δάκρυ, δάκρυον (dakru, dakruon)
dakru, dakruon
teardrop
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 11 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun dakruon refers to a single tear or drop of water from the eye. In the New Testament, it appears in eleven verses, often highlighting moments of intense emotion or physical suffering. The word is used literally in passages describing Jesus weeping in the garden (Hebrews 5:7) and Paul’s tears during his ministry (Acts 20:19). It also features in John’s vision of a future where God wipes away every tear (Revelation 21:4).
While the term simply means "tear," its usage carries significant emotional weight. In Luke 7, an unnamed woman washes Jesus’ feet with her tears, showing deep repentance and love. This concrete image connects physical sorrow with spiritual humility. The word appears in both Gospels and Epistles, underscoring that tears are a natural human response to grief, fear, or devotion.
The term’s simplicity makes it powerful. It does not describe general sadness but a specific, visible sign of inner turmoil. Translators consistently render it as "tear," preserving the physical reality behind the emotion. This focus on the tangible aspect of sorrow reminds readers that faith includes honest expressions of pain.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word dakruon names a single drop of water from the eye, grounding our deepest emotions in physical reality. Scripture does not shy away from this vulnerability. When Jesus wept at Lazarus’ tomb or when Paul served with many tears, these drops were not signs of weakness but markers of profound love and sorrow. Your own tears are seen and held by God.
This simple noun reminds us that faith is not a performance of stoic strength. It is an honest journey through grief, repentance, and hope. Whether you are weeping in shame or in joy, your pain has weight in the kingdom. You do not need to hide your tears; they are part of how you connect with the heart of Christ.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 11 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- tears7×
- tears,2×
- tear2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- δακρύων5×
- δάκρυσιν2×
- δάκρυον2×
- δακρύων,2×
Key Verses
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Luke 7:38
Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
This verse shows a woman using her tears to wash Jesus’ feet, linking physical sorrow directly to acts of humble devotion and repentance.
-
Hebrews 5:7
He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,
Here the word describes Jesus’ own prayers in Gethsemane, confirming that even the Son of God expressed intense fear and pleading through visible tears.
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Revelation of John 21:4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more. The first things have passed away.”
This promise looks forward to a time when God personally removes every tear, showing that current sorrow is temporary and will be fully resolved in eternity.