καρπός (karpos)

The Greek word karpos refers to fruit, encompassing the literal produce of trees, vines, and fields as well as metaphorical results like deeds or profit. In the New Testament, it appears frequently in the Gospels, where Jesus uses agricultural imagery to describe spiritual reality. For instance, He teaches that a good tree produces good fruit (Matthew 7:17-18), linking moral character directly to visible outcomes. This usage extends beyond botany; Paul speaks of the "fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22) and the "fruit of light" (Ephesians 5:9), indicating that karpos represents the tangible evidence of inner spiritual life.

Lexical sources note that karpos often translates the Hebrew pri, which similarly bridges physical harvest and human offspring. This dual sense appears in passages like Luke 1:42, where Mary is called blessed for the "fruit of her womb," echoing Old Testament language for progeny. The word also carries a sense of benefit or advantage, as seen in Philippians 4:17, where Paul describes his joy at receiving support from the Philippian church as "fruit that increases to your credit." This highlights how karpos can signify both the result of an action and its enduring value.

Translators typically render karpos as "fruit," though context determines whether it denotes literal crops or spiritual results. The metaphorical usage is prominent in John 15, where Jesus describes believers as branches that must bear fruit to glorify the Father (John 15:8). This imagery underscores the expectation that faith should yield observable change. The word’s versatility allows it to connect physical sustenance with moral and spiritual vitality, making it a key term for understanding biblical concepts of productivity and reward.