Word Study · Strong's G4690 · Greek
σπέρμα
sperma
sper'-mah
Strong's 1890 spelling: spérma
“something sown, i.e. seed (including the male "sperm")”
Strong's Dictionary · 1890 · public domain
something sown, i.e. seed (including the male "sperm"); by implication, offspring; specially, a remnant (figuratively, as if kept over for planting)
Rendered in the KJV as
issue, seed.
- 43occurrencesin the New Testament
- 13 of 27New Testament bookswhere the word stands
- 11inflected formsdistinct spellings
Across 43 occurrences
The word itself
Inflected forms · 11
- σπέρμα17
- σπέρματος8
- σπέρμα.4
- σπέρματι4
- σπέρμα,2
- σπέρματί2
- σπερμάτων2
- σπέρμα·1
- σπέρμασιν1
- σπέρματι,1
- σπερμάτων,1
How it is rendered · 16
- seed21
- descendants3
- offspring.3
- offspring2
- seed,2
- seeds2
- [the] seed1
- children1
- Descendants1
- descendants,1
- of seed1
- offspring;1
The sense the word carries at each spot — how the translators read it there, not a fixed translation.
How it parses · 6
- noun · accusative (object) · neuter singular12
- noun · nominative (subject) · neuter singular12
- noun · genitive (“of”) · neuter singular8
- noun · dative (“to / for”) · neuter singular7
- noun · genitive (“of”) · neuter plural3
- noun · dative (“to / for”) · neuter plural1
Show the grammar codes as tagged
- N-ASN · 12
- N-NSN · 12
- N-GSN · 8
- N-DSN · 7
- N-GPN · 3
- N-DPN · 1
All 43, in canonical order
The ledger of occurrences
Where this word lives
Romans carries the most and opens below; every other book is one click.
Matthew7 occurrences
- Matthew 13:24σπέρμαspermanoun · accusative (object) · neuter singularJesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.here: seed
- Matthew 13:27σπέρμαspermanoun · accusative (object) · neuter singularThe owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’here: seed
- Matthew 13:32σπερμάτων,spermatōnnoun · genitive (“of”) · neuter pluralAlthough it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”here: seeds,
- Matthew 13:37σπέρμαspermanoun · accusative (object) · neuter singularHe replied, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.here: seed
- Matthew 13:38σπέρμα,spermanoun · nominative (subject) · neuter singularThe field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,here: seed,
- Matthew 22:24σπέρμαspermanoun · accusative (object) · neuter singular“Teacher,” they said, “Moses declared that if a man dies without having children, his brother is to marry the widow and raise up offspring for him.here: offspring
- Matthew 22:25σπέρμαspermanoun · accusative (object) · neuter singularNow there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died without having children. So he left his wife to his brother.here: seed
Mark5 occurrences
- Mark 4:31σπερμάτωνspermatōnnoun · genitive (“of”) · neuter pluralIt is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth.here: seeds
- Mark 12:19σπέρμαspermanoun · accusative (object) · neuter singular“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.here: seed
- Mark 12:20σπέρμα.spermanoun · accusative (object) · neuter singularNow there were seven brothers. The first one married and died, leaving no children.here: seed.
- Mark 12:21σπέρμαspermanoun · accusative (object) · neuter singularThen the second one married the widow, but he also died and left no children. And the third did likewise.here: seed
- Mark 12:22σπέρμα.spermanoun · accusative (object) · neuter singularIn this way, none of the seven left any children. And last of all, the woman died.here: offspring.
Luke2 occurrences
- Luke 1:55σπέρματιspermatinoun · dative (“to / for”) · neuter singularas He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”here: descendants
- Luke 20:28σπέρμαspermanoun · accusative (object) · neuter singular“Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man is to marry his brother’s widow and raise up offspring for him.here: seed
John3 occurrences
- John 7:42σπέρματοςspermatosnoun · genitive (“of”) · neuter singularDoesn’t the Scripture say that the Christ will come from the line of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”here: seed
- John 8:33σπέρμαspermanoun · nominative (subject) · neuter singular“We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be set free?”here: Seed
- John 8:37σπέρμαspermanoun · nominative (subject) · neuter singularI know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you.here: seed
Acts4 occurrences
- Acts 3:25σπέρματίspermatinoun · dative (“to / for”) · neuter singularAnd you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’here: seed
- Acts 7:5σπέρματιspermatinoun · dative (“to / for”) · neuter singularHe gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though he did not yet have a child.here: descendants
- Acts 7:6σπέρμαspermanoun · nominative (subject) · neuter singularGod told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.here: seed
- Acts 13:23σπέρματοςspermatosnoun · genitive (“of”) · neuter singularFrom the descendants of this man, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as He promised.here: seed
Romans9 occurrences
- Romans 1:3σπέρματοςspermatosnoun · genitive (“of”) · neuter singularregarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh,here: seed
- Romans 4:13σπέρματιspermatinoun · dative (“to / for”) · neuter singularFor the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.here: descendants
- Romans 4:16σπέρματι,spermatinoun · dative (“to / for”) · neuter singularTherefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.here: seed,
- Romans 4:18σπέρμαspermanoun · nominative (subject) · neuter singularAgainst all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”here: offspring
- Romans 9:7σπέρμαspermanoun · nominative (subject) · neuter singularNor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”here: seed
- Romans 9:7σπέρμα.spermanoun · nominative (subject) · neuter singularNor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”here: offspring.
- Romans 9:8σπέρμα.spermanoun · accusative (object) · neuter singularSo it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.here: offspring.
- Romans 9:29σπέρμα,spermanoun · accusative (object) · neuter singularIt is just as Isaiah foretold: “Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.”here: descendants,
- Romans 11:1σπέρματοςspermatosnoun · genitive (“of”) · neuter singularI ask then, did God reject His people? Certainly not! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.here: seed
1 Corinthians1 occurrence
2 Corinthians1 occurrence
Galatians5 occurrences
- Galatians 3:16σπέρματιspermatinoun · dative (“to / for”) · neuter singularThe promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.here: seed
- Galatians 3:16σπέρμασινspermasinnoun · dative (“to / for”) · neuter pluralThe promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.here: to seeds
- Galatians 3:16σπέρματίspermatinoun · dative (“to / for”) · neuter singularThe promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.here: seed
- Galatians 3:19σπέρμαspermanoun · nominative (subject) · neuter singularWhy then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator.here: seed
- Galatians 3:29σπέρμαspermanoun · nominative (subject) · neuter singularAnd if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.here: seed
2 Timothy1 occurrence
Hebrews3 occurrences
- Hebrews 2:16σπέρματοςspermatosnoun · genitive (“of”) · neuter singularFor surely it is not the angels He helps, but the descendants of Abraham.here: [the] seed
- Hebrews 11:11σπέρματοςspermatosnoun · genitive (“of”) · neuter singularBy faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.here: of seed
- Hebrews 11:18σπέρμα·spermanoun · nominative (subject) · neuter singulareven though God had said to him, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”here: offspring;