Greek word · G5449

φύσις

physis

nature

Nature. It can mean the natural constitution or character of a thing, the natural order of things ("does not nature itself teach you…", 1 Cor 11:14), or birth and natural descent ("we who are Jews by birth (physei)", Gal 2:15; "uncircumcised by birth", Rom 2:27).

Appears 14 times in 11 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 31, 2026

What it means

φύσις, -εως, ἡ

(φύω) [in LXX: Wisdom of Solomon 7:20 13:1 19:20 אΑ, 3Ma.3:29, 4Ma.1:20 4Mac 5:7-8 4Mac 5:25 4Mac 13:27 4Mac 15:13 4Mac 15:25 4Mac 16:3 * ;]

nature, i.e.,

(a) the nature (natural powers or constitution) of a person or thing: James 3:7, 2 Peter 1:4;

τέκνα φυσει ὀργῆς, Ephesians 2:3;

(b) origin, birth (Soph., Xen., al.): Romans 2:27, Galatians 2:15;

(with) nature, i.e. the regular order or law of nature: 1 Corinthians 11:14; dative, φύσει adverbially, by nature, Romans 2:14, Galatians 4:8; παρὰ φύσιν, against nature, Romans 1:26 11:24; καρὰ φ., according to nature, naturally, Romans 11:21, 24.†

(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 Ephesians 2:3

Range of meaning: Nature. It can mean the natural constitution or character of a thing, the natural order of things ("does not nature itself teach you…", 1 Cor 11:14), or birth and natural descent ("we who are Jews by birth (physei)", Gal 2:15; "uncircumcised by birth", Rom 2:27). The dative form physei used here means "by nature", "naturally" or "by birth".
Against the English: Nearly all English versions say "by nature". NLT says "by our very nature", which sharpens it. Today "nature" can sound like a philosophical essence or a genetic makeup. In Paul it is closer to "what we were, in and of ourselves, as born".
How it drifted: Since Augustine, this verse has been a key text for the doctrine of original sin, so "by nature" is often heard as a precise technical statement about inherited guilt. That may or may not be Paul's focus (see debates).
Used elsewhere in the period: Wisdom of Solomon 13:1 says "all people who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature (physei)", a close Jewish parallel that describes humanity's natural state without God. In Gal 2:15 physei means "by birth". In Rom 2:14 Gentiles "by nature" do what the law requires. Stoics made "living according to nature" the goal of ethics, and Paul's usage cuts against that ideal.

From the study of Romans 1:26

Range of meaning: Physis: nature, inborn character, the way something grows or is made, the natural order. It can also mean the customary order everyone takes for granted (1 Corinthians 11:14, where 'nature itself' teaches that long hair is a dishonor for a man). Para physin: beyond or contrary to nature, a stock phrase in Greek ethics.
Against the English: English 'unnatural' or 'against nature' tends to call up modern biology ('what occurs in animals'), modern natural-law theory, or the modern idea of a person's innate disposition. None of these is exactly Paul's frame.
How it drifted: Modern ideas of 'nature' as biological fact, and the modern idea of sexual orientation, came long after Paul. Paul uses physis loosely, sometimes for the created order and sometimes for the accepted social order. In Romans 11:24 even God acts para physin when grafting in Gentiles.
Used elsewhere in the period: Plato, Laws 636c, calls the pleasure of males with males and females with females para physin. Philo (e.g. On Abraham 135–137; Special Laws 3.37–39) and Josephus (Against Apion 2.199, 2.273) use 'nature' language against same-sex intercourse and non-procreative sex. Pseudo-Phocylides 190–192 says not to go beyond the limits nature sets for sex, and that 'not even animals' do so, and it warns women not to imitate the sexual role of men. Wisdom of Solomon 14:12, 26 links idolatry to sexual disorder.

From the study of Galatians 2:15

Range of meaning: Natural condition, inborn character, natural origin or descent, the way things naturally are. In the dative case (physei) used as an adverb, "by nature" or "by birth," often in contrast to what is acquired by law, custom, adoption or choice.
Against the English: The KJV, NASB and YLT have "by nature"; the BSB, NIV, ESV and NLT have "by birth." Today "by nature" suggests temperament ("she is shy by nature") or an inborn moral disposition. Paul means descent: they were born into the Jewish people.
How it drifted: "By nature" was accurate in older English, which could mean "by birth/natural condition." Today it leans toward personality, and readers may connect it with Ephesians 2:3 ("by nature children of wrath"). That passage concerns the inborn human condition, which is a different question.
Used elsewhere in the period: Paul's other uses: Romans 2:27 ("the uncircumcision that is by nature," meaning physically uncircumcised by birth); Romans 11:21, 24 (the "natural" branches, ethnic Israel); Galatians 4:8 ("those that by nature are not gods"). In Greek generally, physei was set against thesei or nomō (by convention, by law), e.g. a son "by nature" as opposed to one by adoption.

Where it appears

Romans · 7

Romans 1:26 φύσιν, nature,

For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.

Here: 'Nature': the given order of things. For a Jewish writer this meant the order God set up at creation, as people of the time understood it.
Romans 2:14 φύσει by nature

Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.

Here: 'By nature': by their own native condition, without being taught the Torah. It may go with 'do' (they do the law's things naturally) or with 'not having' (they lack the law by birth). See debates.
Romans 2:27 φύσεως nature

The one who is physically uncircumcised yet keeps the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
Romans 11:21 φύσιν nature

For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will certainly not spare you either.
Romans 11:24 φύσιν φύσιν φύσιν nature, nature [are]

For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

1 Corinthians · 1

1 Corinthians 11:14 φύσις nature

Doesn’t nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him,

Galatians · 2

Galatians 2:15 φύσει by birth

We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile “sinners”

Here: "By birth" or "by descent." It names the status they were born into, not their temperament or moral make-up. They were Jews because they were born Jews, not because they converted.
Galatians 4:8 φύσει by nature

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

Here: 'By nature', meaning in what they really are, as opposed to what people call them or treat them as. Whatever these beings were, they were not divine in their actual makeup.

Ephesians · 1

Ephesians 2:3 φύσει by nature

All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.

Here: "By nature": what they were naturally, in themselves, as born and as left to themselves. Scholars disagree on how much this says about an inherited condition (see debates).

James · 2

James 3:7 φύσις φύσει kinds, race

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,

Here: Here it means "kind" or "species": the natural makeup that marks one class of living thing off from another. It is not "nature" in the sense of the outdoors.

2 Peter · 1

2 Peter 1:4 φύσεως nature

Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Here: The inherent constitution of a kind of being. Set against 'decay' at the end of the verse, the divine 'nature' in view is above all God's imperishable, deathless life and his moral excellence.

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