Vibrant Truth: χλωρός (Strong’s G5515: chloros) Reveals Creation’s Living Colors

Strong’s G5515: From root χλόη meaning ‘tender green shoot.’ Describes fresh vegetation, pale green color, or living plants. Used metaphorically for vitality and growth. In Revelation, takes on ominous meaning as sickly pale color of death. Essential term in biblical botany and apocalyptic imagery.

U- Unveiling the Word

χλωρός carries profound significance in biblical Greek, primarily denoting the vibrant green of living vegetation. This foundational meaning stems from observing nature’s life cycle, where green represents vitality, growth, and divine provision. In Mark 6:39, it describes the lush grass where Jesus fed the five thousand, highlighting God’s care through creation. However, its meaning evolves dramatically in Revelation, where it describes the pale, sickly color of death, particularly in the fourth horseman’s appearance. This semantic range showcases the word’s versatility in conveying both life and death, reflecting the complex interplay between creation, judgment, and redemption in Scripture.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: χλωρός, chloros, /khlō-ROS/
• Detailed pronunciation: kh (as in Scottish ‘loch’) + lō (as in ‘low’) + ros (as in ‘rose’)
• Part of Speech: Adjective

Etymology:

• Root: χλόη (chloe) – young green shoot or grass
• Suffix: -ρός (-ros) – adjectival suffix indicating state or condition

D – Defining Meanings

• Fresh, green (of vegetation)
• Pale, yellowish-green
• Living, fresh
• Pale (as of death)

For compound words: Not a compound word, but derives from the root χλόη with the common Greek adjectival suffix -ρός

Translation Options:

• “Green” – when referring to vegetation, emphasizing life and vitality
• “Pale” – especially in apocalyptic contexts
• “Fresh” – when describing living plants or vegetation

E – Exploring Similar Words

• πράσινος (prasinos) /PRA-si-nos/ – leek-green, refers specifically to the color – See G4237
• χλόη (chloe) /KHLO-ee/ – tender shoot, young grass – See G5513
• ὠχρός (ochros) /o-KHROS/ – pale, wan – See G5515

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As an adjective, χλωρός follows standard Greek adjectival morphology:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Gender: Masculine, Feminine, Neuter
• Declension: First/Second (2-1-2)

Examples:

• Masculine singular: χλωρός
• Feminine singular: χλωρά
• Neuter singular: χλωρόν
• Masculine plural: χλωροί

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The rich semantic range of χλωρός is thoroughly documented across major lexicons. BDAG emphasizes its primary meaning of “green” in connection with living vegetation, while noting its extension to “pale” in certain contexts. Thayer’s highlights its relationship to fresh growth and its metaphorical applications. LSJ provides extensive classical usage examples, showing its evolution from describing vegetation to broader color applications. Vine’s emphasizes its connection to life and growth in biblical contexts. Moulton and Milligan’s papyrological evidence suggests common usage in agricultural contexts, particularly in describing crops and harvest conditions. This word’s semantic development showcases how biblical authors utilized common terminology to convey both literal and symbolic meanings.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
And He commanded them all to recline by groups on the green [χλωρός] grass. Mark 6:39

Additional References:
Revelation 6:8, Revelation 8:7, Revelation 9:4

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

χλωρός presents a fascinating theological journey from life to death in Scripture. Its primary association with fresh, living vegetation points to God’s provision and care, as seen in the feeding of the five thousand. Yet, in Revelation, it transforms into the pale color of death, showing how the same word can carry both promise and warning. This duality reminds us of the Messiah’s dual nature as both life-giver and judge, offering salvation while warning of judgment. The word teaches us that God’s creation testifies to both His nurturing grace and His ultimate authority over life and death.

D – Did You Know?

• χλωρός is the root of our modern word “chlorophyll,” the green pigment essential for photosynthesis
• In ancient medical texts, χλωρός described the pallor of illness, showing its early connection to medical terminology
• The word appears in both its most positive sense (vibrant life) and most negative sense (death) within the New Testament

Strong’s G5515: From root χλόη meaning ‘tender green shoot.’ Describes fresh vegetation, pale green color, or living plants. Used metaphorically for vitality and growth. In Revelation, takes on ominous meaning as sickly pale color of death. Essential term in biblical botany and apocalyptic imagery.

Part of speech: Adjective

Tags: color, vegetation, life, death, apocalypse, nature, creation, judgment, biblical-greek, revelation, gospel-of-mark​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​