WG: Sword¶
Overview¶
The "sword" concept in the NT draws on two distinct Greek words — rhomphaia and machaira — along with descriptors and associated verbs that form the "sword from Christ's mouth" image in Revelation. The group captures both the physical weapon and its metaphorical force as the divine word of judgment.
Word Group Members¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | POS | Occurrences | Role in Concept | Library Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G4501 | ῥομφαία | rhomphaia | noun | 7 | The large broadsword — Christ's weapon of mouth-borne judgment | G4501 |
| G3162 | μάχαιρα | machaira | noun | 26 | The common short sword — general NT usage including "sword of the Spirit" | TODO(need G3162 study) |
| G3691 | ὀξύς | oxys | adj | 7 | Sharp — primary descriptor of rhomphaia in Revelation | TODO(need G3691 study) |
| G1366 | δίστομος | distomos | adj | 3 | Two-edged — qualifies both rhomphaia (Rev) and machaira (Heb 4:12) | TODO(need G1366 study) |
| G4750 | στόμα | stoma | noun | 72 | Mouth — the source from which the rhomphaia proceeds | G4750 |
| G1607 | ἐκπορεύομαι | ekporeuomai | verb | 34 | Proceed out — the sword "goes out" from Christ's mouth | TODO(need G1607 study) |
Relationships¶
Shared Hebrew Source¶
Both rhomphaia (G4501) and machaira (G3162) primarily translate חֶרֶב (chereb, H2719) from the LXX. They overlap in representing the same Hebrew word, yet the NT authors choose between them deliberately: - machaira = ordinary sword, including figurative uses (Peter's sword, the Spirit's sword in Eph 6:17) - rhomphaia = the Revelation sword from Christ's mouth; the sole Lukan use (soul-piercing prophecy)
Co-occurrence (shared distinct verses)¶
| Word A | Word B | Shared | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| G4501 rhomphaia | G4750 stoma | 4 | "out of his mouth went a sharp sword" |
| G4501 rhomphaia | G3691 oxys | 3 | "a sharp sword" (Rev 1:16, 2:12, 19:15) |
| G4501 rhomphaia | G1607 ekporeuomai | 3 | sword proceeding from Christ's mouth |
| G4501 rhomphaia | G1366 distomos | 2 | "sharp twoedged sword" (Rev 1:16, 2:12) |
| G3691 oxys | G1366 distomos | 2 | "sharp twoedged" in same verse |
| G3162 machaira | G4750 stoma | 2 | Luk 21:24 (edge of the sword) |
| G3162 machaira | G1366 distomos | 1 | Heb 4:12 "sharper than any twoedged sword" |
Roles in the Concept¶
- Instrument (large): rhomphaia (ῥομφαία) — the apocalyptic broadsword, the word of divine judgment proceeding from Christ
- Instrument (common): machaira (μάχαιρα) — the everyday short sword, also used for the Spirit's sword in Eph 6
- Quality 1: oxys (ὀξύς) — sharp, emphasizing the cutting power of the judgment-word
- Quality 2: distomos (δίστομος) — two-edged, emphasizing that the sword cuts in every direction (no escape)
- Source: stoma (στόμα) — the mouth, the origin from which the sword issues
- Action: ekporeuomai (ἐκπορεύομαι) — the proceeding out, the active going-forth of the word
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together¶
- Rev 1:16 — rhomphaia + oxys + distomos + stoma + ekporeuomai (all 5 content words together) "out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword"
- Rev 2:12 — rhomphaia + oxys + distomos "he which hath the sharp sword with two edges"
- Rev 19:15 — rhomphaia + oxys + stoma + ekporeuomai "out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations"
- Heb 4:12 — machaira + distomos (machaira as "twoedged") "sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit"
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, gather_word_data.py Last updated: 2026-04-02