βάτραχος (batrachos)
batrachos
frog
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun batrachos simply means "frog." It appears only once in the New Testament, in Revelation 16:13, where John describes unclean spirits coming out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, taking the form of frogs. This singular usage places the word firmly within a context of judgment and deception.
In the ancient world, frogs were often associated with the plagues of Egypt, as seen in Exodus 8. By invoking this imagery, the text connects the final spiritual conflict with earlier acts of divine power against oppression. The frog, typically a symbol of life-giving water in other contexts, here becomes a vessel for demonic influence, emphasizing the corruption of what should be pure.
Translators consistently render batrachos as "frog," preserving the literal animal imagery rather than allegorizing it. The choice highlights the grotesque nature of the false trinity presented in Revelation, where spiritual deception mimics life but leads only to destruction. This rare occurrence serves as a stark warning about the source of false prophecy.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word batrachos appears only once in the New Testament, found in Revelation 16:13. John describes unclean spirits emerging from the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, resembling frogs. This image recalls the plague of frogs in Egypt, where water turned into a source of decay rather than life.
In this context, the frog symbolizes deception that mimics vitality but leads to destruction. It warns us to discern the source of spiritual messages. Not every voice claiming authority comes from God. We are invited to rest in the truth that Christ alone is the way, the truth, and the life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- frogs.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- βάτραχοι.1×
Key Verses
-
Revelation of John 16:13
I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, something like frogs;
This verse identifies the frog-like spirits as unclean entities issuing from a false trinity, linking their deception to the Egyptian plague.