The Hearing Scripture Lexicon
Every word, what it carried
A complete index of the Hebrew and Greek words behind the English Bible. Each entry gives the standard reference data — original-language form, transliteration, definition, English renderings — with a special treatment, where available, of what the first audience would have heard when the word landed in their ears.
Featured words
Words that are the subject of a Hearing Scripture deep-dive chapter. Click through to the lexicon entry, or jump straight to the chapter that walks the word in full.
- Ἀββᾶ Abbâ father as a vocative
- ἀγαθός agathós "good" (in any sense, often as noun)
- αἴρω aírō to lift up; by implication, to take up or away; figuratively, to raise (the voice), keep…
- ἀληθινός alēthinós truthful
- ἁμαρτία hamartía a sin (properly abstract)
- ἀμνός amnós a lamb
- ἄμπελος ámpelos a vine (as coiling about a support)
- ἀναβαίνω anabaínō to go up (literally or figuratively)
- ἀνάστασις anástasis a standing up again, i.e. (literally) a resurrection from death (individual, genitive…
- ἄνθρωπος ánthrōpos from G3700 (ὀπτάνομαι)); man-faced, i.e. a human being
- ἀπάντησις apántēsis a (friendly) encounter
- ἀπαύγασμα apaúgasma an off-flash, i.e. effulgence
- ἀποκάλυψις apokálypsis disclosure
- ἀποστέλλω apostéllō set apart, i.e. (by implication) to send out (properly, on a mission) literally or…
- ἀπόστολος apóstolos a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ…
- ἅπτομαι háptomai properly, to attach oneself to, i.e. to touch (in many implied relations)
- ἀρνίον arníon a lambkin
- ἄρτος ártos bread (as raised) or a loaf
- ἀρχή archḗ (properly abstract) a commencement, or (concretely) chief (in various applications of…
- ἄχρηστος áchrēstos inefficient, i.e. (by implication) detrimental
- βασιλεία basileía properly, royalty, i.e. (abstractly) rule, or (concretely) a realm (literally or…
- βασιλεύς basileús a sovereign (abstractly, relatively, or figuratively)
- βίος bíos life, i.e. (literally) the present state of existence; by implication, the means of…
- βλέπω blépō to look at (literally or figuratively)
- γεννάω gennáō to procreate (properly, of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively, to…
- γένος génos "kin" (abstract or concrete, literal or figurative, individual or collective)
- γεωργός geōrgós a land-worker, i.e. farmer
- γίνομαι gínomai to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with…
- γινώσκω ginṓskō to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as…
- διά diá through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional)
- δίδωμι dídōmi to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or…
- διερμηνεύω diermēneúō to explain thoroughly, by implication, to translate
- δόξα dóxa glory (as very apparent), in a wide application (literal or figurative, objective or…
- δύναμαι dýnamai to be able or possible
- δύναμις dýnamis force (literally or figuratively); specially, miraculous power (usually by implication…
- ἐγώ egṓ
- εἰκών eikṓn a likeness, i.e. (literally) statue, profile, or (figuratively) representation…
- εἰμί eimí I exist (used only when emphatic)
- εἷς heîs one
- ἐκπειράζω ekpeirázō to test thoroughly
- ἐμφυσάω emphysáō to blow at or on
- ἐξηγέομαι exēgéomai to consider out (aloud), i.e. rehearse, unfold
- ἐπικαλέομαι epikaléomai to entitle; by implication, to invoke (for aid, worship, testimony, decision, etc.)
- ἐπιούσιος epioúsios tomorrow's; but more probably from G1909 (ἐπί) and a derivative of the present…
- ἑρμηνεύω hermēneúō to translate
- εὐχαριστία eucharistía gratitude; actively, grateful language (to God, as an act of worship)
- εὔχρηστος eúchrēstos easily used, i.e. useful
- ζωή zōḗ life (literally or figuratively)
- ἦν ēn I (thou, etc.) was (wast or were)
- θεάομαι theáomai to look closely at, i.e. (by implication) perceive (literally or figuratively); by…
- θεός theós figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very
- θύρα thýra a portal or entrance (the opening or the closure, literally or figuratively)
- ἴδε íde used as an interjection to denote surprise; lo!
- Ἰσραήλ Israḗl Israel (i.e. Jisrael), the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants (literally…
- καθώς kathṓs just (or inasmuch) as, that
- καλός kalós
- κάμηλος kámēlos a "camel"
- καταβαίνω katabaínō to descend (literally or figuratively)
- καταβολή katabolḗ a deposition, i.e. founding; figuratively, conception
- κοινωνία koinōnía partnership, i.e. (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary)…
- κόλπος kólpos the bosom; by analogy, a bay
- κόσμος kósmos orderly arrangement, i.e. decoration; by implication, the world (in a wide or narrow…
- κρείττων kreíttōn stronger, i.e. (figuratively) better, i.e. nobler
- κρίνω krínō by implication, to try, condemn, punish
- κύριος kýrios supreme in authority, i.e. (as noun) controller; by implication, Master (as a respectful…
- λόγος lógos something said (including the thought); by implication, a topic (subject of discourse)…
- μακάριος makários supremely blest; by extension, fortunate, well off
- μείζων meízōn larger (literally or figuratively, specially, in age)
- μένω ménō to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy)
- μέρος méros a division or share (literally or figuratively, in a wide application)
- μονογενής monogenḗs only-born, i.e. sole
- μόνος mónos remaining, i.e. sole or single; by implication, mere
- ὁδός hodós a road; by implication, a progress (the route, act or distance); figuratively, a mode or…
- οἶκος oîkos a dwelling (more or less extensive, literal or figurative); by implication, a family…
- ὄνομα ónoma a "name" (literally or figuratively) (authority, character)
- οὐσία ousía substance, i.e. property (possessions)
- ὀφείλημα opheílēma something owed, i.e. (figuratively) a due; morally, a fault
- παρά pará properly, near; i.e. (with genitive case) from beside (literally or figuratively), (with…
- παράκλητος paráklētos an intercessor, consoler
- παρθένος parthénos a maiden; by implication, an unmarried daughter
- παρουσία parousía a being near, i.e. advent (often, return; specially, of Christ to punish Jerusalem, or…
- πειράζω peirázō to test (objectively), i.e. endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline
- πειρασμός peirasmós a putting to proof (by experiment (of good), experience (of evil), solicitation…
- πιστεύω pisteúō to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by…
- πνεῦμα pneûma a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit…
- ποιμήν poimḗn a shepherd (literally or figuratively)
- πονηρός ponērós hurtful, i.e. evil (properly, in effect or influence, and thus differing from G2556…
- πρός prós a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. toward (with the genitive case, the side…
- σάρξ sárx flesh (as stripped of the skin), i.e. (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by…
- σημεῖον sēmeîon an indication, especially ceremonially or supernaturally
- σκηνή skēnḗ a tent or cloth hut (literally or figuratively)
- σκηνόω skēnóō to tent or encamp, i.e. (figuratively) to occupy (as a mansion) or (specially), to…
- σπέρμα spérma something sown, i.e. seed (including the male "sperm"); by implication, offspring…
- σῶμα sōma the body (as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively
- ταπείνωσις tapeínōsis depression (in rank or feeling)
- τελειόω teleióō to complete, i.e. (literally) accomplish, or (figuratively) consummate (in character)
- υἱός huiós a "son" (sometimes of animals), used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively…
- φωτίζω phōtízō to shed rays, i.e. to shine or (transitively) to brighten up (literally or figuratively)
- χαρακτήρ charaktḗr a graver (the tool or the person), i.e. (by implication) engraving (("character"), the…
- χάρις cháris graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal…
- χρηστός chrēstós employed, i.e. (by implication) useful (in manner or morals)
- Χριστός Christós anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus
- ψυχή psychḗ breath, i.e. (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient…
- אָדָם ʼâdâm ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
- אֶחָד ʼechâd properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
- אֵל ʼêl strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity)
- אֱלֹהִים ʼĕlôhîym gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with…
- אֶמֶת ʼemeth stability; (figuratively) certainty, truth, trustworthiness
- אֲנִי ʼănîy I
- אֱנָשׁ ʼĕnâsh a man
- אֶשֶׁר ʼesher happiness; only in masculine plural construction as interjection, how happy!
- בֵּן bên a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative…
- בַּר bar a son, grandson, etc.
- בָּשָׂר bâsâr flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the…
- בְּתוּלָה bᵉthûwlâh a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a…
- גָּמָל gâmâl a camel
- דָּבָר dâbâr a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
- הוּא hûwʼ he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self…
- הָיָה hâyâh to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or…
- חֵסֵד chêçêd kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or…
- יִרְאָה yirʼâh fear (also used as infinitive); morally, reverence
- כָּבוֹד kâbôwd properly, weight, but only figuratively in a good sense, splendor or copiousness
- לֶחֶם lechem food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)
- מַלְכוּ malkûw dominion (abstractly or concretely)
- מַלְכוּת malkûwth a rule; concretely, a dominion
- מָשִׁיחַ mâshîyach anointed; usually a consecrated person (as a king, priest, or saint); specifically, the…
- מִשְׁכָּן mishkân a residence (including a shepherd's hut, the lair of animals, figuratively, the grave…
- עֵזֶר ʻêzer aid
- עַלְמָה ʻalmâh a lass (as veiled or private)
- רוּחַ rûwach wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively…
- שָׁכַן shâkan to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively)
About this lexicon
The foundational reference data — original-language form, transliteration, pronunciation, definition, and the list of distinct English words the KJV uses to translate each entry — is adapted from James Strong's Concise Dictionary (1894, public domain) via the OpenScriptures Strong's project (CC BY-SA 4.0).
What makes this lexicon different is the Hearing Scripture treatment: for each word that has a deep-dive chapter, the entry links to a long-form walk through what that word meant to its first audience. Featured entries are gradually being upgraded with a per-entry "what they heard" passage that distills the chapter's argument to a few hundred words alongside the reference data.