καπνός (kapnos)
kapnos
smoke
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 11 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek noun kapnos refers to the visible vapor rising from burning material, a concept carried over from the Hebrew word for smoke in the Septuagint. In the New Testament, it appears eleven times, with the vast majority of occurrences found in the Book of Revelation. This distribution highlights its primary function as a vivid image within apocalyptic literature rather than a common term for everyday observation.
The sources indicate that kapnos often carries heavy theological weight, symbolizing judgment, suffering, or the persistence of evil. In Revelation, it describes the smoke rising from the pit opened by the fifth angel (Revelation 9:2), the torment of those who worship the beast (Revelation 14:11), and the destruction of Babylon (Revelation 18:9). The imagery is consistently one of choking darkness and irreversible consequence, marking places or people under divine wrath.
There is a notable distinction in how this word is used compared to similar terms like atmis (vapor or mist). While Acts 2:19 quotes Joel by combining them as "smoke and vapor" to describe cosmic signs before the Day of the Lord, Revelation uses kapnos alone to emphasize the grim reality of destruction. Translators typically render it simply as "smoke," allowing the stark visual to convey its message of judgment without needing additional explanation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we encounter the word for smoke in Scripture, it often signals a moment of profound transition or divine intervention. In Revelation, this imagery is stark, marking places where judgment falls or where God’s presence is so overwhelming that no one can enter the temple until the work is complete. It reminds us that some seasons involve darkness and confusion before clarity emerges.
Yet there is also a gentle side to this image. In Revelation 8:4, we see the smoke of incense rising alongside the prayers of God’s people. Here, what might seem like mere vapor becomes a vessel for our petitions to reach the throne. It suggests that even in times when things feel obscured or heavy, our prayers are not lost but are carried upward.
This duality invites us to look deeper. Whether we are facing the consequences of evil or lifting up quiet hopes, God sees both the smoke and the spirit behind it. We can trust that He is present in the mystery, working out His purposes even when the path ahead is not fully clear.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 11 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- smoke10×
- with smoke1×
- of smoke.1×
- [the] smoke1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- καπνὸς6×
- καπνοῦ4×
- καπνὸν2×
- καπνοῦ.1×
Key Verses
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Revelation of John 8:4
The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.
This verse uniquely links smoke with the prayers of saints, showing it as a vehicle for intercession rather than just judgment.
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Revelation of John 9:2
He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit.
Here smoke emerges from the abyss to darken the world, illustrating its role in depicting chaos and divine wrath.
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Revelation of John 15:8
The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power. No one was able to enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels would be finished.
The temple is filled with smoke from God’s glory, indicating that His presence can be so intense it temporarily prevents entry.
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Revelation of John 18:9
The kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning,
The kings watch the smoke of Babylon’s burning, using this image to signify the final and irreversible end of worldly power.