"the supreme god of the Greeks answering to the Jupiter of the Romans, Acts 14:12, 13*"
Definition and meaning
the supreme god of the Greeks answering to the Jupiter of the Romans, Acts 14:12, 13*
In the original Greek the word is written: Ζεύς
Historical context
The Roman Empire provided infrastructure no previous civilization had built — roads, sea routes, a common language in Greek, and relative peace across the Mediterranean. Jewish synagogues existed in every major city, giving Paul a starting point everywhere he traveled. The early church had no buildings, no political power, no social standing — and spread faster than any movement in ancient history.
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 zeus (G2203) across the King James Bible.
And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.
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Common questions
Strong's G2203 (zeus) is a Greek word that means: the supreme god of the Greeks answering to the Jupiter of the Romans, Acts 14:12, 13* It appears 2 times in the King James Bible.
The word zeus (G2203) appears 2 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2203 is zeus, a Greek word defined as: the supreme god of the Greeks answering to the Jupiter of the Romans, Acts 14:12, 13*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
zeus is a Greek word found in the New Testament.