G5357 — φιάλη (phiálē)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G5357
Original: φιάλη
Transliteration: phiálē
Pronunciation: fee-al'-ay
Part of Speech: Feminine noun (n-f)
Root: Uncertain affinity
Occurrences: 12 in NT
First Occurrence: Rev 5:8 — "the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours"
Hapax Legomenon: No — appears 12 times, all in Revelation

Lexicon Definition¶

Of uncertain affinity; a broad shallow cup ("phial"): — vial.

The term describes a wide, flat bowl (a saucer-like vessel), distinct from deep cups or flasks. Used in antiquity for libations and ritual pouring.

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

Domain: 6 — Artifacts
Subdomain: 6.16 — Containers
Other words in subdomain: ἀγγεῖον (G30, vessel), ἀλάβαστρος (G211, alabaster box), ἄντλημα (G502, draw-bucket), ἀσκός (G779, wineskin), βαλλάντιον (G905, purse), γαζοφυλάκιον (G1049, treasury), γλωσσόκομον (G1101, bag), θήκη (G2336, sheath), θησαυρός (G2344, treasure)

UBS Semantic Domains¶

Code	Domain Label	Notes
006	Artifacts	`search_relationships.py` keeps phialē in the artifacts/container field, complementing the narrower Louw-Nida placement under ritual vessels and bowls.

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
vial / vials	12	100%

φιάλη is untranslated by any other English word in the KJV — a uniquely focused term in the NT.

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Revelation	12	3.0

Exclusive to Revelation. The word appears nowhere else in the NT.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Golden Vials of Incense — Prayers of the Saints¶

The first use frames the vials as sacred liturgical vessels before the Lamb, holding the intercessions of God's people as incense.

Rev 5:8 — "the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints"

2. Seven Golden Vials of the Wrath of God¶

The dominant usage: vials filled with divine wrath (θυμός), given to seven angels as the final series of judgments.

Rev 15:7 — "one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever"
Rev 16:1 — "Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth"

3. The Seven Poured-Out Vials — Plagues on the Earth¶

Each vial, when poured, triggers a distinct plague. The pattern is repeated seven times through ch. 16.

Rev 16:2 — "the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast"
Rev 16:3 — "the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man"
Rev 16:4 — "the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood"
Rev 16:17 — "the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done"

4. Vial-Bearing Angels as Prophetic Guides¶

After the plagues, the same angels who carried the vials reveal visions to John — their identity as "vial-angels" authenticates the revelations.

Rev 17:1 — "there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore"
Rev 21:9 — "there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues... Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife"

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
ἑπτά (seven)	G2033	4x (33%)	"seven golden vials" — the numbered set
μέγας (great)	G3173	4x (33%)	"a great voice" following the vial's pouring
γέμω (be full of)	G1073	3x (25%)	"vials full of wrath / odours / plagues" — what the bowl contains
ὕδωρ (water)	G5204	3x (25%)	water/rivers becoming blood when the vial is poured
αἷμα (blood)	G129	2x (17%)	the sea and rivers turn to blood
ἀρνίον (Lamb)	G721	2x (17%)	the vial-bearing elders or angels are before the Lamb

Word Family / Cognates¶

No cognate family identified in the NT. The word is of uncertain affinity; no derived verb, adjective, or compound exists in the biblical text.

Synonyms¶

No direct synonyms were returned by search_relationships.py for G5357.

Antonyms¶

No antonyms were returned by search_relationships.py for G5357.

Easily Confused Words (Containers in the NT)¶

Word	Strong's	Context	Key Difference
ἀλάβαστρος (alabaster box)	G211	Anointing scenes (Matt 26:7; Mark 14:3; Luke 7:37)	A narrow-necked flask for precious ointment, not a ritual pouring vessel
ἀσκός (wineskin)	G779	New wine parables (Matt 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37–38)	A flexible leather bottle for liquids; domestic, not cultic
ἄντλημα (draw-bucket)	G502	John 4:11 — the woman at the well	A tool for drawing water; functional, not ritual
θήκη (sheath)	G2336	John 18:11 — sword sheath	A close-fitting container for a blade, not a bowl

Domain Neighbors (Louw-Nida 6.16 — Containers)¶

Strong's	Word	Verses	Primary KJV	Key Difference from φιάλη
G30	ἀγγεῖον	2	vessels	Generic container; unspecified shape
G211	ἀλάβαστρος	4	alabaster box	Narrow-necked perfume flask, not a bowl
G779	ἀσκός	4	bottles	Flexible leather wineskin; domestic use
G905	βαλλάντιον	4	purse	Bag for money, not a cultic bowl
G2344	θησαυρός	14	treasure	Storage chest or vault, not a vessel

Hebrew Source¶

Hebrew Source	Strong's	Co-occurrences	PMI Score	Notes
מִזְרָק (mizrâq)	H4219	28x	31.39	Primary OT equivalent — bowl for sprinkling in sanctuary service
קְעָרָה (qᵉʻârâh)	H7086	14x	25.01	Charger/dish in Tabernacle offerings (Num 7)
מִשְׁקָל (mishqâl)	H4948	13x	20.65	Weight; appears in offering tallies alongside bowl counts

The primary OT counterpart is H4219 mizrâq — the sanctuary bowl used for receiving and sprinkling blood. The LXX consistently renders it φιάλη, grounding the Revelation imagery in the Hebrew sanctuary's ritual vessels.