"pr. rotten, putrid; hence, bad, of a bad quality, Mt. 7:17, 18; 12:33; Lk. 6:43; refuse, Mt. 13:48; met. corrupt, depraved, vicious, foul, impure, Eph. 4:29*"
Definition and meaning
pr. rotten, putrid; hence, bad, of a bad quality, Mt. 7:17, 18; 12:33; Lk. 6:43; refuse, Mt. 13:48; met. corrupt, depraved, vicious, foul, impure, Eph. 4:29*
In the original Greek the word is written: σαπρός
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 sapros (G4550) across the King James Bible.
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
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Common questions
Strong's G4550 (sapros) is a Greek word that means: pr. rotten, putrid; hence, bad, of a bad quality, Mt. 7:17, 18; 12:33; Lk. 6:43; refuse, Mt. 13:48; met. corrupt, depraved, vicious, foul, impure, Eph. 4:29* It appears 6 times in the King James Bible.
The word sapros (G4550) appears 6 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4550 is sapros, a Greek word defined as: pr. rotten, putrid; hence, bad, of a bad quality, Mt. 7:17, 18; 12:33; Lk. 6:43; refuse, Mt. 13:48; met. corrupt, depraved, vicious, foul, impure, Eph. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
sapros is a Greek word found in the New Testament.