Greek word · G2895

κράββατος

krabbatos

bed

A pallet, mattress or light camp-bed: the cheap, portable bedding of poor people, soldiers or invalids. It was light enough for one person to roll up and carry, or for four friends to carry with someone lying on it (Mark 2:4).

Appears 11 times in 11 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

κράβαττος (Rec. κράββατος), ου, ὁ

(a Macedonian word, = Lat. grabatus, cl. σκίμπους), [in Aquila.: Amos 3:12 * ;]

a camp bed, pallet: Mark 2:4, 9 2:11-12 6:55, John 5:8-11, Acts 5:15 9:33 (see Swete, Mk., 24, and cf. κλίνη).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of John 5:8

Range of meaning

A pallet, mattress or light camp-bed: the cheap, portable bedding of poor people, soldiers or invalids. It was light enough for one person to roll up and carry, or for four friends to carry with someone lying on it (Mark 2:4).

Against the English

KJV 'bed' (also ESV) makes modern readers picture a framed piece of furniture, which makes carrying it sound like a feat of strength. 'Mat' (BSB, NIV, NLT, WEB) and 'pallet' (NASB) are closer. YLT's 'couch' points to the wrong kind of object.

How it drifted

In 1611 'bed' could mean any bedding or sleeping place, including a pad on the floor. Since then the English word has narrowed to mean a raised bed frame with a mattress.

Used elsewhere in the period

The word was a loanword, probably of Macedonian origin, found in colloquial papyri and in New Testament narrative (Mark 2:4–12; 6:55; John 5:8–11; Acts 5:15; 9:33). The second-century grammarian Phrynichus, who policed 'proper' Attic Greek, told writers to say σκίμπους instead, a sign that κράβαττος was regarded as common, low-register speech. The Latin Vulgate borrows it as grabatus.

From the study of Mark 2:12

Range of meaning

A pallet, mattress or camp-bed: a light bedding a person could lie on and carry. It was the bedding of the poor and of soldiers.

Against the English

KJV 'bed' and ESV 'bed' suggest furniture to a modern reader. 'Mat' (BSB, NIV, WEB, NLT) or 'pallet' (NASB) gets closer. YLT's 'couch' is misleading.

How it drifted

In 1611 'bed' could still mean bedding or a mattress laid on the floor. Today 'bed' means a frame with a mattress, which no one could lower through a roof or tuck under one arm.

Used elsewhere in the period

A non-literary word of Macedonian origin. The second-century grammarian Phrynichus condemned it as vulgar and told educated writers to say σκίμπους instead, which shows it was ordinary street Greek. It appears in the papyri, and Mark uses it four times in this story (2:4, 9, 11, 12; also 6:55). Luke smooths it to κλινίδιον, 'little couch' (Luke 5:19, 24), and Matthew uses κλίνη (Matt 9:6).

From the study of John 5:11

Range of meaning

A pallet, camp-bed or sleeping mat of the poor. It was a light, portable bedding item, related to the Latin grabatus. It was a colloquial word: the second-century grammarian Phrynichus condemned it as vulgar and told educated writers to use another word.

Against the English

KJV 'bed' and ESV 'bed' let modern readers picture a heavy piece of furniture. BSB, WEB, NIV and NLT have 'mat', NASB 'pallet', YLT 'couch'.

How it drifted

'Bed' in modern English almost always means a frame and mattress. In 1611 it could still mean bedding laid on the floor.

Used elsewhere in the period

Mark 2:4, 9, 11, 12 (the paralytic let down through the roof, with the near-identical command 'take up your pallet and walk' in Mark 2:9); Mark 6:55; Acts 5:15; 9:33.

Where it appears

Mark · 5

  1. Mark 2:4 κράβαττον pallet

    Since they were unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic on his mat.

  2. Mark 2:9 κράβαττόν mat

    “Which is easier: to say to a paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’?

    Here: A poor person's pallet or sleeping mat, light enough to roll up and carry. It was a slangy, everyday word, not a bed with a frame.

  3. Mark 2:11 κράβαττόν mat

    “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.”

  4. Mark 2:12 κράβαττον mat

    And immediately the man got up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of them all. As a result, they were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

    Here: A poor person's thin portable pallet, light enough for one man to roll up and carry. It was not a bed frame.

  5. Mark 6:55 κραβάττοις mats

    and ran through that whole region, carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was.

John · 4

  1. John 5:8 κράβαττόν mat

    Then Jesus told him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.”

    Here: A cheap, portable sleeping pad or light camp-bed, the bed of a poor or sick person. The word was street Greek. It does not mean a bed frame. The thing that had carried him, and that he had lain on for years, is now something he carries.

  2. John 5:9 κράβαττον mat

    Immediately the man was made well, and he picked up his mat and began to walk. Now this happened on the Sabbath day,

    Here: A poor person's thin mattress or pad, light enough to roll up and carry. It was where he had lain for years. Now he carries it, which shows he is healed, and that same act is what draws the Sabbath charge.

  3. John 5:10 κράβαττόν mat

    so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath! It is unlawful for you to carry your mat.”

    Here: A poor person's portable sleeping pad, light enough to roll up and carry. It is not a bed frame. Even so, carrying it into a public space counted as carrying a load.

  4. John 5:11 κράβαττόν mat

    But he answered, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”

    Here: A poor person's thin sleeping pad or light pallet, easy for one person to roll up and carry. It is not a bedframe. The object at the centre of the Sabbath dispute was small and ordinary.

Acts · 2

  1. Acts 5:15 κραβάττων, mats,

    As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.

    Here: A poor person's mattress or pallet, a borrowed word (Latin grabatus). It is the same word used for the paralysed men's mats in Mark 2 and John 5. Together with 'cots' it shows that people of every means brought their sick on whatever they had.

  2. Acts 9:33 κραβάττου a bed

    There he found a man named Aeneas who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.