ὀφθαλμός (ofthalmόs) — eye / seeing / sight

Notes: It would, of course, be possible to interpret ὀφθαλμός in OET CO1 12:17 as meaning simply ‘eye,’ and therefore one might translate ‘as if the whole body were an eye.’ But the following terms such as ἀκοή (24.53: ἀκοή) and ὄσφρησις (24.71: ὄσφρησις) indicate quite clearly that it is the sensory faculty or capacity which is involved.

Form 1

Part of speech: noun, m.

Inflections: ὀφθαλμός; -οῦ

Sense 1: eye

Semantic entry: 8.23

Semantic domains: Body, Body Parts, and Body Products

Subdomains: Parts of the Body

Definition: eye, normally including the eyelids

Notes: In a number of languages an important distinction is made between the eyes consisting of the eyeballs and the eyes covered or partially covered by the eyelids. In OET MAT 9:29 and OET MAT 20:34, Jesus apparently touched the eyelids, not the eyeballs.

Show passage in OET: MAT 5:29

OET-RV MAT 5:29

29 If your right eye is causing you to stumble, then pluck it out and throw it away,

OET-LV MAT 5:29

29 And if the the right eye of _you is _stumbling you, pluck_ it _out and throw it from you, because/for it _is _benefitting for _you that one of _the members of _you may _perish, and not all the body of _you may _be _thrown into geenna.

Show passage in OET: MAT 5:38

OET-RV MAT 5:38

38 “You’ve all heard it said that it’s an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,

OET-LV MAT 5:38

38 You _all _heard that it _was _said:
Eye for an_eye and tooth for a_tooth.

Jump to OET MAT 5:29 section.

Jump to OET MAT 5:38 section.

All 63 recorded passages for this sense

MAT: OET MAT 5:29 · OET MAT 5:38 · OET MAT 6:22 · OET MAT 7:3–5 · OET MAT 9:29–30 · OET MAT 13:15–16 · OET MAT 17:8 · OET MAT 18:9 · OET MAT 20:33

MRK: OET MRK 8:18 · OET MRK 8:25 · OET MRK 9:47

LUK: OET LUK 2:30 · OET LUK 4:20 · OET LUK 6:20 · OET LUK 6:41–42 · OET LUK 10:23 · OET LUK 11:34 · OET LUK 16:23 · OET LUK 18:13 · OET LUK 24:16 · OET LUK 24:31

JHN: OET JHN 4:35 · OET JHN 6:5 · OET JHN 9:6 · OET JHN 9:10–11 · OET JHN 9:14–15 · OET JHN 9:17 · OET JHN 9:21 · OET JHN 9:26 · OET JHN 9:30 · OET JHN 9:32 · OET JHN 10:21 · OET JHN 11:37 · OET JHN 11:41 · OET JHN 17:1

ACT: OET ACT 9:8 · OET ACT 9:18 · OET ACT 9:40

ROM: OET ROM 11:8 · OET ROM 11:10

CO1: OET CO1 2:9 · OET CO1 15:52

GAL: OET GAL 4:15

PE2: OET PE2 2:14

JN1: OET JN1 1:1 · OET JN1 2:11

REV: OET REV 1:14 · OET REV 2:18 · OET REV 3:18 · OET REV 4:6 · OET REV 4:8 · OET REV 5:6 · OET REV 7:17 · OET REV 19:12 · OET REV 21:4

Sense 2: seeing, sight

Semantic entry: 24.16

Semantic domains: Sensory Events and States

Subdomains: See

Definition: (a figurative extension of meaning of ὀφθαλμός[a] ‘eye,’ 8.23: ὄμμα / 8.23: ὀφθαλμός) the capacity to see

Show passage in OET: MAT 21:42

OET-RV MAT 21:42

42 Then Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) said to them, “Haven’t you ever read this in the scriptures? It says:
⇔ ‘The stone which the builders rejected,
⇔ this would become the cornerstone.
⇔ This one came from Yahweh,
⇔ and it was amazing to see.’

OET-LV MAT 21:42

42 The Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) is _saying to _them:
You _all_ never _read in the scriptures:
The_stone which the ones building rejected, this was _become for the_head of_the_corner, this became from the_master, and it _is marvellous in the_eyes of _us?

Show passage in OET: MRK 12:11

OET-RV MRK 12:11

11 that was given by Yahweh,
⇔ and we think it’s incredible.’?”

OET-LV MRK 12:11

11 this became from the_master, and it _is marvellous in eyes of _us?

Jump to OET MAT 21:42 section.

Jump to OET MRK 12:11 section.

All 11 recorded passages for this sense

MAT: OET MAT 21:42

MRK: OET MRK 12:11

ACT: OET ACT 1:9

CO1: OET CO1 12:16–17 · OET CO1 12:21

GAL: OET GAL 3:1

HEB: OET HEB 4:13

PE1: OET PE1 3:12

JN1: OET JN1 2:16

REV: OET REV 1:7

Sense 3: to be able to understand, to come to perceive, understanding

Semantic entry: 32.24

Semantic domains: Understand

Subdomains: Capacity for Understanding

Definition: (a figurative extension of meaning of ὀφθαλμός[a] ‘eye,’ 8.23: ὄμμα / 8.23: ὀφθαλμός) capacity to understand as the result of perception

Notes: In both OET LUK 19:42 and OET EPH 1:18 ὀφθαλμός designates a faculty of understanding and is not a reference merely to perception. In OET EPH 1:18 καρδία denotes the mind (see 26.3: καρδία), so that the phrase ‘the eyes of the mind’ really means ‘the capacity for understanding which the mind has.’

Show passage in OET: LUK 19:42

OET-RV LUK 19:42

42 saying, “If only you knew how to obtain peace today, but it’s been hidden from your eyes,

OET-LV LUK 19:42

42 saying, that If you _knew in the this day, even you, the things for peace, but now it _was _hidden from the_eyes of _you.

Show passage in OET: JHN 12:40

OET-RV JHN 12:40

40 “He has blinded their eyes and maimed their emotions,
⇔ so that they can’t see with their eyes and understand with their minds,
⇔ or they might be turned and then I would heal them.”

OET-LV JHN 12:40

40 He _has _blinded the eyes of _them and he _maimed the heart of _them, in _order _that they _may_ not _see with _their eyes and they _may _understand with _their heart, and they _may _be _turned and I _will _be _healing them.

Jump to OET LUK 19:42 section.

Jump to OET JHN 12:40 section.

All 6 recorded passages for this sense

LUK: OET LUK 19:42

JHN: OET JHN 12:40

ACT: OET ACT 26:18 · OET ACT 28:27

ROM: OET ROM 3:18

EPH: OET EPH 1:18

Sense 4: jealous(y)

Semantic entry: 88.165

Semantic domains: Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related Behavior

Subdomains: Envy, Jealousy

Definition: (an idiom, literally: evil eye) a feeling of jealousy and resentment because of what someone else has or does

Notes: It is also possible to understand ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός in OET MAT 20:15 as meaning ‘stinginess’ (see 57.108: ὀφθαλμός / 57.108: πονηρός). See also 23.149: πονηρός.

Collocations: ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός

Show passage in OET: MAT 20:15

OET-RV MAT 20:15

15 Or aren’t I permitted to do what I want with my own money? Or do you look at me maliciously just because I’m generous?’

OET-LV MAT 20:15

15 Or not is _it _permitting for _me, what I _am _willing to _do with the mine?
Or is the eye of _you evil, because I am good?

Show passage in OET: MRK 7:22

Combined passage: org MRK 7:21–22 (native MRK 7:21–22; verse text cannot be split).

OET-RV MRK 7:21-22

21-22 ⇔“That’s because evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, arrogance, lust, slander, pride, and foolishness all come from inside people’s hearts and minds.

OET-LV MRK 7:22

22 greediness, wickedness, deceit, wantonness, eyeing evil, slander, pride, foolishness.

Jump to OET MAT 20:15 section.

Jump to OET MRK 7:22 section.

Sense 5: stingy, miserly

Semantic entry: 57.108

Semantic domains: Possess, Transfer, Exchange

Subdomains: Give

Definition: (an idiom, literally: evil eye) to be stingy

Notes: It is also possible that ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός in OET MAT 20:15 is to be understood in the sense of ‘jealous’ (see 88.165: ὀφθαλμός / 88.165: πονηρός). See also 23.149: πονηρός.

Collocations: ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός

Show passage in OET: MAT 6:23

OET-RV MAT 6:23

23 But if your eyes are evil, your entire body will be dark.

OET-LV MAT 6:23

23 But if the eye of _you may _be evil, all the body of _you will _be dark.
Therefore if the light which in you is darkness, how _great is the darkness.

Show passage in OET: MAT 20:15

OET-RV MAT 20:15

15 Or aren’t I permitted to do what I want with my own money? Or do you look at me maliciously just because I’m generous?’

OET-LV MAT 20:15

15 Or not is _it _permitting for _me, what I _am _willing to _do with the mine?
Or is the eye of _you evil, because I am good?

Jump to OET MAT 6:23 section.

Jump to OET MAT 20:15 section.

All 3 recorded passages for this sense

MAT: OET MAT 6:23 · OET MAT 20:15

MRK: OET MRK 7:22

Sense 6: to have become very sleepy, to be very sleepy

Semantic entry: 23.69

Semantic domains: Physiological Processes and States

Subdomains: Sleep, Waking

Definition: (idioms, literally: their eyes were weighed down) to become excessively or exceedingly sleepy

Notes: In some languages the equivalent of ἦσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ βεβαρημένοι (or καταβαρυνόμενοι) would be ‘they could no longer keep their eyes open’ or ‘they could not drive sleep away.’

Collocations: ἦσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ βεβαρημένοι; ἦσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ καταβαρυνόμενοι

Show passage in OET: MAT 26:43

OET-RV MAT 26:43

43 Returning again, he found the apprentices sleeping because they were very tired.

OET-LV MAT 26:43

43 And having _come back, he _found them sleeping, because/for the eyes of _them were having _been _weighed _down.

Show passage in OET: MRK 14:40

OET-RV MRK 14:40

40 but when he returned again, he found them all asleep because they were tired, but they couldn’t really find any excuse to give.

OET-LV MRK 14:40

40 And having _come again, he _found them sleeping, because/for the eyes of _them were being _weighed _down, and they _had_ not _known what they _may _be _answer to _him.

Jump to OET MAT 26:43 section.

Jump to OET MRK 14:40 section.

Sense 7: to refuse to learn, to refuse to recognize

Semantic entry: 27.50

Semantic domains: Learn

Subdomains: Be Willing To Learn

Definition: (an idiom, literally: to close the eyes) to be unwilling to learn and to evaluate something fairly

Notes: In a number of languages there is a problem involved in a literal rendering of ‘to close the eyes,’ since this may be understood in a strictly literal sense or as denoting death.

Collocations: καμμύω τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς

Show passage in OET: MAT 13:15

OET-RV MAT 13:15

15 because these people’s hearts are insensitive, and they can barely hear with their ears,
⇔ and they shut their eyes so they can’t see with them.
⇔ Otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,
⇔ and understand with their heart, and then return to me, and then I would heal them.’

OET-LV MAT 13:15

15 For/Because the heart of_ the this _people was _become _dull, and they_ hardly _heard with _the ears, and they _shut the eyes of _them, lest they _may _see with _the eyes, and they _may _hear with _the ears, and they _may _understand with _the heart, and they _may _return and I _will _be _healing them.

Show passage in OET: ACT 28:27

OET-RV ACT 28:27

27 Because these people’s minds have become dull
⇔ and they can barely hear with their ears
⇔ and they shut their eyes,
⇔ just in case their eyes might actually see,
⇔ and their ears might actually hear,
⇔ and they might understand with their minds,
⇔ and turn back to me
⇔ and then I would heal them.

OET-LV ACT 28:27

27 For/Because the heart of_ the this _people was _become _dull, and they_ hardly _heard with _their ears and they _shut the eyes of _them, lest they _may _see with _their eyes, and they _may _hear with _their ears, and they _may _understand with _their heart, and they _may _turn _back, and I _will _be _healing them.

Jump to OET MAT 13:15 section.

Jump to OET ACT 28:27 section.

Sense 8: to cause to not understand, to make unable to comprehend

Semantic entry: 32.25

Semantic domains: Understand

Subdomains: Capacity for Understanding

Definition: (an idiom, literally: to blind the eyes) to cause someone to no longer have the capacity for understanding

Notes: Though in some languages there is a close relationship between the eyes and comprehension, in many languages it is simply impossible to use the idiom ‘to blind the eyes’ in speaking of ‘causing someone not to understand.’ The problem becomes particularly difficult in speaking of ‘darkness blinding the eyes’ as in OET JN1 2:11. People can understand how ‘bright light would blind the eyes,’ but it would be strange indeed to think of ‘darkness’ having such an effect. In the context of OET JN1 2:11, the darkness is, of course, not literal darkness but a state of sinfulness. Therefore, in some languages it may be necessary to translate ‘their sinfulness has made it impossible for them to understand’ or ‘because they sin, they cannot understand.’

Collocations: τυφλόω τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς

Show passage in OET: JHN 12:40

OET-RV JHN 12:40