"the bile, gall; in NT a bitter ingredient, as wormwood, Mt. 27:34; χολὴ πικρίας, intense bitterness, met. thorough disaffection to divine truth, utter estrangement, Acts 8:23*"
Definition and meaning
the bile, gall; in NT a bitter ingredient, as wormwood, Mt. 27:34; χολὴ πικρίας, intense bitterness, met. thorough disaffection to divine truth, utter estrangement, Acts 8:23*
In the original Greek the word is written: χολή
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
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 chole (G5521) across the King James Bible.
They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.
For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
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Common questions
Strong's G5521 (chole) is a Greek word that means: the bile, gall; in NT a bitter ingredient, as wormwood, Mt. 27:34; χολὴ πικρίας, intense bitterness, met. thorough disaffection to divine truth, utter estrangement, Acts 8:23* It appears 2 times in the King James Bible.
The word chole (G5521) appears 2 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G5521 is chole, a Greek word defined as: the bile, gall; in NT a bitter ingredient, as wormwood, Mt. 27:34; χολὴ πικρίας, intense bitterness, met. thorough disaffection to divine truth, utter. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
chole is a Greek word found in the New Testament.