ὕδωρ G5204
water; the essential natural substance used literally and symbolically for life, purification, and baptism
Greek hydor covers the full range of water references in the New Testament: rivers, seas, wells, rain, drinking water, and the water of ritual purification and baptism. John's Gospel makes especially rich theological use of the term — the water-to-wine miracle at Cana, the living water offered to the Samaritan woman (John 4:10), and the water and blood flowing from Christ's side (John 19:34). Baptismal water carries covenantal weight, as John the Baptist distinguishes his water baptism from the coming baptism of the Spirit (Matt 3:11). Every language renders it with its basic word for water — Spanish agua, French eau, German Wasser — yet the theological resonances are immense.
Senses
1. water — The common substance water in all its New Testament occurrences: natural bodies of water (seas, rivers, wells), drinking water, water for Jewish purification rites, and the water of baptism. Jesus contrasts physical water with 'living water' (John 4:10-14), and John the Baptist distinguishes water-baptism from Spirit-baptism (Matt 3:11). The universal simplicity of the translation — agua, eau, Wasser — belies the term's deep symbolic freight. 80×
AR["-مَاءٍ", "المَاءِ", "الْمَاءِ", "بِمَاءٍ", "ماءً", "ماءٍ", "ماءَ", "ماءِ", "مَاءً", "مَاءٌ", "مَاءٍ", "مَاءَ", "مِيَاهٍ"]·ben["জল", "জল,", "জলকে", "জলে", "জলের", "জলের;"]·DE["Wasser"]·EN["of-water", "water", "waters"]·FR["eau"]·heb["מַיִם"]·HI["जल-का", "पअनि", "पानी", "पानी,", "पानी-का", "पानी-में", "पानी-से", "पानी;"]·ID["air", "air,", "air;", "itu"]·IT["acqua"]·jav["banyu,", "toya", "toya,", "toya.", "toya;"]·KO["물", "물-과", "물-을", "물-의", "물에", "물에게", "물을", "물의", "물이"]·PT["de-água", "em-água", "água", "água,", "água;", "águas"]·RU["вода", "воде", "водой", "воду", "воды"]·ES["-agua", "agua", "aguas", "de-agua"]·SW["cha-maji", "maji", "maji,", "wa-maji"]·TR["su", "suda", "sudan", "sudan,", "sulara", "suya", "suya,", "suyla", "suyu", "suyun", "suyun,"]·urd["نہ-دیا", "پانی", "پانی-میں", "پانی-کا", "پانی،", "پانی؛"]
Matt 3:11, Matt 3:16, Matt 17:15, Matt 27:24, Matt 27:49, Mark 1:10, Mark 9:22, Mark 9:41, Mark 14:13, Luke 7:44, Luke 8:24, Luke 8:25 (+38 more)
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)H1259 1. hail (weather phenomenon) (29×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὕδωρ [ῠ, see near the end], τό, genitive ὕδατος: an Epic dialect dative ὕδει in Refs 8th c.BC+; later nominative ὕδος Refs 3rd c.BC+; Boeotian dialect οὕδωρ probably in Refs:—water, of any kind, but in Refs 8th c.BC+ rarely of seawater without an epithet, ἄνεμός τε καὶ ὕ. Refs 8th c.BC+; of rivers, ὕ. Αἰσήποιο, Στυγός, Refs 8th c.BC+; so in Lyric poetry and Trag., ὕ, Ἀσώπιον Refs 5th c.BC+:…