Greek word · G5333

φάρμακος

pharmakos

sorcerer

A practitioner of pharmakeia: magic, sorcery, enchantment, often using potions, herbs or poisons as well as spells and curses. Related words: φάρμακον (a drug, which could be a medicine, a poison or a magic charm) and φαρμακεύς (sorcerer, poisoner).

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

φαρμακός, -ή, -όν

[in LXX for כָּשַׁף, etc. ;]

devoted to magical arts. As subst., ὁ φ. = φαρμακεύς, a magician, sorcerer: Revelation 21:8 22:15.†

(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 Revelation 22:15

Range of meaning

A practitioner of pharmakeia: magic, sorcery, enchantment, often using potions, herbs or poisons as well as spells and curses. Related words: φάρμακον (a drug, which could be a medicine, a poison or a magic charm) and φαρμακεύς (sorcerer, poisoner).

Against the English

"Sorcerers" (BSB, KJV, ESV, WEB) and "those who practice magic arts" (NIV) are accurate. English readers may picture fantasy wizards or, because of "pharmacy", modern medicine. Neither is the ancient picture.

How it drifted

English "pharmacy" and "pharmaceutical" come from the same root. Some readers therefore hear a condemnation of medicine or drugs, but the persons condemned here are magicians.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the LXX, φαρμακοί are Pharaoh's magicians (Exod 7:11). The Law says "you shall not let sorcerers live" (Exod 22:17 LXX). God will testify against sorcerers (Mal 3:5). Wisdom 12:4 speaks of the Canaanites' "works of sorcery". Gal 5:20 lists pharmakeia right after idolatry, and Didache 2:2 says "you shall not practise sorcery". Ephesus, a city addressed in Revelation, was famous for magic: converts burned their magic books (Acts 19:19). The Greek magical papyri preserve spells, love charms and curse formulas of the kind meant.

From the study of Revelation 21:8

Range of meaning

Someone who uses pharmaka: drugs, potions, poisons, charms and spells. The word family covers medicine, poisoning and magic, because in the ancient world these overlapped. The pharmakos (or pharmakeus) was a sorcerer, enchanter or poisoner. (An accent-shifted form, pharmakos, also meant a human scapegoat in Greek ritual, which is not the sense here.)

Against the English

"Sorcerers" in most versions. NIV has "those who practice magic arts" and NLT "those who practice witchcraft." All of these are accurate.

How it drifted

Because "pharmacy" comes from the same root, some modern readers take it to condemn medicine or prescription drugs. The ancient sense is magic and manipulation of spiritual powers, often with potions or poisons, not healing medicine.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the LXX, Exodus 7:11 has Pharaoh's magicians (pharmakoi), and Malachi 3:5 has God as witness "against the sorcerers, against the adulterers." Revelation 9:21 lists sorceries among the unrepented sins, 18:23 says "by your sorcery all nations were deceived," and 22:15 repeats the word. Acts 19:19 describes magic books burned at Ephesus. The Latin Vulgate here has veneficis, "poisoners or witches."

Similar words

Where it appears

Revelation · 3

  1. Revelation 9:21 φαρμάκων sorceries

    Furthermore, they did not repent of their murder, sorcery, sexual immorality, and theft.

    Here: Literally 'their pharmaka': potions, poisons, charms and spells used to control people or powers. Coming right after idols and demons in verse 20, the sense here is magic and occult manipulation, and possibly secret poisoning. It does not mean ordinary medicine.

  2. Revelation 21:8 φαρμάκοις to sorcerers

    But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”

    Here: "Sorcerers." These are people who work magic with potions, spells and charms. Revelation ties sorcery to Babylon's deception of the nations (18:23) and the beast's counterfeit signs (13:13–14).

  3. Revelation 22:15 φάρμακοι sorcerers

    But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

    Here: People who practise magic: spells, curses, charms and potions, which could include poisons. In the Greek Old Testament this is the word for Pharaoh's magicians (Exod 7:11) and the sorcerers the Law forbids (Exod 22:18).

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