Lexical Summary
biblos: Book, scroll
Original Word:βίβλος
Part of Speech:Noun, Feminine
Transliteration:biblos
Pronunciation:BEE-blos
Phonetic Spelling:(bib'-los)
KJV: book
NASB:book, books, record
Word Origin:[(not given)]
1. (properly) the inner bark of the papyrus plant
2. (by implication) a scroll or sheet of writing
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
book.
Properly, the inner bark of the papyrus plant, i.e. (by implication) a sheet or scroll of writing -- book.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain origin
Definition(the inner) bark (of a papyrus plant), hence a scroll, spec. a book
NASB Translationbook (8), books (1), record (1).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 976: βίβλοςβίβλος,
βίβλου,
ἡ (or rather
ἡβύβλος (but the form
βίβλος is more common when it denotes a writing), the plant called papyrus,
Theophrastus, hist. plant. 4, 8, 2f; (
Pliny, h. n. 13, 11f (21f)); from its bark (rather,
the cellular substance of its stem (for it was an endogenous plant)) paper was made (see Tristram, Nat. Hist. etc., p. 433f; especially Dureau de la Malle in the Memoires de l'Acad. d. Inscriptions etc. tom. 19 part 1 (1851), pp. 140-183, and (in correction of current misapprehensions) Prof. E. Abbot in the Library Journal for Nov. 1878, p. 323f, where other references are also given)),
a written book, a roll or scroll:
Matthew 1:1;
Luke 3:4;
Mark 12:26;
Acts 1:20;
τῆςζωῆς,
Philippians 4:3;
Revelation 3:5, etc.; see
βιβλίον. (From
Aeschylus down.)
Topical Lexicon
Overview and Thematic ThreadsStrong’s Greek 976 (biblos, biblos) designates any written record—scroll, register, or codex—and thereby signals the high value Scripture places on written revelation. In its ten New Testament occurrences the term clusters around four themes: (1) the inspired Scriptures of the Old Testament; (2) the historical record of Jesus Christ; (3) the heavenly Book of Life; and (4) written documents opposed to the gospel. Each usage reinforces the biblical conviction that God both reveals and preserves His truth in writing, for blessing or for judgment.
Biblos and the Canon of Scripture
Five verses employ biblos when citing Old Testament passages, underscoring the unity of the testaments and the authority of the written Word.
•Mark 12:26 appeals to “the book of Moses,” grounding Jesus’ teaching on resurrection in Exodus.
•Luke 3:4 andActs 7:42 speak of “the book of the words of Isaiah” and “the book of the prophets,” affirming the prophetic corpus as a single inspired entity.
•Luke 20:42 andActs 1:20 refer to “the book of Psalms,” treating the Psalter as prophetic and messianic.
By naming the scroll itself, the writers stress that divine authority rests in the text, not merely in oral tradition. The apostles evidently viewed the Old Testament books as a closed, sacred canon, already recognized and circulated among God’s people.
Biblos in the Life and Ministry of Jesus
Matthew 1:1 opens the Gospel with “the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,” presenting His lineage as a written certificate of messianic legitimacy. The evangelist links Abraham, David, and Jesus through an inspired historical document, demonstrating that the incarnation fulfills Scripture and history alike. The phrase sets the tone for the entire Gospel: the life of Jesus is to be read, believed, and proclaimed as authoritative history.
Biblos and Apostolic Teaching
InPhilippians 4:3 Paul speaks comfortingly of “the Book of Life,” placing the believers’ assurance in a heavenly register kept by God Himself. The apostle’s casual mention of this book indicates that early Christians already understood their salvation in the context of a written, unalterable record maintained in heaven, paralleled on earth by trustworthy apostolic letters.
Biblos, Judgment, and the Book of Life
Revelation intensifies the motif. Jesus promises inRevelation 3:5, “I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life,” and John later records the final assize: “If anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). These verses put cosmic weight on the concept of a biblos—salvation and damnation hinge upon inscription or omission. The permanence of the register underscores both divine sovereignty and the believer’s security.
Biblos and False Religion
Acts 19:19 contrasts holy writ with pagan texts: “Those who had practiced magic arts collected their books and burned them.” The public destruction of occult manuals dramatizes repentance and the supremacy of God’s Word over every competing claim to supernatural knowledge. The enormous monetary value of the books highlights the converts’ willingness to forsake worldly gain for fidelity to Christ.
Historical Background
The first–century world was transitioning from scroll to codex. “Book” could describe either medium, but the underlying principle was the same: written words endure beyond the speaker, circulate widely, and invite careful study. Early Christians adopted the codex earlier and more eagerly than their contemporaries, likely because the bound format facilitated swift consultation of multiple texts and rapid dissemination of the growing New Testament corpus.
Ministry Significance
1. Preaching and Teaching: Jesus and the apostles modeled expository ministry by grounding doctrine in “the book” of authoritative Scripture. Modern proclamation follows their pattern when it explains and applies the biblical text.
2. Discipleship: Assurance of salvation is strengthened by the image of the Book of Life. Believers are taught to rest not in subjective feelings but in God’s unchanging record.
3. Evangelism: Warning unbelievers of their absence from the Book of Life lends urgency to the gospel call, while inviting them to repentance like the Ephesians who burned their magic books.
4. Biblical Literacy: Frequent references to specific “books” encourage Christians to know the structure and content of Scripture, treating each biblical book as an inspired unit within the larger canon.
5. Apologetics: The early church’s confidence in written revelation supports contemporary defenses of the Bible’s reliability, textual preservation, and canonical integrity.
Summary
Strong’s 976 illustrates the centrality of the written word in God’s redemptive plan—from Moses’ scroll to the final registry of the redeemed. Whether authenticating Christ’s lineage, authorizing prophetic citation, recording believers’ names, or exposing counterfeit revelation, every occurrence of biblos magnifies the trustworthiness of Scripture and the seriousness with which God records human destiny.
Forms and Transliterations
βιβλιω βιβλίω βίβλοι βίβλοις ΒΙΒΛΟΣ βίβλος βιβλου βίβλου βιβλους βίβλους βιβλω βίβλω βίβλῳ biblo biblō bíbloi bíblōi BIBLOS biblou bíblou biblous bíblous
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