λευκός (leukos)
leukos
white
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 23 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective leukos describes something bright, brilliant, or dazzlingly white. In the New Testament, it most often modifies clothing to convey a sense of heavenly splendor rather than simple color. This radiant whiteness appears in the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:2), the appearance of angels at the tomb (Mark 16:5), and the pure linen worn by the armies of heaven (Revelation 19:14). The sources note that this brightness signifies innocence, purity, and exaltation to a glorious state.
Its usage extends beyond garments to describe physical features and natural scenes. Jesus refers to hair as white as wool in Revelation 1:14, evoking ancient wisdom, while the angel at the empty tomb is described with skin like snow (Matthew 28:3). John also uses the term metaphorically for ripened grain, urging his listeners to see fields already white for harvest (John 4:35), linking visual brightness to spiritual readiness.
The word derives from a root associated with light, reinforcing its connection to divine glory. While it can denote literal whiteness, as in the white stone promised in Revelation 2:17, its primary theological weight lies in its association with purity and the transcendent nature of God’s presence. Translators consistently render it as "white," capturing both the visual intensity and the symbolic cleanliness inherent in the term.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word leukos brings to mind not just a color, but a quality of light. In the New Testament, this brightness usually points to something holy and pure. When Jesus’ clothes became dazzling white on the mountain, it showed His divine glory breaking through human limits. It reminds us that God’s presence is radiant and full of life.
For your daily walk, this image offers comfort. The white robes in Revelation describe people who have remained faithful through hard times. Their purity comes from Christ, not their own effort. This means you do not need to earn your place in God’s family; you simply receive His gift and rest in His grace.
Even ordinary moments can reflect this light. Jesus used the image of white fields to show that spiritual harvests are ready now. You can look around with fresh eyes, seeing opportunities to share hope. This brightness is a promise that God brings beauty out of ordinary life, guiding you toward peace and purpose.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 23 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- white17×
- white,7×
- [are] white1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- λευκὸν4×
- λευκὰ3×
- λευκοῖς,3×
- λευκὸς2×
- λευκὴν2×
- λευκοῖς2×
- λευκός1×
- λευκήν,1×
- λευκή,1×
- λευκὴ1×
- λευκάς,1×
- λευκὰς1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 17:2
He was changed before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.
This verse uses leukos to reveal Jesus’ divine glory during the Transfiguration, showing His true nature beyond human appearance.
-
Revelation of John 7:9
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.
Here the term describes the vast multitude of believers standing before God, symbolizing their purity and victory through Christ.
-
John 4:35
Don’t you say, ‘There are yet four months until the harvest’? Behold, I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, that they are white for harvest already.
Jesus applies this word metaphorically to fields, urging followers to see spiritual readiness rather than waiting for future events.