Greek word · G4225

πού

pou

somewhere

An indefinite adverb meaning "somewhere", "about" or "roughly". When used to introduce quotations it means "somewhere [in Scripture]", "in a certain place".

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

πού

enclitic particle,

1. anywhere, somewhere: Hebrews 2:6 4:4.

2. in some degree, perhaps, about: Acts 27:29 (T, μήπου), Romans 4:19; δή που (T, δήπου), surely: Hebrews 2:16.†

(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 Hebrews 4:4

Range of meaning

An indefinite adverb meaning "somewhere", "about" or "roughly". When used to introduce quotations it means "somewhere [in Scripture]", "in a certain place".

Against the English

KJV and YLT have "in a certain place". BSB, NIV, ESV, NASB and WEB have "somewhere". The NLT has "the place in the Scriptures where it mentions". All are fair, but "somewhere" can sound to modern ears as if the author could not remember the reference.

How it drifted

Modern readers expect exact citations, so a vague "somewhere" looks like a gap in memory. Ancient writers used it on purpose.

Used elsewhere in the period

Hebrews 2:6 has "someone has testified somewhere". Philo often introduces Scripture with pou. 1 Clement (about AD 95) uses λέγει γάρ που ("for it says somewhere") several times. It was a standard literary formula in Hellenistic Jewish and early Christian writing.

Where it appears

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 4:19 που about

    Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb.

    Here: 'Roughly.' According to Genesis 17:1, 24 he was 99 when the promise was renewed, so Paul rounds the number.

Hebrews · 2

  1. Hebrews 2:6 πού somewhere

    But somewhere it is testified in these words: “What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him?

    Here: 'Somewhere [in Scripture].' This was a standard way of introducing a well-known quotation without naming chapter or author. It does not mean the writer had forgotten where it came from.

  2. Hebrews 4:4 που somewhere

    For somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in this manner: “And on the seventh day God rested from all His works.”

    Here: A standard way of introducing a quotation, used by Philo and 1 Clement as well as by Hebrews (2:6). It does not mean the author forgot where the verse is. It points the reader to the words and to God who spoke them, not to the human book or author.

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