Word Study for G976 (βίβλος)

bíblos /bib'-los/ Ask about this word

Rootproperly, the inner bark of the papyrus plant, i.e. (by implication) a sheet or scroll of writing

KJV usagebook.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of bíblos — 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 bíblos, represented by G976, refers to a book, scroll, or sheet of writing, originating from the term for the inner bark of the papyrus plant. It appears 13 times across 12 unique verses in the Bible, signifying its role as a container of important records and divine text.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G976 is used to denote both specific sacred writings and key theological concepts. It introduces the New Testament in "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ" Matthew 1:1, establishing a record of lineage. It also refers to sections of the Old Testament, such as the "book of Moses" Mark 12:26, the "book of Psalms" Luke 20:42, and the "book of the prophets" Acts 7:42. A significant theological use is the "book of life," a divine register of those whose names are written for salvation (Philippians 4:3, Revelation 13:8). In a literal sense, it described the books of "curious arts" that were brought together and burned by new converts in Ephesus Acts 19:19.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help define the context and content of a G976 book:

G975 biblíon (a roll): This diminutive of bíblos is often used for a scroll or book, as seen in the command to not add to "the words of the prophecy of this book" Revelation 22:18.
G1125 gráphō (to write): This verb describes the action of creating the contents of a book. Its importance is seen in the recurring phrase "as it is written in the book" (Luke 3:4, Acts 7:42).
G3056 lógos (word): This refers to the content within a book. Luke explicitly connects the two in the phrase "in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet" Luke 3:4.
G2222 zōḗ (life): This is directly linked to bíblos through the critical concept of the "book of life," where being written determines one's eternal destiny Revelation 20:15.

Theological Significance

The theological importance of G976 is centered on divine records and scriptural authority.

The Book of Life: This is a recurring and vital concept, representing God's sovereign record of the redeemed. To have one's name written in this book is to be saved Revelation 20:15, and Christ promises not to blot the overcomer's name from it Revelation 3:5.
Scriptural Authority: By referring to the "book of Moses" or the "book of the prophets," writers of the New Testament anchor their teachings in the established authority of existing scripture.
Prophetic Record: The word is used to define a container of divine revelation, particularly in "the book of this prophecy" Revelation 22:19, which carries a severe warning against altering its contents.

Summary

In summary, G976 transcends its literal meaning of a physical scroll. It functions as a vessel for sacred history, a reference for prophetic fulfillment, and a powerful symbol of God's sovereign record-keeping. Whether outlining the lineage of Christ, citing the established Law and Prophets, or representing the definitive book of life, bíblos signifies a text of ultimate importance and divine authority.

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 13 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Dative Singular Feminine 7×
Genitive Singular Neuter 2×
Accusative Plural Feminine 1×
Dative Singular Neuter 1×
Genitive Singular Feminine 1×
Nominative Singular Feminine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Dative: The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.
Neuter: Neuter grammatical gender.

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 12 verses across 6 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Revelation (4 verses); never once in the other 21.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

Acts

Philippians

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, 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.