κλίνη (klinē)
klinē
bed
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 9 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun klinē refers to a bed or couch, serving as the standard term for a place of rest in both daily life and biblical narrative. In the Gospels, it appears frequently in accounts where Jesus heals paralytics, such as in Matthew 9:2 and Mark 2:4, where friends lower their companion through the roof onto the klinē so he can be reached by Christ.
This word carries a specific cultural weight in the ancient world. It was not merely furniture but a central piece of household life, used for sleeping, eating, and receiving guests. The sources note its use in Luke 17:34 regarding two people lying on one bed, highlighting its role as a shared domestic space rather than just a solitary resting spot.
Its etymology links it to the verb for reclining, emphasizing the posture of rest or leisure associated with it. While often translated simply as "bed," the term evokes the image of a low couch where one reclines on pillows, reflecting the social customs of mealtime and hospitality in the first century.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word klinē simply means a bed or couch, yet it carries deep significance in Scripture. It was not just furniture for sleeping but a central part of daily life where people rested, ate, and welcomed guests. In the Gospels, this word often appears in stories of healing, such as when friends lowered a paralyzed man on his klinē through a roof to reach Jesus (Matthew 9:2). These scenes show how ordinary objects become channels for divine grace when faith is present.
This term reminds us that God meets us in our most vulnerable moments. Whether it is a bed of illness or a shared sleeping space as mentioned in Luke 17:34, the klinē represents intimacy and dependence. It invites us to bring our physical and spiritual weariness to Christ, trusting that He can restore both body and soul. The simplicity of this word highlights how God uses everyday realities to reveal His power and compassion.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 9 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- bed2×
- a bed2×
- mat1×
- couches for dining.1×
- bed?1×
- a sickbed1×
- a mat1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- κλίνης4×
- κλίνην3×
- κλίνην;1×
- κλινῶν.¶1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 9:2
Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralyzed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you.”
This verse shows the klinē as the site where Jesus forgives sins, linking physical healing with spiritual restoration.
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Luke 17:34
I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed. One will be taken and the other will be left.
Here the word describes a shared domestic space, emphasizing the suddenness of judgment in everyday life.
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Mark 4:21
He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a stand?
Jesus uses the bed as a metaphor for hiding truth, contrasting it with the lamp stand that reveals light to others.