μυρίοι
ten thousand, innumerable
Definition
The adjective μυρίοι literally means 'ten thousand,' the highest number in the Greek numeral system. In the New Testament, it is used both in this literal sense (Matthew 18:24) and, more commonly, as an indefinite hyperbole for an uncountably vast multitude. In 1 Corinthians 4:15, Paul uses it figuratively to mean 'countless' or 'innumerable,' emphasizing the abundance of spiritual guardians. Similarly, in 1 Corinthians 14:19, he contrasts speaking a few intelligible words with 'ten thousand' unintelligible ones, using the term to denote an overwhelming, impractical quantity.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only three times in the New Testament, all with a rhetorical or hyperbolic force. In Matthew 18:24, it is used in a parable to describe an impossibly large debt of 'ten thousand talents,' illustrating the magnitude of sin before God. In Paul's letters (1 Corinthians 4:15, 14:19), it is used figuratively. In 1 Corinthians 4:15, he speaks of having 'countless' guides in Christ, and in 1 Corinthians 14:19, he values a few clear words over 'ten thousand' in an unknown tongue, emphasizing clarity and edification in worship.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek noun μυριάς (myrias, G3461), which means 'a ten-thousand' or 'a myriad.' The root conveys the concept of an immense, often indefinite, multitude. It passed into English as 'myriad,' retaining the sense of a vast, countless number.
Semantic Range
The word underscores biblical themes of immensity, especially in relation to grace, sin, and spiritual communication. In Matthew 18:24, the 'ten thousand talent' debt hyperbolically represents the infinite debt of human sin contrasted with God's immeasurable forgiveness. In 1 Corinthians, its use highlights Paul's pastoral priorities: the true, singular relationship of a spiritual father (1 Cor. 4:15) and the supreme value of intelligible prophecy over ecstatic but unedifying speech (1 Cor. 14:19). It teaches that spiritual quality and relational clarity are more valuable than mere quantity or overwhelming display.
In the ancient Greco-Roman world, 'ten thousand' (a myriad) was often the largest named numeral and functioned as a proverbial expression for an incalculable number, similar to our 'millions' or 'countless.' This cultural understanding makes its use in the New Testament immediately recognizable as hyperbole, not a precise arithmetic figure, emphasizing an overwhelming scale.
πολλοί (polloi, G4183) — means 'many' or 'much,' but is a general term without the specific connotation of an immense, indefinite multitude. πλήθος (plēthos, G4128) — means 'multitude' or 'crowd,' referring to a large number of people or things, but not necessarily to the hyperbolic scale of 'ten thousand.'
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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