Greek word · G4745

στοά

stoa

portico

A colonnade or portico: a long covered hall, open on one side, with its roof held up by one or more rows of columns. Such halls were a standard part of Greek and Roman public architecture, used for shelter, business, meetings and teaching.

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

στοά, -ᾶς, ἡ

[in LXX: Ezekiel 40:18 (רִצְפָּה), etc. ;]

a portico: John 5:2; used of the covered colonnade in the Temple (EV, porch), John 10:23 Acts 3:11 5:12 †

(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 John 10:23

Range of meaning

A colonnade or portico: a long covered hall, open on one side, with its roof held up by one or more rows of columns. Such halls were a standard part of Greek and Roman public architecture, used for shelter, business, meetings and teaching.

Against the English

KJV/WEB/YLT have 'porch'. BSB and NIV have 'Colonnade', ESV 'colonnade', NASB 'portico'. 'Colonnade' and 'portico' give the right picture. 'Porch' is a 1611 word that now suggests a small entrance to a house.

How it drifted

In 1611 'porch' could mean a colonnade, a sense that came through Latin porticus. In modern English it means the small covered entry of a house, which is a far smaller and more private space than the original.

Used elsewhere in the period

Josephus describes double colonnades running along all four sides of Herod's temple court, with columns about 25 cubits high and roofs of cedar panels (War 5.190–192; Ant. 15.411–416 on the Royal Stoa on the south side). The Stoa Poikile in Athens, where Zeno taught, gave the Stoic school its name. That shows how strongly stoas were tied to public teaching and debate.

From the study of Acts 5:12

Range of meaning

Stoa is a roofed colonnade: a long hall with one or more rows of columns, closed at the back and open at the front. In Greek and Roman cities stoas were public spaces for business, conversation and teaching. The Stoic philosophers took their name from one in Athens.

Against the English

KJV/WEB/YLT 'porch' makes a modern reader picture the small entrance porch of a house. 'Colonnade' or 'portico' is much closer: a monumental hall hundreds of meters long.

How it drifted

English 'porch' once covered a colonnade or portico (from Latin porticus). Today it mostly means a covered house entrance.

Used elsewhere in the period

Josephus places Solomon's portico on the east side of the temple's outer court, above the Kidron valley, and says people believed it was a remnant of Solomon's work (Antiquities 20.220–221; compare War 5.184–185). Jesus walked there at the winter festival of Dedication (John 10:23). The crowd ran there after the lame man was healed (Acts 3:11).

Where it appears

John · 2

  1. John 5:2 στοὰς porches

    Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool with five covered colonnades, which in Hebrew is called Bethesda.

  2. John 10:23 στοᾷ porch

    and Jesus was walking in the temple courts in Solomon’s Colonnade.

    Here: A long roofed hall that was open on one side and lined with rows of columns. It ran along the edge of the temple court and gave shelter from sun, rain and wind. Teachers and crowds gathered in such halls.

Acts · 2

  1. Acts 3:11 στοᾷ porch

    While the man clung to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and ran to them in the walkway called Solomon’s Colonnade.

  2. Acts 5:12 στοᾷ Colonnade

    The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people, and with one accord the believers gathered together in Solomon’s Colonnade.

    Here: A long hall roofed and lined with columns and open on one side. This one ran along the east side of the temple's outer court.

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