Bible Word Study
Πόντος
pontos · Pontus
Πόντος
Pontus
Definition
Pontus refers to a specific geographical region, a Roman province located in the northern part of Asia Minor along the southern coast of the Black Sea. In the New Testament, it is used exclusively as a proper noun to identify this province. In Acts 2:9, Pontus is listed among the homelands of devout Jews present in Jerusalem at Pentecost, indicating a significant Jewish diaspora community there. In 1 Peter 1:1, the apostle Peter addresses his letter to the elect exiles scattered in Pontus and other regions, showing that early Christian communities had been established in this province.
Biblical Usage
The word Πόντος is used only twice in the New Testament, both times as a proper noun identifying the Roman province. In Acts 2:9, it appears in a list of nations, highlighting the global reach of the Jewish diaspora present for Pentecost. In 1 Peter 1:1, it is part of the letter's address, identifying one of the locations of the Christian communities to whom Peter writes. Both uses are straightforward geographical identifiers with no symbolic or metaphorical usage.
Etymology
The word Πόντος (pontos) in ancient Greek originally meant 'sea,' specifically the open sea. This is its primary meaning in classical Greek literature. The region of Pontus derived its name from the Pontus Euxinus, the Greek name for the Black Sea, on which it was located ('Pontus' meaning 'sea'). Thus, the provincial name is a geographical descriptor meaning 'the sea region' or 'coastal land.'
Semantic Range
Pontus was a significant Roman province known for its mixed population of Greeks, indigenous peoples, and a large Jewish community. Its mention in Acts 2:9 underscores the reality of the Jewish Diaspora, while its inclusion in 1 Peter 1:1 reflects the early and rapid spread of Christianity beyond Judea into the Greco-Roman world. Understanding it as a specific province helps modern readers visualize the geographic scope of the early church and the audience of Peter's letter. θάλασσα (thalassa, G2281) — The common Greek word for 'sea' or 'lake,' whereas Πόντος as a proper noun specifically names the region.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). Concordance and morphology data are derived from the interlinear Bible.
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]