"thorny, made of thorns, Mk. 15:17; Jn. 19:5*"
Definition and meaning
thorny, made of thorns, Mk. 15:17; Jn. 19:5*
In the original Greek the word is written: ἀκάνθινος
Historical context
The Gospel of Mark moves urgently — the word "immediately" appears over 40 times. It was written for a Roman audience familiar with power and action. Jesus is portrayed as a man who acts, heals, and commands authority that the Roman world had never seen from a Jewish teacher.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of akanthinos (G174) across the King James Bible.
And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head,
Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!
Refiner gives you the full lexicon entry, AI-powered verse insight, historical commentary, cross-references, and voice study — all in one place.
Free to start · Disciple $4.99/mo · Shepherd $9.99/mo
Common questions
Strong's G174 (akanthinos) is a Greek word that means: thorny, made of thorns, Mk. 15:17; Jn. 19:5* It appears 2 times in the King James Bible.
The word akanthinos (G174) appears 2 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G174 is akanthinos, a Greek word defined as: thorny, made of thorns, Mk. 15:17; Jn. 19:5*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
akanthinos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.