"dumb, destitute of the power of speech, 1 Cor. 12:2; 2 Pet. 2:16; silent, mute, uttering no voice, Acts 8:32; inarticulate, consisting of inarticulate sounds, unmeaning, 1 Cor. 14:10*"
Definition and meaning
dumb, destitute of the power of speech, 1 Cor. 12:2; 2 Pet. 2:16; silent, mute, uttering no voice, Acts 8:32; inarticulate, consisting of inarticulate sounds, unmeaning, 1 Cor. 14:10*
In the original Greek the word is written: ἄφωνος
Historical context
The Roman Empire provided infrastructure no previous civilization had built — roads, sea routes, a common language in Greek, and relative peace across the Mediterranean. Jewish synagogues existed in every major city, giving Paul a starting point everywhere he traveled. The early church had no buildings, no political power, no social standing — and spread faster than any movement in ancient history.
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 aphonos (G880) across the King James Bible.
The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
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Common questions
Strong's G880 (aphonos) is a Greek word that means: dumb, destitute of the power of speech, 1 Cor. 12:2; 2 Pet. 2:16; silent, mute, uttering no voice, Acts 8:32; inarticulate, consisting of inarticulate sounds, unmeaning, 1 Cor. 14:10* It appears 4 times in the King James Bible.
The word aphonos (G880) appears 4 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G880 is aphonos, a Greek word defined as: dumb, destitute of the power of speech, 1 Cor. 12:2; 2 Pet. 2:16; silent, mute, uttering no voice, Acts 8:32; inarticulate, consisting of inarticulate. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
aphonos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.