ἄκρον (akron)
akron
end
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The neuter noun akron refers to the farthest bounds or extreme limit of something. Derived from an adjective meaning "highest" or "extreme," it denotes a physical or conceptual edge, such as the top of a mountain or the end of the earth. In the New Testament, this word appears only four times, primarily in the Synoptic Gospels, where it marks the outermost reaches of creation.
Its usage often highlights the vastness of God’s reach. For instance, Jesus describes gathering the elect from the "four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Matthew 24:31), using the plural form to emphasize total coverage across every boundary. Similarly, in Mark 13:27, the phrase underscores that no distance is too great for divine action. The word conveys a sense of finality and extremity, pointing to limits that define the scope of a situation or territory.
Translators typically render akron as "end" or "extremity," capturing its literal sense of a boundary. Unlike words that imply a temporal conclusion, akron focuses on spatial or structural limits. It serves as a reminder in Scripture that God’s authority spans from the highest peak to the lowest valley, leaving no region beyond His purview.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word akron points to the furthest boundary or extreme limit of something. It describes a physical edge, like the tip of a finger or the farthest corner of the sky. In Scripture, this term reminds us that God’s care reaches every corner of creation. There is no distance too great for His attention and power.
When Jesus spoke of gathering the chosen from one end of the heavens to the other, He used this concept to show total coverage. No matter where you are or how far you feel removed from home, God’s reach extends to that very edge. This assurance brings comfort when we face uncertainty or fear.
We can trust that our lives are held within His sovereign scope. Whether in times of joy or suffering, the same God who spans the heavens is present with you. You are never outside the bounds of His love and knowledge.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- end2×
- top1×
- tip1×
- ends1×
- [the] ends1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἄκρων2×
- ἄκρου2×
- ἄκρον2×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 24:31
He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
This verse uses the plural form to emphasize that God’s gathering power covers every possible boundary from the four winds.
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Mark 13:27
Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.
Here the phrase underscores that no geographic distance is too great for divine action in collecting His people.
-
Luke 16:24
He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’
The singular form refers to the physical tip of a finger, highlighting the precise and tangible nature of human suffering.