What does χεῖλος (cheîlos) mean in the Bible?
χεῖλος (cheîlos): Lip as organ of speech; metaphorically, edge or boundary of physical objects like shorelines.
Greek · G5491
χεῖλος
A lip (as a pouring place); figuratively, a margin (of water)
Reading a lexicon entry
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χεῖλοςG5491
Pronunciationcheîlos
What does χεῖλος (cheîlos) mean in the Bible?
χεῖλος (cheîlos): Lip as organ of speech; metaphorically, edge or boundary of physical objects like shorelines.
Full entry for χεῖλος (G5491) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G5491?
The BSB source-word alignment has 7 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include lips (4), [his] lips (1), of lips (1), seashore (1).
Where does χεῖλος (cheîlos) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 15:8. Its strongest book concentrations include Hebrews (2), 1 Corinthians (1), 1 Peter (1), Mark (1).
Are there verse guides for χεῖλος (cheîlos)?
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itlips4×Matthew 15:8, Mark 7:6, Romans 3:13, 1 Corinthians 14:21
[his] lips1×1 Peter 3:10
of lips1×Hebrews 13:15
seashore1×Hebrews 11:12
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 15:8χείλεσίνtolipsNoun - Dative Neuter PluralMark 7:6χείλεσίνtolipsNoun - Dative Neuter PluralRomans 3:13χείληtolipsNoun - Accusative Neuter Plural1 Corinthians 14:21χείλεσινtolipsNoun - Dative Neuter PluralHebrews 11:12χεῖλοςtoseashoreNoun - Accusative Neuter SingularHebrews 13:15χειλέωνtoof lipsNoun - Genitive Neuter Plural1 Peter 3:10χείληto[his] lipsNoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowMatthew 15:8
Aligned rows7
Books represented6
Matthew1Mark1Romans11 Corinthians1Hebrews21 Peter1
Source forms
χείλεσίν2xcheilesinMatthew 15:8, Mark 7:6
χείλη2xcheilēRomans 3:13, 1 Peter 3:10
χείλεσιν1xcheilesin1 Corinthians 14:21
χειλέων1xcheileōnHebrews 13:15
χεῖλος1xcheilosHebrews 11:12
Parsing patterns
Noun - Dative Neuter Plural3xMatthew 15:8, Mark 7:6, 1 Corinthians 14:21
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural2xRomans 3:13, 1 Peter 3:10
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular1xHebrews 11:12
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural1xHebrews 13:15
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Lip as organ of speech; metaphorically, edge or boundary of physical objects like shorelines.
Source Gloss
a lip (as a pouring place); figuratively, a margin (of water)
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
7 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 15:8Noun Dative Plural Neuter
χείλεσίceilesin
a lip, mouth, shore
Read verseMark 7:6Noun Dative Plural Neuter
χείλεσίceilesin
a lip, mouth, shore
Read verseceilh
a lip, mouth, shore
Read verse1 Corinthians 14:21Noun Dative Plural Neuter
χείλεσινceilesin
a lip, mouth, shore
Read verseHebrews 11:12Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
χεῖλοςceilov
a lip, mouth, shore
Read verseHebrews 13:15Noun Genitive Plural Neuter
χειλέωνceilewn
a lip, mouth, shore
Read verse1 Peter 3:10Noun Accusative Plural Neuter
χείληceilh
a lip, mouth, shore
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 this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 4 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns4Aligned forms7Case patternAccusative (3)Number patternPlural (6)
Genitive · Plural · NeuterHeb 13:151×
Dative · Plural · NeuterMatt 15:8 · Mark 7:6 · 1 Cor 14:213×
Accusative · Singular · NeuterHeb 11:121×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Lips as the organ of speech, emphasis on restraint and wisdom
Lips as instrument of speech producing satisfaction and reward
Lips as productive source of consequences, life and death through speech
Lips associated with heart wisdom, making speech persuasive and instructive
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 7 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
χεῖλος is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.