πυρετός (puretos)
puretos
fever
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun puretos refers to a fever, specifically one characterized by intense, burning heat. Its meaning is rooted in the Greek word for fire, pyrrr, which highlights the physical sensation of high temperature and inflammation that defines this illness. The sources describe it as a condition of "fiery heat," capturing the acute distress experienced by those suffering from it.
This term appears six times in the New Testament, primarily within the Synoptic Gospels and Acts. It is used to describe real medical emergencies, such as when Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law who was suffering from a high fever (Luke 4:38) or when Paul cures the father of Publius on Malta (Acts 28:8). The texts often pair it with descriptors like "great" or "high" to emphasize the severity of the condition.
Translators typically render puretos simply as "fever," though the underlying imagery of fire adds a layer of visceral intensity. By using this specific word, the biblical authors convey not just an illness, but a dangerous state of bodily heat that required immediate intervention, underscoring the power of Jesus and the apostles to restore health.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word puretos describes a fever marked by intense, burning heat. In the New Testament, this term appears in accounts where Jesus and the apostles encounter people suffering from serious illness. These narratives highlight not just physical healing, but the immediate restoration of dignity and purpose to those affected.
When Scripture mentions a fever leaving someone, it often notes that they immediately began serving others. This pattern suggests that true health in the biblical view includes the ability to love and serve one’s community. The warmth of fire becomes a symbol of life returning, replacing distress with peace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- fever.2×
- with fevers1×
- fever,1×
- fever1×
- a fever1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πυρετῷ,1×
- πυρετῷ1×
- πυρετός.¶1×
- πυρετός.1×
- πυρετός1×
- πυρετοῖς1×
Key Verses
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Luke 4:38
He rose up from the synagogue and entered into Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a great fever, and they begged him to help her.
This verse introduces the specific condition as a 'great fever,' establishing the severity that makes the subsequent healing significant.
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Luke 4:39
He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she rose up and served them.
Here Jesus rebukes the fever directly, showing his authority over physical illness and its immediate departure from the woman.
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Acts 28:8
The father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery. Paul entered in to him, prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him.
Paul’s healing of Publius’s father demonstrates that this same power to restore health continued through the apostles after Jesus’ ascension.