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κόρος (koros)

koros

cor

G2884 · Greek · New Testament · 1 verses

Quick Reference

Language
Koine Greek
Testament
New Testament
Occurrences
1 verses
Root
—

Word Overview

The noun koros refers to a specific Hebrew dry measure, roughly equivalent to ten or eleven bushels. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Luke 16:7, where the steward asks his employer how much the man owes him.

This word traces its origin to the Hebrew chomer, which served as the largest standard unit for dry goods like wheat or meal. Its substantial size highlights the scale of the debt involved in the parable, indicating a significant quantity of agricultural produce rather than a minor sum.

Translators typically render koros simply as "measure" without specifying the exact volume, allowing the reader to grasp the magnitude of the obligation through context. The term underscores the material reality of the steward’s situation, grounding the story in the everyday economic practices of the ancient world.

Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).

What This Word Means for Your Faith

The word koros represents a large dry measure, roughly ten or eleven bushels. In Luke 16:7, it quantifies the debt owed by a worker in Jesus’ parable. This specific unit highlights the massive scale of the obligation, grounding the story in real economic practices of the ancient world.

Understanding this term helps us see the steward’s dilemma more clearly. The debt was not trivial; it involved significant agricultural produce. Recognizing the weight of such burdens can encourage us when we feel overwhelmed by our own responsibilities or financial pressures.

How it's translated

How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.

  • cors1×

Forms in the text

The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.

  • κόρους1×

Key Verses

  • Luke 16:7
    Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred cors of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’

    This is the only New Testament occurrence, where koros quantifies a massive debt of wheat to illustrate the steward's desperate situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does koros mean in the Bible?

Koros is a Greek noun referring to a large dry measure, equivalent to about ten or eleven bushels. It appears only once in the New Testament, in Luke 16:7, where it describes the amount of wheat owed by a worker.

Why is koros significant in Luke 16?

In the parable of the shrewd manager, koros emphasizes the enormous size of the debt. This detail underscores the steward's need to reduce the obligation significantly to gain favor with his employer.

How is koros different from other biblical measures?

Koros was a substantial unit for dry goods like wheat or meal, much larger than smaller measures such as the ephah. Its use here signals a major financial burden rather than a minor sum.

Every Occurrence (1 verses across 1 books)

Luke 1 verse
Luke 16:7

Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred cors of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill,…