Greek word · G3994

πενθερά

penthera

mother-in-law

Mother-in-law: either a wife's mother or a husband's mother, depending on context.

Appears 6 times in 5 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated November 01, 2026

What it means

πενθερά, -ᾶς, ἡ

(fem. of πενθερός), [in LXX for חֲמוֹת ;]

a mother-in-law: Matthew 8:14 10:35, Mark 1:30, Luke 4:38 12:53.†

(AS)

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

Range of meaning: Mother-in-law: either a wife's mother or a husband's mother, depending on context.
Against the English: Modern versions say "mother-in-law", and the KJV says "wife's mother". The KJV spells out the relationship the context requires, and all are accurate.
Used elsewhere in the period: The parallels in Mark 1:30 and Matthew 8:14 use the same word. Luke 12:53 and Matthew 10:35 use it for tensions within a family. In the Greek Old Testament's Ruth, it describes Naomi as Ruth's mother-in-law (the husband's mother, Ruth 1:14).

Range of meaning: 'Mother-in-law.' Usually the wife's mother, though the word can also mean a husband's mother. Its masculine counterpart is pentheros, father-in-law. In this verse it plainly means the mother of Peter's wife.
Against the English: 'Mother-in-law' and the KJV's 'wife's mother' are both accurate. The KJV phrase makes explicit what the Greek implies: Peter had a wife.
Used elsewhere in the period: The same word appears in Matthew 10:35 and Luke 12:53, where Jesus warns that he will divide a household, setting 'daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law' (quoting Micah 7:6). Paul confirms that Cephas (Peter) traveled with a believing wife (1 Corinthians 9:5).

Matthew · 2

Matthew 8:14 πενθερὰν mother-in-law

When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house, He saw Peter’s mother-in-law sick in bed with a fever.

Here: The mother of one's wife. This is why the KJV says 'wife's mother'. It shows that Peter was married (compare 1 Corinthians 9:5).
Matthew 10:35 πενθερᾶς mother-in-law

For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

Here: The husband's mother, who ran the household the bride joined. The bond is by marriage rather than blood, but in daily life it was just as close.

Mark · 1

Mark 1:30 πενθερὰ the mother-in-law

Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and they promptly told Jesus about her.

Luke · 3

Luke 4:38 πενθερὰ mother-in-law

After Jesus had left the synagogue, He went to the home of Simon, whose mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever. So they appealed to Jesus on her behalf,

Here: Here, the mother of Simon's wife. Without saying so directly, the word tells us Simon was or had been married. Her name is not given, and she is identified through him.
Luke 12:53 πενθερὰ πενθεράν mother-in-law

They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

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