σφυρόν (sphuron)
sphuron
ankle
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun sphuron refers specifically to the ankle or ankle bone. It appears only once in the New Testament, in Acts 3:7, where Peter heals a lame man at the temple gate. The text describes Peter taking the man by his right sphuron and helping him up.
Etymologically, the word likely derives from a root related to "sphere" or "ball," perhaps alluding to the rounded shape of the ankle joint. This anatomical precision highlights the physical reality of the miracle; the healing was not abstract but involved a specific, vulnerable part of the body that enabled movement.
Translators consistently render this word as "ankle," reflecting its straightforward, concrete meaning. By focusing on this small joint, the narrative emphasizes the tangible nature of divine power restoring function to a disabled limb, grounding the spiritual event in physical reality.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sphuron refers simply to the ankle, a small but vital joint that bears our weight and enables movement. In Acts 3:7, Peter heals a lame man by lifting him up, and the text notes that his ankles received strength. This detail reminds us that God cares about the specific, physical parts of our lives that feel weak or broken.
Divine power often works in concrete ways, restoring function to what was once disabled. When you face limitations that seem permanent, this verse offers hope. The same God who strengthened those ankles can bring renewal to your own struggles, turning weakness into a testimony of grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- ankles,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- σφυδρά,1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 3:7
He took him by the right hand and raised him up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength.
This is the only New Testament occurrence, where the word specifies that the lame man's ankle bones received strength after Peter raised him up.