Reed/stick/pen
κάλαμοςStrong’s G2563kalamos
Appears in 12 verses of the New Testament
In short
Kalamos is the Greek word usually translated “reed”, “on a reed” and “pen”. It appears in 12 verses of the New Testament.
“I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:”
Meaning
Usually translated “reed”, “on a reed” and “pen”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- a reed 5
- reed 3
- with a reed 1
- on a reed 1
- pen 1
- a measuring rod 1
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- Matthew 5
- Revelation 3
- Mark 2
- Luke 1
- 3 John 1
5 books in all.
Explore in Scripture
- Matthew 11:7And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
- Matthew 12:20A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
- Matthew 27:29And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
- Matthew 27:30And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
- Matthew 27:48And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
- Mark 15:19And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.
Greek dictionary
κάλαμος kalamos · reed/stick/pen
κάλαμος, -ου, ὁ [in LXX chiefly for קָנֶה, Isa.42:3, Eze.40:3 ff., al. ;] a reed: Mat.11:7 12:20" (LXX) Luk.7:24; hence, accusative, to its various uses, (a) a reed-pipe, flute; (b) a reed-staff, staff (cf. 4Ki.18:21, ῥάβδος καλαμίνη): Mat.27:29-30, 48, Mrk.15:19, 36; (with) a measuring reed or rod (Ez, l.with): Rev.11:1 21:15-16; (d) a writing reed, a pen: III Jn 13 (cf. Milligan, NTD, 9, 7).† (AS)
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “reed” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
REED, noun
- The common name of many aquatic plants; most of them large grasses, with hollow jointed stems, such as the common reed of the genus Arundo, the bamboo, etc.
- A musical pipe; reeds being anciently used for instruments of music.
- A little tube through which a hautboy, bassoon or clarinet is blown.
- An arrow, as made of a reed headed.
All definitions
- Thatch.
Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.
Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.