Sacrifice¶

Overview¶

The "slaughter / that were slain" concept cluster in the NT (especially Revelation) involves 5 closely related words: the primary slaughter verb, its cognate nouns, the dominant sacrificial image (the Lamb), and the broader sacrifice term.

Word Group Members¶

Strong's	Word	Transliteration	POS	Occurrences	Role in Concept	Library Entry
G4969	σφάζω	spházō	verb	9	The act of slaughtering/butchering	G4969
G4967	σφαγή	sphagḗ	feminine noun	3	The slaughter (the act as noun)	TODO(need G4967 study)
G4968	σφάγιον	sphágion	neuter noun	1	The slaughter animal / sacrificial victim	TODO(need G4968 study)
G721	ἀρνίον	arníon	neuter noun	28	The Lamb — the primary sacrificial image in Revelation	G721
G2380	θύω	thýō	verb	13	Sacrifice — the broader act (slaughter + offer)	TODO(need G2380 study)

Relationships¶

Shared Roots¶

G4969 σφάζω (sphazō), G4967 σφαγή (sphagē), G4968 σφάγιον (sphagion) — all from the root σφάζω; noun forms of the same violent butchering act

Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)¶

Word A	Word B	Shared Verses	Typical Context
G4969 sphazō	G721 arnion	3 (Rev 5:6, 5:12, 13:8)	"the Lamb that was slain" — the slaughtered Lamb
G4969 sphazō	G4967 sphagē	0	—
G4969 sphazō	G2380 thyō	0	—
G4967 sphagē	G721 arnion	0	—

Shared Hebrew Sources (LXX Bridge)¶

Hebrew	Strong's	Bridges to	Notes
שָׁחַט (shachat)	H7819	G4969, G2380	Primary OT slaughter term — used for both ritual sacrifice and massacre
צֹאן (tso'n)	H6629	G2380, G4967	Flock/sheep — the animal being sacrificed

Roles in the Concept¶

The slaughter act (verb): σφάζω (G4969) — the precise act of butchering; used of the Lamb, martyrs, and Cain's murder
The slaughter as event (noun): σφαγή (G4967) — "brought as a lamb to the slaughter" (Acts 8:32 quotes Isa 53:7)
The slaughter victim (noun): σφάγιον (G4968) — the animal being offered; hapax in Acts 7:42
The slaughtered Lamb (image): ἀρνίον (G721) — Revelation's central sacrificial symbol; 28x, almost all in Revelation
The broader sacrifice (verb): θύω (G2380) — sacrifice/offer; covers the full act from killing to presenting; includes the Passover (1 Cor 5:7)

Key Passages Where Group Words Appear Together¶

Rev 5:6 — ἀρνίον (G721) + ἐσφαγμένον (G4969): "a Lamb as it had been slain" — the two words that define the concept's center
Rev 5:12 — ἀρνίον + ἐσφαγμένον: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power"
Rev 13:8 — ἀρνίον + ἐσφαγμένου: "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world"
Acts 8:32 (quotes Isa 53:7) — σφαγή (G4967): "he was led as a sheep to the slaughter"