4383. prosópon
Lexical Summary
prosópon: Face, presence, person, countenance

Original Word: πρόσωπον
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: prosópon
Pronunciation: pro'-so-pon
Phonetic Spelling: (pros'-o-pon)
KJV: (outward) appearance, X before, countenance, face, fashion, (men's) person, presence
NASB: face, presence, appearance, faces, openly, partiality, people
Word Origin: [from G4314 (πρός - against) and ops (the visage, from G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι - appearing))]

1. the front (as being towards view), i.e. the countenance, aspect, appearance, surface
2. (by implication) presence, person

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
countenance, face, appearance

From pros and ops (the visage, from optanomai); the front (as being towards view), i.e. The countenance, aspect, appearance, surface; by implication, presence, person -- (outward) appearance, X before, countenance, face, fashion, (men's) person, presence.

see GREEK pros

see GREEK optanomai

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from pros and óps (an eye, face)
Definition
the face
NASB Translation
ahead* (2), appearance (5), before* (2), coming* (1), face (37), faces (5), openly (1), outwardly* (1), partial* (3), partiality (1), people (1), person (1), persons (1), presence (11), sight (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4383: πρόσωπον

πρόσωπον, προσώπου, τό (from πρός and ὤψ, cf. μέτωπον), from Homer down; the Sept. hundreds of times for פָּנִים, also for אַפַיִם, etc.;

1.

a. the face, i. e. the anterior part of the human head: Matthew 6:16, 17; Matthew 17:2; Matthew 26:67; Mark 14:65; Luke (); (T Tr WH omit; Lachmann brackets the clause); Acts 6:15; 2 Corinthians 3:7, 13, 18; (); Revelation 4:7; Revelation 9:7; Revelation 10:1; τό πρόσωπον τῆς γενέσεως, the face with which one is born (A. V. his natural face), James 1:23; πίπτειν ἐπί πρόσωπον (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 27, 1 n.; 122 (116)) and ἐπί τό πρόσωπον, Matthew 17:6; Matthew 26:39; Luke 5:12; Luke 17:16; 1 Corinthians 14:25; (Revelation 7:11 Rec.; ἔπεσαν ἐπί τά πρόσωπα, Revelation 11:16; Revelation 7:11 G L T Tr WH); ἀγνωυμενος τίνι τῷ προσώπῳ, unknown to one by face, i. e. personally unknown, Galatians 1:22; bereaved of one προσώπῳ, οὐ καρδία (A. V. in presence, not in heart), 1 Thessalonians 2:17; κατά πρόσωπον, in or toward (i. e. so as to look into) the face, i. e. before, in the presence of (see κατά, II. 1 c.): opposed to ἀπών, 2 Corinthians 10:1; with τίνος added, before (the face of) one, Luke 2:31; Acts 3:13; ἔχω τινα κατά πρόσωπον, i. e. to have one present in person (A. V. face to face), Acts 25:16; ἀντέστην κατά πρόσωπον, I resisted him to the face (with a suggestion of fearlessness), Galatians 2:11 (κατά πρόσωπον λέγειν τούς λόγους, Polybius 25, 5, 2; add Job 16:8; but in Deuteronomy 7:24; Deuteronomy 9:2; Judges 2:14; 2 Chronicles 13:7, ἀντιστῆναι κατά πρόσωπον τίνος simply denotes to stand against, resist, withstand); τά κατά πρόσωπον the things before the face, i. e. open, known to all, 2 Corinthians 10:7. Expressions modelled after the Hebrew: ὁρᾶν τό πρόσωπον τίνος, to see one's face, see him personally, Acts 20:25; Colossians 2:1; ἰδεῖν, 1 Thessalonians 2:17; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; θεωρεῖν, Acts 20:38 (cf. θεωρέω, 2 a.); particularly, βλέπειν τό πρόσωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ (see βλέπω, 1 b. β.), Matthew 18:10; ὁρᾶν τό πρόσωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ (see ὁράω, 1), Revelation 22:4; ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ πρόσωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ, to appear before the face of God, spoken of Christ, the eternal priest, who has entered into the heavenly sanctuary, Hebrews 9:24; in imitation of the Hebrew אֵל־פָּנִים פָּנִים we have the phrase πρόσωπον πρός πρόσωπον, face (turned (see πρός, I. 1 a., p. 541b)) to face (εἶδον τινα, Genesis 32:30; Judges 6:22): tropically, βλέπω namely, τόν Θεόν, see God face to face, i. e. discern perfectly his nature, will, purposes, 1 Corinthians 13:12; a person is said to be sent or to go πρό προσώπου τίνος (פ לִפנֵי) (cf. Winers Grammar, § 65, 4 b. at the end; Buttmann, 319 (274)), i. e. before one, to announce his coming and remove the obstacles from his way, Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 1:76; Luke 7:27 (Malachi 3:1); ; πρό προσώπου τίνος (of time) before a thing, Acts 13:24 (so לִפְנֵי in Amos 1:1; Zechariah 8:10; where the Sept. simply πρό (cf. πρό, b., p. 536b bottom)). πρός φωτισμόν τῆς γνώσεως τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν προσώπῳ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, that we may bring forth into the light the knowledge of the glory of God as it shines in the face of Jesus Christ, 2 Corinthians 4:6 (Paul really means, the majesty of God manifest in the person of Christ; but the signification of πρόσωπον is 'face,' and Paul is led to use the word by what he had said in of the brightness visible in the force of Moses).

b. countenance, look (Latinvultus), i. e. the face so far forth as it is the organ of sight, and (by its various movements and changes) the index of the inward thoughts and feelings: κλίνειν τό πρόσωπον εἰς τήν γῆν, to bow the face to the earth (a characteristic of fear and anxiety), Luke 24:5; Hebraistic phrases relating to the direction of the countenance, the look: τό πρόσωπον τοῦ κυρίου ἐπί τινα, namely, ἐστιν, the face of the Lord is (turned) upon one, i. e. he looks upon and watches him, 1 Peter 3:12 (from Psalm 33:17 ()); στηρίζειν τό πρόσωπον (Hebrew שׂוּם or פָּנִים נָתַן; cf. Gesenius, Thesaurus, ii., p. 1109 on the same form of expression in Syriac, Arabic, Persian, Turkish) τοῦ πορεύεσθαι εἰς with an accusative of the place (A. V. steadfastly to set one's face to go etc. (see στηρίζω, a.)), Luke 9:51; moreover, even τό πρόσωπον τίνος ἐστι πορευόμενον εἰς with the accusative of place, Luke 9:53 (τό πρόσωπον σου πορευόμενον ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν, 2 Samuel 17:11); ἀπό προσώπου τίνος φεύγειν, to flee in terror from the face (German Anblick) of one enraged, Revelation 20:11; κρύπτειν τινα etc. (see κρύπτω, a.), Revelation 6:16; ἀνάψυξις ἀπό προσώπου Θεοῦ, the refreshing which comes from the bright and smiling countenance of God to one seeking comfort, Acts 3:20 (19); on 2 Thessalonians 1:9 see ἀπό, p. 59a middle; μετά τοῦ προσώπου σου, namely, ὄντα, in the presence of thy joyous countenance (see μετά, I. 2 b. β'.), Acts 2:28 (from Psalm 15:11 ()); εἰς πρόσωπον τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, turned unto (i. e. in (R. V.)) the face of the churches as the witnesses of your zeal, 2 Corinthians 8:24; ἵνα ἐκ πολλῶν προσώπων ... διά πολλῶν εὐχαριστηθῇ, that from many faces (turned toward God and expressing the devout and grateful feelings of the soul) thanks may be rendered by many (accordingly, both ἐκ πολλῶν προσώπων and διά πολλῶν belong to εὐχαριστηθῇ (cf. Meyer ad loc.; see below)), 2 Corinthians 1:11. ἀπό προσώπου τίνος (פ מִפְּנֵי),from the sight or presence of one, Acts 5:41; Acts 7:45 (here A. V. before the face; Revelation 12:14); ἐν προσώπῳ Χριστοῦ, in the presence of Christ, i. e. Christ looking on (and approving), 2 Corinthians 2:10 (Proverbs 8:30); (some would render πρόσωπον here and in above person (cf. R. V.): — here nearly equivalent to on the part of (Vulg.in persona Christi); there equivalent to 'an individual' (Plutarch, de garrul. 13, p. 509 b.; Epictetus diss. 1, 2, 7; Polybius 8, 13, 5; 12, 27, 10; 27, 6, 4; Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 1, 1 [ET]; 47, 6 [ET]; Phryn., p. 379, and Lobeck's note, p. 380)).

c. Hebraistically, the appearance one presents by his wealth or poverty, his rank or low condition; outward circumstances, external condition; so used in expressions which denote to regard the person in one's judgment and treatment of men: βλέπειν εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων, Matthew 22:16; Mark 12:14; θαυμάζειν πρόσωπα, Jude 1:16; λαμβάνειν πρόσωπον (τίνος), Luke 20:21; Galatians 2:6 (on which see βλέπω, 2 c., θαυμάζω λαμβάνω, I. 4). καυχᾶσθαι ἐν προσώπῳ καί οὐ καρδία, to glory in those things which they simulate in look, viz. piety, love, righteousness, although their heart is devoid of these virtues, 2 Corinthians 5:12, cf. 1 Samuel 16:7.

2. the outward appearance of inanimate things (A. V. face (except in James as below)): τοῦ ἄνθους, James 1:11; τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, τῆς γῆς, Matthew 16:3 (here T brackets; WH reject the passage); Luke 12:56 (Ps. 103(104):); (so in Latin, naturae vultus, Ovid. metam. 1, 6; maris facies, Vergil Aen. 5, 768; on this use of the nounfacies see Aulus Gellius, noctes atticae 13, 29); surface: τῆς γῆς, Luke 21:35; Acts 17:26 (on the omitted article here cf. πᾶς, I. 1 c.) (Genesis 2:6; Genesis 11:8).

Topical Lexicon
Overview Of New Testament Usage

The term καταδεικνύει a richly varied semantic field, appearing seventy-seven times in the Greek New Testament. It can denote (1) the physical face or countenance, (2) a person’s outward appearance, (3) personal presence, (4) the “surface” of the earth or sky, and (5) metaphorically, favor, standing, or partiality. These nuances weave together theology, discipleship, and future hope.

Literal Face And Countenance

Many occurrences describe an actual face. At the Transfiguration “His face shone like the sun” (Matthew 17:2). Mourning alters the face (Matthew 6:16–17), and abuse is suffered in the face (Matthew 26:67; Mark 14:65; Revelation 9:7). In Acts 6:15 Stephen’s persecutors “saw that his face was like the face of an angel,” revealing glory that flows from communion with Christ.

Outer Appearance And Religious Pretense

Because the face is the most visible part of a person, it easily becomes the emblem of hypocrisy. Jesus’ opponents praise Him as one who “does not show partiality” (Matthew 22:16; Mark 12:14; Luke 20:21). Paul echoes this ethic: “God does not show favoritism” (Galatians 2:6). The believer, therefore, must judge not by visage or status but by truth (James 1:23 uses the imagery of a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror and forgets).

Resolute Purpose And Mission

To “set one’s face” expresses fixed determination. “When the days for His ascension were approaching, Jesus resolutely set His face toward Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51; cf. 9:52–53). Prophetic resolve is mirrored in John the Baptist’s forerunner ministry: “See, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way before Your face” (Mark 1:2; Luke 7:27).

Manifest Presence And Divine Favor

Beyond the visible face lies the idea of presence. Hebrews 9:24 states that Christ entered “into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.” In prayer the church seeks that presence: “And you are helping by your prayers, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the favor shown us” (2 Corinthians 1:11). The Aaronic blessing reaches its Christ-centered fulfillment: “The Lord make His face shine upon you.”

Worship And Reverence

In heavenly liturgy the elders “fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God” (Revelation 7:11; 11:16). Such posture reminds the church on earth that unmediated glory commands humble adoration.

Divine Judgment

The same presence that blesses also judges. Those who reject the Lamb cry out, “Hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne” (Revelation 6:16). Eternal separation is pictured as being “shut out from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 1:9).

Transformation Into Christ’s Image

Paul connects the unveiled face of the believer with progressive sanctification: “We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image” (2 Corinthians 3:18). The transformation occurs because “the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). The face is thus the window of divine glory and human renewal.

Eschatological Vision And Hope

Although we now see “in a mirror dimly,” the promise stands: “then face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Revelation 22:4 crowns that hope: “They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.” The beatific vision secures ultimate intimacy and identity with the Triune God.

Pastoral Longing And Fellowship

Paul often speaks of yearning to be “face to face.” “Brothers and sisters, we were bereft of you for a short time—in person, not in heart—and we were all the more eager to see your face with great desire” (1 Thessalonians 2:17; cf. 3:10; Colossians 2:1). Gospel fellowship is not fully satisfied by letters; embodied presence reflects incarnational ministry.

Surface Of Earth And Sky

Several passages use the word for “surface.” Jesus rebukes the crowds for discerning “the face of the sky and of the earth” but failing to read the spiritual signs of the times (Luke 12:56). The eschatological snare “will come upon all who dwell on the face of all the earth” (Luke 21:35), emphasizing total scope.

Historical And Cultural Background

In the Septuagint the same word translates Hebrew פנים (pānîm), spanning face, presence, and front. Greco-Roman rhetoric also employed the term for personal appearance and public persona. The New Testament writers appropriate both backgrounds, but always subsume them under the revelation of God in Christ, turning a common word into a vehicle for gospel depth.

Summary For Ministry

1. Pursue genuine integrity; do not mask the heart behind a religious face.
2. Seek God’s smiling presence through Christ, knowing His face is both comfort and accountability.
3. Practice embodied fellowship; ministry thrives when believers meet face to face.
4. Fix your face toward the mission God assigns, following the determined march of Jesus to the cross.
5. Hold fast the hope of seeing His face; this vision sustains holiness and fuels worship.

Forms and Transliterations
προσωπα πρόσωπα πρόσωπά προσώποις προσωπον προσώπον πρόσωπον πρόσωπόν προσωπου προσώπου πρόσωπου προσωπω προσώπω προσώπῳ προσωπων προσώπων πρόωσπον prosopa prosōpa prósopa prósōpa prosopo prosōpō prosṓpoi prosṓpōi prosopon prosōpon prosōpōn prosṓpon prosṓpōn prósopon prósopón prósōpon prósōpón prosopou prosōpou prosṓpou
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 6:16 N-ANP
GRK: γὰρ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὅπως
NAS: [do], for they neglect their appearance so
KJV: their faces, that
INT: indeed the appearance of them so that

Matthew 6:17 N-ANS
GRK: καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου νίψαι
NAS: your head and wash your face
KJV: wash thy face;
INT: and the face of you wash

Matthew 11:10 N-GNS
GRK: μου πρὸ προσώπου σου ὃς
KJV: before thy face, which shall prepare
INT: of me before [the] face of you who

Matthew 16:3 N-ANS
GRK: τὸ μὲν πρόσωπον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ
NAS: to discern the appearance of the sky,
KJV: discern the face of the sky;
INT: the indeed appearance of the sky

Matthew 17:2 N-NNS
GRK: ἔλαμψεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὡς
NAS: before them; and His face shone
KJV: and his face did shine as
INT: shone the face of him as

Matthew 17:6 N-ANS
GRK: ἔπεσαν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν καὶ
NAS: [this], they fell face down to the ground and were terrified.
KJV: on their face, and were sore
INT: fell upon face of them and

Matthew 18:10 N-ANS
GRK: βλέπουσι τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ πατρός
NAS: see the face of My Father
KJV: do always behold the face of my Father
INT: behold the face of the Father

Matthew 22:16 N-ANS
GRK: βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων
KJV: thou regardest not the person of men.
INT: you look on [the] appearance of men

Matthew 26:39 N-ANS
GRK: ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ προσευχόμενος
NAS: [them], and fell on His face and prayed,
KJV: on his face, and prayed,
INT: he fell upon face of him praying

Matthew 26:67 N-ANS
GRK: εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ καὶ
NAS: they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists;
KJV: in his face, and buffeted
INT: in the face of him and

Mark 1:2 N-GNS
GRK: μου πρὸ προσώπου σου ὃς
KJV: before thy face, which shall prepare
INT: of me before face of you who

Mark 12:14 N-ANS
GRK: βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπων ἀλλ'
INT: you look on [the] appearance of men but

Mark 14:65 N-ANS
GRK: αὐτοῦ τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ κολαφίζειν
KJV: to cover his face, and to buffet
INT: of him the face and to strike

Luke 2:31 N-ANS
GRK: ἡτοίμασας κατὰ πρόσωπον πάντων τῶν
NAS: You have prepared in the presence of all
KJV: before the face of all
INT: you have prepared before [the] face of all the

Luke 5:12 N-ANS
GRK: πεσὼν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐδεήθη αὐτοῦ
NAS: he fell on his face and implored
KJV: fell on [his] face, and besought him,
INT: having fallen upon [his] face he begged him

Luke 7:27 N-GNS
GRK: μου πρὸ προσώπου σου ὃς
KJV: before thy face, which shall prepare
INT: of me before [the] face of you who

Luke 9:29 N-GNS
GRK: εἶδος τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἕτερον
NAS: the appearance of His face became
KJV: of his countenance was
INT: appearance of the face of him [became] altered

Luke 9:51 N-ANS
GRK: αὐτὸς τὸ πρόσωπον ἐστήρισεν τοῦ
KJV: stedfastly set his face to go to
INT: he the face stedfastly set

Luke 9:52 N-GNS
GRK: ἀγγέλους πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ Καὶ
KJV: before his face: and they went,
INT: messengers before [the] face of him And

Luke 9:53 N-NNS
GRK: ὅτι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἦν
KJV: his face was
INT: because the face of him was [as]

Luke 10:1 N-GNS
GRK: δύο πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ εἰς
KJV: before his face into every
INT: pairs before [the] face of himself into

Luke 12:56 N-ANS
GRK: ὑποκριταί τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς
NAS: to analyze the appearance of the earth
KJV: ye can discern the face of the sky and
INT: Hyprocrites the appearance of the earth

Luke 17:16 N-ANS
GRK: ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον παρὰ τοὺς
NAS: and he fell on his face at His feet,
KJV: fell down on [his] face at his
INT: fell on [his] face at the

Luke 20:21 N-ANS
GRK: οὐ λαμβάνεις πρόσωπον ἀλλ' ἐπ'
KJV: acceptest thou the person [of any], but
INT: neither take person but with

Luke 21:35 N-ANS
GRK: καθημένους ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς
NAS: who dwell on the face of all
KJV: on the face of the whole
INT: sitting upon the face of all the

Strong's Greek 4383
77 Occurrences


πρόσωπα — 7 Occ.
προσώπῳ — 7 Occ.
προσώπων — 1 Occ.
πρόσωπόν — 44 Occ.
προσώπου — 18 Occ.

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