φύραμα (phurama)
phurama
lump
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun phurama refers to a lump or mass of material that has been mixed and kneaded, most commonly describing dough or clay. Derived from a root meaning to mix, it captures the physical state of ingredients combined into a single, cohesive unit. In the New Testament, this word appears in five verses, primarily within Paul’s letters to the Romans, Corinthians, and Galatians.
Paul uses this concrete image to illustrate spiritual truths about community and judgment. He compares the church to dough, warning that even a small amount of "leaven" can permeate the entire lump (1 Corinthians 5:6-7; Galatians 5:9). In Romans 11, he speaks of the faithful remnant as the first lump, implying that the whole batch is sanctified by it. Similarly, in Romans 9:21, God is depicted as the potter shaping vessels from a lump of clay, emphasizing divine authority over human formation.
Translators typically render phurama as "lump" or "mass," preserving the tangible nature of the metaphor. The word highlights how individual elements lose their separate identity when thoroughly kneaded together, whether in the context of moral corruption spreading through a group or believers being united into one body.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When ingredients are kneaded into a single mass, they cease to be separate entities and become one cohesive unit. This physical reality mirrors how we live as believers. Just as dough cannot exist without being mixed, our spiritual lives are shaped by the influences we allow into our hearts. A small amount of sin or pride can spread through the entire community if left unchecked, reminding us that our personal choices affect those around us.
Yet this same image offers profound comfort. In the hands of the Creator, we are like clay in a lump, ready to be formed. God has the right and wisdom to shape each of us for His purposes. Whether you feel fragile or firmly set, remember that the Potter knows exactly what He is doing. Your identity is secure in His skilled hands, not in your own perfection.
Christians are called to be a new lump, free from the old yeast of malice and wickedness. This purity does not come from our own effort alone but through Christ, who was sacrificed for us. By staying connected to Him, we allow His character to permeate our lives, transforming us into vessels fit for honor.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- lump4×
- lump;1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- φύραμα3×
- φύραμα·1×
- φυράματος1×
Key Verses
-
I Corinthians 5:6
Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole lump?
This verse warns that unchecked sin spreads through the community like yeast in dough, emphasizing the need for moral purity within the church.
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Romans 9:21
Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor?
Here the word describes clay in the potter's hands, illustrating God's sovereign authority to shape individuals according to His will.
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I Corinthians 5:7
Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in our place.
Paul urges believers to become a 'new lump' by removing old sin, linking their new identity directly to Christ's sacrificial death.