What does πόθεν (póthen) mean in the Bible?
Pothen asks from where, where from, or by what source. It can be a question about origin, supply, authority, identity, or cause.
Greek · G4159
πόθεν
Whence
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
πόθεν G4159
Pronunciation póthen
What does πόθεν (póthen) mean in the Bible?
Pothen asks from where, where from, or by what source. It can be a question about origin, supply, authority, identity, or cause.
Reader summary
Full entry for πόθεν (G4159) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G4159?
The BSB source-word alignment has 29 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Where (19), how (2), - (1), how far (1), What [causes] (1).
Where does πόθεν (póthen) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 13:27. Its strongest book concentrations include John (13), Matthew (5), Luke (4), Mark (3).
What This Word Actually Means
Pothen asks from where, where from, or by what source. It can be a question about origin, supply, authority, identity, or cause. In John, the word repeatedly circles around what people do not understand: where Jesus knows Nathanael from, where the transformed wine came from, where the wind comes from, where living water can be obtained, where bread can be found, and where Jesus Himself is from.
Jesus' answer in John 8:14 gives the anchor: He knows where He came from and where He is going, while His opponents do not. The word does not prove origin theology on its own, but it helps readers notice how source questions expose human limits and point toward Jesus' knowledge, mission, and heavenly sending.
How the Bible Uses It
Pothen asks source and origin questions, especially in John where ignorance about where Jesus is from contrasts with Jesus' own knowledge of His mission.
- Matt.21.25
What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?” They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
Jesus asks about the source of John's baptism, exposing the leaders' unwillingness to answer honestly.
- John.1.48
“How do You know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”
Nathanael asks how Jesus knows him, and Jesus' answer reveals knowledge that leads to confession.
- John.2.9
And the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not know where it was from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside
The banquet master does not know where the wine came from, while the servants know what Jesus has done.
- John.3.8
The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Jesus says the wind's origin and destination are not controlled by the hearer, illustrating birth by the Spirit.
- John.4.11
“Sir,” the woman replied, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where then will You get this living water?
The Samaritan woman asks where Jesus will get living water, opening the conversation to His gift.
- John.6.5
When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”
Jesus asks where bread can be bought, testing Philip before feeding the crowd.
- John.7.28
Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “You know Me, and you know where I am from. I have not come of My own accord, but He who sent Me is true. You do not know Him,
Jesus says His hearers know Him and where He is from, yet they do not know the One who sent Him.
- John.8.14
Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going.
Jesus says His testimony is valid because He knows where He came from and where He is going.
- John.19.9
And he went back into the Praetorium. “Where are You from?” he asked. But Jesus gave no answer.
Pilate asks where Jesus is from, but Jesus gives no answer in that moment.
- Jas.4.1
What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
James asks what causes conflicts and answers by exposing passions at war within.
- Rev.7.13
Then one of the elders addressed me: “These in white robes,” he asked, “who are they, and where have they come from?”
The elder asks where the white-robed multitude has come from, opening the explanation of those from the great tribulation.
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 Where 19× Matthew 13:27, Matthew 13:56, Matthew 15:33, Mark 8:4
how 2× Mark 12:37, John 1:48
- 1× James 4:1
how far 1× Revelation 2:5
What [causes] 1× James 4:1
What was the source 1× Matthew 21:25
Where [did] 1× Mark 6:2
where [it was] from 1× Luke 20:7
Where did this man get 1× Matthew 13:54
why 1× Luke 1:43
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 13:27 πόθεν to Where Adverb Matthew 13:54 Πόθεν to Where did this man get Adverb Matthew 13:56 πόθεν to Where Adverb Matthew 15:33 Πόθεν to Where Adverb Matthew 21:25 πόθεν to What was the source Adverb Mark 6:2 Πόθεν to Where [did] Adverb Mark 8:4 Πόθεν to Where Adverb Mark 12:37 πόθεν to how Adverb Luke 1:43 πόθεν to why Adverb Luke 13:25 πόθεν to where Adverb
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 13:27
Aligned rows 29
Books represented 6
Matthew 5 Mark 3 Luke 4 John 13 James 2 Revelation 2
Source forms
πόθεν 21x pothen Matthew 13:27, Matthew 13:56, Matthew 21:25, Mark 12:37
Πόθεν 8x Pothen Matthew 13:54, Matthew 15:33, Mark 6:2, Mark 8:4
Parsing patterns
Adverb 29x Matthew 13:27, Matthew 13:54, Matthew 13:56, Matthew 15:33
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Ask what source the passage is questioning.
- Let Jesus' own words define claims about where He came from and where He is going.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim pothen always refers to heavenly origin.
- Do not claim a source question is answered before the passage supplies the answer.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Asks the source or origin of something—place, cause, parentage, or spiritual condition
Strong's G4159
Lexical occurrences 29 verses Greek text appearances 28 times 16 shown below Word forms 1 form 29 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Matthew 13:27 Source Gloss
whence
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 28 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 13:27 Adverb
πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse Matthew 13:54 Adverb
Πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse Matthew 13:56 Adverb
πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse Matthew 15:33 Adverb
Πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse Matthew 21:25 Adverb
πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse Mark 6:2 Adverb
Πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse Mark 8:4 Adverb
Πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse Mark 12:37 Adverb
πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse Luke 1:43 Adverb
πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse Luke 13:25 Adverb
πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse Luke 13:27 Adverb
πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse Luke 20:7 Adverb
πόθεν. poqen
whence
Read verse John 1:48 Adverb
Πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse John 2:9 Adverb
πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse John 3:8 Adverb
πόθεν poqen
whence
Read verse John 4:11 Adverb
πόθεν poqen
whence
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 1 case and number pattern. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 1 Aligned forms 29
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Matt 13:27 · Matt 13:54 · Matt 13:56 · Matt 15:33 · Matt 21:25 · Mark 6:2 · Mark 8:4 · Mark 12:37 · Luke 1:43 · Luke 13:25 · Luke 13:27 · Luke 20:7 · John 1:48 · John 2:9 · John 3:8 · John 4:11 29×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Origin or source: where did these tares come from?
Place and origin: where the wind comes from and where it goes
Origin and parentage: knowing where the Messiah comes from
Cause or means: from what source can bread be obtained?
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 29 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
πόθεν is built from this root:
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
The core insight of pothen is that source questions often reveal the limits of human perception. The banquet master does not know where the wine came from. The woman at the well does not yet know where living water could come from. Philip faces a where question about bread before Jesus provides. The leaders cannot answer honestly about John's baptism. Pilate asks where Jesus is from but receives silence.
Against this pattern, Jesus says He knows where He came from and where He is going. Pothen therefore helps preaching expose false certainty, invite humble inquiry, and point to Christ's mission as the answer human sight cannot supply.
Anchor passage
John.8.14
Doctrinal connections
- Matthew.21.25: source questions can expose evasive unbelief.
- John.2.9: Jesus' provision is known by servants before public explanation.
- John.3.8: the Spirit's work exceeds human control of origin and destination.
- John.4.11: living water is misunderstood until Jesus reveals His gift.
- John.8.14: Jesus knows His origin and destination.
- James.4.1: conflict's source is exposed in passions at war within.
Pothen is an adverb of source or origin. English may render it where, from where, how, why, or what causes depending on idiom and sentence structure.
From Old to New Testament
Scripture often asks where provision, authority, or conflict comes from. The New Testament answers those questions by exposing false sources and directing readers to God's gift, Spirit, and sent Son.
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