χείρ (G5495) — Greek Lexicon

χείρ

cheír

G5495 noun

SILEX Entry

Root χείρ- hand, grasp, agency, power, means

Definition

Hand; the anatomical part at the end of the arm used for grasping, holding, or manipulating objects. By extension, denotes agency, power, control, or instrumentality in executing actions. In figurative use, signifies authority, ability to do something, or the means by which something is accomplished. In idiomatic expressions, may refer to possession, protection, or responsibility.

Semantic Range

anatomical hand, grasp or hold, agency, authority, power, control, means or instrument, personal intervention, touch, possession, responsibility

Root / Etymology

From the root χείρ-, of uncertain origin; possibly pre-Greek and not connected with standard Greek verbal roots. The Strong's suggested etymologies (from χειμών or χάσμα) are speculative and not widely supported in modern scholarship.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical and Hellenistic Greek, χείρ retains the primary sense of 'hand' as the bodily extremity. It appears extensively in Homer and subsequent Greek literature with both literal (anatomical) and figurative senses. In the Septuagint and New Testament, χείρ frequently translates Hebrew יָד (yad), which carries a similar breadth: physical hand, authority, power, or means. Thus, χείρ in Koine commonly denotes not only the hand itself but also the concept of power ('in someone’s hand' for under their control; 'by the hand of' for by the agency of). Common idioms include ἐν τῇ χειρί (in the hand: possession, control), διὰ χειρός (by the hand of: agency), ὑπὸ χεῖρα (at the hand: under control). English translations often render many figurative uses simply as 'hand,' which may obscure senses of agency or authority. Notably, χείρ can signify both physical touch (miracle stories, e.g., NT healing by the hand) and symbolic power (the hand of God signifies divine action or intervention). Use in papyri and non-literary Koine sources also covers contracts (signature or approval by hand) and metonymy for personal intervention. The term has no particular ethnic or religious connotations, but is deeply embedded in Hebrew idiom via LXX translation practice, which influenced NT usage. Distinct from πούς (foot), but sometimes paired in phrases indicating the whole person.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

perhaps from the base of χειμών in the sense of its congener the base of χάσμα (through the idea of hollowness for grasping); the hand (literally or figuratively (power); especially (by Hebraism) a means or instrument):--hand.

Root Family

χείρ (cheir) — hand, grasp, agency, power, means

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`G5495-03`	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands	60
`G5495-02`	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand	30
`G5495-07`	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand	26
`G5495-05`	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand	20
`G5495-06`	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	hands	of hands	17
`G5495-01`	χεὶρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`	hand	hand	13
`G5495-08`	χερσὶν	chersin	`N DAT F PL`	hands	to/for hands	9
`G5495-04`	χεῖρες	cheires	`N NOM F PL`	hands	hands	2

Occurrences in Scripture

177 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`G5495-05`	Matthew 3:12	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`		to the hand
`G5495-06`	Matthew 4:6	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`		of hands
`G5495-01`	Matthew 5:30	χεὶρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`		hand
`G5495-02`	Matthew 8:3	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`		hand
`G5495-07`	Matthew 8:15	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`		of a hand
`G5495-02`	Matthew 9:18	χεῖρά	cheira	`N ACC F SG`		hand
`G5495-07`	Matthew 9:25	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`		of a hand
`G5495-02`	Matthew 12:10	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`		hand
`G5495-02`	Matthew 12:13	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`		hand
`G5495-02`	Matthew 12:49	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`		hand
`G5495-02`	Matthew 14:31	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`		hand
`G5495-03`	Matthew 15:2	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`		hands
`G5495-08`	Matthew 15:20	χερσὶν	chersin	`N DAT F PL`		to/for hands
`G5495-03`	Matthew 17:22	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`		hands
`G5495-01`	Matthew 18:8	χείρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`		hand
`G5495-03`	Matthew 18:8	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`		hands
`G5495-03`	Matthew 19:13	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`		hands
`G5495-03`	Matthew 19:15	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`		hands
`G5495-03`	Matthew 22:13	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`		hands
`G5495-02`	Matthew 26:23	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`		hand
`G5495-03`	Matthew 26:45	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`		hands
`G5495-03`	Matthew 26:50	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`		hands
`G5495-02`	Matthew 26:51	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`		hand
`G5495-03`	Matthew 27:24	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`		hands
`G5495-07`	Mark 1:31	χειρός	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-02`	Mark 1:41	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-02`	Mark 3:1	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-02`	Mark 3:3	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-02`	Mark 3:5	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-01`	Mark 3:5	χεὶρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-03`	Mark 5:23	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-07`	Mark 5:41	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-06`	Mark 6:2	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	hands	of hands
`G5495-03`	Mark 6:5	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-08`	Mark 7:2	χερσίν	chersin	`N DAT F PL`	hands	to/for hands
`G5495-03`	Mark 7:3	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-08`	Mark 7:5	χερσὶν	chersin	`N DAT F PL`	hands	to/for hands
`G5495-02`	Mark 7:32	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-07`	Mark 8:23	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-03`	Mark 8:23	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Mark 8:25	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-07`	Mark 9:27	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-03`	Mark 9:31	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-01`	Mark 9:43	χείρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-03`	Mark 9:43	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Mark 10:16	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Mark 14:41	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Mark 14:46	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Mark 16:18	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-01`	Luke 1:66	χεὶρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-07`	Luke 1:71	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-07`	Luke 1:74	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-05`	Luke 3:17	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-06`	Luke 4:11	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	hands	of hands
`G5495-03`	Luke 4:40	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-02`	Luke 5:13	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-08`	Luke 6:1	χερσίν	chersin	`N DAT F PL`	hands	to/for hands
`G5495-01`	Luke 6:6	χεὶρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-02`	Luke 6:8	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-02`	Luke 6:10	χεῖρά	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-01`	Luke 6:10	χεὶρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-07`	Luke 8:54	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-03`	Luke 9:44	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-02`	Luke 9:62	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-03`	Luke 13:13	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-02`	Luke 15:22	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-03`	Luke 20:19	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Luke 21:12	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-01`	Luke 22:21	χεὶρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-03`	Luke 22:53	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Luke 23:46	χεῖράς	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Luke 24:7	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Luke 24:39	χεῖράς	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Luke 24:40	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Luke 24:50	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-05`	John 3:35	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-02`	John 7:30	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-03`	John 7:44	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-07`	John 10:28	χειρός	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-07`	John 10:29	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-07`	John 10:39	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-03`	John 11:44	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	John 13:3	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	John 13:9	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	John 20:20	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-08`	John 20:25	χερσὶν	chersin	`N DAT F PL`	hands	to/for hands
`G5495-02`	John 20:25	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-03`	John 20:27	χεῖράς	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-02`	John 20:27	χεῖρά	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-03`	John 21:18	χεῖράς	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-07`	Acts 2:23	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hands	of a hand
`G5495-07`	Acts 3:7	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-03`	Acts 4:3	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-01`	Acts 4:28	χείρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-02`	Acts 4:30	χεῖρά	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-06`	Acts 5:12	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	hands	of hands
`G5495-03`	Acts 5:18	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Acts 6:6	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-07`	Acts 7:25	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-05`	Acts 7:35	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-06`	Acts 7:41	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	hands	of hands
`G5495-01`	Acts 7:50	χείρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-03`	Acts 8:17	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-06`	Acts 8:18	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	hands	of hands
`G5495-03`	Acts 8:19	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Acts 9:12	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Acts 9:17	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-02`	Acts 9:41	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-01`	Acts 11:21	χεὶρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-07`	Acts 11:30	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-03`	Acts 12:1	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-06`	Acts 12:7	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	hands	of hands
`G5495-07`	Acts 12:11	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	the hand	of a hand
`G5495-05`	Acts 12:17	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-03`	Acts 13:3	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-01`	Acts 13:11	χεὶρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-05`	Acts 13:16	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-06`	Acts 14:3	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	hands	of hands
`G5495-07`	Acts 15:23	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-06`	Acts 17:25	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	hands	of hands
`G5495-03`	Acts 19:6	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-06`	Acts 19:11	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	hands	of hands
`G5495-06`	Acts 19:26	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	hands	of hands
`G5495-02`	Acts 19:33	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-04`	Acts 20:34	χεῖρες	cheires	`N NOM F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Acts 21:11	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Acts 21:11	χεῖρας	cheiras-2	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Acts 21:27	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-05`	Acts 21:40	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-07`	Acts 23:19	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-06`	Acts 24:7	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	hands	of hands
`G5495-02`	Acts 26:1	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-07`	Acts 28:3	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-07`	Acts 28:4	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-03`	Acts 28:8	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Acts 28:17	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-03`	Romans 10:21	χεῖράς	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-08`	1 Corinthians 4:12	χερσίν	chersin	`N DAT F PL`	hands	to/for hands
`G5495-01`	1 Corinthians 12:15	χείρ	cheir	`N NOM F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-05`	1 Corinthians 12:21	χειρί	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-05`	1 Corinthians 16:21	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-03`	2 Corinthians 11:33	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`		hands
`G5495-05`	Galatians 3:19	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	the hand	to the hand
`G5495-05`	Galatians 6:11	χειρί	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-08`	Ephesians 4:28	χερσὶν	chersin	`N DAT F PL`	hands	to/for hands
`G5495-05`	Colossians 4:18	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-08`	1 Thessalonians 4:11	χερσὶν	chersin	`N DAT F PL`	hands	to/for hands
`G5495-05`	2 Thessalonians 3:17	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-03`	1 Timothy 2:8	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-06`	1 Timothy 4:14	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	of hands	of hands
`G5495-03`	1 Timothy 5:22	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-06`	2 Timothy 1:6	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`	hands	of hands
`G5495-05`	Philemon 1:19	χειρί	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-06`	Hebrews 1:10	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`		of hands
`G5495-06`	Hebrews 6:2	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`		of hands
`G5495-07`	Hebrews 8:9	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`		of a hand
`G5495-03`	Hebrews 10:31	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`		hands
`G5495-03`	Hebrews 12:12	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`		hands
`G5495-03`	James 4:8	χεῖρας	cheiras	`N ACC F PL`	your hands	hands
`G5495-02`	1 Peter 5:6	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-04`	1 John 1:1	χεῖρες	cheires	`N NOM F PL`	hands	hands
`G5495-05`	Revelation 1:16	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`		to the hand
`G5495-05`	Revelation 6:5	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`		to the hand
`G5495-08`	Revelation 7:9	χερσὶν	chersin	`N DAT F PL`		to/for hands
`G5495-07`	Revelation 8:4	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`		of a hand
`G5495-06`	Revelation 9:20	χειρῶν	cheiron	`N GEN F PL`		of hands
`G5495-05`	Revelation 10:2	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`		to the hand
`G5495-02`	Revelation 10:5	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`		hand
`G5495-05`	Revelation 10:8	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`		to the hand
`G5495-07`	Revelation 10:10	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`		of a hand
`G5495-07`	Revelation 13:16	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-02`	Revelation 14:9	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-05`	Revelation 14:14	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-05`	Revelation 17:4	χειρὶ	cheiri	`N DAT F SG`	hand	to the hand
`G5495-07`	Revelation 19:2	χειρὸς	cheiros	`N GEN F SG`	hand	of a hand
`G5495-02`	Revelation 20:1	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hand	hand
`G5495-02`	Revelation 20:4	χεῖρα	cheira	`N ACC F SG`	hands	hand

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