Greek word · G3480

Ναζωραῖος

nazōraios

Nazarene

An adjective or noun of origin: 'Nazarene, Nazorean, belonging to Nazareth.' In the New Testament it is used of Jesus (Matthew 2:23; 26:71; John 18:5, 7; 19:19; often in Acts). In Acts 24:5 it labels his followers: 'the sect of the Nazōraioi.' Mark prefers the more regular form Nazarēnos.

Appears 13 times in 13 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 31, 2026

What it means

Ναζωραῖος, -ου, ὁ

(= -ρηνός, which see),

a Nazarene: Matthew 2:23 (LXX) Matthew 26:71, Luke 18:37, John 18:5, 7 19:19, Acts 2:22 3:6 4:10 6:14 22:8 24:5 26:9.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 2:23

Range of meaning: An adjective or noun of origin: 'Nazarene, Nazorean, belonging to Nazareth.' In the New Testament it is used of Jesus (Matthew 2:23; 26:71; John 18:5, 7; 19:19; often in Acts). In Acts 24:5 it labels his followers: 'the sect of the Nazōraioi.' Mark prefers the more regular form Nazarēnos. Luke uses both.
Against the English: Every major English version says 'Nazarene', which sounds like a plain 'man from Nazareth'. That meaning is real and is the surface sense. But the English hides the oddness of the Greek form, which is the very thing that sets off Matthew's wordplay.
How it drifted: Today 'Nazarene' may call up the name of a modern church, or get confused with 'Nazirite' (someone under a special vow). Neither is what Matthew's first readers heard.
Used elsewhere in the period: Behind the name Nazareth was probably Hebrew/Aramaic נצרת (Natsrat), spelled with tsade. A Hebrew inscription from Caesarea listing priestly families (about 3rd–4th century AD) spells it this way. The Syriac versions spell the title Nāṣrāyā, also with tsade. Later Jewish sources call Christians Notsrim. Jerome (Commentary on Isaiah 11:1) reports that learned Hebrew-speaking Christians took Matthew's line from Isaiah 11:1, 'a netser (shoot) shall grow from his roots.' The Greek ending -ōraios is not the normal way to form 'from Nazareth', and scholars have long debated how to get from Natsrat to Nazōraios.

From the study of John 19:19

Range of meaning: 'Nazorean,' a man from Nazareth. Mark uses another form, Nazarēnos. Later it also became a label for Jesus' followers (Acts 24:5, 'the sect of the Nazoreans').
Against the English: KJV, BSB, NIV, ESV and NLT have 'of Nazareth.' YLT and NASB have 'the Nazarene.' Both are correct. 'The Nazarene' keeps the fact that it is a descriptive label, which identifies him the way a police notice would.
Used elsewhere in the period: John uses it only in the arrest scene (18:5, 7) and here, so the name the soldiers asked for at the arrest ends up on the placard. Matthew 2:23 links the word to a prophecy, possibly playing on Hebrew netser, 'branch' (Isaiah 11:1), or on nazir, 'one consecrated.' How the -ōraios form came about is debated.

From the study of Acts 2:22

Range of meaning: A person from Nazareth. It is a name of origin, and it became a label for Jesus and later for his followers (Acts 24:5, 'the sect of the Nazoreans').
Against the English: BSB/KJV/WEB 'of Nazareth'. YLT 'the Nazarene'. All are acceptable. 'Of Nazareth' is clear but drops the fact that this was a title by which people knew him.
Used elsewhere in the period: Matthew, John and Acts use the spelling Nazōraios. Mark uses Nazarēnos, and Luke uses both. Matt 2:23 links the name to prophecy, probably playing on Hebrew netser ('branch', Isa 11:1). Later Jewish and Syriac sources call Christians Notsrim/Nasraye.

Where it appears

Matthew · 2

Matthew 2:23 Ναζωραῖος A Nazarene

and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Here: On the surface it means 'man from Nazareth', and it was a label used for Jesus and later for his followers. The unusual form invites Hebrew wordplay, most likely on netser, the 'shoot' from Jesse's stump in Isaiah 11:1.
Matthew 26:71 Ναζωραίου. of Nazareth.

When Peter had gone out to the gateway, another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

Luke · 1

Luke 18:37 Ναζωραῖος of Nazareth

“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they told him.

John · 3

John 18:5 Ναζωραῖον. of Nazareth.

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. Jesus said, “I am He.” And Judas His betrayer was standing there with them.

Here: It names Jesus by his obscure Galilean village, and it works almost like an official tag on the arrest order. The same label stands over the cross in John 19:19.
John 18:7 Ναζωραῖον. of Nazareth.

So He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered.

Here: An identifier tied to Nazareth, a small and obscure Galilean village. It names him by where he came from, like a police description. The same word stands on the charge-notice nailed to the cross in 19:19.
John 19:19 Ναζωραῖος of Nazareth

Pilate also had a notice posted on the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Here: Says where he came from, the way public notices identified people. John uses the same word when the arresting party asks for 'Jesus the Nazorean' (18:5, 7). Nazareth was an obscure village with no prestige (1:46).

Acts · 7

Acts 2:22 Ναζωραῖον, of Nazareth,

Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know.

Here: This picks Jesus out from the many men called Yeshua. It names him by his obscure Galilean village, the label people already used for him, including the inscription on the cross (John 19:19).
Acts 3:6 Ναζωραίου of Nazareth

But Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”

Here: “The Nazorean,” the man from Nazareth. It pins down exactly which Jesus is meant: the recently crucified Galilean, a name of low status (John 1:46) that Peter speaks openly.
Acts 4:10 Ναζωραίου of Nazareth

then let this be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

Here: Identifies him as the man from the small Galilean village of Nazareth, the same Jesus the council knew and condemned. Nobody can mistake who is meant.
Acts 6:14 Ναζωραῖος of Nazareth

For we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”

Here: 'The Nazarene'. It marks him as coming from Nazareth, an insignificant Galilean village. From his opponents' mouths it keeps him small and provincial. Acts 24:5 calls the movement 'the sect of the Nazarenes.'
Acts 22:8 Ναζωραῖος of Nazareth

‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.

Here: This marks him as the man from Nazareth, an obscure village in Galilee. Of Luke's three tellings of this event, only this one has it. The setting is Paul's speech in Aramaic to a Jerusalem crowd, and Jesus' followers were themselves being called 'the sect of the Nazoreans' (24:5).
Acts 24:5 Ναζωραίων Nazarenes

We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,

Here: 'Of the Nazoreans'. This is the only place in the New Testament where Jesus' followers are called by this name. It comes from 'Jesus the Nazorean', and outsiders used it for them, much as later Jewish and Syriac sources did.
Acts 26:9 Ναζωραίου of Nazareth

So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Here: The Galilean village tag that identified Jesus, and that outsiders also used for his followers (Acts 24:5, 'the sect of the Nazoreans'). In an opponent's mouth it marked Jesus as an obscure provincial.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.