noun · neuter
purem
Strong’sG4442
fire, trials
stem pur-71 times in the New Testamentin 14 of 27 books3 of 6 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
Fire in the ordinary, physical sense — burning flame, whether a literal blaze, lightning, or a fiery appearance such as the tongues of flame at Pentecost 124. This is the word's basic and most common meaning in the New Testament, covering everything from household fire to the flame of a torch or beacon 1.
Fire as a picture of divine judgment and final punishment — the "eternal fire," the "lake of fire," and the fire of hell into which the wicked are cast 1.
Fire used figuratively for testing, trial, or refining, and also for consuming passions such as strife and discord — for example, being tested "as by fire," or the tongue described as a fire that kindles great trouble 124.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
πῦρ, gen., πυρός, τό,
[in LXX chiefly and very freq. for אֵשׁ;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G4442 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpoor
"fire" (literally or figuratively, specially, lightning)
Froma primary word;
King Jamesfiery, fire.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
(once πύυρ [?~X ¯ ?~X] by 'distraction', Refs 4th c.BC+; not used in plural, see at {πυρά},{τά}:—fire, π. καίειν or δαίειν to kindle fire, Refs 8th c.BC+; π. ἀνακαίειν, ἅπτειν, ἐξάπτειν, αἴθειν, ἐναύειν, (see entry).; π. ποιεῖν, ποιήσασθαι, Refs 8th c.BC+; π. ἐμβαλεῖν νηυσί, κλισίῃσι, Refs 8th c.BC+; π. φυσητέον, ῥιπίζειν, Refs 5th c.BC+
b π. τεχνικόν, see at {τεχνικός}.
2 funeral-fire (compare πυρά), ὄφρα πυρός με.. λελάχωσι θανόντα Refs 8th c.BC+; ζῶντα διδόναι τινὰ πυρί burn one alive, Refs 5th c.BC+
3 sacrificial fire, ἐν πυρὶ βάλλε θυηλάς Refs 8th c.BC+
4 hearthfire, πυρὸς ἐσχάραι Refs 8th c.BC+; τὸ π. τὸ ἀθάνατον the fire of Vesta, Refs 2nd c.BC+
5 lightning, κεραυνὸς ἀενάου πυρός Refs 5th c.BC+
5.b fire, light, or heat of the sun, θερινὸν π., opposed to χειμών, Refs 5th c.BC+; of the stars, π. πνείοντα ἄστρα Refs 5th c.BC+; summer solstice, Refs 7th c.BC+
6 flame of torches, Refs 5th c.BC+; π. εὐάγγελον, ἄγγαρον, πομπόν, of the beacon fire, Refs 4th c.BC+
7 fever heat, violent fever, πῦρ ἔλαβέν [τινα] Refs 5th c.BC+; ὁ δ᾽ ἔχων θέρμαν καὶ π. ἧκεν Refs 5th c.BC+
II phrases, ἐν πυρὶ γενέσθαι to be consumed, come to nothing, Refs 8th c.BC+; φεύγων καπνὸν εἰς πῦρ δεσποτείας ἐμπεπτωκώς 'out of the frying pan into the fire, Refs 5th c.BC+; πῦρ ἐπὶ πῦρ ἐγχεῖν, ἄγειν, φέρειν, ἐπεισφέρειν, Refs 5th c.BC+; εἰς π. ξαίνειν 'plough the sands', Refs 5th c.BC+: as a type of things irresistible or terrible, ἀντίος εἶμι, καὶ εἰ πυρὶ χεῖρας ἔοικε Refs 8th c.BC+; so διὰ πυρὸς ἰέναι (as we say) to go through fire and water, dash through any danger, Refs 5th c.BC+; but διὰ πυρὸς ἦλθε ἑτέρῳ λέχεϊ she raged furiously against the other partner of the bed, NT+5th c.BC+; of persons, ὦ π. σύ.. Refs; of Hannibal, Refs 1st c.AD+: metaphorically of anxious hope, θάλπει τῷδ᾽ ἀνηκέστῳ πυρί Refs 5th c.BC+; of love, ἀρσενικῷ θέρεται π. Refs 3rd c.BC+. (Cf. Armenian hur, ORefs 5th c.BC+ fyr 'fire', etc.)
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject or object direct | purem10×πῦρ | pureim |
| of, belonging to genitive | pureu29×πυρός | pureiu |
| to, for dative | pure16×πυρὶ | purei |
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
pure 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
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
71 occurrences, every one of them listed
purem“fire”subject or objectdirect singular10×
Mark 9:48… skōlēkos autoiu ouk teleutatō kai tem purem ouk sbennuotō.… their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.’
1 Corinthians 3:13… hekastou tem ergem hopoiem atō tem purem autem dokimazati.… be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each …
Hebrews 12:29kai gar tos theos nu purem katanaliskarōntem.“For our God is a consuming fire.”
James 3:5“fire”… atō kai megeim auchatō. Idou hēlikem purem hēlikan hulan anaptatō;… the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze.
James 3:6kai tas glōssas purem, tos kosmos tau adikiau tas glōssas …The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the …
James 5:3… kai esthieti tain sarkain vu; hōs purem thēsaurizava en eschatai hēmerai.… you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the …
Revelation 8:7… prōtos salpizata; kai geneta chalazas kai purem migorēnteim en haime, kai balita eis …… sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down …
Revelation 9:17… kai ek teiu stomeiu autoiu ekporeuotō purem kai kapnos kai theiem.… and out of their mouths proceeded fire, smoke, and sulfur.
Revelation 11:5kai ei tinos autoin thelatō adikara, purem ekporeuotō ek teu stomeu autoiu kai …If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouths and devours …
Revelation 20:9… tan polan tan agaporēntan. kai katabainata purem ek tou ouranou kai katesthiata autoin;… saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed …
pureu“fire”of, belonging togenitive singular29×
Matthew 5:22… enochos eti eis tan geennan teu pureu.… fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.
Matthew 13:42… balali autoin eis tan kaminosan teu pureu; ekei eti tos klauthmos kai tos …… they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping …
Matthew 13:50… balali autoin eis tan kaminosan teu pureu; ekei eti tos klauthmos kai tos …and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping …
Matthew 18:9… echarōnton balira eis tan geennan teu pureu.… eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
Acts 2:3kai horila autoi diamerizorōntais glōssais hōsei pureu, kai kathizata epi henon hekaston autoiu,They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest …
Acts 7:30… teu oreu Sina angelos en floga pureu batau;… Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount …
Romans 12:20… potizasōr auton; houtem gar poiarōntos anthrakoin pureu sōreuasi epi tan kefalan autou.… in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
1 Corinthians 3:15“fire”… de sōziti, houtōs de hōs dia pureu.… will be saved, but only as if through the flames.
2 Thessalonians 1:8en floga pureu, dōarōntou ekdikēsian toi mē oidarēntoi theon …in blazing fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do …
Hebrews 1:7… autou pneumeim, kai toin leitourgoin autou pureu flogan;… angels winds, His servants flames of fire.”
Hebrews 10:27foberas de tinas ekdochas krisiau kai pureu zēlos esthiarō mellarōnteu toin hupenantioin.… expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries.
Hebrews 11:34sbennuala dunamian pureu, fugala stomeim machairau, dunamila apo astheniau, …quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the …
1 Peter 1:7… pistiau polutimoterem chrusieu teu apolorōnteu dia pureu de dokimazorōnteu heuriskiteia eis epainon kai …… which perishes even though refined by fire — may result in praise, glory, and …
Jude 1:7… apercharantais opisō sarkau heterau, prokeiolō deigmem pureu aiōnieu dikan hupecharōntais.… who sustain the punishment of eternal fire.
Jude 1:23hoin de sōzavōr ek pureu harpazarōntois, hoin de elēavōr en fobo, …… others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy …
Revelation 1:14… kai tois ofthalmois autou hōs flogas pureu,… His eyes were like a blazing fire.
Revelation 2:18… echarōntos toin ofthalmoin autou hōs flogan pureu, kai tois podois autou homoiois chalkolibane;… whose eyes are like a blazing fire and whose feet are like polished …
Revelation 3:18… agorazara para mu chrusiem purorēntem ek pureu hina ploutaseia, kai himatieim leukeim hina …… buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich …
Revelation 4:5… fōnais kai brontais; kai hepta lampadais pureu kaiorōntais enōpion tou thronou, heim alō …… the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven spirits of …
Revelation 8:5… libanōton, kai gemizata auton ek teu pureu teu thusiastērieu, kai balata eis tan …… took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it …
Revelation 9:18… tem tritem toiu anthrōpoiu, ek teu pureu kai tou kapnou kai teu theieu …… killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur that proceeded from …
Revelation 10:1… kai tois podois autou hōs stulois pureu,… his legs were like pillars of fire.
Revelation 14:18… thusiastērieu, tos echarōntos exousian epi teu pureu, kai fōnata fōna mega to echarōnto …… another angel, with authority over the fire, came from the altar and called …
Revelation 19:12tois de ofthalmois autou flogas pureu, kai epi tan kefalan autou diadēmeim …He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His …
Revelation 19:20“fire”… tois duo eis tan limnan teu pureu tau kaiorōntau en theie.But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
Revelation 20:10… autoin balita eis tan limnan teu pureu kai theieu, hopou kai tem thērem …… was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast …
Revelation 20:14… hados balila eis tan limnan teu pureu. houtos tos thanatos tos deuteros atō, …… were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death — the …
Revelation 20:14… tos deuteros atō, tas limnas teu pureu.… the second death — the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:15… graforēntos, balita eis tan limnan teu pureu.… was thrown into the lake of fire.
pure“fire”to, fordative singular16×
Matthew 3:11… vin baptizati en pneume hagie kai pure;… with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Matthew 3:12… tan apothēkan, tem de achurem katakaiati pure asbeste.… burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Matthew 13:40hōsper oun sullegotō teim zizanieim kai pure kaiotō, houtōs eti en ta sunteleia …… are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the …
Mark 9:49Pantos gar pure haliziti.For everyone will be salted with fire.
Luke 3:16… vin baptizati en pneume hagie kai pure;… with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Luke 3:17… apothēkan autou, tem de achurem katakaiati pure asbeste.… burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
1 Corinthians 3:13… tas gar hēmeras dēlati; hoti en pure apokaluptotō, kai hekastou tem ergem hopoiem …… light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the …
Hebrews 12:18Ouk gar proserchavē psēlaforōnte kai kaiorēnte pure kai gnofo kai zofo kai thuella… touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;
2 Peter 3:7… gēas to auto logo thēsaurizorēntois alō pure tērorōntois eis hēmeran krisiau kai apōleiau …… heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of …
Revelation 8:8… angelos salpizata; kai hōs orem megem pure kaiorōntem balita eis tan thalassan; kai …… like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. A …
Revelation 14:10… tau orgau autou, kai basaniziti en pure kai theie enōpion angeloiu hagioiu kai …… And he will be tormented in fire and sulfur in the presence of …
Revelation 15:2Kai horama hōs thalassan hualinan migorēntan pure, kai toin nikarōntoin ek teu thēreu …… a sea of glass mixed with fire, beside which stood those who had …
Revelation 16:8… dōita auto kaumatizara toin anthrōpoin en pure.… power to scorch the people with fire.
Revelation 17:16… autau esthieli, kai autan katakaiali en pure;… her flesh and burn her with fire.
Revelation 18:8… kai penthem kai limos, kai en pure katakaiiti; hoti ischuros kurios tos theos …… and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God …
Revelation 21:8… autoiu en ta limna ta kaiorōnta pure kai theie, hem atō tos thanatos …… in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second …
purem15×
Matthew 3:10… poiarōntem karpon kalon ekkoptotō kai eis purem balotō.… cut down and thrown into the fire.
Matthew 7:19… poiarōntem karpon kalon ekkoptotō kai eis purem balotō.… cut down and thrown into the fire.
Matthew 17:15… paschatō, pollakis gar piptatō eis tem purem kai pollakis eis tem hudem.… terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water.
Matthew 18:8… duo podoin echarōnton balira eis tem purem tem aiōniem.… and be thrown into the eternal fire.
Matthew 25:41… apo mu tois katarorēntoir eis tem purem tem aiōniem tem hetoimazorēntem to diabolo …… who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his …
Mark 9:22kai pollakis kai eis purem auton balata kai eis hudeim hina …“It often throws him into the fire or into the water, trying to …
Mark 9:43… aperchara eis tan geennan, eis tem purem tem asbestem.… go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.
Luke 3:9… poiarōntem karpon kalon ekkoptotō kai eis purem balotō.… cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Luke 9:54… kai Iōannos legala; Kurior, thelasō leganeia purem katabainara apo tou ouranou kai analiskara …… You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”
Luke 17:29… hēmera exerchata Lōt apo Sodomeiu, brechata purem kai theiem apo ouranou kai apolata …… on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven …
Luke 22:55periaptarantoiu de purem en mese tau aulau kai sunkathizarantoiu …When those present had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard …
John 15:6… kai sunagalō auteim kai eis tem purem balalō kai kaiotō.… are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.
Acts 2:19… epi tau gēau katō, haimem kai purem kai atmidan kapnou;… on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
Acts 28:5… oun apotinassarantos tem thērem eis tem purem paschata oudenem kakosem;… shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
Revelation 13:13kai poiatō sēmeim megeim, hina kai purem poiateiō ek tou ouranou katabainarō eis …… beast performed great signs, even causing fire from heaven to come down to …
Purem1×
Luke 12:49Purem erchama balara epi tan gēan, kai …I have come to ignite a fire on the earth, and how I …