "marginipun"]·KO["길", "길-을", "길가에", "길에서", "길을"]·PT["caminho", "caminho,", "caminho.", "caminho;", "o-caminho"]·RU["дороге", "дороге.", "дороге;", "дороги", "дороги,", "дорогу", "пути", "пути,", "путь", "путём"]·ES["camino"]·SW["-", "akaja", "akawaambia", "na", "njia", "safari,", "waliposikia", "wengine", "ya-"]·TR["yol", "yola", "yolda", "yoldan", "yolu", "yolun", "yolunda", "yolunu"]·urd["راستہ", "راستے", "راستے-میں", "راستے-پر", "راستے-کے"]
Matt 2:12, Matt 3:3, Matt 4:15, Matt 5:25, Matt 7:13, Matt 7:14, Matt 8:28, Matt 10:5, Matt 10:10, Matt 11:10, Matt 13:4, Matt 13:19 (+38 more)
1. physical road, route, path — Split from sense 72989. Criteria: Concrete physical route or path for travel — Matt 2:12 'another way', Matt 4:15 'way of the sea', Matt 8:28, Matt 13:4 'along the path', Matt 20:17, 30; the journey sense Luke 11:6 50×
AR["-", "الطَّريقِ", "الطَّرِيقِ", "طَريقًا", "طَريقِ", "طَرِيقٍ", "طَرِيقُ", "طَرِيقِ"]·ben["পথ", "পথে", "পথে;", "পথের"]·DE["Weg"]·EN["a-way", "path", "road", "the-way", "way"]·FR["chemin"]·heb["דֶּרֶךְ"]·HI["गेहूँ", "मार्ग", "मार्ग-के-लिए", "मार्ग-पर", "मार्ग-में", "मार्ग-से", "रअस्त", "रअस्ते", "रअस्ते-के"]·ID["jalan", "perjalanan"]·IT["via"]·jav["dalan", "lampah,", "margi", "margi,", "margi."]·KO["길", "길가에", "길에서", "길을"]·PT["caminho", "caminho,", "caminho.", "caminho;", "o-caminho"]·RU["дороге", "дороге.", "дороге;", "дороги", "дороги,", "дорогу", "пути", "пути,", "путь", "путём"]·ES["camino"]·SW["-", "akaja", "akawaambia", "njia", "safari,", "waliposikia", "wengine"]·TR["yol", "yola", "yolda", "yoldan", "yolu", "yolun"]·urd["راستہ", "راستے", "راستے-میں", "راستے-پر", "راستے-کے"]
Matt 2:12, Matt 4:15, Matt 5:25, Matt 8:28, Matt 10:5, Matt 10:10, Matt 13:4, Matt 13:19, Matt 15:32, Matt 20:17, Matt 20:30, Matt 21:8 (+38 more)
2. ways (plural: roads, courses of conduct) — Plural forms (hodoi, hodous, hodon) denoting multiple roads or courses of conduct—highways, crossroads, or God's manifold ways. Matt 22:9-10 sends servants to 'the roads' to invite guests; Luke 3:5 straightens 'the crooked ways'; Romans 11:33 marvels at God's inscrutable 'ways.' The fourteen plural occurrences consistently distribute across literal (roads, lanes, highways) and figurative (patterns of behavior, divine governance) poles, and most languages simply pluralize their word for 'way.' 14×
AR["الطُرُقِ", "الطُّرُقِ", "سُبُلَ", "سُبُلِ", "سُبُلِهِم", "طُرُقٍ", "طُرُقَ", "طُرُقَهُ", "طُرُقُكَ", "طُرُقِهِ", "طُرُقِي"]·ben["পথ", "পথগুলি", "পথগুলিকে", "পথসমূহে", "পথে", "পথের"]·DE["Weg"]·EN["roads", "ways"]·FR["chemin"]·heb["דְּרָכִים", "דְּרָכֵיהֶם", "דְּרָכֶיךָ", "דְּרָכַי", "דְּרָכָיו", "דַּרְכֵי"]·HI["मार्ग", "मार्गों", "मार्गों-में", "रास्तों"]·ID["jalan", "jalan-jalan", "jalan-jalannya"]·IT["via"]·jav["margi", "margi-margi"]·KO["길들", "길들-로", "길들-에서", "길들-을", "길들-의", "길들로", "길들을", "길들이", "내버려두시리라"]·PT["caminhos", "caminhos,"]·RU["дорог,", "дороги", "дороги,", "путей", "пути", "путями", "путях"]·ES["caminos"]·SW["na", "njia", "wakawakusanya", "zangu"]·TR["yollara", "yolları", "yollarımı", "yollarımı-", "yolların", "yollarında", "yollarını"]·urd["راستوں", "راستوں-کو", "راستوں-کے", "راستے", "راہوں", "راہیں"]
Matt 22:9, Matt 22:10, Luke 1:76, Luke 3:5, Luke 14:23, Acts 2:28, Acts 13:10, Acts 14:16, Rom 3:16, Rom 11:33, 1 Cor 4:17, Heb 3:10 (+2 more)
2. way of life, course of conduct — Split from sense 72989. Criteria: Figurative moral or spiritual way — Matt 3:3 'prepare the way of the Lord', Matt 7:13-14 'narrow/broad way', Matt 22:16 'way of God', Matt 21:32 'way of righteousness', John 14:6 'I am the way' 29×
AR["طَريقَ", "طَريقَكَ", "طَريقُ", "طَريقِ", "طَرِيقَ", "طَرِيقُ", "طَرِيقِ"]·ben["-ঈশ্বরের", "পথ", "পথে"]·DE["Weg"]·EN["way"]·FR["chemin"]·heb["אֶת-", "דֶּרֶךְ", "הַדֶּרֶךְ"]·HI["मरग-को", "मार्ग", "मार्ग-को"]·ID["itu", "jalan"]·IT["via"]·jav["margi", "margi,", "margi.", "marginipun"]·KO["길", "길-로", "길-을", "길을", "길이요", "도를"]·PT["caminho"]·RU["пути", "путь", "путём"]·ES["camino"]·SW["na", "njia", "ya-"]·TR["Yol", "yol", "yolu", "yoluna", "yolunda", "yolunu"]·urd["تیرے", "راستہ", "راستے", "راستے-کو", "راہ"]
Matt 3:3, Matt 7:13, Matt 7:14, Matt 11:10, Matt 21:32, Matt 22:16, Mark 1:2, Mark 1:3, Mark 12:14, Luke 1:79, Luke 3:4, Luke 7:27 (+17 more)
3. the Way (early Christian movement) — The technical title 'the Way' (he Hodos) for the early Christian movement, concentrated in Acts. Saul persecutes 'those belonging to the Way' (Acts 9:2); Apollos is instructed more accurately in 'the Way of the Lord' (Acts 18:25); the silversmiths cause a disturbance about 'the Way' (Acts 19:23). Eight occurrences cluster in Acts 9-24, reflecting Luke's distinctive vocabulary for earliest Christianity before the Antioch label 'Christian' (Acts 11:26). This quasi-proper-noun usage has no exact parallel in the Synoptics or Paul. 8×
amh["መንገድ"]·AR["-الطَّريقِ", "الطَّرِيقَ", "الطَّرِيقِ", "طريق", "طَرِيقِ"]·ben["পথকে", "পথে", "পথের"]·ces["cestou"]·dan["vej"]·DE["Weg"]·ell["οδώ"]·EN["Way", "way"]·FR["chemin", "voie"]·guj["માર્ગમાં"]·hat["chemen"]·hau["ta"]·heb["דֶּרֶךְ", "דרך", "הַדֶּרֶךְ"]·HI["मार्ग", "मार्ग-की", "मार्ग-के", "मार्ग-को", "मार्ग-पर", "मार्गके", "रास्ता"]·hun["útján"]·ID["Jalan", "Jalan,", "jalan", "perjalanan"]·IT["via"]·jav["Margi", "Margi,", "margi", "margi,"]·JA["道"]·KO["길,", "길-의", "길로", "도를", "도에-대하여", "도에-대한"]·mar["मार्गाने"]·mya["လမ်း"]·nld["weg"]·nor["vei"]·pnb["راہ-تے"]·pol["drogą"]·PT["Caminho", "Caminho,", "Caminho.", "caminho"]·ron["calea"]·RU["Пути", "Пути.", "Путь", "Путь,", "пути", "путь"]·ES["Camino", "camino"]·SW["Njia", "njia", "safari"]·swe["väg"]·tam["வழியில்"]·tel["మార్గములో"]·tgl["daan"]·TH["ทาง"]·TR["Yol", "Yol'u", "Yol'un", "yola", "yolunda"]·ukr["дорогою"]·urd["راستے-پر", "راستے-کے", "راہ", "راہ-کی"]·VI["đường"]·yor["ọ̀nà"]·yue["路"]·ZH["道路"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὁδός, ἡ (οὐδός once in Refs 8th c.BC+: __I of Place, way, road, Refs 8th c.BC+; ὁ. ἱερά, to Eleusis, Refs 3rd c.BC+; ποταμοῦ ὁ. course, channel of a river, Refs 5th c.BC+: with expression of the direction, ὁδὸς ἐς.. Refs 8th c.BC+; τὴν εὐθὺς Ἄργους.. ὁ. leading straight to Argos, Refs 5th c.BC+; τῆς ἀληθείας ὁ. the way to truth, Refs __I.2 with Preps., πρὸ ὁδοῦ further on the way, forwards, Refs…