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Greek · G3586 · unreviewed

ξύλον

Wood

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ξύλον G3586
Pronunciation xýlon

What does ξύλον (xýlon) mean in the Bible?

ξύλον (xýlon) is a Greek word meaning "wood". ξύλον, -ου, τό [in LXX chiefly for עֵץ ;] __1. Connects crucifixion imagery to curse-bearing theology.

Full entry for ξύλον (G3586) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

wood
Extended definition

Primarily denotes wood material or wooden objects; crucially, "beam" for crucifixion in NT theology.

1wood: 1Co.3:12, Rev.18:12.
2a piece of wood, hence, anything made of wood, as,
aa cudgel, staff: pl., Mat.26:47, 55, Mrk.14:43, 48, Luk.22:52;
bstocks, for confining the feet (Job.33:11, סַד) : Act.16:24; __(with) a beam to which malefactors were bound (late Gk.), in LXX, of a gibbet (Deu.21:22-23), in NT, of the Cross: Act.5:30 10:39 13:29, Gal.3:13, 1Pe.2:24.
3In late writers (see MM, xvii), a tree (Gen.1:29, Isa.14:8, al.) : Luk.23:31; ξ. τῆς ζωῆς, Rev.2:7 22:2, 14 22:19.
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Connects crucifixion imagery to curse-bearing theology. Acts 16:16-24
Highlights the severity of the apostles’ confinement. Luke 23:26–32
Grammatical Forms

How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.

Nominative · Singular · Neuter Rev 22:2 1×
Genitive · Singular · Neuter Acts 5:30 · Acts 10:39 · Acts 13:29 · Gal 3:13 · Rev 2:7 · Rev 18:12 · Rev 22:2 · Rev 22:19 8×
Genitive · Plural · Neuter Matt 26:47 · Matt 26:55 · Mark 14:43 · Mark 14:48 · Luke 22:52 5×
Dative · Singular · Neuter Luke 23:31 1×
Accusative · Singular · Neuter Acts 16:24 · 1 Pet 2:24 · Rev 18:12 · Rev 22:14 4×
Accusative · Plural · Neuter 1 Cor 3:12 1×
20 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses
Acts 16:16-24 Stocks xýlon Accusative · Singular · Neuter
Wooden instrument used for restraint.
Luke 23:26–32 ξύλον xýlon Dative · Singular · Neuter
wood, tree
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Acts 10 — God Opens the Gospel Door to the Gentiles Acts 16 — The Gospel Enters Macedonia: Opened Hearts, Broken Chains, and Household Faith

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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