Greek word · G2974

κωφός

kōphos

deaf/mute

Basically 'blunt, dulled'. Of people, it means dulled in the senses: deaf, mute, or deaf and mute together, because inability to hear and to speak often came together. Context decides which.

Appears 14 times in 12 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

κωφός, -ή, -όν

(κόπτω), [in LXX chiefly (Exodus 4:11, al.) for אִלֵּם; for חָרָשׁ, Habakkuk 2:18 ;]

blunt, dull. Metaphorical, of the senses, esp.

(a) of speech, dumb: Matthew 9:32-33 12:22 15:30-31, Luke 1:22 11:14;

(b) of hearing, deaf: Matthew 11:5, Mark 7:32, 37 9:25, Luke 7:22.†

(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 Mark 7:37

Range of meaning

Basically 'blunt, dulled'. Of people, it means dulled in the senses: deaf, mute, or deaf and mute together, because inability to hear and to speak often came together. Context decides which.

Against the English

Translations choose 'deaf' here because the word is paired with 'hear'. Elsewhere the same Greek word is rendered 'mute' (e.g., Matthew 9:32–33; Luke 1:22 of Zechariah).

Used elsewhere in the period

Isaiah 35:5 in the Greek Old Testament: 'the ears of the deaf (kōphōn) will hear (akousontai)'. Isaiah 29:18: 'the deaf (kōphoi) will hear'. Isaiah 35:6 also uses the very rare word mogilalos ('speaking with difficulty'), which Mark uses of this man in 7:32. It occurs nowhere else in the New Testament and only there in the Greek Old Testament.

From the study of Matthew 12:22

Range of meaning

Its basic meaning is "blunt, dull" (Homer uses it of a blunt weapon, Iliad 11.390). Applied to people it means dulled in the senses: deaf, unable to speak, or both. Speech and hearing were naturally linked, since someone born deaf usually could not learn to speak.

Against the English

BSB, WEB, NIV, ESV and NASB have "mute". KJV and YLT have "dumb". NLT has "couldn't speak". All are correct for this verse, but each narrows a word that may also include deafness.

How it drifted

"Dumb" in 1611 meant only "unable to speak". In modern English its main sense is "stupid", which the Greek never means.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Isa 35:5: "the ears of the kōphoi will hear", meaning deaf. LXX Hab 2:18: idols are kōpha, mute and lifeless. Ps 37:14 LXX (38:13): "like a kōphos who does not hear". In Matthew, 9:32–33 ("the kōphos spoke") clearly means mute, and 11:5 ("kōphoi hear") clearly means deaf.

From the study of Mark 9:25

Range of meaning

Basically “blunted, dull” (in Homer, a blunt weapon or a muffled wave). Applied to people it means deaf, mute, or deaf and mute together; context decides. Its partner here, ἄλαλος (alalos, G0216), means simply “without speech.”

Against the English

BSB, NIV and NASB reverse the Greek order (“deaf and mute”), while ESV and WEB keep “mute and deaf.” KJV and YLT say “dumb and deaf”; “dumb” now suggests stupidity. NLT rewrites it as “you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” which makes it clear that the spirit causes the condition.

How it drifted

No drift in the Greek. The drift is in the KJV's English, where “dumb” has moved from “speechless” to “stupid.”

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Gospels kōphos means mute in Matt 9:32–33 (the man speaks once the demon leaves) and deaf in Matt 11:5 and Mark 7:32, 37. Isaiah 35:5–6 LXX promises that “the ears of the deaf (kōphōn) will hear … the tongue of those who struggle to speak will be clear.” Mark 7:37 echoes it: “he makes the deaf (kōphous) hear and the mute (alalous) speak.” The same pair of words is used here.

Where it appears

Matthew · 7

  1. Matthew 9:32 κωφὸν mute [and]

    As they were leaving, a demon-possessed man who was mute was brought to Jesus.

  2. Matthew 9:33 κωφός. mute [man].

    And when the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

  3. Matthew 11:5 κωφοὶ deaf

    The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

    Here: The word can mean deaf, mute, or deaf-and-mute. In 9:32–33 it describes a man who cannot speak. Here it is paired with "hear," so deafness is the point, echoing Isaiah 35:5, "the ears of the deaf unstopped."

  4. Matthew 12:22 κωφός, κωφὸν mute,, mute [man]

    Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed the man so that he could speak and see.

    Here: Literally "blunted, dulled". It can mean deaf, mute, or deaf and mute. The result clause ("to speak") shows that muteness is in view, though deafness may be included.

  5. Matthew 15:30 κωφούς, mute

    Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet, and He healed them.

    Here: The word literally means 'blunted' and can mean deaf, mute, or both. Verse 31 says 'the kōphoi speaking', so speech is the focus here. Deafness and muteness often went together.

  6. Matthew 15:31 κωφοὺς mute

    The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.

    Here: The word basically means 'blunted' and can mean deaf, mute, or both. Because the next word is 'speaking', the focus here is on people who could not talk.

Mark · 3

  1. Mark 7:32 κωφὸν a deaf man

    Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him.

  2. Mark 7:37 κωφοὺς deaf

    The people were utterly astonished and said, “He has done all things well! He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”

    Here: The basic idea is 'dulled' in the senses. The word could mean deaf, mute or both. Here it is paired with 'hear', so the meaning is deaf. It is the same word used of the man in v. 32.

  3. Mark 9:25 κωφὸν deaf

    When Jesus saw that a crowd had come running, He rebuked the unclean spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you to come out and never enter him again.”

    Here: The word basically means “blunted” and can mean deaf, mute or both. Placed next to “mute,” it must mean deaf here. Jesus adds something the father had not mentioned.

Luke · 4

  1. Luke 1:22 κωφός.¶ mute.

    When he came out and was unable to speak to them, they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

  2. Luke 7:22 κωφοὶ deaf

    So He replied, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

    Here: The word covers both deafness and inability to speak, which often went together. Here, because of the verb 'hear', the sense is deafness.

  3. Luke 11:14 κωφόν. κωφός, mute., mute

    One day Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. And when the demon was gone, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed,

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