ἁρπαγή (harpagē)
harpagē
plunder
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun harpagē describes the concrete act of seizing property by force, translating to plunder, robbery, or spoil. It derives from the verb harpazō, meaning to snatch or grab, and carries a heavy weight of violent theft rather than simple loss. In the Gospels, Jesus uses this term when criticizing religious leaders who clean the outside of cups while leaving the inside full of extortion and harpagē (Matthew 23:25; Luke 11:39). Here, it highlights a deep moral corruption where outward piety masks inner greed.
The word appears three times in the New Testament, including Hebrews 10:34. In that context, believers are reminded of their earlier suffering, where they endured the confiscation of their possessions with joy. The text notes they accepted this loss willingly, showing they trusted in a better, enduring future rather than clinging to material security. This usage shifts the focus from the violence of the thieves to the steadfast faith of those who lost everything.
Unlike words for general theft or fraud, harpagē implies a sudden, aggressive taking. It captures the shock and injustice of being stripped of what is one’s own. The sources do not link it to legal disputes but to the raw reality of loss through force. This distinction helps readers see why Jesus condemns it so sharply in the temple context—it represents a violation of trust and justice that goes beyond mere dishonesty.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word harpagē captures the sharp sting of having something taken by force. It is not a quiet loss but a violent seizure, leaving the victim stripped of what was rightfully theirs. In the Gospels, Jesus uses this heavy term to expose the inner rot of religious leaders who appear clean on the outside while their hearts are filled with greed and extortion. This usage reminds us that true righteousness begins within, guarding against the corruption that turns faith into a mask for self-interest.
Yet the New Testament also shows how believers respond when harpagē strikes them personally. In Hebrews, Christians who lost their possessions did not collapse in despair but accepted the plundering with joy. They understood that material security is fragile and temporary. By holding loosely to earthly goods, they kept their eyes fixed on a permanent inheritance in heaven, proving that trust in God outweighs the fear of loss.
This duality offers comfort for your own life. When you face unfair treatment or sudden loss, remember that your value does not rest in what others can take from you. The same God who condemns unjust seizure also sustains those who endure it with faith. Your hope is anchored in a future that no thief can reach.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- plundering1×
- of plundering1×
- greed1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἁρπαγῆς2×
- ἁρπαγὴν1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 23:25
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.
Jesus employs harpagē alongside extortion to reveal the inner moral decay hidden beneath the Pharisees' outward ritual purity.
-
Luke 11:39
The Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.
This parallel account emphasizes that the inward part of the heart is filled with wickedness, mirroring the external act of plunder.
-
Hebrews 10:34
For you both had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens.
Here the term shifts to describe the believer's experience of having possessions seized, highlighting their joyful endurance and heavenly hope.