An indication, especially ceremonially or supernaturally
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semeion means a sign, token, mark, miracle, or visible indicator that points beyond itself. In the New Testament it can identify Jesus' miracles, prophetic indicators, apostolic attestation, demanded proofs, eschatological signs, and counterfeit displays.
Reader summary
Full entry for σημεῖον (G4592) · Open the biblical lexicon
semeion means a sign, token, mark, miracle, or visible indicator that points beyond itself. In the New Testament it can identify Jesus' miracles, prophetic indicators, apostolic attestation, demanded proofs, eschatological signs, and counterfeit displays.
The BSB source-word alignment has 77 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include signs (35), sign (17), a sign (12), miracle (2), - (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 12:38. Its strongest book concentrations include John (17), Acts (13), Matthew (13), Luke (11).
Semeion means a sign, token, mark, miracle, or visible indicator that points beyond itself. In the New Testament it can identify Jesus' miracles, prophetic indicators, apostolic attestation, demanded proofs, eschatological signs, and counterfeit displays. John especially calls Jesus' miracles signs because they reveal His glory and invite faith in Him, not because the wonders are ends in themselves.
Jesus rebukes a generation that demands a sign while refusing repentance, and Revelation warns that false powers can use impressive signs to deceive. This word therefore requires careful discernment: a sign must be interpreted by God's revelation, Christ's identity, and its fruit, not by spectacle alone.
The selected passages show rejected sign-demanding, the sign of the Son of Man, Jesus' signs revealing glory, written signs leading to faith, apostolic attestation, and deceptive beastly signs.
Jesus replied, “A wicked and adulterous generation demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Jesus refuses a sign-demanding generation except for the sign of Jonah. The problem is not lack of evidence but a heart that demands proof while resisting repentance.
At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
The sign of the Son of Man appears with final, public revelation. semeion can mark eschatological disclosure rather than private curiosity.
Jesus performed this, the first of His signs, at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
John calls Cana the first of Jesus' signs, revealing His glory and leading His disciples to believe. The sign points to Jesus Himself.
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book.
John says Jesus performed many other signs not written in the book. The Gospel's selected signs serve the purpose of faith in Jesus as Christ and Son.
Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.
Peter says God attested Jesus through miracles, wonders, and signs. The signs serve public witness to Jesus' God-given identity and mission.
And the second beast performed great signs, even causing fire from heaven to come down to earth in the presence of the people.
The beast performs great signs that deceive. The word can describe counterfeit spectacle as well as true attestation, so discernment is essential.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. Miracle as divine authenticating sign, not merely a wonder but proof of God's authority.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 77 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
a sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
Read versea sign, miracle, indication
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.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 6 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.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 8 selected witnesses from 77 lexical occurrence verses.
σημεῖον is built from this root:
Points to the resurrection as definitive validation.Acts 5:12-16
Highlights demand for proof despite revelation.John 2:1–12
Points to divine attestation fulfilled supremely in Christ’s resurrection.Luke 11:29–32
Miracle pointing beyond itself to identity and glory.Mark 8:11–13
Indicates revelatory miracle pointing to Jesus’ identity.Matthew 12:38–42
Signs authenticate the apostolic message and direct attention to Christ.
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Semeion does not merely mean miracle. A sign is something visible or notable that points beyond itself and requires interpretation. Jesus' first sign at Cana reveals His glory and leads His disciples to believe. John's written signs are selected so readers may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Peter says God publicly attested Jesus through signs and wonders, making the miracles witnesses to His mission.
Yet Jesus also rebukes a generation that demands a sign while refusing the One already before them, and Revelation shows that impressive signs can serve deception when severed from truth. The word therefore teaches readers to look through the sign to its witness. True signs serve God's revelation of Christ; false or misused signs feed unbelief, manipulation, or idolatrous awe.
John.2.11
Semeion may mean sign, token, miracle, mark, or indicator. The word emphasizes significance, not bare impressiveness. Interpreters must ask what the sign points to, who performs it, and whether the context presents faithful witness or deception.
Old Testament signs can confirm God's word, mark covenant identity, warn Pharaoh, or expose false claims. The New Testament gathers sign language around Jesus' identity while preserving warnings about unbelieving demands and deceptive wonders.