Greek word · G4167

ποίμνη

poimnē

flock

A flock of small livestock, sheep and/or goats; figuratively a community under a leader (John 10:16 "one flock, one shepherd"; 1 Cor 9:7). Closely related to ποίμνιον (Luke 12:32 "little flock").

Appears 5 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ποίμνη, -ης, ἡ

[in LXX: Genesis 32:16 (17) (עֵדֶר), Zechariah 13:7 A * ;]

a flock, prop., of sheep: Matthew 26:31, Luke 2:8, 1 Corinthians 9:7. Metaphorical, of Christ's followers, John 10:16.†

(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 Luke 2:8

Range of meaning

A flock of small livestock, sheep and/or goats; figuratively a community under a leader (John 10:16 "one flock, one shepherd"; 1 Cor 9:7). Closely related to ποίμνιον (Luke 12:32 "little flock").

Against the English

BSB and NIV turn it into the plural "flocks", and NLT specifies "flocks of sheep". The Greek is a singular "flock" and does not say which animals. Judean flocks were normally mixed sheep and goats.

Used elsewhere in the period

Used in the LXX for flocks (Gen 32:16) and for Israel as God's flock (Ps 77[78]:52; Jer 13:17; Ezek 34). The flock-shepherd image for God's people runs through the prophets and into Jesus' teaching in Luke (12:32; 15:3–7).

From the study of John 10:16

Range of meaning

A flock, usually of sheep, the living herd under a shepherd (Matt 26:31; Luke 2:8; 1 Cor 9:7). It is related to ποιμήν, 'shepherd', and means the animals, not the place where they are kept.

Against the English

Most modern versions have 'flock'. The KJV has 'one fold', following the Latin Vulgate's 'unum ovile'. This erases the contrast John makes between enclosure and flock.

How it drifted

Jerome's Latin (late 4th century) used the same word (ovile, 'sheepfold') for both αὐλή and ποίμνη. Tyndale (1526) corrected it to 'one flocke', but the KJV (1611) went back to 'one fold'. For centuries the Latin wording was used to argue that unity meant a single visible institution.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Septuagint uses ποίμνιον/ποίμνη for Israel as God's flock (e.g. Ezek 34; Zech 10:3). Ezek 34:23 and 37:24 promise 'one shepherd' over a reunited people.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 26:31 ποίμνης. flock.’

    Then Jesus said to them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me. For it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

    Here: Matthew adds this (Mark does not have it). It stresses that the sheep are one flock belonging to the shepherd, which is why they can be gathered again (v. 32).

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 2:8 ποίμνην flock

    And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.

    Here: A flock of small livestock. In Judea that usually meant sheep and goats grazed together. The word is singular: one flock that the group of shepherds shared or looked after together.

John · 1

  1. John 10:16 ποίμνη, flock,

    I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

    Here: A flock of sheep: the living herd, not the enclosure. A different word from 'aulē' earlier in the verse, and the difference is deliberate.

1 Corinthians · 2

  1. 1 Corinthians 9:7 ποίμνην ποίμνης a flock, flock

    Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?

    Here: A flock of sheep or goats. In that region both were milked.

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