πέδη (pedē)
pedē
fetter
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun pedē refers to a fetter or shackle specifically designed for the feet. Derived from a root meaning "instep," it denotes a heavy iron ring that binds the ankles, restricting movement and enforcing captivity. In the New Testament, this term appears only twice, both in the Gospels of Mark and Luke.
These occurrences describe the man possessed by an unclean spirit in the region of the Gerasenes. The sources highlight that he was kept in chains and fetters, yet no one could break him free. This specific imagery underscores the severity of his bondage; while standard chains might be broken, the pedē represents a persistent, inescapable restraint that highlights the power of the demonic spirit over his physical body.
Translators consistently render pedē as "fetter" or "shackles" to distinguish it from general bonds. The word carries significant weight in these narratives because its presence emphasizes the depth of the man's helplessness before Jesus’ intervention. It serves as a concrete symbol of total loss of freedom, which is then completely reversed by divine authority.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word pedē describes a heavy iron ring placed around the ankles to restrict movement. In the Gospels of Mark and Luke, this specific type of restraint is mentioned alongside chains. While chains bind the hands or body, fetters target the feet, making escape nearly impossible. The accounts tell us that even when chains were torn apart, these heavy ankle bonds remained intact, showing just how deep the man’s captivity was.
For your faith, this detail offers a powerful picture of human helplessness. It reminds us that some burdens are too strong for our own strength to break. Yet, the story does not end with the broken iron. Jesus speaks, and the spirit leaves. This shows that no matter how secure a bond may seem, divine authority is greater than any physical or spiritual prison.
You can find comfort in knowing that freedom is possible where human effort fails. The same power that broke those heavy rings is available to you today. It invites us to trust in a strength far beyond our own, bringing peace to situations that feel unbreakable.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- with shackles1×
- shackles1×
- in fetters1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πέδαις2×
- πέδας1×
Key Verses
-
Mark 5:4
because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. Nobody had the strength to tame him.
This verse highlights the futility of human effort by noting that while chains were torn, the fetters remained broken only in pieces, emphasizing the severity of the bondage.
-
Luke 8:29
For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bonds apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert.
Here the fetters are part of a broader description of being kept under guard, showing that the demon’s control was total and enforced by multiple layers of restraint.