What does ἅρπαξ (hárpax) mean in the Bible?
ἅρπαξ (hárpax): One who seizes greedily; a person characterized by violent taking rather than mere dishonesty or greed.
Greek · G727
ἅρπαξ
Rapacious
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ἅρπαξG727
Pronunciationhárpax
What does ἅρπαξ (hárpax) mean in the Bible?
ἅρπαξ (hárpax): One who seizes greedily; a person characterized by violent taking rather than mere dishonesty or greed.
Full entry for ἅρπαξ (G727) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G727?
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include swindlers (3), a swindler (1), ravenous (1).
Where does ἅρπαξ (hárpax) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 7:15. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (3), Luke (1), Matthew (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 Itswindlers3×Luke 18:11, 1 Corinthians 5:10, 1 Corinthians 6:10
a swindler1×1 Corinthians 5:11
ravenous1×Matthew 7:15
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 7:15ἅρπαγεςtoravenousAdjective - Nominative Masculine PluralLuke 18:11ἅρπαγεςtoswindlersAdjective - Nominative Masculine Plural1 Corinthians 5:10ἅρπαξινtoswindlersAdjective - Dative Masculine Plural1 Corinthians 5:11ἅρπαξtoa swindlerAdjective - Nominative Masculine Singular1 Corinthians 6:10ἅρπαγεςtoswindlersAdjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowMatthew 7:15
Aligned rows5
Books represented3
Matthew1Luke11 Corinthians3
Source forms
ἅρπαγες3xharpagesMatthew 7:15, Luke 18:11, 1 Corinthians 6:10
ἅρπαξ1xharpax1 Corinthians 5:11
ἅρπαξιν1xharpaxin1 Corinthians 5:10
Parsing patterns
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural3xMatthew 7:15, Luke 18:11, 1 Corinthians 6:10
Adjective - Dative Masculine Plural1x1 Corinthians 5:10
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular1x1 Corinthians 5:11
Evidence Summary
Greek word. One who seizes greedily; a person characterized by violent taking rather than mere dishonesty or greed.
Strong'sG727
Lexical occurrences5 versesGreek text appearances5 timesWord forms3 forms5 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkMatthew 7:15Source Gloss
rapacious
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
One who seizes greedily; a person characterized by violent taking rather than mere dishonesty or greed.
(ἁρπάζω), [in LXX: Gen.49:27 (טָרַף) * ;] rapacious: Mat.7:15, Luk.18:11; as subst., a swindler, an extortioner (MM, see word), 1Co.5:10-11 6:10.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
5 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 7:15Adjective Nominative Plural Masculine
ἅρπαγες.arpagev
rapacious, ravenous, a robber, an extortioner
Read verseLuke 18:11Adjective Nominative Plural Masculine
ἅρπαγες,arpagev
rapacious, ravenous, a robber, an extortioner
Read verse1 Corinthians 5:10Adjective Dative Plural Masculine
ἅρπαξιν,arpaxin
rapacious, ravenous, a robber, an extortioner
Read verse1 Corinthians 5:11Adjective Nominative Singular Masculine
ἅρπαξ·arpax
rapacious, ravenous, a robber, an extortioner
Read verse1 Corinthians 6:10Adjective Nominative Plural Masculine
ἅρπαγες,arpagev
rapacious, ravenous, a robber, an extortioner
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 3 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 patterns3Aligned forms5Case patternNominative (4)Number patternPlural (4)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Nominative · Plural · MasculineMatt 7:15 · Luke 18:11 · 1 Cor 6:103×
Nominative · Singular · Masculine1 Cor 5:111×
Dative · Plural · Masculine1 Cor 5:101×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
False prophets described as rapacious wolves in sheep's clothing
Pharisee contrasts himself with extortioners and other wicked persons
Swindlers and extortioners whom believers should not associate with
Rapacious persons excluded from inheriting the kingdom of God
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 5 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
ἅρπαξ is built from this root: