noun · masculine
poimēnos
Greekποιμήν (poimēn)
Strong’sG4166
a shepherd
stem poimēn-18 times in the New Testamentin 7 of 27 books5 of 10 forms occur
Translated as
What it means
ποιμήν, -ένος, ὁ,
[in LXX for רֹעֶה;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4166 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpoy-mane'
a shepherd (literally or figuratively)
Fromof uncertain affinity;
King Jamesshepherd, pastor.
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 | poimēnos7×ποιμὴν | poimēnois3×ποιμένες |
| object accusative | poimēnon6×ποιμένα | poimēnoin1×ποιμένας |
| direct address vocative | poimēnor | poimēnoir |
| of, belonging to genitive | poimēnou | poimēnoiu1×ποιμένων |
| to, for dative | poimēno | poimēnoi |
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
poimēno 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
18 occurrences, every one of them listed
poimēnos“shepherd”subjectnominative singular7×
Matthew 25:32“shepherd”kai sunagili emprosthen autou panteim teim ethneim, kai aforizati autoin apo allēloiu, hōsper tos poimēnos aforizatō teim probateim apo toiu erifoiu,All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
John 10:2“shepherd”tos de eisercherōtos dia tau thurau poimēnos atō teiu probateiu.But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
John 10:11“shepherd”Mis amō tos poimēnos tos kalos; tos poimēnos tos kalos tan psuchan autou tithatō huper teiu probateiu;I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
John 10:11“shepherd”Mis amō tos poimēnos tos kalos; tos poimēnos tos kalos tan psuchan autou tithatō huper teiu probateiu;I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
John 10:12“shepherd”tos misthōtos kai ouk arōtos poimēnos, hou ouk atō teim probateim idieim, theōratō ton lukon ercherōton kai afiēkatō teim probateim kai feugatō kai tos lukos harpazatō auteim kai skorpizatōThe hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock.
John 10:14“shepherd”mis amō tos poimēnos tos kalos, kai gnōskamō teim ēmeim kai gnōskalō min teim ēmeim,I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me,
John 10:16“shepherd”kai alleim probateim echamō heim ouk atō ek tau aulau houtau; kakeineim datō min agara, kai tau fōnau mu akouali, kai gineli henas poimnas, henos poimēnos.I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.
poimēnon“shepherd”objectaccusative singular6×
Matthew 9:36“shepherd”Horaratos de toin ochloin splanchnizita peri autoiu hoti ale skullirētois kai riptirētois hōsei probateim mē echarōteim poimēnon.When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 26:31“shepherd”Tote legatō autoi tos Iēsus; Pantois vis skandalizivi en mi en ta nuxa houta, grafitē gar; Patassami ton poimēnon, kai diaskorpizili teim probateim tau poimnau;Then Jesus said to them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me. For it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
Mark 6:34“shepherd”kai exercharatos horata pollon ochlon, kai splanchnizita epi autoin hoti ale hōs probateim mē echarōteim poimēnon, kai archeta didaskarō autoin polleim.When Jesus stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.
Mark 14:27“shepherd”Kai legatō autoi tos Iēsus hoti Pantois skandalizivi, hoti grafitē; Patassami ton poimēnon, kai teim probateim diaskorpizili.Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
Hebrews 13:20“shepherd”Tos de theos tau eirēnau, tos anagaratos ek nekroiu ton poimēnon teiu probateiu ton megon en haime diathēkau aiōniau, ton kurion nu Iēsun,Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
1 Peter 2:25“shepherd”ave gar hōs probateim planirōtois, alla epistrefiva nun epi ton poimēnon kai episkopon taiu psuchaiu vu.For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
poimēnois“shepherds”subjectnominative plural3×
Luke 2:8“shepherds”Kai poimēnois ale en ta chōra ta auta agraularōtois kai fulassarōtois fulakain tau nuxau epi tan poimnan autoiu.And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
Luke 2:15“shepherds”Kai gineta hōs aperchala apo autoiu eis ton ouranon tois angelois, tois poimēnois lalale pros allēloin; Dierchaneia dē heōs Bēthleem kai horaneia tem rēmem houtem tem ginarētem hem tos kurios gnōrizata ni.When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
Luke 2:20“shepherds”kai hupostrefala tois poimēnois doxazarōtois kai ainarōtois ton theon epi pantei hei akouala kai horala kathōs lalita pros autoin.The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them.
poimēnoin“pastors”objectaccusative plural1×
Ephesians 4:11“pastors”kai autos dōata toin men apostoloin, toin de profētoin, toin de euangelistoin, toin de poimēnoin kai didaskaloin,And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
poimēnoiu“shepherds”of, belonging togenitive plural1×
Luke 2:18“shepherds”kai pantois tois akouaratois thaumazala peri teiu lalirateiu hupo toiu poimēnoiu pros autoin,And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.