Brief Overview of πληγή (Strong’s G4127: plēgē)

Strong’s G4127: A noun meaning “a blow, stroke, wound,” or by extension, “a plague or calamity.” In ancient Greek culture, it described physical injuries and divine judgments. In New Testament usage, it appears in contexts of both human suffering and divine intervention, particularly in Revelation.

U- Unveiling the Word

πληγή encompasses both physical wounds and divine judgment. In the New Testament, it first appears in Jesus’s parable of the Good Samaritan, describing the victim’s wounds, but takes on apocalyptic significance in Revelation as divine plagues. Early church fathers saw multiple layers of meaning: physical suffering, spiritual wounds from sin, and God’s corrective judgments. Today, it helps us understand both human suffering and divine discipline, while pointing to Christ who bears our wounds for healing.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: πληγή, plēgē, /play-GAY/
• Detailed pronunciation: play-GAY (emphasis on second syllable)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• Root: πληγ- (plēg-) meaning “to strike”
• Suffix: -η (-ē) feminine noun ending
• Related to πλήσσω (plēssō), “to strike”

D – Defining Meanings

• Wound
• Blow, strike
• Plague, calamity

For compound words: Not a compound word, but serves as root for many compounds

Translation Options:

• Wound – Physical injury context
• Plague – Divine judgment context
• Stroke – General strike or blow

E – Exploring Similar Words

• τραῦμα (trauma) /TROW-mah/ – wound, specifically injury
  See G5134
• μάστιξ (mastix) /MASS-tix/ – scourge, punishment
  See G3148

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Noun Features:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: First

Examples:
Nominative: πληγή
Genitive: πληγῆς
Dative: πληγῇ
Accusative: πληγήν

• Cross-references to verb πλήσσω and related compounds

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes both physical and metaphorical meanings. Thayer’s notes its range from wounds to divine judgments. LSJ documents medical and military usage. Vine’s highlights its apocalyptic significance. Strong’s connects it to both injury and judgment. LEH provides Septuagint usage in plague narratives. Moulton and Milligan cite medical papyri examples.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead with wounds.” Luke 10:30

Additional References:
Acts 16:23, Acts 16:33, Revelation 9:18, Revelation 11:6, Revelation 13:3, Revelation 13:12, Revelation 15:1

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

πληγή reminds us that while suffering is real—whether from human violence or divine judgment—healing comes through Christ who was wounded for our transgressions. The Good Samaritan narrative shows us how to respond to others’ wounds with compassion, while Revelation reminds us that God’s judgments serve His ultimate purposes of redemption.

D – Did You Know?

1. Ancient medical texts used this term for specific wound classifications.
2. Early Christian art often depicted Christ’s πληγαί (plural) with special significance.
3. The word influenced modern medical terminology through Latin translations.

Strong’s G4127: A noun denoting wound, blow, or plague, used in contexts from physical injury to divine judgment. In New Testament usage, it spans from the personal suffering in the Good Samaritan parable to the cosmic judgments in Revelation.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: wounds, plagues, judgment, suffering, Good Samaritan, Revelation, apocalyptic, healing, divine discipline, biblical Greek, medical terms, violence​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​