"How great? How much? Mt. 6:23; Lk. 16:5, 7; 2 Cor. 7:11; πόσῳ, adverbially before a comparative, How much? By how much? Mt. 7:11; 10:25; Heb. 10:29; of time, How long? Mk. 9:21; of number, pl. How many? Mt. 15:34; 16:9, 10"
Definition and meaning
How great? How much? Mt. 6:23; Lk. 16:5, 7; 2 Cor. 7:11; πόσῳ, adverbially before a comparative, How much? By how much? Mt. 7:11; 10:25; Heb. 10:29; of time, How long? Mk. 9:21; of number, pl. How many? Mt. 15:34; 16:9, 10
In the original Greek the word is written: πόσος
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 posos (G4214) across the King James Bible.
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.
Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?
He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.
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Common questions
Strong's G4214 (posos) is a Greek word that means: How great? How much? Mt. 6:23; Lk. 16:5, 7; 2 Cor. 7:11; πόσῳ, adverbially before a comparative, How much? By how much? Mt. 7:11; 10:25; Heb. 10:29; of time, How long? Mk. 9:21; of number, pl. How man... It appears 27 times in the King James Bible.
The word posos (G4214) appears 27 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4214 is posos, a Greek word defined as: How great? How much? Mt. 6:23; Lk. 16:5, 7; 2 Cor. 7:11; πόσῳ, adverbially before a comparative, How much? By how much? Mt. 7:11; 10:25; Heb. 10:29; o. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
posos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.