UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: people who are like a flock

Semantic entry: 11.31

Semantic domains: Groups and Classes of Persons and Members of Such Groups and Classes

Subdomains: Socio-Religious

Definition: (a figurative extension of meaning of ποίμνιον ‘flock,’ not occurring in the NT) the followers of Christ constituting a well-defined membership group

Notes: It is often impossible to reproduce the figurative values of ἀρνίον [source selector 000001][b] (11.29: ἀρνίον), πρόβατον [source selector 000001][b] (11.30: πρόβατον), ποίμνιον, and ποίμνη [source selector 000001][b], , since such metaphors cannot be employed in areas of the world in which sheep serve primarily as scavengers around villages (something which is generally true in many parts of the tropics). It may be possible in some instances to preserve something of the metaphorical value of these four terms by translating in some such manner as ‘take care of my people as you would sheep’ or ‘take care of my people, who are like sheep,’ or ‘take care of my helpless people,’ but frequently one can only translate as ‘take care of my people.’

Further resources: fauna:2.31.1