4690. sperma
Strong's Lexicon
sperma: Seed, offspring, descendants, posterity

Original Word: σπέρμα
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: sperma
Pronunciation: SPER-mah
Phonetic Spelling: (sper'-mah)
Definition: Seed, offspring, descendants, posterity
Meaning: (a) seed, commonly of cereals, (b) offspring, descendents.

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb σπείρω (speirō), meaning "to sow."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - H2233 (זֶרַע, zera): Seed, offspring, descendants

- H2232 (זָרַע, zara): To sow, scatter seed

Usage: In the New Testament, "sperma" is used both literally and metaphorically. Literally, it refers to the seed of plants or the male seed in reproduction. Metaphorically, it denotes offspring or descendants, often used to describe the lineage of Abraham or the spiritual descendants of faith. It can also refer to the Word of God as a seed that is sown in the hearts of believers.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient agrarian societies, seed was a vital component of life, representing potential and future growth. The concept of seed was deeply embedded in Jewish thought, symbolizing the continuation of a family line and the fulfillment of God's promises to His people. The promise to Abraham that his "seed" would be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5) is foundational to Jewish and Christian theology, emphasizing God's covenant and faithfulness.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from speiró
Definition
that which is sown, i.e. seed
NASB Translation
children (7), conceive* (1), descendant (4), descendants (16), posterity (1), seed (10), seeds (4).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4690: σπέρμα

σπέρμα, σπέρματος, τό (σπείρω, which see), from Homer down, Hebrew זֶרַע , the seed (from which anything springs);

a. from which a plant germinates; α. properly, the seed i. e. the grain or kernel which contains within itself the germ of the future plant: plural, Matthew 13:32; Mark 4:31; 1 Corinthians 15:38 (Exodus 16:31; 1 Samuel 8:15); the singular is used collectively of the grains or kernels sown: Matthew 13:24, 27, 37; 2 Corinthians 9:10 (here L Tr σπόρος). β. metaphorically, a seed i. e. a residue. or a few survivors reserved as the germ of a new race (just as seed is kept from the harvest for the sowing), Romans 9:29 after Isaiah 1:9, where the Sept. for שַׂרִיד (so also Wis. 14:6; 1 Esdr. 8:85 (87); Josephus, Antiquities 11, 5, 3; 12, 7, 8; Plato, Tim., p. 23{c}).

b. the semen virile; α. properly: Leviticus 15:16-18; Leviticus 18:20f, etc.; (probably also Hebrews 11:11, cf. καταβολή 1, and see below); often in secular writings. By metonymy the product of this semen, seed, children, offspring, progeny; family, race, posterity (so in Greek chiefly in the tragic poets, cf. Passow, under the word, 2 b. ii., p. 1498 (Liddell and Scott, under the word, II. 3); and זֶרַע very often in the O. T. (cf. Winer's Grammar, 17, 30)); so in the singular, either of one, or collectively of many: Romans 9:7f; εἰς καταβολήν σπέρματος (see (above, and) καταβολή, 2) Hebrews 11:11; ἀνισταναι and ἐξανισταναι σπέρμα τίνι, Matthew 22:24; Mark 12:19; Luke 20:28 (Genesis 38:8); ἔχειν σπέρμα, Matthew 22:25; ἀφιέναι σπέρμα τίνι, Mark 12:20-22; τό σπέρμα τίνος, Luke 1:55; John 7:42; John 8:33, 37; Acts 3:25; Acts 7:5; Acts 13:23; Romans 1:3; (); ; 2 Corinthians 11:22; 2 Timothy 2:8; Hebrews 2:16; Hebrews 11:18; in plural: παῖς ἐκ βαιλικων σπερμάτων, of royal descent, Josephus, Antiquities 8, 7, 6; τῶν Αβραμιαίων σπερμάτων ἀπόγονοι, 4 Macc. 18:1; equivalent to tribes, races, ἄνθρωποι τέ καί ἀνθρώπων σπερμασι νομοθετουμεν τά νῦν, Plato, legg. 9, p. 853 c. By a rabbinical method of interpreting, opposed to the usage of the Hebrew זֶרַע , which signifies the offspring whether consisting of one person or many, Paul lays such stress on the singular number in Genesis 13:15; Genesis 17:8 as to make it denote but one of Abraham's posterity, and that the Messiah: Galatians 3:16, also Galatians 3:19; and yet, that the way in which Pard presses the singular here is not utterly at variance with the genius of the Jewish-Greek language is evident from Αβραμιαίων σπερμάτων ἀπόγονοι, 4 Macc. 18:1, where the plural is used of many descendants ((cf. Delitzsch, Br. a. d. Röm., p. 16 note 2; Lightfoot on Galatians, the passage cited)). τό σπέρμα (Ἀβραάμ) τό ἐκ τοῦ νόμου, the seed which is such according to the decision of the law, physical offspring (see νόμος, 2, p. 428{a}), τό ἐκ πίστεως Ἀβραάμ, those who are called Abraham's posterity on account of the faith by which they are akin to him (see πίστις, 1 b. ., p. 513{b} and ἐκ, II. 7), Romans 4:16; add, ; ; Galatians 3:29; similarly, Christians are called, in Revelation 12:17, the σπέρμα of the church (which is likened to a mother, Galatians 4:26). β. whatever possesses vital force or life-giving power: τό σπέρμα τοῦ Θεοῦ ((but anarthrous)), the Holy Spirit, the divine energy operating within the soul by which we are regenerated or made the τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ, 1 John 3:9.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
seed, offspring

From speiro; something sown, i.e. Seed (including the male "sperm"); by implication, offspring; specially, a remnant (figuratively, as if kept over for planting) -- issue, seed.

see GREEK speiro

Forms and Transliterations
σπερμα σπέρμα σπερμασιν σπέρμασιν σπέρματα σπερματι σπέρματι σπέρματί σπερματίζον σπερματισθή σπερματισμόν σπερματος σπερματός σπέρματος σπέρματός σπερματων σπερμάτων σπόρον sperma spérma spermasin spérmasin spermati spérmati spérmatí spermaton spermatōn spermáton spermátōn spermatos spérmatos sporon spóron
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 13:24 N-ANS
GRK: σπείραντι καλὸν σπέρμα ἐν τῷ
NAS: who sowed good seed in his field.
KJV: which sowed good seed in his
INT: having sown good seed in the

Matthew 13:27 N-ANS
GRK: οὐχὶ καλὸν σπέρμα ἔσπειρας ἐν
NAS: good seed in your field?
KJV: thou sow good seed in thy
INT: not good seed did you sow in

Matthew 13:32 N-GNP
GRK: πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων ὅταν δὲ
NAS: than all [other] seeds, but when
KJV: the least of all seeds: but when
INT: of all the seeds when however

Matthew 13:37 N-ANS
GRK: τὸ καλὸν σπέρμα ἐστὶν ὁ
NAS: the good seed is the Son
KJV: the good seed is
INT: the good seed is the

Matthew 13:38 N-NNS
GRK: δὲ καλὸν σπέρμα οὗτοί εἰσιν
NAS: and [as for] the good seed, these
KJV: the good seed are the children
INT: and [the] good seed these are

Matthew 22:24 N-ANS
GRK: καὶ ἀναστήσει σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ
KJV: and raise up seed unto his brother.
INT: and will raise up children for the brother

Matthew 22:25 N-ANS
GRK: μὴ ἔχων σπέρμα ἀφῆκεν τὴν
NAS: and having no children left his wife
KJV: having no issue, left his
INT: not having seed left the

Mark 4:31 N-GNP
GRK: πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων τῶν ἐπὶ
NAS: than all the seeds that are upon the soil,
KJV: is less than all the seeds that be in
INT: of all the seeds which [are] upon

Mark 12:19 N-ANS
GRK: καὶ ἐξαναστήσῃ σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ
NAS: AND RAISE UP CHILDREN TO HIS BROTHER.
KJV: and raise up seed unto his brother.
INT: and raise up seed for the brother

Mark 12:20 N-ANS
GRK: οὐκ ἀφῆκεν σπέρμα
NAS: leaving no children.
KJV: left no seed.
INT: not left seed

Mark 12:21 N-ANS
GRK: μὴ καταλιπὼν σπέρμα καὶ ὁ
NAS: no children; and the third
KJV: left he any seed: and the third
INT: not having left seed and the

Mark 12:22 N-ANS
GRK: οὐκ ἀφῆκαν σπέρμα ἔσχατον πάντων
NAS: left no children. Last of all
KJV: left no seed: last of all
INT: not left seed last of all

Luke 1:55 N-DNS
GRK: καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ εἰς
NAS: To Abraham and his descendants forever.
KJV: and to his seed for ever.
INT: and to the descendants of him for

Luke 20:28 N-ANS
GRK: καὶ ἐξαναστήσῃ σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ
NAS: AND RAISE UP CHILDREN TO HIS BROTHER.
KJV: and raise up seed unto his brother.
INT: and should raise up seed to the brother

John 7:42 N-GNS
GRK: ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος Δαυίδ καὶ
NAS: comes from the descendants of David,
KJV: cometh of the seed of David, and
INT: out of the seed of David and

John 8:33 N-NNS
GRK: πρὸς αὐτόν Σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ ἐσμεν
NAS: Him, We are Abraham's descendants and have never
KJV: We be Abraham's seed, and were
INT: to him Seed Abraham's we are

John 8:37 N-NNS
GRK: οἶδα ὅτι σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ ἐστε
NAS: that you are Abraham's descendants; yet
KJV: ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek
INT: I know that seed of Abraham you are

Acts 3:25 N-DNS
GRK: ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου ἐνευλογηθήσονται
NAS: to Abraham, AND IN YOUR SEED ALL
KJV: And in thy seed shall all
INT: in the seed of you will be blessed

Acts 7:5 N-DNS
GRK: καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ μετ'
NAS: IT TO HIM AS A POSSESSION, AND TO HIS DESCENDANTS AFTER
KJV: and to his seed after him,
INT: and to the descendants of him after

Acts 7:6 N-NNS
GRK: ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ πάροικον
NAS: to this effect, that his DESCENDANTS WOULD BE ALIENS
KJV: That his seed should sojourn
INT: will be the descendants of him a sojourner

Acts 13:23 N-GNS
GRK: ἀπὸ τοῦ σπέρματος κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν
NAS: From the descendants of this man,
KJV: Of this man's seed hath God
INT: of the seed according to promise

Romans 1:3 N-GNS
GRK: γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυὶδ κατὰ
NAS: who was born of a descendant of David
KJV: of the seed of David
INT: having come of [the] seed of David according to

Romans 4:13 N-DNS
GRK: ἢ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ τὸ
NAS: or to his descendants that he would be heir
KJV: or to his seed, through the law,
INT: or the descendants of him that

Romans 4:16 N-DNS
GRK: παντὶ τῷ σπέρματι οὐ τῷ
NAS: to all the descendants, not only
KJV: sure to all the seed; not to that only
INT: to all the seed not to that

Romans 4:18 N-NNS
GRK: ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου
NAS: SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.
KJV: shall thy seed be.
INT: will be the descendants of you

Strong's Greek 4690
43 Occurrences


σπέρμα — 24 Occ.
σπέρμασιν — 1 Occ.
σπέρματι — 7 Occ.
σπερμάτων — 3 Occ.
σπέρματος — 8 Occ.

















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