Greek word · G513

ἀξίνη

axinē

axe

An axe, specifically a heavy woodcutter's axe for felling trees and chopping timber (BDAG, LSJ s.v.). It is not a pruning hook or knife.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. · Updated October 22, 2026

What it means

αξίνη, -ης, ἡ

[in LXX for גַּרְזֶן, קַרְדֹּם ;]

an axe: Matthew 3:10, Luke 3:9.†

(AS)

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

Range of meaning: An axe, specifically a heavy woodcutter's axe for felling trees and chopping timber (BDAG, LSJ s.v.). It is not a pruning hook or knife.
Against the English: All versions say 'axe/ax'. NLT adds 'of God's judgment' to make the symbol explicit, which is the right meaning but is not in the Greek.
Used elsewhere in the period: Greek Old Testament (LXX): Deut 19:5 (a woodsman's axe); Isa 10:15 ('Shall the axe boast over the one who chops with it?'), where Assyria is God's axe; Jer 46:22 (LXX 26:22), enemies coming 'with axes, like those who cut down trees'. Isaiah 10:33–34 pictures the Lord felling the forest 'with an iron tool'. In the New Testament the word occurs only here and in the parallel Luke 3:9.

Range of meaning: An axe, especially a woodcutter's axe for felling trees. In the New Testament it appears only in this saying (Luke 3:9; Matthew 3:10).
Against the English: 'Axe' is accurate. What English readers can miss is the kind of tool: this is for felling, not trimming. A pruning hook (Greek drepanon, Hebrew mazmerah, Isa 2:4) is what you use to improve a tree. An axe ends it.
Used elsewhere in the period: The Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) uses axinē for literal woodcutting tools (e.g. Deut 19:5; 1 Kgs 6:7; Jer 26/46:22 'with axes they come against her like woodcutters'). In Isaiah 10:15 the axe stands for an instrument of God's judgment (Assyria). Isaiah 10:33–34 pictures the LORD lopping and felling the forest 'with iron'.

Matthew · 1

Matthew 3:10 ἀξίνη ax

The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Here: A woodcutter's axe for felling trees, not a pruning knife. In the prophets the axe is a picture of God's judgment cutting down a proud nation.

Luke · 1

Luke 3:9 ἀξίνη ax

The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Here: A woodsman's felling axe. It is a tool for bringing down a whole tree, not a pruning knife.

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