What does ἴδιος (ídios) mean in the Bible?
Idios means one's own, private, personal, or belonging particularly to someone or something. Jesus returns to His own city.
Greek · G2398
ἴδιος
One's own/private
Reading a lexicon entry
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ἴδιος G2398
Pronunciation ídios
What does ἴδιος (ídios) mean in the Bible?
Idios means one's own, private, personal, or belonging particularly to someone or something. Jesus returns to His own city.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἴδιος (G2398) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2398?
The BSB source-word alignment has 115 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include own (49), his own (9), privately (9), . . . (5), - (4).
Where does ἴδιος (ídios) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 9:1. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (16), Acts (16), John (15), Matthew (10).
Are there verse guides for ἴδιος (ídios)?
This entry includes 3 verse guides that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
Idios means one's own, private, personal, or belonging particularly to someone or something. Jesus returns to His own city. Opponents understand His language about God as His own Father as a claim of equality. Paul says God did not spare His own Son but gave Him for His people. An overseer must manage his own household before caring for God's church. Jude says angels did not keep their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling.
The adjective marks a particular relationship or sphere, but it does not imply selfish autonomy or absolute possession. Context may emphasize belonging, uniqueness, responsibility, or a proper place entrusted under God's rule.
How the Bible Uses It
Idios marks what pertains particularly to a person or subject: a hometown, unique filial relation, God's own Son, a leader's household responsibility, or an assigned angelic domain. Particular belonging creates identity and accountability rather than autonomous control.
- Matt.9.1
Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own town.
Matthew 9:1 says Jesus crossed over and came to His own city, referring to Capernaum as His ministry base. The phrase supplies narrative location before the healing and forgiveness of the paralytic.
- John.5.18
Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
John 5:18 says Jesus called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God in His opponents' understanding. John's Gospel develops this unique Son-Father relation rather than reducing it to ordinary believer sonship.
- Rom.8.32
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
Romans 8:32 says God did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all. The distinctive belonging intensifies the Father's costly gift and grounds confidence in every needed grace.
- 1Tim.3.5
For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?
First Timothy 3:5 asks how someone unable to manage his own household will care for God's church. Particular responsibility in ordinary life tests character for broader stewardship.
- Jude.1.6
And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling—these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day.
Jude 6 says angels did not keep their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling. Their rejection of assigned place leads to confinement for judgment, emphasizing rebellion rather than curiosity about angelic geography.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It own 49× Matthew 9:1, Mark 4:34, Mark 15:20, Luke 6:41
his own 9× Matthew 25:15, Luke 10:34, John 5:18, Acts 1:7
privately 9× Matthew 14:13, Matthew 17:19, Matthew 24:3, Mark 4:34
. . . 5× Mark 6:31, John 1:41, 1 Corinthians 3:8, 1 Timothy 6:1
- 4× Matthew 20:17, 1 Corinthians 11:21, 1 Peter 3:1, 2 Peter 3:17
[his] 3× Acts 24:24, 1 Corinthians 7:37
his 2× Matthew 22:5, Matthew 25:14
in his own 2× Acts 13:36, 1 Timothy 6:15
themselves 2× Matthew 17:1, Mark 6:32
[by His] own 1× 2 Peter 1:3
[by] themselves 1× Mark 9:2
[friends] 1× Acts 24:23
[He gives] its own 1× 1 Corinthians 15:38
[his] own 1× Ephesians 4:28
[home] 1× John 19:27
[I spoke] privately 1× Galatians 2:2
[In His] own 1× Titus 1:3
[its] 1× 2 Peter 2:22
[proper] 1× Jude 1:6
[rightful] 1× Acts 1:25
[their] 1× 1 Peter 3:5
[whose] 1× 1 Timothy 4:2
all we had 1× Luke 18:28
aside 1× Acts 23:19
at his own 1× 1 Corinthians 9:7
by [our] own 1× Acts 3:12
for his 1× 2 Peter 2:16
from [one’s] own 1× 2 Peter 1:20
Himself 1× Matthew 14:23
home 1× Acts 21:6
in due 1× Galatians 6:9
native [ language] 1× John 8:44
one 1× 1 Corinthians 12:11
own [home] 1× John 16:32
own people 1× Acts 4:23
to their own 1× Titus 2:9
vvv 1× 1 Timothy 2:6
your 1× Ephesians 5:22
your own 1× 1 Thessalonians 4:11
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 9:1 ἰδίαν to own Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular Matthew 14:13 ἰδίαν to privately Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular Matthew 14:23 ἰδίαν to Himself Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular Matthew 17:1 ἰδίαν to themselves Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular Matthew 17:19 ἰδίαν to privately Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular Matthew 20:17 ἰδίαν to - Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular Matthew 22:5 ἴδιον to his Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular Matthew 24:3 ἰδίαν to privately Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular Matthew 25:14 ἰδίους to his Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural Matthew 25:15 ἰδίαν to his own Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 9:1
Aligned rows 115
Books represented 18
Matthew 10 Mark 9 Luke 6 John 15 Acts 16 Romans 5 1 Corinthians 16 Galatians 3 Ephesians 2 1 Thessalonians 3 1 Timothy 9 2 Timothy 2 Titus 4 Hebrews 4 James 1 1 Peter 2 2 Peter 7 Jude 1
Source forms
ἰδίαν 24x idian Matthew 9:1, Matthew 14:13, Matthew 14:23, Matthew 17:1
ἴδιον 18x idion Matthew 22:5, Luke 10:34, John 1:41, John 5:18
ἰδίᾳ 11x idia John 4:44, Acts 1:7, Acts 1:19, Acts 2:6
ἰδίου 11x idiou Luke 6:44, Acts 20:28, Romans 8:32, 1 Corinthians 7:4
ἴδια 10x idia Mark 15:20, Luke 18:28, John 1:11, John 10:3
ἰδίοις 10x idiois Mark 4:34, 1 Corinthians 9:7, Ephesians 5:22, 1 Timothy 2:6
ἰδίῳ 7x idiō Luke 6:41, John 5:43, Acts 28:30, Romans 14:4
ἰδίων 7x idiōn John 8:44, Acts 24:23, 1 Thessalonians 2:14, 1 Timothy 3:12
Parsing patterns
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular 24x Matthew 9:1, Matthew 14:13, Matthew 14:23, Matthew 17:1
Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular 12x John 4:44, Acts 1:7, Acts 1:19, Acts 2:6
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular 10x Luke 10:34, John 15:19, Acts 4:32, 1 Corinthians 6:18
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural 9x Mark 15:20, Luke 18:28, John 1:11, John 10:3
Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural 9x Mark 4:34, Ephesians 5:22, 1 Timothy 2:6, 1 Timothy 6:15
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular 8x Matthew 22:5, John 1:41, John 5:18, Acts 1:25
Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular 6x Acts 20:28, 1 Corinthians 7:4, 1 Corinthians 7:37, Hebrews 9:12
Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural 5x Matthew 25:14, John 13:1, Acts 4:23, 1 Corinthians 14:35
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not use "one's own" to justify controlling people, treating a household as property, or avoiding accountability.
- Do not collapse Jesus' unique sonship in John into the adoptive sonship believers receive by grace.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not use "one's own" to justify controlling people, treating a household as property, or avoiding accountability.
- Do not collapse Jesus' unique sonship in John into the adoptive sonship believers receive by grace.
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
John 1:11 Adjective Accusative Plural Neuter
ἴδια idia one's own/private The grammar supports a sense of belonging and destination, so the verse reads as an arrival into what is own or proper rather than a vague coming somewhere. Read verse guide John 1:11 Adjective Nominative Plural Masculine
ἴδιοι idioi one's own/private The grammar sharpens the contrast: the one who came was not received by those described as his own. Read verse guide John 1:41 Adjective Accusative Singular Masculine
ἴδιον idion one's own/private The effect is to sharpen the reference of the brother as Simon's own brother, making the scene sound personal and immediate. Read verse guide Evidence Summary
Greek word. Emphasizes what belongs distinctly to someone, contrasting with shared or others' property.
Source Gloss
one's own/private
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 113 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 9:1 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Matthew 14:13 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν· idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Matthew 14:23 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Matthew 17:1 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν. idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Matthew 17:19 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Matthew 20:17 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Matthew 22:5 Adjective Accusative Singular Masculine
ἴδιον idion
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Matthew 24:3 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν, idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Matthew 25:14 Adjective Accusative Plural Masculine
ἰδίους idiouv
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Matthew 25:15 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Mark 4:34 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Mark 6:31 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Mark 6:32 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν. idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Mark 7:33 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν, idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Mark 9:2 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verse Mark 9:28 Adjective Accusative Singular Feminine
ἰδίαν idian
one's own, private, personal
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 10 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 10 Aligned forms 114 Case pattern Genitive (22) Number pattern Singular (28)
Nominative · Plural · Neuter John 10:12 1×
Nominative · Singular · Masculine Titus 1:12 1×
Genitive · Singular · Neuter Acts 20:28 · 1 Cor 7:4 · 1 Cor 7:37 · Heb 9:12 · Heb 13:12 6×
Genitive · Singular · Masculine Luke 6:44 · Rom 8:32 · 1 Tim 3:4 · 1 Tim 3:5 · 2 Pet 3:17 5×
Genitive · Plural · Masculine Acts 24:23 · 1 Thess 2:14 · 1 Tim 3:12 · 1 Tim 5:8 4×
Genitive · Singular · Feminine Acts 25:19 · Jas 1:14 · 2 Pet 1:20 · 2 Pet 2:16 4×
Genitive · Plural · Neuter John 8:44 · Heb 4:10 2×
Genitive · Plural · Feminine Heb 7:27 1×
Dative · Singular · Feminine John 4:44 · Acts 1:7 · Acts 1:19 · Acts 2:6 · Acts 2:8 · Acts 3:12 · Acts 13:36 · Acts 24:24 · Rom 11:24 · 1 Cor 7:37 · 1 Cor 12:11 · 2 Pet 1:3 12×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Prophetic utterance arising from the prophet's own interpretation, personal agency
Husbands loving their own wives, personal possession and intimate relationship
The Good Samaritan caring for his own person, private bodily concern
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 114 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἴδιος is of uncertain origin - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Idios identifies what is particularly connected to someone, but Scripture uses that connection to deepen responsibility and grace. A city can be Jesus' own ministry home. God is Jesus' own Father in a relation John presents as uniquely equal and intimate. Romans then reaches its summit of assurance: the Father did not spare His own Son but gave Him for us, so believers can trust His generous saving purpose.
Human leaders are tested in the nearer stewardship of their own households before caring for the church, and rebellious angels are judged for abandoning their proper sphere. Belonging is therefore not possession without limits. It is relationship, gift, and entrusted place under God. The church should honor particular duties without turning households, roles, or resources into private kingdoms.
Anchor passage
Rom.8.32
Doctrinal connections
- Trinity: Jesus' relation to His own Father is unique and integral to John's presentation of His equality with God.
- Atonement: the Father gives His own Son for His people rather than sparing Him from the cross.
- Assurance: God's supreme gift grounds confidence that He will supply all needed saving grace.
- Vocation and place: ordinary locations and assigned spheres matter within providence.
- Church leadership: care for one's household tests character for stewardship in God's household.
- Judgment: abandoning a divinely assigned domain exemplifies rebellion against created order.
Idios is an adjective meaning one's own, private, particular, or proper. It can contrast what belongs especially to one party with what is common, or identify an appropriate sphere or relation.
From Old to New Testament
Covenant language marks people, land, households, and inheritance as particularly belonging while always remaining under God's ownership. The Father giving His own Son surpasses every prior gift and secures the promised inheritance.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain