ἐννέα (ennea)
ennea
nine
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The word ennea is the ancient Greek numeral for nine. It appears only five times in the New Testament, serving as a simple count rather than carrying deep symbolic weight. The sources identify its occurrences in Luke 17:17 and in the parables of the lost sheep found in Matthew 18:12-13 and Luke 15:4, 7.
In these passages, the number functions as a concrete detail to illustrate scarcity or loss. When Jesus asks if one sheep out of ninety-nine is lost, or notes that only nine lepers returned, ennea provides the specific arithmetic necessary for the story’s impact. It grounds the teaching in a tangible reality, highlighting the smallness of the remnant against the larger whole.
As an indeclinable noun, it remains unchanged regardless of its grammatical role in the sentence. Its brevity and frequency make it a straightforward marker of quantity, ensuring that listeners can easily grasp the magnitude of what was left behind or who remained. The word itself does not invite speculation; it simply states the count.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ennea simply means nine. It appears only five times in the New Testament, always as a plain number rather than a hidden symbol. In Luke 17:17, Jesus asks where the other nine lepers are after ten were healed. This specific count highlights how few returned to give thanks.
These numbers ground spiritual lessons in real life. When Jesus speaks of ninety-nine sheep, He uses exact figures to show the value of every single person. The smallness of the group that remained makes the story more vivid and easier to understand.
You do not need to search for secret meanings here. The text invites you to notice the details of grace and gratitude. It reminds us that even a small number matters greatly in God’s eyes, encouraging us to appreciate the fullness of what we have received.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- nine4×
- the nine1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐννέα5×
Key Verses
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Luke 17:17
Jesus answered, “Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine?
This verse uses the number to highlight the silence and absence of the nine who did not return, contrasting their action with the one who did.
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Matthew 18:12
“What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?
The count establishes the scale of loss, showing that leaving ninety-nine behind is a significant risk taken for just one straying sheep.
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Luke 15:4
“Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost, until he found it?
Here the number sets the scene for the parable, emphasizing the shepherd's deliberate choice to prioritize the lost individual over the larger safe group.