UBS Greek Dictionary Article

Notes: In RV ROM 9:33 · LV ROM 9:33 · Read together ROM 9:33 and RV PE1 2:8 · LV PE1 2:8 · Read together PE1 2:8 πέτρα occurs in parallelism with λίθος stone, as a quotation from RV ISA 8:14 · LV ISA 8:14 · Read together ISA 8:14. On the basis of this usage one might argue that λίθος and πέτρα are completely synonymous, at least in this context. One would then have to describe πέτρα as having two different meanings, one rock and another stone. Parallelism, however, does not mean identity of meaning. In fact, parallelism (in contrast with tautology) normally implies slight differences of meaning in corresponding lexical items.

Form 1

Part of speech: noun, f.

Inflections: πέτρα; -ας

Related lemmas: πετρῶδες

Sense 1: rock, bedrock

Semantic entry: 2.21

Semantic domains: Natural Substances

Subdomains: Earth, Mud, Sand, Rock

Definition: bedrock (possibly covered with a thin layer of soil), rocky crags, or mountain ledges, in contrast with separate pieces of rock normally referred to as λίθος[a] (see 2.23: λίθος){N:001}

Notes: ὁμοιωθήσεται ἀνδρὶ φρονίμῳ, ὅστις ᾠκοδόμησεν αὐτοῦ τὴν οἰκίαν ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν ‘he is like a wise man who built his house on bedrock’ RV MAT 7:24 · LV MAT 7:24 · Read together MAT 7:24; ἔθηκεν αὐτὸν ἐν μνημείῳ ὅ ἦν λελατομημένον ἐκ πέτρας ‘they then put him in a grave which had been hewn from rock’ RV MRK 15:46 · LV MRK 15:46 · Read together MRK 15:46; λέγουσιν τοῖς ὄρεσιν καὶ ταῖς πέτραις, Πέσετε ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς ‘they said to the mountains and to the rock cliffs, Fall on us’ RV REV 6:16 · LV REV 6:16 · Read together REV 6:16. In these three contexts πέτρα must be translated in some languages by three quite different terms. Bedrock, that is to say, the rock which lies horizontally and often just below the surface, may be referred to by one term, while rock with an exposed face into which a tomb could be hewn would be quite different. Similarly, the rocks which would be called upon to fall upon people would be rendered by a term referring to ‘cliffs’ or ‘precipices.’|In RV LUK 8:6 · LV LUK 8:6 · Read together LUK 8:6 the term πέτρα in ἕτερον κατέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν ‘other (seed) fell on rocky ground’ refers to bedrock which may be covered with a thin layer of soil. One may translate such an expression as ‘thin ground over rock’ or ‘just a little soil on top of rock.’|In those passages which involve a play on words with the name Πέτρος ‘Peter,’ πέτρα refers to bedrock, that is to say, the rock on which a foundation may be placed.