"a keeping watch, ward, guard, Lk. 2:8; a place of watch, Rev. 18:2; a watch, guard, body of guards, Acts 12:10; ward, custody, imprisonment, 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:23; Heb. 11:36; prison, 1 Pet. 3:19; a place of custody, prison, Mt. 14:10; 25:39, 44; a watch or division, of the night, wh..."
Definition and meaning
a keeping watch, ward, guard, Lk. 2:8; a place of watch, Rev. 18:2; a watch, guard, body of guards, Acts 12:10; ward, custody, imprisonment, 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:23; Heb. 11:36; prison, 1 Pet. 3:19; a place of custody, prison, Mt. 14:10; 25:39, 44; a watch or division, of the night, which in the time of our Savior was divided into watches of three hours each, called ὀψέ, μεσονύκτιον, ἀλεκτοροψωνία and πρωία, or πρωί, Mt. 14:25; 24:43; Mk. 6:48; Lk. 12:38 (2x)
In the original Greek the word is written: φυλακή
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
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 phylake (G5438) across the King James Bible.
Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.
And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
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Common questions
Strong's G5438 (phylake) is a Greek word that means: a keeping watch, ward, guard, Lk. 2:8; a place of watch, Rev. 18:2; a watch, guard, body of guards, Acts 12:10; ward, custody, imprisonment, 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:23; Heb. 11:36; prison, 1 Pet. 3:19; a place... It appears 45 times in the King James Bible.
The word phylake (G5438) appears 45 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G5438 is phylake, a Greek word defined as: a keeping watch, ward, guard, Lk. 2:8; a place of watch, Rev. 18:2; a watch, guard, body of guards, Acts 12:10; ward, custody, imprisonment, 2 Cor. 6:. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
phylake is a Greek word found in the New Testament.