ἄζυμος (azumos)
azumos
unleavened
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 9 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek word azumos describes something unleavened, specifically bread made without yeast. In the New Testament, it appears in contexts surrounding the Passover meal, such as when Jesus and his disciples prepare for the Last Supper (Mark 14:1; Luke 22:7). The term directly translates the Hebrew matzah, preserving the historical connection to the haste of the Exodus, where there was no time for dough to rise.
Beyond its literal culinary sense, the word carries a strong metaphorical weight in Paul’s writing. In 1 Corinthians 5:8, he urges believers to live as "unleavened" people, using the absence of yeast as a symbol for moral purity and freedom from sin. This figurative use transforms a simple ingredient into a spiritual standard, suggesting that just as a small amount of leaven affects the whole batch, so too can corruption spread if left unchecked.
Etymologically, azumos is a compound formed from the negative prefix a- and zymē, meaning "leaven." This structure emphasizes a state of being free from fermentation. Translators typically render it as "unleavened" to maintain this distinction, though some versions simplify it to "flatbread" or "cakes" for clarity. The consistent thread across these uses is the idea of integrity and lack of hidden corruption.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word azumos refers to bread made without yeast, a staple during the ancient Jewish celebration of Passover. This specific type of bread recalls the haste of the Israelites’ departure from Egypt, when there was no time for dough to rise. In the New Testament, this historical detail sets the stage for Jesus’ Last Supper, linking the physical meal to the profound spiritual reality of His coming sacrifice.
Paul expands this imagery in 1 Corinthians, urging believers to live with moral integrity. He suggests that just as a small amount of yeast permeates dough, sin can quietly spread through a community if ignored. By calling Christians "unleavened," he invites us to examine our hearts, removing hidden bitterness or pride. This metaphor encourages a life marked by sincerity and truth, reflecting the purity found in Christ.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 9 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- unleavened [bread]2×
- of Unleavened [Bread]2×
- unleavened;1×
- of unleavened [bread],1×
- [Feast of] Unleavened Bread1×
- Unleavened [Bread] —1×
- Unleavened Bread1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀζύμων4×
- ἀζύμων,2×
- ἄζυμοι·1×
- ἄζυμα1×
- ἀζύμοις1×
Key Verses
-
I Corinthians 5:8
Therefore let’s keep the feast, not with old yeast, neither with the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Paul uses the term metaphorically to urge believers to maintain moral integrity by rejecting malice and wickedness.
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Matthew 26:17
Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
This verse establishes the historical setting of the Last Supper, grounding the event in the Jewish festival of Unleavened Bread.
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I Corinthians 5:7
Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place.
Paul connects the concept directly to Christ’s sacrifice, identifying Jesus as the true Passover lamb who has been slain.