UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: flesh

Semantic entry: 8.63

Semantic domains: Body, Body Parts, and Body Products

Subdomains: Parts of the Body

Definition: the flesh of both animals and human beings

Notes: Some languages make an important distinction between the flesh of a living person and the flesh of someone who has been killed or who has died. It would be this latter sense which should be reflected in RV REV 19:18 · LV REV 19:18 · Read together REV 19:18. In RV ROM 2:28 · LV ROM 2:28 · Read together ROM 2:28 the reference to ‘circumcision in the flesh’ (ἐν σαρκὶ περιτομή) would, however, require the first sense, namely, the flesh of a living person.

Sense 2: body, physical body

Semantic entry: 8.4

Semantic domains: Body, Body Parts, and Body Products

Subdomains: Body

Definition: a living body{N:001}

Notes: Though the reference of σάρξ in RV TI1 3:16 · LV TI1 3:16 · Read together TI1 3:16 is to the physical body, it may be necessary in some instances to translate this as ‘a human being’ or ‘a person,’ that is to say, ‘Christ appeared as a human being’ or ‘Christ became a person.’ Otherwise, the reader might assume that Christ took on the body of someone else or merely indwelt some miraculous human form rather than actually became a human being

Sense 3: people, human being

Semantic entry: 9.11

Semantic domains: People

Subdomains: Human Beings

Definition: (a figurative extension of meaning of σάρξ[a] ‘flesh,’ 8.63: σάρξ) humans as physical beings

Sense 4: physical nature, human

Semantic entry: 9.12

Semantic domains: People

Subdomains: Human Beings

Definition: (a figurative extension of meaning of σάρξ[a] ‘flesh,’ 8.63: σάρξ) human nature, with emphasis upon the physical aspects

Notes: In a number of languages it would seem strange, if not totally redundant, to speak of ‘physical fathers’ or ‘human fathers’ (RV HEB 12:9 · LV HEB 12:9 · Read together HEB 12:9), since the term ‘fathers’ would suffice, and any addition would be misleading. In some instances, however, one might use an expression such as ‘our own fathers,’ so as to provide an implied contrast with the heavenly Father. Where it is necessary to qualify the term ‘fathers,’ one may use an expression such as ‘fathers which caused us to be conceived.’

Sense 5: race, ethnic group, nation

Semantic entry: 10.1

Semantic domains: Kinship Terms

Subdomains: Groups and Members of Groups of Persons Regarded as Related by Blood but without Special Reference to Successive Generations

Definition: a relatively large group of persons regarded as being biologically related{N:002}

Notes: It may be difficult in some languages to clearly distinguish between culture and race as in RV MRK 7:26 · LV MRK 7:26 · Read together MRK 7:26. Sometimes this difference can be indicated by saying ‘the woman lived like a Greek, but she was a Syrophoenician’ or ‘… her parents were from Syrophoenicia.’ In translating ‘people of my own race’ in RV ROM 11:14 · LV ROM 11:14 · Read together ROM 11:14, it may be necessary to say ‘all my fellow Jews’ or ‘all those people of whom I am a part’ or ‘those people who are my roots’ or ‘… my trunk,’ based on the analogy of a tree trunk and branches.

Sense 6: human nature, human aspects, natural, human

Semantic entry: 26.7

Semantic domains: Psychological Faculties

Definition: the psychological aspect of human nature which contrasts with the spiritual nature; in other words, that aspect of human nature which is characterized by or reflects typical human reasoning and desires in contrast with those aspects of human thought and behavior which relate to God and the spiritual life

Notes: Some scholars understand the meaning of σάρξ[f] as being a person’s lower nature rather than simply human nature, but the distinction between lower nature and higher nature seems to be primarily one arising out of typical Greek thought rather than out of the Semitic background which seems to be so pervasive in the use of the term σάρξ in NT contexts such as RV CO1 1:26 · LV CO1 1:26 · Read together CO1 1:26. There are, of course, contexts in which σάρξ does refer to that psychological factor in man which serves as a willing instrument of sin and is subject to sin.

Sense 7: human nature, physical nature of people

Semantic entry: 58.10

Semantic domains: Nature, Class, Example

Subdomains: Nature, Character

Definition: human nature, particularly in reference to the physical aspect of human life

Notes: In some languages one may more appropriately translate this phrase in RV GAL 4:23 · LV GAL 4:23 · Read together GAL 4:23 as ‘was born like any person is’ or ‘was born like people are normally born.’

Sense 8: life

Semantic entry: 23.90

Semantic domains: Physiological Processes and States

Subdomains: Live, Die

Definition: (a figurative extension of meaning of σάρξ[a] ‘flesh,’ 8.63: σάρξ) physical life

Sense 9: sexual desire, physical desire

Semantic entry: 25.29

Semantic domains: Attitudes and Emotions

Subdomains: Desire Strongly

Definition: (an idiom, literally: desire of the flesh) desire for sexual gratification

Collocations: σαρκὸς θέλημα

Sense 10: person, human being

Semantic entry: 9.14

Semantic domains: People

Subdomains: Human Beings

Definition: (an idiom, literally: flesh and blood) a human being in contrast with a divine being{N:003}

Collocations: σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα

Sense 11: trouble, woe, suffering, serious inconvenience, thorn in the flesh

Semantic entry: 22.20

Semantic domains: Trouble, Hardship, Relief, Favorable Circumstances

Subdomains: Experience Trouble, Hardship

Definition: (an idiom, literally: thorn in the flesh) something which causes serious trouble and difficulty

Notes: There are a number of different interpretations of σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί in RV CO2 12:7 · LV CO2 12:7 · Read together CO2 12:7 (see discussion at 20.27: κολαφίζω).

Collocations: σκόλοψ τῇ σαρκί