σάρκινος
sárkinos
G4560 attributive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Pertaining to flesh; made of, consisting of, or characterized by flesh; by extension, material or corporeal in nature. In some contexts, conveys the idea of being physical or natural as opposed to spiritual, and in particular contexts can imply being influenced by base human desires or weaknesses rather than higher or spiritual motives.
Semantic Range
made of flesh, consisting of flesh, bodily, material (as opposed to spiritual), physical, characterized by physical nature, soft or corporeal, not spiritual
Root / Etymology
Formed from the noun σάρξ ('flesh') with the adjectival suffix -ινος, denoting material composition or quality (i.e., 'made of' or 'characterized by' flesh); related to similar adjectives such as ξύλινος ('wooden'), χρύσινος ('golden').
Historical & Contextual Notes
First attested in Hellenistic/Koine Greek, σάρκινος describes something made of or belonging to flesh. In the New Testament, it appears rarely (e.g., 2 Corinthians 3:3; Romans 7:14). It contrasts with πνευματικός ('spiritual'), highlighting the distinction between the physical/material and the spiritual in early Christian discourse. In contrast to the more frequently used σαρκικός ('fleshly,' 'pertaining to the flesh' in a moral or figurative sense), σάρκινος more strictly denotes material composition (i.e., 'made of flesh') rather than disposition or inclination. In 2 Corinthians 3:3, for example, 'tablets of human hearts' are described as σάρκιναι to emphasize their living, physical nature, not their moral or ethical qualities. Later translations (such as "fleshly" or "of flesh") may not always preserve this nuance, sometimes conflating it with σαρκικός. In the Septuagint and classical sources, the suffix -ινος is commonly used to describe material composition, but σάρκινος itself is not widely attested outside the New Testament.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from σάρξ; similar to flesh, i.e. (by analogy) soft:--fleshly.
Root Family
σαρκ- (sarkikós) — flesh, bodily existence, material nature
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4560-01 |
σαρκίναις | sarkinais | ADJ.A DAT F PL |
fleshy | to fleshly ones | of flesh | 1 |
G4560-02 |
σαρκίνης | sarkines | ADJ.A GEN F SG |
carnal | of fleshly nature | fleshly | 1 |
G4560-03 |
σαρκίνοις | sarkinois | ADJ.S DAT M PL |
carnal | to fleshly ones | to fleshly ones | 1 |
G4560-04 |
σάρκινός | sarkinos | ADJ.P NOM M SG |
carnal | flesh-made | flesh-made | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4560-04 |
Romans 7:14 | σάρκινός | sarkinos | ADJ.P NOM M SG |
carnal | flesh-made | flesh-made |
G4560-03 |
1 Corinthians 3:1 | σαρκίνοις | sarkinois | ADJ.S DAT M PL |
carnal | to fleshly ones | to fleshly ones |
G4560-01 |
2 Corinthians 3:3 | σαρκίναις | sarkinais | ADJ.A DAT F PL |
fleshy | to fleshly ones | of flesh |
G4560-02 |
Hebrews 7:16 | σαρκίνης | sarkines | ADJ.A GEN F SG |
carnal | of fleshly nature | fleshly |