Greek word · G3659

ὄμμα

omma

eye

'Eye'. A literary, somewhat poetic word, common in classical Greek poetry and tragedy, and less everyday than ophthalmos.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ὄμμα, -τος, τό in cl. chiefly poët.;

[in LXX for עַיִן (עַיִן (Proverbs 5:1-23, Wisdom of Solomon 2:1-24, 4Ma.3:1-21)* ;]

an eye: p1., Matthew 20:34 Mark 8:23.†

(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 Matthew 20:34

Range of meaning

'Eye'. A literary, somewhat poetic word, common in classical Greek poetry and tragedy, and less everyday than ophthalmos.

Against the English

No English version marks the difference. They all say 'eyes', which is fine.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the NT only here and in Mark 8:23 (also a healing with touch). It is rare in the LXX (e.g. 4 Maccabees 5:30; 18:21). The everyday word ophthalmos is used in v. 33.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 20:34 ὀμμάτων eyes

    Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and at once they received their sight and followed Him.

    Here: A rarer, more literary word for 'eyes'. It appears in the NT only here and in Mark 8:23. One verse earlier (v. 33) the men used the ordinary word ophthalmoi. The change is most likely just variety of style.

Mark · 1

  1. Mark 8:23 ὄμματα eyes

    So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then He spit on the man’s eyes and placed His hands on him. “Can you see anything?” He asked.

    Here: "Eyes." This is the less common, rather literary word for eyes; the NT uses it only here and in Matthew 20:34. Mark switches to the ordinary word ophthalmous in 8:25.

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