2215. zizanion
Strong's Lexicon
zizanion: Tares, Weeds

Original Word: ζιζάνιον
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: zizanion
Pronunciation: dziz-an'-ee-on
Phonetic Spelling: (dziz-an'-ee-on)
Definition: Tares, Weeds
Meaning: spurious wheat, darnel; a plant that grows in Palestine which resembles wheat in many ways but is worthless.

Word Origin: Of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a Semitic root.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Hebrew equivalent for "zizanion," as it is a specific term used in the Greek New Testament. However, the concept of separating the righteous from the wicked is present in various Old Testament passages, such as in the imagery of separating sheep from goats (Ezekiel 34:17).

Usage: The term "zizanion" refers to a type of weed, specifically darnel, which closely resembles wheat in its early stages of growth. In the New Testament, it is used metaphorically to describe false believers or evil influences within the Christian community. The primary usage of "zizanion" is found in the Parable of the Weeds, where Jesus illustrates the coexistence of good and evil in the world until the final judgment.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient agriculture, darnel (Lolium temulentum) was a common weed that grew among wheat. It was difficult to distinguish from wheat until the plants matured, at which point the darnel would reveal itself by its smaller, darker seeds. This made it a fitting metaphor for Jesus' teaching about the kingdom of heaven, where true believers and false ones coexist until the end times. The practice of separating wheat from tares was well-known to Jesus' audience, making the parable relatable and impactful.

HELPS Word-studies

2215 zizánion (plural, tares/zizania) – a tare (darnel); (figuratively) a pseudo-believer (false Christian); a fruitless person living without faith from God and therefore is "all show and no go!"

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
probably of Sumer. origin
Definition
zizanium (a kind of darnel resembling wheat)
NASB Translation
tares (8).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2215: ζιζάνιον

ζιζάνιον, ζιζανιου, τό (doubtless a word of Semitic origin; Arabic , Syriac )NzYz [] (see Schaaf, Lex. under the word, p. 148), Talmud זֲוָנִין or זוּנִין; Suidas ζιζάνιον. ἐν τῷ σίτῳ αἰρα), zizanium (A. V. tares), a kind of darnel, bastard wheat (but see references below), resembling wheat except that the grains are black: Matthew 13:25-27, 29f, 38, 38, 40. (Geoponica (for references see B. D. American edition, p. 3177 note)). Cf. Winers RWB under the word Lolch; Furrer in Schenkel B. L. 4:57; (B. D., and Tristram, Nat. Hist. of the Bible, under the word ).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
tares.

Of uncertain origin; darnel or false grain -- tares.

Forms and Transliterations
ζιζανια ζιζάνια ζιζάνιά ζιζανιων ζιζανίων ζίου zizania zizánia zizániá zizanion zizaniōn zizaníon zizaníōn
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 13:25 N-ANP
GRK: καὶ ἐπέσπειρεν ζιζάνια ἀνὰ μέσον
NAS: came and sowed tares among the wheat,
KJV: and sowed tares among the wheat,
INT: and sowed weeds in [the] midst

Matthew 13:26 N-NNP
GRK: καὶ τὰ ζιζάνια
NAS: then the tares became evident
KJV: then appeared the tares also.
INT: also the weeds

Matthew 13:27 N-ANP
GRK: οὖν ἔχει ζιζάνια
NAS: then does it have tares?'
KJV: then hath it tares?
INT: then has it the weeds

Matthew 13:29 N-ANP
GRK: συλλέγοντες τὰ ζιζάνια ἐκριζώσητε ἅμα
NAS: for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot
KJV: while ye gather up the tares, ye root up
INT: gathering the weeds you should uproot with

Matthew 13:30 N-ANP
GRK: πρῶτον τὰ ζιζάνια καὶ δήσατε
NAS: gather up the tares and bind
KJV: first the tares, and
INT: first the weeds and bind

Matthew 13:36 N-GNP
GRK: παραβολὴν τῶν ζιζανίων τοῦ ἀγροῦ
NAS: to us the parable of the tares of the field.
KJV: the parable of the tares of the field.
INT: parable of the weeds of the field

Matthew 13:38 N-NNP
GRK: τὰ δὲ ζιζάνιά εἰσιν οἱ
NAS: of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons
KJV: but the tares are
INT: and [the] weeds are the

Matthew 13:40 N-NNP
GRK: συλλέγεται τὰ ζιζάνια καὶ πυρὶ
NAS: just as the tares are gathered
KJV: therefore the tares are gathered
INT: is gathered the weeds and in fire

Strong's Greek 2215
8 Occurrences


ζιζάνια — 7 Occ.
ζιζανίων — 1 Occ.















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