ἀληθής

Matthew 22:16 ἀληθὴς true

They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and that You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You seek favor from no one, because You pay no attention to external appearance.

Here: Truthful, sincere, a man whose words match reality and who does not shade them. It is ironic in the mouths of people Jesus will call 'hypocrites' (v. 18).

Mark 12:14 ἀληθὴς true

“Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?”

Here: Said of a person, it means honest, sincere, someone whose words match reality and who does not shade the truth. Placed first in its clause for emphasis.

John 3:33 ἀληθής true

Whoever accepts His testimony has certified that God is truthful.

Here: Applied to a person, it means truthful: one who does not lie and whose word can be relied on. It sits close to the Hebrew idea of 'emet, meaning faithfulness or reliability.

John 4:18 ἀληθὲς truly

In fact, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. You have spoken truthfully.”

Here: 'This is a true thing you have said.' Jesus credits her with telling the truth. Her words were brief, but they were not a lie. 'Truth' is a key word in John, and it comes back in vv. 23–24 ('in spirit and truth').

John 5:31 ἀληθής· true;

If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid.

John 5:32 ἀληθής true

There is another who testifies about Me, and I know that His testimony about Me is valid.

Here: Placed early for emphasis: "true is the testimony." After v. 31 the word carries a legal sense: testimony that stands up, is admissible, and can be relied on.

John 6:55 ἀληθής ἀληθής true

For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink.

Here: 'True' in the sense of genuine, food that really is what food claims to be. Its feminine form agrees with 'food' (brōsis), so it describes the food: 'true food'. It does not mean 'my flesh is true'.

John 7:18 ἀληθής true

He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood.

Here: Truthful and reliable as a witness. What he says matches reality, and his claim to speak for God holds up.

John 8:13 ἀληθής.¶ true.

So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not valid.”

Here: In this legal setting it means 'valid' or 'admissible as proof', more than 'factually correct'. The Pharisees are not proving that Jesus lied. They are saying his word alone cannot establish the claim. These are almost exactly the words Jesus himself used in 5:31.

John 8:14 ἀληθής true

Jesus replied, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is valid, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from or where I am going.

Here: Placed first for emphasis, flatly reversing 8:13's "is not true." It means the testimony matches reality and can be relied on, not just that it is procedurally admissible.

John 8:17 ἀληθής true

Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.

Here: In a courtroom setting it means testimony that holds: credible, admissible, enough to settle the matter. "Valid" (BSB, WEB) catches the legal force; "true" (KJV) is the literal word.

John 8:26 ἀληθής true

“I have much to say about you and much to judge. But the One who sent Me is truthful, and what I have heard from Him, I tell the world.”

Here: Said of a person, it means truthful and reliable, one who does not deceive. The sender's integrity guarantees the message.

John 10:41 ἀληθῆ true

Many came to Him and said, “Although John never performed a sign, everything he said about this man was true.”

Here: "True": matching reality, and so reliable. In John's Gospel this is the word for valid testimony (5:31–32; 19:35; 21:24). The crowd gives a verdict: John's witness holds up.

John 19:35 ἀληθῆ truth

The one who saw it has testified to this, and his testimony is true. He knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.

Here: Neuter plural, 'true things'. The specific things he reports match what happened. It pairs with the alēthinē just before: genuine testimony, made of true statements.

John 21:24 ἀληθὴς true

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who has written them down. And we know that his testimony is true.

Here: Placed first in its clause for emphasis: "true is his testimony". It is feminine to agree with "testimony". It means the testimony matches what happened and stands up when tested.

Acts 12:9 ἀληθές real

So Peter followed him out, but he was unaware that what the angel was doing was real. He thought he was only seeing a vision.

Romans 3:4 ἀληθής, true,

Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”

Here: Truthful and reliable: one whose word holds. Coming straight after 'God's faithfulness' (3:3), it means God proves as good as his word.

2 Corinthians 6:8 ἀληθεῖς, true,

through glory and dishonor, slander and praise; viewed as imposters, yet genuine;

Here: Said of persons, it means honest, trustworthy, the real thing. Paul and his co-workers are not frauds, and they tell the truth (compare "the word of truth" in v.7).

Philippians 4:8 ἀληθῆ, true,

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.

Here: What is true, real and genuine, as opposed to false, sham or pretended. It covers true speech and also things that are what they claim to be.

Titus 1:13 ἀληθής· true;

This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sternly, so that they will be sound in the faith

Here: Corresponds to reality. There is pointed irony here: a saying that calls Cretans 'always liars' is declared true.

1 Peter 5:12 ἀληθῆ [the] true

Through Silvanus, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.

Here: Real, the genuine article as opposed to a counterfeit or an illusion. The question behind it is whether this hard road is really God's favour.

2 Peter 2:22 ἀληθοῦς true

Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”

Here: 'True' in the sense of proven by events. These people have become a living example of the saying.

1 John 2:8 ἀληθὲς true

Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you. For the darkness is fading and the true light is already shining.

Here: More than 'accurate as a statement.' It means 'really so, actually realized.' The newness of the commandment has become real in Christ and in the readers.

1 John 2:27 ἀληθές true

And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught.

Here: Neuter, agreeing with 'anointing'. It is true and real, and what it teaches matches reality. This answers 2:21: 'no lie is of the truth'.

3 John 1:12 ἀληθής true

Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also testify for him, and you know that our testimony is true.

Here: True and trustworthy: not false, and safe to rely on. It echoes 'the truth' earlier in the verse, which ties the Elder's word to the truth that also vouches for Demetrius.