Lexical Summary
topos: Place, location, region, opportunity
Original Word: τόπος
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: topos
Pronunciation: TOH-pos
Phonetic Spelling: (top'-os)
KJV: coast, licence, place, X plain, quarter, + rock, room, where
NASB: place, places, room, opportunity, areas, locality, occasion
Word Origin: [apparently a primary word]
1. a spot , i.e. location (as a position, home, tract, etc.)
2. (figuratively) condition, opportunity
3. (specially) a scabbard
{general in space, but limited by occupancy; whereas G5561 is a large but participle locality}
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
a place
Apparently a primary word; a spot (general in space, but limited by occupancy; whereas chora is a large but participle locality), i.e. Location (as a position, home, tract, etc.); figuratively, condition, opportunity; specially, a scabbard -- coast, licence, place, X plain, quarter, + rock, room, where.
see GREEK chora
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. word
Definitiona place
NASB Translationareas (1), locality (1), occasion (1), opportunity (2), parts (1), passenger* (1), place (75), places (6), reef (1), regions (1), room (3).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 5117: τόποςτόπος,
τόπου,
ὁ, in Attic from
Aeschylus and his contemporaries on; the
Sept. מָקום;
place; i. e.:
1. properly, any portion of space marked off, as it were, from surrounding, space; used of
a. an inhabited place, as a city, village, district: Luke 4:37; Luke 10:1; Acts 12:12; Acts 16:3; Acts 27:2, 8; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 2:14; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; Revelation 18:17 (G L T Tr WH); τόν τόπον καί τό ἔθνος, the place which the nation inhabit, i. e. the holy land and the Jewish people, John 11:48 (cf. 2 Macc. 5:19f); τόπος ἅγιος, the temple (which the Sept. of Isa. Ix. 13 calls ὁ ἅγιος τόπος τοῦ Θεοῦ), Matthew 24:15. of a house, Acts 4:31. of uninhabited places, with adjectives: ἔρημος, Matthew 14:13, 15; Mark 1:35; Mark 6:31; Luke 4:42; Luke 9:10 R G L, 12; πεδινός, Luke 6:17; ἄνυδρος, plural, Matthew 12:43; Luke 11:24. of any place whatever: κατά τόπους (R. V. in divers places) i. e. the world over (but see κατά, II. 3 a. α.), Matthew 24:7; Mark 13:8; (ἐν παντί τόπῳ, 2 Thessalonians 3:16 Lachmann); of places in the sea, τραχεῖς τόποι, Acts 27:29 (R. V. rocky ground); τόπος διθάλασσος (A. V. place where two seas met); Acts 27:41. of that 'place' where what is narrated occurred: Luke 10:32; Luke 19:5; Luke 22:40; John 5:13; John 6:10; John 18:2. of a place or spot where one can settle, abide, dwell: ἑτοιμάζειν τίνι τόπον, John 14:2f, cf. Revelation 12:6; ἔχειν τόπον, a place to dwell in, Revelation, the passage cited; οὐκ ἦν αὐτοῖς τόπος ἐν τῷ καταλύματι, Luke 2:7; διδόναι τίνι τόπον, to give one place, give way to one, Luke 14:9a; τόπος οὐχ εὑρέθη αὐτοῖς, Revelation 20:11; of the seat which one gets in any gathering, as at a feast, Luke 14:10; τήν ἔσχατον τόπον, κατέχειν, Luke 14:9b; of the place or spot occupied by things placed in it, John 20:7. the particular place referred to is defined by I the words appended: — by a genitive, τόπος τῆς βασάνου, Luke 16:28; τῆς καταπαύσεώς, Acts 7:49; κρανίου, Matthew 27:33; Mark 15:22; John 19:17; (τόν τόπον τῶν ἥλων, John 20:25b L T Tr marginal reading); — by the addition of οὗ, ὅπου, ἐφ' or ἐν ᾧ, followed by finite verbs, Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6; John 4:20; John 6:23; John 10:40; John 11:6, 30.;
b. a place (passage) in a book: Luke 4:17 (καί ἐν ἄλλῳ τόπῳ φησίν, Xenophon, mem. 2, 1, 20 ((but this is doubtful; cf. Liddell and Scott, under the word, I. 4; yet cf. Kühner, ad loc.); Philo de Joseph., § 26; Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 8, 4 [ET]); in the same sense χώρα in Josephus, Antiquities 1, 8, 3).
2. metaphorically,
a. the condition or station held by one in any company or assembly: ἀναπληρουν τόν τόπον τοῦ ἰδιώτου (R. V. filleth the place of the unlearned), 1 Corinthians 14:16; τῆς διακονίας ταύτης καί ἀποστολῆς (R. V. the place in this ministry, etc.), Acts 1:25 L T Tr WH.
b. opportunity, power, occasion for acting: τόπον λαμβάνειν τῆς ἀπολογίας, opportunity to make his defense, Acts 25:16 (ἔχειν τῆς ἀπολογίας, Josephus, Antiquities 16, 8, 5); τόπον διδόναι τῇ ὀργή (namely, τοῦ Θεοῦ), Romans 12:19; τῷ δαιβόλω, Ephesians 4:27 (τῷ ἰατρῷ, to his curative efforts in one's case, Sir. 38:12; νόμῳ ὑψίστου, Sir. 19:17; τόπον διδόναι τινα, followed by an infinitive, Sir. 4:5); τόπος μετανοίας εὑρίσκειν, Hebrews 12:17, on this passage, see εὑρίσκω, 3 (διδόναι. Wis. 12:10; Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 7, 5 [ET]; Latinlocum relinquere paenitentiae, Livy 44, 10; 24, 26; (Pliny, epistle ad Trajan 96 (97), 10 cf. 2); ἔχειν τόπον μετανοίας, Tat. or. ad Graec. 15 at the end; διά τό μή καταλείπεσθαι σφισις τόπον ἐλέους μηδέ συγγνωμης, Polybius 1, 88, 2); τόπον ἔχειν namely, τοῦ εὐαγγελίζεσθαι, Romans 15:23; ἐζητεῖτο τόπος, with a genitive of the thing for which influence is sought among men: διαθήκης, passive Hebrews 8:7 ((cf. μέμφομαι)). [SYNONYMS: τόπος 1, χώρα, χωρίον: τόπος place, indefinite; a portion of space viewed in reference to its occupancy, or as appropriated to a thing; χώρα region, country, extensive; space, yet bounded; χωρίον parcel of ground (John 4:5), circumscribed; a definite portion of space viewed as enclosed or complete in itself; τόπος and χωρίον (plural, R. V. lands) occur together in Acts 28:7. Cf. Schmidt, chapter 41.]
Topical Lexicon
Overview of New Testament Usage Τόπος appears ninety-four times, ranging from literal geography to metaphorical “space” granted for spiritual realities. The term gathers its meaning from context, describing (1) physical locations, (2) divinely appointed sites, (3) personal or ecclesial spheres of mission, (4) opportunities—whether for the Spirit or for evil—and (5) eschatological destinies. Word choice is deliberate: writers employ τόπος to anchor revelation in concrete history while urging the reader toward prepared, holy, and secure “places” in Christ.
Physical Geography and Historical Setting
1. Ordinary locations: villages, countryside, and cities that frame gospel narrative (Matthew 14:13; Acts 27:8).
2. Identifiable sites of redemptive events—Golgotha (Matthew 27:33), Gethsemane (Matthew 26:52; John 18:2), Bethany (John 11:6). Such verses root the faith in verifiable history.
3. Deserted places chosen by Jesus for prayer and rest (Mark 1:35; 6:31–32) teach balance between ministry and solitude.
4. Travel language in Acts—“went through those places” (Acts 16:3)—illustrates expanding mission from place to place under the Spirit’s direction.
Sacred Ground and Continuity of Revelation
Stephen’s defense links Old Testament holy ground to New Covenant fulfillment: “The Lord said, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground’” (Acts 7:33). Yet Stephen concludes, “The Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands” (Acts 7:48-49), preparing listeners to see Christ Himself—and subsequently the gathered church—as the divinely chosen τόπος (compare Acts 4:31; 1 Corinthians 1:2).
Jesus’ Prepared Place for Believers
John 14:2-3 anchors Christian hope: “I am going there to prepare a place for you… so that you also may be where I am”. The context shows permanence and fellowship, contrasting earthly transience. Revelation echoes this with the woman’s wilderness refuge, “a place prepared by God” (Revelation 12:6, 14), underscoring providential care amid tribulation.
A Place of Decision and Prophetic Fulfillment
Matthew 24:15 cites “the abomination of desolation… standing in the holy place,” signaling eschatological urgency. Revelation 16:16 names Armageddon “the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon,” where final conflict unfolds, confirming God’s sovereign timetable over geographic history.
Giving or Withholding Place in the Inner Life
Ephesians 4:27 commands, “do not give the devil a foothold” (lit. ‘place’). Here τόπος signals moral ground ceded by anger, bitterness, or deceit. Conversely, 2 Corinthians 2:14 praises God “who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him,” portraying life as the arena—the “place”—of gospel aroma.
Corporate Worship and the Local Assembly
Paul greets “the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy” (1 Corinthians 1:2), highlighting Corinth itself as a sanctified τόπος because saints inhabit it. Luke notes that after prayer “the place where they were assembled was shaken” (Acts 4:31), signifying divine affirmation of gathered worship. 1 Timothy 2:8 urges men “to pray in every place, lifting up holy hands,” widening acceptable worship beyond Jerusalem to the whole earth.
Warning Passages
Hebrews 12:17 speaks of Esau: “he found no place for repentance,” using τόπος to describe irrevocably closed opportunity. Revelation 20:11 foresees earth and sky fleeing “and no place was found for them,” underscoring the absolute finality of divine judgment.
Ministry Lessons Drawn from Τόπος
• Value solitude: ministry flows from meeting God in quiet places (Mark 1:35).
• Ground proclamation historically: the gospel is rooted in real locations and events.
• Guard the heart: refuse to yield “place” to the devil; instead, open every space to the Spirit.
• Recognize the church as sacred place not because of architecture but indwelling presence.
• Take courage: Christ has secured an eternal place, guaranteeing belonging and rest.
Key References for Study
John 14:2-3; Acts 4:31; Acts 7:33; Romans 12:19; Ephesians 4:27; Hebrews 12:17; Revelation 12:6; Revelation 20:11.
Forms and Transliterations
τόποι τοποις τόποις τοπον τόπον τοπος τόπος τοπου τόπου τοπους τόπους τοπω τόπω τόπῳ τοπων τόπων τορευταί τορευτή τορευτήν τορευτοί τορευτόν τορευτός τορευτών topo topō tópoi tópōi topois tópois topon topōn tópon tópōn topos tópos topou tópou topous tópous
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