ἄκανθαákantha
a thorn
Greek (New Testament) · G173
Meanings
a prickly plant, thorn, brier; in NT always plural: Matthew 7:16, Matthew 13:7, Matthew 13:22, Matthew 27:29, Mark 4:7, Mark 4:18, Luke 6:44, Luke 8:7, Luke 8:14, John 19:2, Hebrews 6:8.
Same root
Where it appears
Appears 14 times in the Bible.
- Matthew 7:16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
- Matthew 13:7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.
- Matthew 13:22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.
- Matthew 27:29 They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!”
- Mark 4:7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.
- Mark 4:18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word,
Source: G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), public domain.