Lexical Definition

‎πατήρ‎ patḗr (pat-ayr') father ^G:N-M
apparently a primary word

father, parent.

• a "father" (literally or figuratively, near or more remote)

Abbott-Smith

πατήρ, πατρός, -τρί, τέρα, [in LXX chiefly and very freq. for אָב;]
a father;
1. prop.,
(a) of the male parent: Mt 2:22, Lk 1:17, Jo 4:53; anarth., He 12:7 (M, Pr., 82 f.); pl., of both parents (cl.), He 11:23; οἱ π. τ. σαρκός, He 12:9;
(b) of a forefather or ancestor (in cl. usually in pl.; Hom., al.): Mt 3:9, Lk 1:73, Jo 8:39, al.; pl., Mt 23:30, 32, Lk 6:23, 26, Jo 4:20, I Co 10:1, al.
2. Metaph.,
(a) of an author, originator, or archetype (= αἴτιος, ἀρχηγός, etc.; Pind., Plat., al.): Jo 8:41-44, Ro 4:11, 12, 16.
(b) as a title of respect or honour, used of seniors, teachers and others in a position of responsible authority (Jg 17:10, II Ki 2:12, Pr 1:8, al.): Mt 23:9, Ac 7:2 22:1, I Jo 2:13.
3. Of God (as in cl. of Zeus) as Father;
(a) of created things: τ. φώτων, Ja 1:17;
(b) of all sentient beings: Eph 3:14, 15, He 12:9;
(c) of men, esp. those in covenant relation with Him (freq in OT and later Jewish lit.; v. Dalman, Words, 184 ff.): Mt 6:4, Lk 6:36, Jo 4:21, Ja 3:9, al.; ὁ π. ὁ ἐν (τ.) οὐρανοῖς, Mt 5:16, Mk 11:25; ὁ π. ὁ οὐράνιος, Mt 6:14 15:13; esp. in the Epp., of Christians: Ro 8:15, II Co 6:18, Ga 4:6, Eph 2:18 4:6, I Jo 2:1; c. gen. qual., τ. οἰκτιρμῶν, II Co 1:3; τ. δοξῆς, Eph 1:17;
(d) of Christ (Dalman, Words, 190 ff.);
(α) by our Lord himself: ὁ π., Mt 11:25-27, Lk 10:21, 22, Jo 5:20-23, al.; ὁ π. μου, Mt 11:27, al.; ὁ ἐν τ. οὐρανοῖς, Mt 7:11, al.; ὁ οὐράνιος, Mt 15:13; vocat., Jo 11:41 12:27, 28 17:1, 5, 11, 20, 25 (cf. Abbott, JG., 96 f.);
(β) by Apostles: Jo 1:14 (anarth.; v. M, Pr., 82 f.), Ro 15:6, II Co 1:3 11:31, Eph 1:3, Col 1:3, He 1:5, I Pe 1:3, Re 1:6 (cf. Westc., Epp. Jo., 27-34).

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

πατήρ, ὁ,

genitive and dative πατέρος, πατέρι in Epic dialect and Lyric poetry, Attic dialect πατρός, πατρί (which is also the commoner form in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; accusative always πατέρ; vocative πάτερ: plural πατέρες, πατέρας, πατέρων (πατρῶν only [Refs 8th c.BC+]; dative πατράσι [ᾰ] (cf. Sanskrit locative plural pitṛ[snull]u, no dative plural occurs in [Refs 8th c.BC+], late Epic dialect πατέρεσσι [Refs 4th c.AD+]:— father, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; πατρὸς πατήρ grandfather,[Refs 8th c.BC+]; τὰ πρὸς πατρός by the father's side, [Refs 5th c.BC+], etc.; especially of God, the father of the Israelites, [LXX]; father of men, [NT]; father of Jesus Christ, [Refs]

__II especially as epithet of Zeus, πατὴρ Ζεύς, π. Κρονίδης, π. ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Ζεὺς π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. Οὐρανιδᾶν Ζ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III respectful mode of addressing persons older than oneself, ξεὶνε πάτερ [Refs 8th c.BC+], etc.; in addressing an elder brother, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]
__IV metaphorically, father, author, ἀοιδᾶν π... εὐαίνητος Ὀρφεύς [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Χρόνος ὁ πάντων π. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τοῦ λόγου π. [Refs]; ὁ π. τῶν φώτων, i.e. God, the father of the stars, [NT]; οἱ π. τῶν ἀτόμων the authors of the atomic theory, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; of capital, τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκγόνους τόκους [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__V title of a grade in the mysteries of Mithras, [Refs]
__VI π. πατρίδος, = Latin pater patriae, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
__VII in plural,
__VII.1 forefathers, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐξέτι πατρῶν from our fathers' time, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__VII.2 parents, [Refs 1st c.BC+]
__VII.3 parentnation, opposed to colonists, [Refs 5th c.BC+]. (Cf. Sanskritpitár-, Latin pater, etc.)

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: LXX.Deut.32.6 ☩ Matt.6.8 ☩ Jas.1.17}