noun · feminine
machairas
Greekμάχαιρα (machaira)
Strong’sG3162
a sword
stem machair-29 times in the New Testamentin 9 of 27 books6 of 10 forms occur
Translated as
What it means
μάχαιρα, -ης
(Att. -ας; v. WH, App., 156a; Bl., § 7, 1), ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for חֶרֶב; also for מַאֲכֶלֶת, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3162 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidmakh'-ahee-rah
a knife, i.e. dirk; figuratively, war, judicial punishment
Fromprobably feminine of a presumed derivative of G3163;
King Jamessword.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Every form
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject nominative | machairas2×μάχαιρα | machairais1×μάχαιραι |
| object accusative | machairan12×μάχαιραν | machairain |
| direct address vocative | machairar | machairair |
| of, belonging to genitive | machairau4×μαχαίρης | machairaiu5×μαχαιρῶν |
| to, for dative | machaira5×μαχαίρῃ | machairai |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
machaira is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
29 occurrences, every one of them listed
machairas“sword”subjectnominative singular2×
Romans 8:35“sword”tinos nin chōrizati apo tau agapau tou Christou? thlipsias ē stenochōrias ē diōgmos ē limos ē gumnotas ē kindunos ē machairas?Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
Revelation 6:4“sword”kai exerchata allos hippos purros, kai to katherōto epi auton dōita auto lambara tan eirēnan ek tau gēau kai hina allēloin sfazali, kai dōita auto machairas megas.Then another horse went forth. It was bright red, and its rider was granted permission to take away peace from the earth and to make men slay one another. And he was given a great sword.
machairan“sword”objectaccusative singular12×
Matthew 10:34“sword”Mē nomizaveia hoti erchama ballara eirēnan epi tan gēan; ouk erchama ballara eirēnan alla machairan.Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Matthew 26:51“sword”kai idou henos toiu meta Iēsu ekteinaratos tan cheiran apospata tan machairan autou kai patassaratos ton doulon tou archierevou afairata autou tem ōtiem.At this, one of Jesus’ companions drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
Matthew 26:52“sword”tote legatō auto tos Iēsus; Apostrefasar tan machairan su eis ton topon autau, pantois gar tois lambaratois machairan en machaira apollueli;“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
Matthew 26:52“sword”tote legatō auto tos Iēsus; Apostrefasar tan machairan su eis ton topon autau, pantois gar tois lambaratois machairan en machaira apollueli;“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
Mark 14:47“sword”henos de tinos toiu paristanarētoiu speratos tan machairan paiata ton doulon tou archierevou kai afairata autou tem ōtariem.And one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
Luke 22:36“sword”legata de autoi; Alla nun tos echarōtos ballantiem airatar, homoiōs kai pēran, kai tos mē echarōtos pōlatar tem himatiem autou kai agorazatar machairan.“Now, however,” He told them, “the one with a purse should take it, and likewise a bag; and the one without a sword should sell his cloak and buy one.
John 18:10“sword”Simōnos oun Petros echarōtos machairan helkata autan kai paiata ton tou archierevou doulon kai apokoptata autou tem ōtariem tem dexem. ate de onomem to doulo Malchos.Then Simon Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
John 18:11“sword”legata oun tos Iēsus to Petro; Ballasar tan machairan eis tan thēkan; tem potēriem hem dōatē mi tos patēros ouk mē pinameia autem?“Put your sword back in its sheath!” Jesus said to Peter. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?”
Acts 16:27“sword”exupnos de gineratos tos desmofulaxos kai horaratos anoigirētain tain thurain tau fulakau speratos tan machairan mellate heauton anairarō, nomizarōtos ekfeugarē toin desmioin.When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.
Romans 13:4“sword”theou gar diakonos atō si eis tem agathem. ean de tem kakem poiaseiō, fobesōr; ouk gar eikē tan machairan foratō; theou gar diakonos atō, ekdikos eis organ to tem kakem prassarōto.For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.
Ephesians 6:17“sword”kai tan perikefalaian teu sōtērieu dechevar, kai tan machairan teu pneumeu, hem atō rēmem theou,And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Hebrews 4:12“sword”Zōarōtos gar tos logos tou theou kai energos kai tomōteros huper pantan machairan distoman kai diiknerōtos achri merismou psuchau kai pneumeu, harmoiu tē kai mueloiu, kai kritikos enthumēsiaiu kai ennoiaiu kardiau;For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
machairau“sword”of, belonging togenitive singular4×
Luke 21:24“sword”kai pipteli stome machairau kai aichmalōtizili eis teim ethneim panteim, kai Ierousalēm eti patirōtas hupo ethneiu, achri hou plērileia kairois ethneiu.They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Hebrews 11:34“sword”sbennuala dunamian pureu, feugala stomeim machairau, dunamila apo astheniau, ginila ischurois en polemo, parembolain klinala allotrioiu;quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.
Hebrews 11:37“sword”lithazila, prizila, en fono machairau apothnēskala, perierchala en mēlōtai, en aigeiei dermei, husterirōtois, thlibirōtois, kakouchirōtois,They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated.
Revelation 13:14“sword”kai planatō toin katoikarōtoin epi tau gēau dia teim sēmeim heim dōita aute poiara enōpion teu thēreu, legarōtos toi katoikarōtoi epi tau gēau poiara eikōnan te thēre, hos echatō tan plēgan tau machairau kai zōata.Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet had lived.
machaira“sword”to, fordative singular5×
Matthew 26:52“sword”tote legatō auto tos Iēsus; Apostrefasar tan machairan su eis ton topon autau, pantois gar tois lambaratois machairan en machaira apollueli;“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
Luke 22:49“sword”horaratois de tois peri auton tem eritem legala; Kurior, ei patassani en machaira?Those around Jesus saw what was about to happen and said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?”
Acts 12:2“sword”anairata de Iakōbon ton adelfon Iōannou machaira.He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
Revelation 13:10“sword”ei tinos eis aichmalōsian, eis aichmalōsian hupagatō; ei tinos en machaira apokteinira auton en machaira apokteinira. hōde atō tas hupomonas kai tas pistias toiu hagioiu.“If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.
Revelation 13:10“sword”ei tinos eis aichmalōsian, eis aichmalōsian hupagatō; ei tinos en machaira apokteinira auton en machaira apokteinira. hōde atō tas hupomonas kai tas pistias toiu hagioiu.“If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.
machairais“swords”subjectnominative plural1×
Luke 22:38“swords”tois de legala; Kurior, idou machairais hōde duo. tos de legata autoi; Hikanem atō.So they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” “That is enough,” He answered.
machairaiu“swords”of, belonging togenitive plural5×
Matthew 26:47“swords”Kai ēti autou lalarōtou idou Ioudaos henos toiu dōdeka erchata kai meta autou ochlos pollos meta machairaiu kai xuleiu apo toiu archierevoiu kai presbuteroiu tou laou.While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Matthew 26:55“swords”en ekeina ta hōra legata tos Iēsus toi ochloi; Hōs epi lēston exerchava meta machairaiu kai xuleiu sullambara min? kata hēmeran en te hiere kathezeme didaskarōtos kai ouk kratava min.At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw? Every day I sat teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me.
Mark 14:43“swords”Kai euthuos ēti autou lalarōtou paraginetō Ioudaos henos toiu dōdeka kai meta autou ochlos meta machairaiu kai xuleiu para toiu archierevoiu kai toiu grammatevoiu kai toiu presbuteroiu.While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, scribes, and elders.
Mark 14:48“swords”kai apokriniratos tos Iēsus legata autoi; Hōs epi lēston exerchava meta machairaiu kai xuleiu sullambara min?Jesus asked the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw?
Luke 22:52“swords”legata de Iēsus pros toin paragineratoin epi auton archierevoin kai stratēgoin teu hiereu kai presbuteroin; Hōs epi lēston exerchava meta machairaiu kai xuleiu?Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple officers, and elders who had come for Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against an outlaw?