στέφανος

στεφάνου, ὁ (στέφω (to put round; cf. Curtius, § 224)), the Sept. for עֲטָרָה (from Homer down), a crown (with which the head is encircled);
a. properly, as a mark of royal or (in general) exalted rank (such passages in the Sept. as 2 Sam 12:30; 1 Chr 20:2; Ps 20:4; Ezek 21:26; Zech 6:11, Zech 6:14 (yet cf. 2 Sam 1:10 Complutensian, Lagarde LXX), perhaps justify the doubt whether the distinction between στέφανος and διάδημα (which see) was strictly observed in Hellenistic Greek): Mt 27:29; Mk 15:17; Jn 19:2, Jn 19:5; Rev 4:4, Rev 4:10; Rev 6:2; Rev 9:7; Rev 14:14; with a genitive of the material, ἀστέρων δώδεκα, Rev 12:1; the wreath or garland which was given as a prize to victors in the public games (cf. BB. DD. under the word ): 1 Cor 9:25, cf. 2 Tim 2:5.
b. metaphorically, α. the eternal blessedness which will be given as a prize to the genuine servants of God and Christ: ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος, the crown (wreath) which is the reward of righteousness, 2 Tim 4:8; with an epexegetical genitive in the phrases λαμβάνεσθαι, διδόναι τόν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς, equivalent to τήν ζωήν ὡς τόν στέφανον, Jas 1:12; Rev 2:10; κομίζεσθαι τόν τῆς δόξης στέφανον, 1 Pet 5:4; λαβεῖν τόν στέφανον τίνος, to cause one to fail of the promised and hoped for prize, Rev 3:11. β. that which is an ornament and honor to one: so of persons, Phm 4:1; στέφανος καυχήσεως (see καύχησις, 1 Thess 2:19 (Prov 12:4; Prov 16:31; Prov 17:6, etc.).