δεῖγμα (deigma)
deigma
example
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun deigma refers to a specimen or visible example that is shown to others. Derived from a root meaning "to show," it carries the sense of something presented for observation. In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in the epistle of Jude.
Jude uses deigma when describing Sodom and Gomorrah as an example of divine judgment. The text presents these cities not merely as historical events but as a visible warning to subsequent generations. This usage highlights the word’s function as a tangible pattern of consequences, intended to instruct readers through what has already occurred.
Translators typically render this term as "example" or "exhibit." Its singular occurrence underscores its specific rhetorical weight in Jude’s argument. The word serves as a concrete reference point, linking past actions to present moral instruction without ambiguity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word deigma points to something clearly visible, a specimen set out for others to see. In Jude’s letter, it describes Sodom and Gomorrah as a stark example of what happens when people turn away from God. This is not just history; it is a warning meant to guide us today.
When we read this, we are reminded that our choices have real consequences. The text shows us that living in ways that reject God’s design leads to destruction. But it also invites us to look at these examples with sober eyes, learning from the past so we can walk faithfully now.
This word helps us understand that Scripture uses clear patterns to teach us. It is not about fear, but about clarity. By seeing what went wrong before, we are better equipped to choose life and obedience in our own lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- an example1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- δεῖγμα1×
Key Verses
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Jude 1:7
Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, having in the same way as these given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are shown as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.
This verse uses deigma to label Sodom and Gomorrah as a visible warning of eternal judgment for sexual immorality and rejecting divine order.