2191. echidna

Lexicon

echidna: Viper, serpent

Original Word: ἔχιδνα
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: echidna
Pronunciation: EKH-id-nah
Phonetic Spelling: (ekh'-id-nah)
Definition: Viper, serpent
Meaning: a serpent, snake, viper.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

viper.

Of uncertain origin; an adder or other poisonous snake (literally or figuratively) -- viper.

HELPS Word-studies

2191 éxidna – properly, a poisonous snake; (figuratively) incisive words that deliver deadly venom, with the use of blasphemy. This switches the bitter for the sweet, light for darkness, etc. 2191/exidna ("viper") then suggests the venomous desire to reverse what is true for what is false.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from echis (a viper, adder)
Definition
a viper
NASB Translation
viper (1), vipers (4).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 2191: ἔχιδνα

ἔχιδνα, ἐχιδνης, ἡ, a viper: Acts 28:3 (Hesiod, Herodotus, Tragg., Aristophanes, Plato, others); γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν offspring of vipers (anguigenae, Ovid, metam. 3,531), addressed to cunning, malignant, wicked men: Matthew 3:7; Matthew 12:34; Matthew 23:33; Luke 3:7.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from a presumed derivative of ἔχω (echō), meaning "to have" or "to hold."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Greek word ἔχιδνα does not have a direct Hebrew equivalent in Strong's Concordance, but it is conceptually related to Hebrew terms for serpents or snakes, such as נָחָשׁ (nachash, Strong's Hebrew 5175), which is used in the Old Testament to describe serpents, including the serpent in the Garden of Eden.

Usage: The term ἔχιδνα is used in the New Testament to describe venomous snakes and, metaphorically, to refer to individuals exhibiting deceitful or malevolent behavior. It appears in contexts where moral corruption or hypocrisy is being addressed.

Context: The Greek word ἔχιδνα appears in the New Testament primarily in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. It is used both literally and metaphorically. Literally, it refers to a type of venomous snake known for its deadly bite. In the ancient world, vipers were feared for their quick and lethal strikes, making them apt symbols for danger and treachery.

Metaphorically, ἔχιδνα is employed by John the Baptist and Jesus to describe the Pharisees and Sadducees, religious leaders of the time, who were criticized for their hypocrisy and moral corruption. In Matthew 3:7, John the Baptist exclaims, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?" Similarly, Jesus uses the term in Matthew 12:34 and 23:33 to highlight the deceitful nature of these leaders, emphasizing their outward appearance of piety while harboring inner wickedness.

The metaphor of the viper underscores the danger of hypocrisy and the destructive nature of sin. It serves as a warning to those who profess faith but do not live according to its principles. The imagery of a viper also reflects the broader biblical theme of the serpent as a symbol of evil, dating back to the serpent in the Garden of Eden.

In Acts 28:3, the term is used in a literal sense when Paul is bitten by a viper on the island of Malta, yet he suffers no harm, demonstrating God's protection and power over creation.

Forms and Transliterations

εχιδνα έχιδνα ἔχιδνα εχιδνων εχιδνών ἐχιδνῶν εχίνοι εχίνος εχίνους echidna échidna echidnon echidnôn echidnōn echidnō̂n

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 3:7 N-GFP
GRK: αὐτοῖς Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν τίς ὑπέδειξεν
NAS: to them, You brood of vipers, who
KJV: O generation of vipers, who
INT: to them Brood of vipers who forewarned

Matthew 12:34 N-GFP
GRK: γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν πῶς δύνασθε
NAS: You brood of vipers, how can
KJV: O generation of vipers, how can ye,
INT: Offspring of vipers how are you able

Matthew 23:33 N-GFP
GRK: ὄφεις γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν πῶς φύγητε
NAS: you brood of vipers, how
KJV: [ye] generation of vipers, how
INT: [You] serpents offspring of vipers how shall you escape

Luke 3:7 N-GFP
GRK: αὐτοῦ Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν τίς ὑπέδειξεν
NAS: by him, You brood of vipers, who
KJV: O generation of vipers, who
INT: him Offspring of vipers who forwarned

Acts 28:3 N-NFS
GRK: τὴν πυράν ἔχιδνα ἀπὸ τῆς
NAS: them on the fire, a viper came
KJV: there came a viper out of
INT: the fire a viper out of the

Strong's Greek 2191
5 Occurrences

ἔχιδνα — 1 Occ.
ἐχιδνῶν — 4 Occ.