κόκκινος (kokkinos)
kokkinos
scarlet
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective kokkinos describes a vivid red or crimson hue, specifically referring to cloth dyed with scarlet. In the New Testament, it appears in six verses, most notably in the Gospel of Matthew and the Book of Revelation. The term derives from the Greek word for grain or berry, reflecting the source of the dye: the crushed bodies of the kermes insect that lives on the oak tree.
This rich color carries heavy symbolic weight depending on the context. In Matthew 27:28, Roman soldiers dress Jesus in a scarlet robe to mock his claim to kingship before the crucifixion. Conversely, Revelation uses the image of a woman clothed in purple and scarlet (Revelation 17:4) to depict the corrupt power of Babylon. The dye’s origin from a tiny insect adds a layer of irony to these biblical scenes.
Translators consistently render kokkinos as "scarlet" or "crimson," preserving the visual intensity of the original text. The word highlights how ordinary materials, like insect-derived dye, were used in Scripture to convey profound theological truths about power, suffering, and judgment.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kokkinos points to a vivid red dye made from crushed insects, creating a color both beautiful and intense. In Scripture, this shade appears in moments that define our faith. When Roman soldiers draped Jesus in a scarlet robe, they meant it as mockery of his kingship. Yet, that same garment became part of the story where God’s love reached its deepest point.
We also see this color in Revelation, where a woman wears purple and scarlet to symbolize worldly power and corruption. The contrast is striking: one scene shows suffering for truth, the other shows pride in sin. Both remind us that how we use our resources and status matters deeply to God.
This word invites reflection on what we wear—literally and spiritually. Do our lives reflect the humility of Christ, or the flashy emptiness of Babylon? The dye comes from something small and crushed, yet it produces a lasting mark. So too can our quiet faithfulness leave a permanent witness to those around us.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- scarlet5×
- of scarlet1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- κόκκινον3×
- κοκκίνου2×
- κοκκίνην1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 27:28
They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him.
This verse uses the word ironically, as soldiers mock Jesus’ claim to kingship by dressing him in royal scarlet.
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Revelation of John 17:4
The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of the sexual immorality of the earth.
Here, scarlet clothing symbolizes the corrupt and seductive power of Babylon, contrasting with true holiness.
-
Hebrews 9:19
For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
The inclusion of scarlet wool in the sprinkling ritual highlights the seriousness of covenant purification under the old law.