Word Study for G3841 (παντοκράτωρ)

pantokrátōr /pan-tok-rat'-ore/ Ask about this word

Meaningthe all-ruling, i.e. God (as absolute and universal sovereign)

KJV usageAlmighty, Omnipotent.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of pantokrátōr — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word pantokrátōr, represented by G3841, is defined as the all-ruling, a term for God as the absolute and universal sovereign. It is translated as Almighty or Omnipotent. The word appears 10 times across 10 unique verses, primarily in the book of Revelation, signifying its role in describing God's ultimate authority.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In Scripture, G3841 is used to emphasize God's supreme power and eternal nature. In Revelation, the title is repeatedly connected to His identity as the one "which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:8, Revelation 4:8). The term is also used in the context of His judgment and works, which are described as "great and marvellous" Revelation 15:3 and "true and righteous" Revelation 16:7. Its sole appearance outside of Revelation establishes a covenantal promise, where the "Lord Almighty" declares He will be a Father to his people 2 Corinthians 6:18.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand on the themes of authority and power associated with G3841:

G2962 kýrios (Lord): This title denotes one who is supreme in authority and a controller or Master. It is frequently paired with G3841, as in the phrase "Lord God Almighty" Revelation 4:8.
G1411 dýnamis (power): This word refers to force and miraculous power. God's reign as the Almighty is associated with taking His "great power" Revelation 11:17.
G936 basileúō (to reign): Meaning to rule or reign as a king, this action is the direct expression of the Almighty's status. A heavenly chorus declares, "the Lord God omnipotent reigneth" Revelation 19:6.
G1342 díkaios (just): Describing that which is equitable and righteous, this word characterizes the nature of God's rule. The ways of the "King of saints" are called just Revelation 15:3, and His judgments are described as righteous Revelation 16:7.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G3841 is focused on God's absolute sovereignty and character.

Absolute Sovereignty: The title Almighty establishes God as the "all-ruling" one. This is affirmed by declarations that He has taken power and reigned Revelation 11:17 and that He will gather kings for the "battle of that great day of God Almighty" Revelation 16:14.
Eternal Being: The term is consistently linked to God's timelessness. He is the Almighty who "was, and is, and is to come" Revelation 4:8, reinforcing His unchanging control over all of history.
Righteous Rule: God's omnipotence is not separated from His holy character. His works are "marvellous," His ways are "just and true," and His judgments are "true and righteous" (Revelation 15:3, Revelation 16:7).
Fatherly Care: In 2 Corinthians 6:18, the title is used in the context of God's promise to be a Father, showing that the all-ruling God also engages in a personal, covenantal relationship with His people.

Summary

In summary, G3841 pantokrátōr conveys the total and universal sovereignty of God. While its use is concentrated in the dramatic visions of Revelation to depict God's ultimate authority over creation and judgment, it also appears as a term of intimate promise. It defines God not merely by His might, but as the Almighty ruler whose ways are just and who desires to be a Father to His people.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a noun across 10 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

παντοκράτωρ
παντοκράτωρ
παντοκράτορος

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 10 verses across 2 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Revelation (9 verses); never once in the other 25.

2 Corinthians

Revelation

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.