ἀμπελών (ampelōn)
ampelōn
vineyard
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 21 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun ampelōn refers to a vineyard, an enclosed plot of land dedicated to growing grapevines. It derives from the word for the vine itself (ampelos), marking it as the specific place where the plant is cultivated rather than just the plant in isolation. In the New Testament, this term appears twenty-one times, primarily within the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, with a single occurrence in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.
Lexical sources note that ampelōn translates the Hebrew word kerem found in the Septuagint, linking it to the rich agricultural imagery of the Old Testament. The term carries significant weight in Jesus’ parables, serving as the setting for critical teachings about stewardship and judgment. For instance, in Matthew 21:33-41, the vineyard represents Israel under God’s care, and the tenants’ rejection of the owner’s son highlights the consequences of failing to honor divine authority.
Historical documents from the Ptolemaic period show that ampelōn was a common term in everyday Greek usage, appearing in legal texts regarding land taxes and property. This background helps clarify its use in 1 Corinthians 9:7, where Paul asks if anyone serves as a soldier at his own expense or plants a vineyard without eating its fruit. The word grounds spiritual arguments in the tangible reality of agricultural labor and ownership.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for vineyard in Greek, ampelōn, points to a specific place of cultivation rather than just the plant itself. It reminds us that faith is not merely about holding beliefs, but about living in a space where God’s care and our labor meet. In the Gospels, Jesus uses this image to show how God invites us into His work, trusting us with responsibilities that yield fruit for others.
When we read of tenants in a vineyard or workers hired at different hours, we see a picture of grace that defies human logic. The owner pays those who worked only an hour the same wage as those who toiled all day, showing that God’s generosity is not bound by our sense of fairness. This invites us to rest in His kindness rather than striving to earn our place.
Paul also uses this term to explain the rights of those who serve in ministry, noting that a planter has a natural right to eat the fruit. This grounds spiritual leadership in tangible reality and mutual care. It encourages us to support those who feed us spiritually, recognizing that their labor is real and their needs are valid.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 21 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- vineyard11×
- a vineyard3×
- vineyard?2×
- vineyard.2×
- vineyard,2×
- vineyard’1×
- vineyard;1×
- A vineyard1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀμπελῶνα10×
- ἀμπελῶνος4×
- ἀμπελῶνος;2×
- ἀμπελῶνος.2×
- ἀμπελῶνι2×
- ἀμπελῶνος·1×
- ἀμπελῶνος,1×
- ἀμπελῶνα,1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 21:33
“Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it, dug a wine press in it, built a tower, leased it out to farmers, and went into another country.
This verse sets the stage for Jesus’ parable of the wicked tenants, establishing the vineyard as a symbol of God’s covenant people under His careful preparation and protection.
-
Matthew 20:8
“When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’
Here the lord of the vineyard commands payment to begin with the last hired, highlighting the unexpected generosity that characterizes God’s kingdom economy.
-
Luke 13:6
He spoke this parable. “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
The fig tree planted in the vineyard illustrates God’s patience and the expectation of fruitfulness from those who dwell in His care.
-
I Corinthians 9:7
What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn’t eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn’t drink from the flock’s milk?
Paul uses the vineyard as a common-sense analogy to argue that those who sow spiritual seeds have a right to material support from those they serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ampelōn mean in the New Testament?
Why does Jesus use a vineyard in His parables?
How is ampelōn different from ampelos?
Where else does this word appear besides the Gospels?
Every Occurrence (21 verses across 4 books)
Matthew 10 verses
“For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire…
Matthew 20:2When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Matthew 20:4He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went their way.
Matthew 20:7“They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ “He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will…
Matthew 20:8“When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages,…
Matthew 21:28But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’
Matthew 21:33“Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it,…
Matthew 21:39So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard, then killed him.
Matthew 21:40When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?”
Matthew 21:41They told him, “He will miserably destroy those miserable men, and will lease out the vineyard to other farmers who…