"reduced to beggary, mendicant; poor, indigent, Mt. 19:21; 26:9, 11; met. spiritually poor, Rev. 3:17; by impl. a person of low condition, Mt. 11:4; Lk. 4:18; 7:22; met. beggarly, sorry, Gal. 4:9; met. lowly, Mt. 5:3; Lk. 6:20"
Definition and meaning
reduced to beggary, mendicant; poor, indigent, Mt. 19:21; 26:9, 11; met. spiritually poor, Rev. 3:17; by impl. a person of low condition, Mt. 11:4; Lk. 4:18; 7:22; met. beggarly, sorry, Gal. 4:9; met. lowly, Mt. 5:3; Lk. 6:20
In the original Greek the word is written: πτωχός
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 ptochos (G4434) across the King James Bible.
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
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Common questions
Strong's G4434 (ptochos) is a Greek word that means: reduced to beggary, mendicant; poor, indigent, Mt. 19:21; 26:9, 11; met. spiritually poor, Rev. 3:17; by impl. a person of low condition, Mt. 11:4; Lk. 4:18; 7:22; met. beggarly, sorry, Gal. 4:9; met.... It appears 34 times in the King James Bible.
The word ptochos (G4434) appears 34 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4434 is ptochos, a Greek word defined as: reduced to beggary, mendicant; poor, indigent, Mt. 19:21; 26:9, 11; met. spiritually poor, Rev. 3:17; by impl. a person of low condition, Mt. 11:4; Lk. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
ptochos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.