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φονεύς

phoneús

G5406 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

One who intentionally takes the life of another; murderer. The term generally signifies an individual guilty of deliberate and unlawful killing. In some contexts, emphasizes willfulness or premeditation, distinguishing the act as criminal rather than accidental or permitted under the law. The meaning can extend to a figurative sense, designating one characterized by murderous intent or deeds.

Semantic Range

murderer, one who kills intentionally, criminal homicide, slayer (with emphasis on intent), figurative murderer (one who harbors murderous intent or hatred)

Root / Etymology

From φόνος ('murder, homicide, killing'), formed with the agent noun suffix -εύς, indicating one who commits the action. The derivation is regular and transparent in Greek morphology.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, φονεύς denotes one who commits intentional homicide, often set against accidental killing (ἀκούσιος φόνος). Hellenistic and Koine usage maintained this distinction, with φονεύς referring to a criminal or intentional killer, in both secular sources and the Septuagint. In the Septuagint, the term is frequently used to translate the Hebrew רֹצֵחַ (rotseach), the intentional murderer as opposed to accidental manslayer (cf. Numbers 35). In New Testament usage (e.g., Matthew 22:7, Acts 3:14, 1 Peter 4:15, Revelation 21:8, 22:15), φονεύς consistently denotes a person who unlawfully and intentionally commits homicide, and sometimes functions in a figurative or typological sense. English translations often render φονεύς as 'murderer,' which generally aligns with the Greek scope but may not always capture legal distinctions emphasized in ancient law codes. Contrasts with ἀνθρωποκτόνος, which literally means 'man-killer' and can, in some contexts, be less specific regarding intent; also with σικάριος, which refers specifically to a type of assassin or bandit active in first-century Judea. The connotation of φονεύς as a 'criminal killer' differentiates it from more general terms for killing or slaying. Its usage across periods is stable, and the term persisted into later Greek with similar legal and moral nuances.

Translation Consistency

primary "murderer" 7 occurrences

φονεύς conventionally denotes a person who intentionally takes another’s life. "Murderer" is the natural, common English noun that captures the willful/criminal killing sense (and works for the figurative sense of one who harbors murderous intent). It matches the typical translations and will inflect naturally for number and context.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from φόνος; a murderer (always of criminal (or at least intentional) homicide; which ἀνθρωποκτόνος does not necessarily imply; while σικάριος is a special term for a public bandit):--murderer.

Root Family

φονεύς (phoneus) — to kill, to slay, to murder

Root φον- to kill, to slay, to murder

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G5406-02 φονεῖς phoneis N ACC M PL murderers murderers murderers 3
G5406-03 φονεύς phoneus N NOM M SG a murderer intentional murderer intentional murderer 2
G5406-01 φονέα phonea N ACC M SG murderer a murderer a murderer 1
G5406-04 φονεῦσι phoneusi N DAT M PL murderers to murderers to murderers 1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G5406-02 Matthew 22:7 φονεῖς phoneis N ACC M PL murderers murderers murderers
G5406-01 Acts 3:14 φονέα phonea N ACC M SG murderer a murderer a murderer
G5406-02 Acts 7:52 φονεῖς phoneis N NOM M PL murderers murderers murderers
G5406-03 Acts 28:4 φονεύς phoneus N NOM M SG murderer intentional murderer intentional murderer
G5406-03 1 Peter 4:15 φονεὺς phoneus N NOM M SG a murderer intentional murderer intentional murderer
G5406-04 Revelation 21:8 φονεῦσι phoneusi N DAT M PL murderers to murderers to murderers
G5406-02 Revelation 22:15 φονεῖς phoneis N NOM M PL murderers murderers murderers
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