English · KJV
G3959

Πάταρα

Pátara /pat'-ar-ah/ Ask about this word
Rootprobably of foreign origin
MeaningPatara, a place in Asia Minor
KJV usagePatara.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Pátara — 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 Pátara, represented by G3959, is the name of a place in Asia Minor. According to its base definition, the name is probably of foreign origin. This word appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the Bible, highlighting its specific role as a geographical marker in the biblical narrative.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The single appearance of G3959 is in Acts 21:1, where it is listed as a destination in a sea voyage. The narrative details a journey where the travelers came with a straight course to Coos G2972, arrived at Rhodes G4499 the following day, and continued from thence G2547 to Patara Acts 21:1. The mention of the city serves to chronicle a specific stop on an apostolic journey.

Related Words & Concepts

Several words from its only context help establish its setting as part of a journey:

  • G2972 Kṓs (Cos): An island in the Mediterranean that was the first stop in the sequence of travel that led to Patara Acts 21:1.
  • G4499 Rhódos (Rhodes): The second location mentioned, an island visited immediately before the travelers continued their journey to Patara Acts 21:1.
  • G2113 euthydroméō (with a straight course): This verb describes the direct manner of sailing taken to reach the destinations on this route, including Patara Acts 21:1.
  • G2547 kakeîthen (from thence): This adverb indicates the progression of the voyage, explicitly stating that the journey to Patara commenced from the previous stop at Rhodes Acts 21:1.

Theological Significance

The significance of G3959 is entirely narrative and geographical rather than theological.

  • Geographical Waypoint: Patara functions as a specific, named location that grounds the apostolic travelogue in real-world geography, providing a tangible setting for the events Acts 21:1.
  • Progression of Mission: Its inclusion in a detailed itinerary illustrates the deliberate movement and progress of the apostolic mission as recorded in the book of Acts.
  • Transitional Point: The arrival at Patara serves as a key transitional point in the voyage, marking the completion of one leg of the journey before the travelers continued onward.

Summary

In summary, G3959 Pátara is a place name whose biblical importance is derived solely from its single mention. It acts as a factual detail within a travel narrative, serving to map the course of an apostolic voyage. Its role is not to convey a theological concept but to add to the historical and geographical accuracy of the account in the book of Acts.

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 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

  • Accusative Plural Neuter Location 1×
Accusative
The direct object of the verb.
Plural
More than one.
Neuter
Neuter grammatical gender.
Location
The name of a place.

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

G2972 Κώς of uncertain origin; Cos, an island in the Mediterranean:--Cos. G4499 Ῥόδος probably from (a rose); Rhodus, an island of the Mediterranean:--Rhodes. G2547 κἀκεῖθεν from καί and ἐκεῖθεν; likewise from that place (or time):--and afterward (from) (thence), thence also. G2113 εὐθυδρομέω from εὐθύς and δρόμος; to lay a straight course, i.e. sail direct:--(come) with a straight course.

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

1 verse, all in Acts — and none of the other 26 New Testament books.

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, 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.