πύργος (purgos)
purgos
tower
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun purgos refers to a tower, specifically a fortified structure built to considerable height. In the New Testament, it appears in only four verses, primarily within the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The word describes a physical edifice designed for defense or observation, reflecting its common usage in the Greek Old Testament where it translates the Hebrew migdal.
Its most vivid application occurs in Jesus’ parables, where the tower serves as a symbol of strategic planning and vulnerability. In Matthew 21:33 and Mark 12:1, the owner of a vineyard builds a tower to protect his crop, highlighting the expectation of security that can still be breached. Similarly, Luke 14:28 uses the image of a man counting the cost before building a tower to illustrate the necessity of careful deliberation in discipleship.
The term carries no abstract spiritual meaning on its own but functions as a concrete metaphor for strength and watchfulness. Its root appears related to words suggesting fortification, emphasizing its role as a place of refuge or surveillance. Translators consistently render it as "tower," preserving the original sense of a tall, sturdy structure that stands apart from the surrounding landscape.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word purgos simply means a tower, a tall structure built for safety or observation. In the Gospels, Jesus uses this image to help us understand serious decisions. He points out that building something important requires careful planning and honest assessment of your resources.
When we face big commitments in life, this word reminds us to pause and count the cost before starting. It is not about fear, but about wisdom. By thinking through the challenges ahead, we can build a foundation that lasts and honors God with our time and energy.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a tower3×
- tower1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πύργον3×
- πύργος1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 14:28
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it?
This verse uses the tower to illustrate the necessity of calculating resources before undertaking a major commitment.
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Matthew 21:33
“Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it, dug a wine press in it, built a tower, leased it out to farmers, and went into another country.
Here the tower represents the security measures taken by the vineyard owner, which were ultimately ignored by the tenants.
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Luke 13:4
Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the men who dwell in Jerusalem?
The reference to the tower in Siloam serves as a sobering reminder of sudden tragedy and human vulnerability.