ἄμπελος (ampelos)
ampelos
vine
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 9 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek noun ampelos simply means "vine," serving as the direct equivalent of the Hebrew gefen found in the Old Testament. In the Gospels, Jesus uses this common agricultural image to describe his final meal with the disciples, promising to drink wine from the vine again in his Father’s kingdom (Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25). James also employs it metaphorically to illustrate how a single plant cannot produce both sweet fruit and bitter water (James 3:12).
The word carries significant theological weight in John 15, where Jesus identifies himself as the true vine. Here, the imagery shifts from a simple plant to a vital source of life; believers are described as branches that must remain connected to him to bear fruit. This intimate union emphasizes dependence rather than independent effort.
Revelation offers a contrasting use of the term, depicting a great winepress where the grapes of the earth are harvested and trampled (Revelation 14:18-19). While John’s Gospel highlights life and connection, this apocalyptic passage uses the vine to symbolize judgment. Across these texts, ampelos consistently points to the source from which fruitfulness flows.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ampelos, meaning vine, appears in Scripture as a powerful picture of connection and life. In John’s Gospel, Jesus calls Himself the true vine, inviting believers to remain united with Him like branches on a plant. This imagery reminds us that spiritual fruitfulness does not come from our own strength but from staying close to Christ. When we feel weak or ineffective, this image offers comfort: our value lies in our relationship with Him, not in our performance.
While the New Testament often uses the vine to show intimacy and dependence, it also appears in contexts of judgment, such as in Revelation where grapes are harvested for God’s wrath. This contrast shows that the same source can bring life or consequence depending on how we respond to God. For daily faith, this means trusting in His provision rather than striving for self-sufficiency. It is an invitation to rest in His care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 9 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- vine6×
- vine,2×
- a vine1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀμπέλου4×
- ἄμπελος2×
- ἄμπελος,1×
- ἄμπελον1×
- ἀμπέλῳ,1×
Key Verses
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John 15:1
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer.
Jesus uses this term to identify Himself as the source of spiritual life, establishing the foundation for the metaphor of believers as branches.
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John 15:5
I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
This verse explicitly links the word to the necessity of abiding in Christ to produce any meaningful spiritual fruit.
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Matthew 26:29
But I tell you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”
Jesus references the fruit of the vine at the Last Supper to point toward future restoration and fellowship in God's Kingdom.
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Revelation of John 14:18
Another angel came out from the altar, he who has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Send your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for the earth’s grapes are fully ripe!”
Here the vine represents judgment, showing how the same agricultural image can symbolize divine assessment rather than blessing.