"a river, stream, Mk. 1:5; Acts 16:13; met. and allegor. Jn. 7:38; Rev. 22:1, 2; a flood, winter torrent, for χείμαρρος ποταμός, Mt. 7:25, 27"
Definition and meaning
a river, stream, Mk. 1:5; Acts 16:13; met. and allegor. Jn. 7:38; Rev. 22:1, 2; a flood, winter torrent, for χείμαρρος ποταμός, Mt. 7:25, 27
In the original Greek the word is written: ποταμός
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 potamos (G4215) across the King James Bible.
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.
In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
Refiner gives you the full lexicon entry, AI-powered verse insight, historical commentary, cross-references, and voice study — all in one place.
Free to start · Disciple $4.99/mo · Shepherd $9.99/mo
Common questions
Strong's G4215 (potamos) is a Greek word that means: a river, stream, Mk. 1:5; Acts 16:13; met. and allegor. Jn. 7:38; Rev. 22:1, 2; a flood, winter torrent, for χείμαρρος ποταμός, Mt. 7:25, 27 It appears 16 times in the King James Bible.
The word potamos (G4215) appears 16 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4215 is potamos, a Greek word defined as: a river, stream, Mk. 1:5; Acts 16:13; met. and allegor. Jn. 7:38; Rev. 22:1, 2; a flood, winter torrent, for χείμαρρος ποταμός, Mt. 7:25, 27. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
potamos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.