ἑξήκοντα (hexēkonta)
hexēkonta
sixty
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 9 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek word hexēkonta simply means the number sixty. It functions as a cardinal numeral in the New Testament, appearing nine times across various books including Matthew, Mark, Luke, 1 Timothy, and Revelation. Its usage is straightforward, serving to quantify people, days, or symbolic periods without inherent metaphorical weight beyond its numerical value.
In the Gospels, Jesus uses this number in the Parable of the Sower to describe a harvest yield, noting that some seed produced fruit sixty times what was sown (Matthew 13:8; Mark 4:8). This illustrates abundance rather than precision. Later, in Revelation, the number appears in apocalyptic visions, such as the two witnesses prophesying for sixty days or the woman fleeing into the wilderness for a similar duration (Revelation 11:3; 12:6).
Etymologically, hexēkonta is formed as the tenth multiple of six, reflecting standard Greek numerical construction. While numbers in biblical literature often carry symbolic significance, here the term primarily anchors the narrative in concrete reality. It marks specific timelines or quantities, grounding the spiritual messages in tangible historical or visionary details.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hexēkonta simply means sixty. In Scripture, this number often points to abundance or specific periods of time. When Jesus told the Parable of the Sower, He used it to show that God’s work can produce a harvest far greater than what was planted (Matthew 13:8). This reminds us that our efforts, though small, can yield results we might not expect when placed in God’s hands.
It also appears in Revelation to mark distinct times of testing and protection. Whether describing the distance to Emmaus or the days of the witnesses, the number grounds spiritual truths in real, tangible details. It helps us see that God is involved in both the big picture and the specific moments of our lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 9 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- sixty6×
- sixty,2×
- sixty.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἑξήκοντα6×
- ἑξήκοντα,2×
- ἑξήκοντα.¶1×
Key Verses
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Matthew 13:8
Others fell on good soil and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.
This verse uses the number to illustrate the abundant spiritual fruitfulness possible when one truly understands God's word.
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Revelation of John 11:3
I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Here it marks a specific period of two witnesses' prophetic ministry, showing God's timing in apocalyptic events.
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Luke 24:13
Behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was sixty stadia from Jerusalem.
It provides a concrete geographical detail about the journey to Emmaus, grounding the resurrection appearance in real history.