βέλος

From the study of Ephesians 6:16

Range of meaning

Belos is any missile: arrow, dart or javelin. Puroō means to set on fire or make red-hot (in other passages also to refine metal or to burn with emotion). As a perfect passive participle it means "having been set alight, now burning."

Against the English

KJV "fiery darts" sounds slightly archaic and suggests small throwing darts. BSB/NIV "flaming arrows" is clear. Both are accurate, though "fiery" can sound like a figure of speech when the Greek describes actual burning weapons.

Used elsewhere in the period

Incendiary missiles were standard in ancient warfare. Herodotus (8.52) describes Persians shooting arrows wrapped in burning tow at the Athenian Acropolis. Thucydides (2.75) and Livy (21.8, the falarica at Saguntum) describe fire weapons and defenses against them. Ammianus Marcellinus (23.4.14–15, a later source) describes malleoli, fire arrows that water made worse. In the Old Testament, Ps 7:13 (LXX 7:14) says God prepares "his arrows for the burning ones", Ps 11:2 and 64:3 describe the wicked shooting arrows or bitter words at the upright, and Prov 26:18 speaks of "firebrands, arrows and death."