σαγήνη (sagēnē)
sagēnē
dragnet
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun sagēnē refers to a large drag net or seine used in ancient fishing. Unlike smaller hand nets, this device was designed to encircle schools of fish and be pulled onto the shore, capturing everything within its sweep. The term appears only once in the New Testament, specifically in Matthew 13:47.
Jesus uses this image to describe the kingdom of heaven, comparing it to a net cast into the sea that gathers fish of every kind. This concrete illustration highlights the comprehensive nature of the gospel’s reach, which includes people from all backgrounds and moral conditions before the final separation occurs at the end of the age.
The word’s etymology suggests a connection to equipment or gear, emphasizing its function as a substantial tool rather than a simple implement. By choosing this specific type of net, the parable underscores the scale and inevitability of the harvest, where the sorting of good and bad happens not during the catch but after it is brought to land.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The image of a dragnet in Matthew 13:47 offers a striking picture of God’s inclusive love. This large net was not designed to pick and choose individual fish while they were still swimming. Instead, it gathered everything in its path, from every corner of the sea. This reminds us that the gospel reaches people from all walks of life, regardless of their background or current state.
While the net gathers all kinds, the sorting happens only after the catch is brought to shore. This means we do not need to worry about judging others’ hearts or determining who belongs in God’s kingdom. That final separation is reserved for God alone. Our role is simply to trust in His timing and justice.
There is comfort in knowing that God’s net is wide enough to hold everyone. We can rest in the assurance that He sees every person and values them deeply. This perspective invites us to approach our neighbors with humility and grace, leaving the final judgment to Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to a dragnet1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- σαγήνῃ1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 13:47
“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some fish of every kind,
This verse establishes the dragnet as a metaphor for the kingdom of heaven gathering people from all backgrounds before the final separation.