Bible Word Study
πτέρνα
pterna · the heel
πτέρνα
the heel
Definition
πτέρνα refers specifically to the heel of the foot. In its single New Testament occurrence, it is used in a quotation from Psalm 41:9 (LXX 40:10) in John 13:18, where Jesus says, 'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' Here, the word carries the literal anatomical meaning but is employed in a powerful metaphorical sense to denote a treacherous act of betrayal, drawing on the imagery of a sudden, unexpected, and dishonorable attack from someone in close proximity.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in John 13:18. Its usage is entirely contextualized by a direct quotation from the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint). It appears in Jesus's prediction of Judas's betrayal, where the physical action of 'lifting the heel' symbolizes a violent, deceitful act of turning against a close associate or benefactor.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek verb πίπτω (piptō, G4098), meaning 'to fall,' the word πτέρνα originally conveyed the idea of the part of the foot that strikes or falls upon the ground. This connection to striking or impact aligns with its metaphorical use for a hostile action. It is a cognate of the word πτερνίζω (pternizō), meaning 'to trip up' or 'supplant,' famously used in the Septuagint for Jacob's grasping of Esau's heel (Genesis 25:26).
Semantic Range
Theologically, this word is significant because it connects Jesus's betrayal directly to the language and imagery of the Psalms, presenting his suffering as the fulfillment of Scripture. The metaphor of the 'lifted heel' powerfully conveys the intimate nature of betrayal by a close friend, deepening the pathos of the Passion narrative. Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by highlighting the deliberate scriptural allusion and the profound dishonor implied in Judas's actions. In the ancient Mediterranean world, showing the sole of one's foot or heel to someone was a gesture of contempt and disrespect. To 'lift the heel' against someone, especially a host or friend, symbolized a deliberate and shocking act of treachery and rebellion, turning away from a covenant of friendship or loyalty. This cultural understanding intensifies the gravity of the betrayal described in John 13:18. πούς (pous, G4228) — a more general term for the entire foot. σφυρόν (sphuron, G4974) — refers specifically to the ankle bone.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). Concordance and morphology data are derived from the interlinear Bible.
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]