What does πικραίνω (pikraínō) mean in the Bible?
πικραίνω (pikraínō): To embitter someone relationally; in NT, typically describes spoiling marital harmony through harsh treatment.
Greek · G4087
πικραίνω
To embitter (literally or figuratively)
Reading a lexicon entry
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πικραίνωG4087
Pronunciationpikraínō
What does πικραίνω (pikraínō) mean in the Bible?
πικραίνω (pikraínō): To embitter someone relationally; in NT, typically describes spoiling marital harmony through harsh treatment.
Full entry for πικραίνω (G4087) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G4087?
The BSB source-word alignment has 4 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include be harsh (1), bitter (1), It will make (1), turned bitter (1).
Where does πικραίνω (pikraínō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Colossians 3:19. Its strongest book concentrations include Revelation (3), Colossians (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itbe harsh1×Colossians 3:19
bitter1×Revelation 8:11
It will make1×Revelation 10:9
turned bitter1×Revelation 10:10
Show sample aligned rows
Colossians 3:19πικραίνεσθεtobe harshVerb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person PluralRevelation 8:11ἐπικράνθησανtobitterVerb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person PluralRevelation 10:9πικρανεῖtoIt will makeVerb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularRevelation 10:10ἐπικράνθηtoturned bitterVerb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowColossians 3:19
Aligned rows4
Books represented2
Colossians1Revelation3
Source forms
ἐπικράνθη1xepikranthēRevelation 10:10
ἐπικράνθησαν1xepikranthēsanRevelation 8:11
πικραίνεσθε1xpikrainestheColossians 3:19
πικρανεῖ1xpikraneiRevelation 10:9
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural1xRevelation 8:11
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular1xRevelation 10:10
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular1xRevelation 10:9
Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural1xColossians 3:19
Evidence Summary
Greek word. To embitter someone relationally; in NT, typically describes spoiling marital harmony through harsh treatment.
Strong'sG4087
Lexical occurrences4 versesGreek text appearances4 timesWord forms2 forms4 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Source Gloss
to embitter (literally or figuratively)
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
To embitter someone relationally; in NT, typically describes spoiling marital harmony through harsh treatment.
(πικρός), [in LXX for מָרַד, קָצַף, etc. ;] to make bitter: Rev.10:9; pass., Rev.8:11 10:10; metaphorically, to embitter (LXX) : pass., before πρός, Col.3:19.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
4 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Colossians 3:19Verb Second Person Plural Present Passive Imperative
πικραίνεσθεpikrainesqe
I embitter
Read verseRevelation 8:11Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Passive Indicative
ἐπικράνθησαν.epikranqhsan
I embitter
Read verseRevelation 10:9Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
πικρανεῖpikranei
I embitter
Read verseRevelation 10:10Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Passive Indicative
ἐπικράνθηepikranqh
I embitter
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups2Aligned forms4TensesPresent, Aorist, FutureVoicesPassive, Active
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Imperativecommand or strong request1×
Present PassiveCol 3:191×
Indicativestates a fact or reality3×
Aorist PassiveRev 8:11 · Rev 10:102×
Future ActiveRev 10:91×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 4 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist2present1future1
Voice
passive3active1
Mood
indicative3imperative1
NT Occurrences
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Word Origins
πικραίνω is built from this root: