"a little wing; the extremity, the extreme point of a thing; a pinnacle, or apex of a building, Mt. 4:5; Lk. 4:9*"
Definition and meaning
a little wing; the extremity, the extreme point of a thing; a pinnacle, or apex of a building, Mt. 4:5; Lk. 4:9*
In the original Greek the word is written: πτερύγιον
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 pterygion (G4419) across the King James Bible.
Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
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Common questions
Strong's G4419 (pterygion) is a Greek word that means: a little wing; the extremity, the extreme point of a thing; a pinnacle, or apex of a building, Mt. 4:5; Lk. 4:9* It appears 2 times in the King James Bible.
The word pterygion (G4419) appears 2 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4419 is pterygion, a Greek word defined as: a little wing; the extremity, the extreme point of a thing; a pinnacle, or apex of a building, Mt. 4:5; Lk. 4:9*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
pterygion is a Greek word found in the New Testament.