μάχαιραmáchaira
a knife, i.e. dirk; figuratively, war, judicial punishment
Greek (New Testament) · G3162
Meanings
1. (in Hom., and elsewhere) a large knife or dirk, for sacrificial purposes (Genesis 22:6, Genesis 22:10, Judges 19:29 A).
2. a short sword or dagger (as distinguished from ῥομφαία, a large broad sword and ξίφος, a straight sword for thrusting): Matthew 26:47 ff., Mark 14:43, Mark 14:47, Mark 14:48, Luke 22:36 ff., John 18:10, John 18:11, Acts 16:27, Hebrews 11:37, Revelation 6:4, Revelation 13:10, Revelation 13:14; στόμα μαχαίρης (as in Heb. פִּה חֶרֶב, Genesis 34:26, and elsewhere), the edge of the sword: Luke 21:24, Hebrews 11:34; μ. δίστομος, Hebrews 4:12; ἀναιρεῖν μαχαίρῃ, Acts 12:2; τὴν μ. φορεῖν, Romans 13:4. Metaph., Matthew 10:34 (opposed to εἰρήνη), Romans 8:35; μ. τοῦ πνεύματος, Ephesians 6:17.
Same root
Where it appears
Appears 29 times in the Bible.
- Matthew 10:34 “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.
- Matthew 26:47 And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people.
- Matthew 26:51 But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.
- Matthew 26:52 “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword.
- Matthew 26:55 Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day.
- Mark 14:43 And immediately, even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders.
Source: G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), public domain.