πτέρυξ (pterux)
pterux
wing
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun pterux refers to the wing of a bird or winged creature. In the New Testament, it appears in only five verses, primarily within the Gospel accounts and the Book of Revelation. The sources note that it corresponds to the Hebrew word kanaf, which carries the same basic meaning of a wing or pinion.
This word is used in two distinct contexts. First, Jesus employs it metaphorically to describe God’s protective care, longing to gather Jerusalem like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings (Matthew 23:37; Luke 13:34). Second, John uses it literally to describe the physical features of visionary beings, such as the four living creatures in Revelation 4 and the locusts in Revelation 9.
Its presence in these passages highlights both divine intimacy and apocalyptic imagery. Whether evoking the shelter of a mother bird or the terrifying anatomy of celestial monsters, pterux grounds abstract spiritual concepts in tangible, biological reality.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word pterux simply means wing. In Scripture, this term bridges the gap between physical biology and deep spiritual truth. Jesus used it to describe God’s tender desire to protect His people. He compared divine care to a mother hen gathering her chicks under her wings. This image shows that God is not distant or cold, but intimately concerned with our safety and well-being.
While the word also appears in Revelation to describe the majestic beings around God’s throne, its most comforting use remains in the Gospels. It reminds us that protection is a core part of God’s character. Whether we face danger or simply need rest, this imagery invites us to trust in His sheltering presence.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- wings3×
- wings,2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πτέρυγας,2×
- πτέρυγες1×
- πτέρυγας1×
- πτερύγων1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 23:37
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!
This verse uses the word to illustrate Jesus’ personal grief and desire to offer protection to a rejecting city.
-
Luke 13:34
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused!
Here the term emphasizes the human refusal to accept the divine shelter that is freely offered.
-
Revelation of John 4:8
The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!”
The word describes the physical wings of the living creatures, highlighting their awe-inspiring proximity to God’s throne.