Lexical Summary karpos: fruit, crop, fruits Original Word: καρπός Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fruit. Probably from the base of harpazo; fruit (as plucked), literally or figuratively -- fruit. see GREEK harpazo HELPS Word-studies 2590 karpós – properly, fruit; (figuratively) everything done in true partnership with Christ, i.e. a believer (a branch) lives in union with Christ (the Vine). By definition, fruit (2590 /karpós) results from two life-streams – the Lord living His life through ours – to yield what is eternal (cf. 1 Jn 4:17). Jn 15:1,2: "1I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine-dresser. 2Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit (2590 /karpós), He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit" (NASU). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition fruit NASB Translation benefit (2), crop (5), crops (2), descendants* (1), fruit (43), fruitful (1), fruits (4), grain (1), harvest (1), proceeds (1), produce (4), profit (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2590: καρπόςκαρπός, καρποῦ, ὁ (cf. Latincarpo; A-S. hearf-est (harvest i. e. the ingathering of crops); Curtius, § 42); Hebrew פְּרִי; from Homer down; fruit; 1. properly: the fruit of trees, Matthew 12:33; Matthew 21:19; Mark 11:14; Luke 6:44; Luke 13:6f; of vines, Matthew 21:34; Mark 12:2; Luke 20:10; 1 Corinthians 9:7; of the fields, Luke 12:17; Mark 4:29; 2 Timothy 2:6; (James 5:7); βλαστάνειν, James 5:18; ποιεῖν, to bear fruit (after the Hebrew פְּרִי עָשָׂה (see ποιέω, I. 1 e.)), Matthew 3:10; Matthew 7:17-19; Matthew 13:26; Luke 3:9; Luke 11:43; Luke 8:8; Luke 13:9; Revelation 22:2; διδόναι, Matthew 13:8; Mark 4:7f; φέρειν, Matthew 7:18 T WH; John 12:24; John 15:2, 4f; (trop. John 15:8, 16); ἀποδιδόναι, to yield fruit, Revelation 22:2; to render (pay) the fruit, Matthew 21:41; by a Hebraism, ὁ καρπός τῆς κοιλίας, i. e. the unborn child, Luke 1:42 (בֶּטֶן פְּרִי, Deuteronomy 28:4, where the Sept. τά ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας); τῆς ὀσφύος the fruit of one's loins, i. e. his progeny, his posterity, Acts 2:30 (Genesis 30:2; Psalm 126:3 2. Metaphorically, that which originates or comes from something; an effect, result; a. equivalent to ἔργον, work, act, deed: with the genitive of the author, τοῦ πνεύματος, Galatians 5:22; τοῦ φωτός, Ephesians 5:9 (Rec. τοῦ πνεύματος); τῆς δικαιοσύνης, Philippians 1:11 (cf. b. below); of Christian charity, i. e. benefit, Romans 15:28; καρπόν πολύν φέρειν, to accomplish much (for the propagation of Christianity and its furtherance in the souls of men), John 15:8, 16; used of men's deeds as exponents of their hearts (cf. Winer's Grammar, 372 (348)), Matthew 7:16, 20; ἀγαθοί, James 3:17; καρποί τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ, deeds required for the attainment of salvation in the kingdom of God, Matthew 21:43; ποιεῖν καρπούς ἀξίους τῆς μετανοίας, to exhibit deeds agreeing with a change of heart, Matthew 3:8; Luke 3:8 (cf. ἄξια τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα πράσσειν, Acts 26:20), b. advantage, profit, utility: Philippians 1:22; Philippians 4:17; ἔχειν καρπόν, to get fruit, Romans 1:13; Romans 6:21f; τῆς δικαιοσύνης, benefit arising from righteousness (others make it genitive of apposition, Winer's Grammar, § 59, 8 a.), Hebrews 12:11; which consists in righteousness (genitive of apposition), James 3:18 (cf. Philippians 1:11 in a. above, and Meyer ad loc.; Proverbs 11:30; Amos 6:12). c. by a Hebraism οἱ καρποί τῶν χειλέων, praises, which are presented to God as a thank-offering: Hebrews 13:15 (Hosea 14:2; Proverbs 12:14; Proverbs 29:49 d. συνάγειν καρπόν εἰς ζωήν αἰώνιον, to gather fruit (i. e. a reaped harvest) into life eternal (as into a granary), is used in figurative discourse of those who by their labors have fitted souls to obtain eternal life, John 4:36. In the agrarian world of ancient Israel, “fruit” was the visible proof of a healthy tree or vine. Orchards, vineyards, and grain fields dominated the landscape, making καρπός an everyday reminder that life, labor, and blessing come from God. The law’s first-fruits offerings (Exodus 23:19) and the prophets’ frequent vineyard parables furnished a theological framework in which physical produce symbolized covenant faithfulness or failure (Isaiah 5:1-7). When the New Testament writers invoke καρπός, they draw from this shared backdrop. Literal Produce in the Gospels A handful of passages employ καρπός for actual agricultural yield. Jesus approaches a fig tree “finding no fruit on it” and pronounces judgment (Matthew 21:19; Mark 11:14), dramatizing Israel’s barrenness. Workers in parables seek “fruit” at harvest (Matthew 21:34; Mark 4:29; Luke 20:10). Such references ground the word in concrete reality while preparing hearers for its spiritual extensions. Fruit as Evidence of Spiritual Identity Repeatedly, fruit discloses the nature of the tree. “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit” (Matthew 7:17-18). This principle undergirds Jesus’ warnings against false prophets (Matthew 7:15-20) and His demand for integrity: “By your fruit you will be recognized” (Matthew 12:33). Believers’ works reveal their regenerated nature; counterfeit disciples may profess loudly yet remain fruitless. Fruit and Repentance John the Baptist’s clarion call—“Produce fruit worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:8; Luke 3:8)—places ethical transformation at the heart of conversion. Repentance is not merely emotional regret; it yields observable righteousness. Trees failing to produce are “cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3:10; Luke 3:9), anticipating final judgment. Abiding in the True Vine The most concentrated teaching appears in John 15. Eleven times καρπός surfaces as Jesus urges His disciples to “remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself… so neither can you” (John 15:4-5). Fruitfulness is impossible apart from union with Christ; conversely, abundant fruit glorifies the Father and proves true discipleship (John 15:8). The fruit envisioned includes character, obedience, prayer-driven results, and disciple multiplication (John 15:16). The Spirit-Produced Character Paul distills Christian virtue into the nine-fold “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23). Unlike the plural “works” of the flesh, this singular fruit depicts a unified Christlike life wrought by the Spirit—“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Ephesians 5:9 adds “the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth,” linking ethical conduct to the believer’s new identity. Fruit of Righteousness and Holiness Philippians 1:11 prays that saints be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.” Hebrews echoes, asserting that God’s loving discipline “yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11). Romans 6 contrasts former “fruit” leading to death (Romans 6:21) with present fruit “leading to sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life” (Romans 6:22). Thus holiness is fruit both produced by grace and aimed at eternity. Fruit of Ministry, Giving, and Worship Missionary labor is envisioned as a harvest: Paul longs to “reap some fruit among you also” (Romans 1:13) and regards the Gentile collection for Jerusalem as “this fruit” (Romans 15:28). Generous giving accrues spiritual profit: “Not that I am seeking a gift, but I am looking for fruit that may be credited to your account” (Philippians 4:17). The author of Hebrews calls praise “the fruit of lips that confess His name” (Hebrews 13:15), widening the term to include verbal worship. Prophetic and Eschatological Outlook James counsels patient endurance like “the farmer waiting for the precious fruit of the earth” (James 5:7), while Revelation 22:2 envisions the tree of life “bearing twelve kinds of fruit” for the healing of the nations. The trajectory of Scripture moves from Eden’s forfeited fruit to the New Jerusalem’s everlasting supply, depicting complete restoration. Pastoral Applications 1. Examine roots, not merely results: lasting fruit arises from genuine union with Christ. Summary Whether literal crops, ethical deeds, Spirit-wrought virtues, evangelistic outcomes, or sacrificial gifts, καρπός threads the New Testament with a call to visible, God-glorifying productivity. Anchored in Christ the Vine, nurtured by the Spirit, and destined for eternal display, Christian fruitfulness unites doctrine, discipleship, and doxology in one living testimony to the faithfulness of God. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 3:8 N-AMSGRK: ποιήσατε οὖν καρπὸν ἄξιον τῆς NAS: bear fruit in keeping KJV: therefore fruits meet INT: Produce therefore fruit worthy Matthew 3:10 N-AMS Matthew 7:16 N-GMP Matthew 7:17 N-AMP Matthew 7:17 N-AMP Matthew 7:18 N-AMP Matthew 7:18 N-AMP Matthew 7:19 N-AMS Matthew 7:20 N-GMP Matthew 12:33 N-AMS Matthew 12:33 N-AMS Matthew 12:33 N-GMS Matthew 13:8 N-AMS Matthew 13:26 N-AMS Matthew 21:19 N-NMS Matthew 21:34 N-GMP Matthew 21:34 N-AMP Matthew 21:41 N-AMP Matthew 21:43 N-AMP Mark 4:7 N-AMS Mark 4:8 N-AMS Mark 4:29 N-NMS Mark 11:14 N-AMS Mark 12:2 N-GMP Luke 1:42 N-NMS Strong's Greek 2590 |
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