"leaven, yeast, Mt. 16:12; 13:33; met. leaven of the mind and conduct, by a system of doctrine or morals, used in a bad sense, Mt. 16:6, 11; 1 Cor. 5:6"
Definition and meaning
leaven, yeast, Mt. 16:12; 13:33; met. leaven of the mind and conduct, by a system of doctrine or morals, used in a bad sense, Mt. 16:6, 11; 1 Cor. 5:6
In the original Greek the word is written: ζύμη
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 zyme (G2219) across the King James Bible.
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.
In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
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Common questions
Strong's G2219 (zyme) is a Greek word that means: leaven, yeast, Mt. 16:12; 13:33; met. leaven of the mind and conduct, by a system of doctrine or morals, used in a bad sense, Mt. 16:6, 11; 1 Cor. 5:6 It appears 11 times in the King James Bible.
The word zyme (G2219) appears 11 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2219 is zyme, a Greek word defined as: leaven, yeast, Mt. 16:12; 13:33; met. leaven of the mind and conduct, by a system of doctrine or morals, used in a bad sense, Mt. 16:6, 11; 1 Cor. 5:6. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
zyme is a Greek word found in the New Testament.