"Philadelphia, a city of Lydia, near Mount Tmolus, Rev. 1:11; 3:7*. See PhotoGuide."
Definition and meaning
Philadelphia, a city of Lydia, near Mount Tmolus, Rev. 1:11; 3:7*. See PhotoGuide.
In the original Greek the word is written: Φιλαδέλφεια
Historical context
Domitian required people across the empire to address him as Dominus et Deus — Lord and God. Christians who refused to burn incense before the emperor's image faced economic exclusion and imprisonment. The book was written in apocalyptic imagery that believers would recognize but Roman authorities would not — a letter of resistance written to people being crushed by the most powerful empire on earth.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of philadelpheia (G5359) across the King James Bible.
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
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Common questions
Strong's G5359 (philadelpheia) is a Greek word that means: Philadelphia, a city of Lydia, near Mount Tmolus, Rev. 1:11; 3:7*. See PhotoGuide. It appears 2 times in the King James Bible.
The word philadelpheia (G5359) appears 2 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G5359 is philadelpheia, a Greek word defined as: Philadelphia, a city of Lydia, near Mount Tmolus, Rev. 1:11; 3:7*. See PhotoGuide.. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
philadelpheia is a Greek word found in the New Testament.