Greek word · G5558

χρυσόω

chrysoō

to gild

To gild, plate or overlay with gold. Used of objects such as wood, furniture or statues, and figuratively of people loaded with gold ornaments.

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

What it means

χρυσόω, -ῶ

(χρυσός) [in LXX chiefly for צָפָה pi. ;]

to gild, cover with gold: pass., with dative, χρυσίῳ (pleonast., cf. Exodus 26:37), Revelation 17:4 18:16.†

(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 Revelation 18:16

Range of meaning

To gild, plate or overlay with gold. Used of objects such as wood, furniture or statues, and figuratively of people loaded with gold ornaments.

Against the English

BSB, NASB and others say “adorned”, KJV and WEB say “decked”, and NIV says “glittering”. Only YLT (“gilded in gold”) keeps the picture of a body plated in gold like an idol or temple fitting.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Exodus 26:32, 37 and 2 Chronicles 3 use the verb for overlaying the tabernacle and temple woodwork with gold. In the New Testament it occurs only in Revelation 17:4 and 18:16, both times in the same phrase “gilded with gold and precious stone and pearl”.

Similar words

Where it appears

Revelation · 2

  1. Revelation 17:4 κεχρυσωμένη adorned

    The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.

    Here: 'Gilded'. The word is normally used of objects overlaid with gold, so the picture is of a woman covered all over in gold. Like the clothing participle, it is perfect tense and describes a lasting condition.

  2. Revelation 18:16 κεχρυσωμένη adorned

    saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!

    Here: “Having been gilded”. The word belongs to gold-plating objects. She is so covered in gold that she looks gold-plated. This is the same word and phrase as 17:4.

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