prosōpon · face, presence

What it means

prosōpon (πρόσωπον) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “face, presence”.

Face; also presence, appearance.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. The front of the head, where the eyes and the expression are seen.
2. Literally "the face": being in front of someone, face to face.
3. What is seen on the outside, which may not show what someone is like inside.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

Word study

Face; and, by extension, someone's presence or the outward look of something. Abbott-Smith: the face, the visible part; from there appearance and presence. It is formed with πρός (toward) and the root of seeing: what is before the eyes.

• A person's face Matthew 6:17Matthew 17:2
• “Face to face”: seeing or dealing directly 1 Corinthians 13:12Galatians 2:11
• Presence: “in the presence of” someone Acts 3:13Luke 2:31
• Appearance, what is seen outwardly Matthew 22:16Matthew 16:3
• “He set his face”: resolving to go Luke 9:51

How we translate it

“Face” 42 times and “faces” 7; “presence” 11 where the word only marks before whom something happens (Acts 3:13); “appearance” 5 when it is the outside of something (Matthew 16:3). The idiom λαμβάνω πρόσωπον (‘receive the face’) is judging by the outside: “do not show partiality” (Luke 20:21), “God does not look at the appearance of a person” (Galatians 2:6).

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• face ×42
• presence ×11
• faces ×7
• appearance ×5
• before ×2
• people ×2
• person ×1
• show partiality ×1
• sight ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×10
• Mark×3
• Luke×13
• Acts×12
• 1 Corinthians×3
• 2 Corinthians×12
• Galatians×3
• Colossians×1
• 1 Thessalonians×3
• 2 Thessalonians×1
• Hebrews×1
• James×2
• 1 Peter×1
• Jude×1
• Revelation×10

• Matthew 6:16

  “And when you fast, do not become gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to people as fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received in full their reward.

• Matthew 6:17

  But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,

• Matthew 11:10

  This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’

• Matthew 16:3

  And in the morning, ‘Today there will be a storm, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but the signs of the times you cannot discern.

• Matthew 17:2

  And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as the light.

• Matthew 17:6

  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were very afraid.

• Matthew 18:10

  See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

• Matthew 22:16

  And they send to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God in truth, and you do not care about anyone, for you do not look at the face of people.

• Matthew 26:39

  And going forward a little, he fell on his face praying and saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I want, but as you want.”

• Matthew 26:67

  Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists, and some slapped him,

• Mark 1:2

  As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way;

• Mark 12:14

  And they came and say to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and you do not care about anyone; for you do not look at the face of people, but in truth you teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay tax to Caesar, or not? Should we pay, or should we not pay?”

• Mark 14:65

  And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face and to strike him and to say to him, “Prophesy!” And the attendants received him with blows.

• Luke 2:31

  which you have prepared in the presence of all the peoples,

• Luke 5:12

  And it happened, while he was in one of the towns, look, there was a man full of leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

• Luke 7:27

  This is the one about whom it is written: Look, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way ahead of you.

• Luke 9:29

  And it happened, while he was praying, that the appearance of his face became different, and his clothing became white, flashing like lightning.

• Luke 9:51

  Now it happened, as the days of his being taken up were being fulfilled, that he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

• Luke 9:52

  And he sent messengers ahead of him. And they went and entered into a village of Samaritans to prepare for him.

• Luke 9:53

  And they did not receive him, because his face was going toward Jerusalem.

• Luke 10:1

  Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy-two others also, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place where he himself was about to come.

• Luke 12:56

  Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how is it that you do not know how to interpret this time?

• Luke 17:16

  and he fell on his face at his feet, giving thanks to him; and he was a Samaritan.

• Luke 20:21

  And they asked him, saying, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and do not show partiality, but teach the way of God in truth.

• Luke 21:35

  like a trap; for it will come in on all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.

• Luke 24:5

  And as they became terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead?

• Acts 2:28

  You have made known to me the ways of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

• Acts 3:13

  The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.

• Acts 3:20

  so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and he may send the Messiah appointed for you, Jesus,

• Acts 5:41

  So they went from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to be dishonored for the Name.

• Acts 6:15

  And looking intently at him, all who were sitting in the council saw his face like the face of an angel.

• Acts 7:45

  This tent our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought in with Joshua into the possession of the nations whom God drove out before our fathers, until the days of David,

• Acts 13:24

  after John had proclaimed beforehand, before his coming, an immersion of change of mind to all the people of Israel.

• Acts 17:26

  and he made from one every nation of humanity to live on all the face of the earth, having determined appointed times and the boundaries of their dwelling,

• Acts 20:25

  And now look, I know that you all, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will no longer see my face.

• Acts 20:38

  grieving most of all over the word that he had spoken, that they were no longer going to see his face. And they accompanied him to the ship.

• Acts 25:16

  To them I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over any man before the accused has the accusers face to face and has received an opportunity for a defense concerning the charge.

• 1 Corinthians 13:12

  For now we see through a mirror, in a riddle, but then we will see face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also was fully known.

• 1 Corinthians 14:25

  the secrets of his heart become evident, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God, declaring that God is really among you.

• 2 Corinthians 1:11

  while you also help together for us by your prayer, so that thanks may be given on our behalf by many people for the gift granted to us through many.

And 36 more times.