4210. porphurous

Lexicon

porphurous: Purple

Original Word: πορφυροῦς
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: porphurous
Pronunciation: por-foo-roos'
Phonetic Spelling: (por-foo-rooce')
Definition: Purple
Meaning: purple.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

purple.

From porphura; purpureal, i.e. Bluish red -- purple.

see GREEK porphura

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 4210 porphyroús – a purple (reddish-purple) cloth or dye. See 4209 (porphýra).

(Jn 19:5) It was customary in ancient times for a king to dress in purple. Hence, giving Jesus a purple cloak, mocked Him as someone merely posing to be a king.

[This garment was perhaps a discarded officers' cloak that had been dyed purple.]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from porphura
Definition
purple
NASB Translation
purple (4).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4210: πορφύρεος

πορφύρεος, πορφυρεα, πορφυρεον, in Attic and in the N. T. contracted πορφυροῦς, πορφύρα, πορφυροῦν (πορφύρα), from Homer down, purple, dyed in purple, made of a purple fabric: John 19:2, 5; πορφυροῦν namely, ἔνδυμα ((Buttmann, 82 (72)); cf. Winer's Grammar, p. 591 (550)), Revelation 17:4 (G L T Tr WH); Revelation 18:16.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek word πορφύρα (porphyra), which refers to the purple dye or the shellfish from which the dye is extracted.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent often associated with the concept of purple is אַרְגָּמָן (argaman, Strong's Hebrew 713), which also refers to purple or crimson, used in the context of royal or priestly garments in the Old Testament.

Usage: The word πορφυροῦς appears in the New Testament to describe garments of high status or wealth, often associated with royalty or nobility. It is used in contexts that highlight luxury or authority.

Context: The term πορφυροῦς is significant in the cultural and historical context of the New Testament. Purple dye, derived from the murex shellfish, was highly valued in ancient times due to its vibrant color and the labor-intensive process required to produce it. As a result, purple garments became symbols of wealth, power, and prestige.

In the New Testament, πορφυροῦς is used to describe the robe placed on Jesus during His mockery by the Roman soldiers (Mark 15:17, John 19:2, BSB). This act was intended to ridicule His claim to kingship, as purple was the color of royalty. The use of πορφυροῦς in these passages underscores the irony of the situation, as Jesus, the true King, was being mocked with symbols of earthly authority.

Additionally, in Luke 16:19 (BSB), the rich man is described as wearing purple and fine linen, emphasizing his wealth and luxurious lifestyle. This usage contrasts with the poor man, Lazarus, highlighting themes of earthly wealth versus spiritual poverty.

The color purple, and by extension πορφυροῦς, carries deep symbolic meaning throughout the Bible, often associated with majesty, sovereignty, and divine authority. Its use in the New Testament serves to draw attention to the contrast between human perceptions of power and the true nature of Christ's kingdom.

Forms and Transliterations

πορφύραν πορφυροίς πορφυρουν πορφυρούν πορφυροῦν porphuroun porphyroun porphyroûn

Englishman's Concordance

John 19:2 Adj-ANS
GRK: καὶ ἱμάτιον πορφυροῦν περιέβαλον αὐτόν
NAS: and put a purple robe
KJV: they put on him a purple robe,
INT: and a robe purple cast around him

John 19:5 Adj-ANS
GRK: καὶ τὸ πορφυροῦν ἱμάτιον καὶ
NAS: of thorns and the purple robe.
KJV: of thorns, and the purple robe. And
INT: and the purple robe and

Revelation 17:4 Adj-ANS
GRK: ἦν περιβεβλημένη πορφυροῦν καὶ κόκκινον
NAS: was clothed in purple and scarlet,
INT: was clothed in purple and scarlet

Revelation 18:16 Adj-ANS
GRK: βύσσινον καὶ πορφυροῦν καὶ κόκκινον
NAS: in fine linen and purple and scarlet,
KJV: fine linen, and purple, and scarlet,
INT: fine linen and purple and scarlet

Strong's Greek 4210
4 Occurrences

πορφυροῦν — 4 Occ.