Original Word: σάρξ, σαρκός, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: sarx
Phonetic Spelling: (sarx)
Short Definition: flesh, body
Definition: flesh, body, human nature, materiality; kindred.

4561 sárksproperly, flesh ("carnal"), merely of human origin or empowerment.

[4561 /sárks ("flesh") is not always evil in Scripture. Indeed, it is used positively in relation to sexual intercourse in marriage (Eph 5:31) – as well as for the sinless human body of Jesus (Jn 1:14; 1 Jn 4:2,3). Indeed, flesh (what is physical) is necessary for the body to live out the faith the Lord works in (Gal 2:20).]

4561 (sarks) is generally negative, referring to making decisions (actions) according to self – i.e. done apart from faith (independent from God's inworking). Thus what is "of the flesh (carnal)" is by definition displeasing to the Lord – even things that seem "respectable!" In short, flesh generally relates to unaided human effort, i.e. decisions (actions) that originate from self or are empowered by self. This is carnal ("of the flesh") and proceeds out of the untouched (unchanged) part of us – i.e. what is not transformed by God.

STRONGS NT 4561: σάρξ

σάρξ, σαρκός, ἡ (Aeolic, σしぐまυうぷしろんρろーξくしー; hence, it seems to be derived from σύρω, akin to σαίρω, 'to draw,' 'to draw off,' and to signify what can be stripped off from the bones (Etym. Magn. 708, 34; sed quis subsignabit (Lob. Paralip., p. 111))), from Homer down, Hebrew בָּשָׂר;

1. properly, flesh (the soft substance of the living body, which covers the bones and is permeated with blood) of both men and beasts: 1 Corinthians 15:39; plural — cf. the flesh of many beings, Revelation 19:18, 21; of the parts of the flesh of one, Luke 24:39 Tdf.; Revelation 17:16; accordingly, it is distinguished both from blood, σάρξ καί αあるふぁἷμみゅーαあるふぁ (on which expression see below, 2 a.; 3 bis; 4 at the end (cf. Winer's Grammar, 19)), and from bones, πぱいνにゅーεいぷしろんῦμみゅーαあるふぁ σάρκα καί ὀστέα οおみくろんὐκかっぱ ἔχかいεいぷしろんιいおた, Luke 24:39 (οおみくろんὐ γάρ ἔτたうιいおた σάρκας τέ καί ὀστέα ἰνες ἔχουσιν, Homer, Odyssey 11,219). φふぁいαあるふぁγがんまεいぷしろんῖνにゅー τάς σάρκας τίνος: properly, Revelation 17:16; Revelation 19:18 (Leviticus 26:29; κατεσθίειν, 2 Kings 9:36, and often in the Sept.; in classical Greek frequently βιβρώσκειν σάρκας; σしぐまαあるふぁρろーκかっぱῶνにゅー ἐδωδή, Plutarch, septem sap. couviv. c. 16); tropically, to torture one with eternal penal torments, James 5:3, cf. Micah 3:3; Psalm 26:2 (); φふぁいαあるふぁγがんまεいぷしろんῖνにゅー and τρώγειν τήν σάρκα τたうοおみくろんῦ υうぷしろんἱοおみくろんῦ τたうοおみくろんῦ ἀνθρώπου, in figurative discourse, to appropriate to oneself the saving results of the violent death endured by Christ, John 6:52-56; ἀπέρχεσθαι or πορεύεσθαι ὀπίσω σαρκός, to follow after the flesh, is used of those who are on the search for persons with whom they can gratify their lust (see ὀπίσω, 2 a.), Jude 1:7; 2 Peter 2:10; τό σしぐまῶμみゅーαあるふぁ τたうῆς σαρκός, the body compacted of flesh (cf. Winer's Grammar, 188 (177)), Colossians 1:22. Since the flesh is the visible part of the body, σάρξ is

2. equivalent to the body, not designating it, however, as a skilful combination of related parts (`an organism,' which is denoted by the word σしぐまῶμみゅーαあるふぁ), but signifying the material or substance of the living body (cf. Aeschylus, Sept.622γέροντα τόν νにゅーοおみくろんῦνにゅー σάρκα δでるた' ἡβωσαν φέρει);

a. universally, John 6:63 (see πぱいνにゅーεいぷしろんῦμみゅーαあるふぁ, 2, p. 520a middle); Acts 2:26, 30 Rec.; 2 Corinthians 12:7; Galatians 4:14; Ephesians 5:29; Hebrews 9:10, 13; (1 Peter 3:21); Jude 1:8; μία σάρξ, one body, of husband and wife, Mark 10:8; so εいぷしろんἰς σάρκα μίαν (from Genesis 2:24), Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:8; 1 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 5:31; opposed to ψυχή, Acts 2:31 (ἔδωκεν ... Ἰησοῦνにゅー Χριστόν ... τήν σάρκα ὑπέρ τたうῆς σαρκός ἡμみゅーῶνにゅー καί τήν ψυχήν ὑπέρ τたうῶνにゅー ψぷさいυうぷしろんχかいῶνにゅー ἡμみゅーῶνにゅー, Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 49, 6 [ET] (cf. Irenaeus 5, 1, 1; but G L T Tr WH drop ἡ ψυχή αあるふぁὐτたうοおみくろんῦ in Acts, the passage cited)); opposed to πぱいεいぷしろんνにゅーυうぷしろんμみゅーαあるふぁ (the human), 1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Colossians 2:5; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 4:6; σάρξ καί αあるふぁἷμみゅーαあるふぁ, equivalent to ψυχικόν σしぐまῶμみゅーαあるふぁ, 1 Corinthians 15:50, cf. 1 Corinthians 15:44; ἡ περιτομή ἐνにゅー σαρκί, Romans 2:28; Ephesians 2:11; τό πρόσωπον μみゅーοおみくろんυうぷしろん ἐνにゅー σαρκί (A. V. my face in the flesh), my bodily countenance, Colossians 2:1; ἀσθένεια σαρκός, of disease, Galatians 4:13; ἐνにゅー τたうῇ θしーたνにゅーηいーたτたうῇ σαρκί ἡμみゅーῶνにゅー, 2 Corinthians 4:11 (cf.ἐνにゅー τたうῷ σώματι ἡμみゅーῶνにゅー, 2 Corinthians 4:10); ἐνにゅー τたうῇ σαρκί αあるふぁὐτたうοおみくろんῦ, by giving up his body to death, Ephesians 2:14 (15); also διά τたうῆς σαρκός αあるふぁὐτたうοおみくろんῦ, Hebrews 10:20, cf. John 6:51 (προσφέρειν τήν σάρκα μみゅーοおみくろんυうぷしろん, to offer in sacrifice my flesh — Christ is speaking, the Epistle of Barnabas 7, 5 [ET]; τήν σάρκα παραδοῦνにゅーαあるふぁιいおた εいぷしろんἰς καταφθοράν, ibid. 5, 1 [ET]). life on earth, which is passed in the body (flesh), is designated by the following phrases: ἐνにゅー σαρκί εいぷしろんἶνにゅーαあるふぁιいおた, Romans 7:5 (where Paul uses this expression with designed ambiguity in order to involve also the ethical sense, 'to be in the power of the flesh,' to be prompted and governed by the flesh; see 4 below); ζぜーたῆνにゅー ἐνにゅー σαρκί, Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:22; ἐπιμένειν ἐνにゅー σαρκί, Philippians 1:24; ὁ ἐνにゅー σαρκί χρόνος, 1 Peter 4:2; αあるふぁἱ ἡμέραι τたうῆς σαρκός αあるふぁὐτたうοおみくろんῦ, of Christ's life on earth, Hebrews 5:7. ἐνにゅー σαρκί or ἐνにゅー τたうῇ σαρκί, in things pertaining to the flesh (body), such as circumcision, descent, etc.: Galatians 6:12f; πεποιθέναι, Philippians 3:3f; ἔχかいεいぷしろんιいおたνにゅー πεποίθησιν, Philippians 3:4.

b. used of natural or physical origin, generation, relationship: οおみくろんἱ συγγενεῖς κατά σάρκα, Romans 9:3 (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 20, 2 a.); τέκνα τたうῆς σαρκός, children by bird, natural posterity, Romans 9:8; ἀδελφόν ἐνにゅー σαρκί καί ἐνにゅー κυρίῳ, a natural brother (as it were) and a Christian brother, Philemon 1:16; οおみくろんἱ τたうῆς σαρκός ἡμみゅーῶνにゅー πατέρες, our natural fathers (opposed to God ὁ πατήρ τたうῶνにゅー πνευμάτων, see πατήρ, 1 a. and 3 b.), Hebrews 12:9; τά ἔθしーたνにゅーηいーた ἐνにゅー σαρκί, Gentiles by birth, Ephesians 2:11; Ἰσραήλ κατά σάρκα, 1 Corinthians 10:18 (the opposite term Ἰσραήλ τたうοおみくろんῦ Θしーたεいぷしろんοおみくろんῦ, of Christians, is found in Galatians 6:16); τό κατά σάρκα, as respects the flesh i. e. human origin, Romans 9:5 ((Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 32, 2 [ET]; Irenaeus haer. 4, 4, 1 and fragment 17 ed; Stieren, p. 836)); γενομένου ἐκかっぱ σπέρματος Δαυίδ κατά σάρκα, Romans 1:3; ὁ κατά σάρκα γεννηθείς, born by natural generation (opposed to γεννηθείς ... τόν κατά πぱいνにゅーεいぷしろんῦμみゅーαあるふぁ, i. e. by the supernatural power of God, operating in the promise), Galatians 4:29, 23; τό γεγεννήμενοι ἐκかっぱ τたうῆς σαρκός σάρξ ἐσしぐまτたうιいおたνにゅー, that which has been born of the natural man is a natural man (opposed to one who has been born again by the power of the Holy Spirit), John 3:6; ἡ σάρξ μみゅーοおみくろんυうぷしろん, those with whom I share my natural origin, my fellow-countrymen, Romans 11:14 (ἰδού ὀσしぐまτたうᾶ σしぐまοおみくろんυうぷしろん καί σάρκες σしぐまοおみくろんυうぷしろん, 2 Samuel 5:1; add, ; Genesis 37:27; Judges 9:2); εいぷしろんἶνにゅーαあるふぁιいおた ἐκかっぱ τたうῆς σαρκός καί ἐκかっぱ τたうῶνにゅー ὀστέων τίνος, which in its proper use signifies to be 'formed out of one's flesh and bones' (Genesis 2:23; to be related to one by birth, Genesis 29:14), is transferred metaphorically, to the church, which spiritually derives its origin from Christ and is united to him, just as Eve drew her origin from her husband Adam, Ephesians 5:30 (R G Tr marginal reading brackets).

c. the sensuous nature of man, 'the animal nature': without any suggestion of depravity, τό θέλημα τたうῆς σαρκός, of sexual desire, John 1:13; the animal nature with cravings which incite to sin: Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38; Romans 7:18 (for which τά μέλη is used in Romans 7:22f); ; Jude 1:23; opposed to ὁ νにゅーοおみくろんῦς, Romans 7:25; ἡ ἐπιθυμία τたうῆς σαρκός, 1 John 2:16 (with its manifestation, ἡ ἐπιθυμία τたうῶνにゅー ὀφθαλμῶνにゅー; (others regard this last as a new specification; cf. Westcott at the passage)); plural 2 Peter 2:18 (τά τたうῆς σαρκός πάθη, 4 Macc. 7:18; τό μή δεδουλωσθαι σαρκί καί τたうοおみくろんῖς πάθεσι ταύτης διάγειν, ὑφふぁい' ὧνにゅー κατασπωμενος ὁ νにゅーοおみくろんῦς τたうῆς θνητης ἀναπιμπλαται φλυαριας, ἐυδαιμον τί καί μακάριον, Plur. consol. ad Apoll c. 13; τたうῆς σαρκός ἡδονή, opposed to ψυχή, Plutarch, de virt. et vit. c. 3; add, Philo de gigant. § 7; (Diogenes Laërtius 10, 145;animo cum hac carne grave certamen est, Seneca, consol. ad Marc. 21;animus liber habitat; nunquam me cato ista compellet ad metum, Seneca, epistles 65 (7, 3, 22);non est summa felicitatis nostrae in carne ponenda, ibid. 74 (9, 3, 16)). the physical nature of man as subject to suffering: πぱいαあるふぁθしーたεいぷしろんῖνにゅー σαρκί, 1 Peter 4:1; ἐνにゅー τたうῇ σαρκί μみゅーοおみくろんυうぷしろん, in that my flesh suffers afflictions, Colossians 1:24 (where cf. Meyer and DeWette (and Lightfoot)); θしーたλらむだῖψぷさいιいおたνにゅー ἔχかいεいぷしろんιいおたνにゅー τたうῇ σαρκί, 1 Corinthians 7:28.

3. a living creature (because possessed of a body of flesh), whether man or beast: πぱいᾶσしぐまαあるふぁ σάρξ (in imitation of the Hebrew כָּל־בָּשָׂר (Winers Grammar, 33)), every lving creature, 1 Peter 1:24; with οおみくろんὐ preceding (qualifying the verb (Winers Grammar, § 26, 1; Buttmann, 121 (106))), no living creature, Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:20; specifically, a man (ἄνθρωπος for בָּשָׂר, Genesis 6:13), generally with a suggestion of weakness, frailty, mortality: Sir. 28:5; ἐνにゅー τたうῷ Θしーたεいぷしろんῷ ἤλπισα, οおみくろんὐ φοβηθήσομαι τί ποιήσει μみゅーοおみくろんιいおた σάρξ, Psalm 55:5 (); cf. Jeremiah 17:5; ἐμνήσθη, ὅτたうιいおた σάρξ εいぷしろんἰσしぐまιいおたνにゅー, Psalm 77:39 (); σάρξ καί αあるふぁἷμみゅーαあるふぁ, Ephesians 6:12; γενεά σαρκός καί αあるふぁἵματος, ἡ μέν τελευτᾷ, ἑτέρα δέ γがんまεいぷしろんνにゅーνにゅーᾶτたうαあるふぁιいおた, Sir. 14:18; ὁ λόγος σάρξ ἐγένετο, entered into participation in human nature, John 1:14 (the apostle used σάρξ, not ἄνθρωπος, apparently in order to indicate that he who possessed supreme majesty did not shrink from union with extreme weakness); εいぷしろんὑρίσκειν τί κατά σάρκα, to attain to anything after the manner of a (weak) man, i. e. by the use of merely human powers, Romans 4:1 (for substance equivalent to ἐξくしー ἔργων in Romans 4:2); Hebraistically (see above), πぱいᾶσしぐまαあるふぁ σάρξ, all men, Luke 3:6; John 17:2 (Winer's Grammar, § 30, 1 a.); Acts 2:17; Sir. 45:4; with οおみくろんὐ or μή preceding (qualifying the verb (Winers Grammar, and Buttmann, as referred to above)), no man, no mortal, Romans 3:20; 1 Corinthians 1:29; Galatians 2:16. man as he appears, such as he presents himself to view, man's external appearance and condition: κατά σάρκα κρίνειν, John 8:15 (cf. Winer's Grammar, 583 (542)) (equivalent to κρίνειν κかっぱαあるふぁτたう' ὄψぷさいιいおたνにゅー, John 7:24); γινώσκειν or εいぷしろんἰδέναι τたうιいおたνにゅーαあるふぁ κατά σάρκα, 2 Corinthians 5:16; οおみくろんἱ κατά σάρκα κυρίου (see κατά, II. 3 b.), Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22. universally, human nature, the soul included: ἐνにゅー ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας, in a visible form, like human nature which is subject to sin, Romans 8:3 (cf. ὁμοίωμα, b.); ἐνにゅー σαρκί ἔρχεσθαι, to appear clothed in human nature, 1 John 4:2 and Rec. in 3; 2 John 1:7 (the Epistle of Barnabas 5, 10 [ET]); φανερουσθαι, 1 Timothy 3:16 (the Epistle of Barnabas 5, 6 [ET]; 6, 7 [ET]; 12, 10 [ET]); κεκοινωνηκεναι αあるふぁἵματος καί σαρκός, Hebrews 2:14.

4. σάρξ, when either expressly or tacitly opposed to τό πぱいνにゅーεいぷしろんῦμみゅーαあるふぁ (τたうοおみくろんῦ Θしーたεいぷしろんοおみくろんῦ), has an ethical sense and denotes "mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God"; accordingly it includes whatever in the soul is weak, low, debased, tending to ungodliness and vice ("Thou must not understand 'flesh', therefore, as though that only were 'flesh' which is connected with unchastity, but St. Paul uses 'flesh' of the whole man, body and soul, reason and all his faculties included, because all that is in him longs and strives after the flesh (Luther, Preface to the Epistle to the Romans); note that 'flesh' signifies the entire nature of man, sense and reason, without the Holy Spirit" (Melanchthon, Loci, edition of 1535, in Corpus Reform. xxi., p. 277). This definition is strikingly supported by these two utterances of Paul: οおみくろんὐδεμίαν ἔσχηκεν ἄνεσιν ἡ σάρξ ἡμみゅーῶνにゅー, 2 Corinthians 7:5; οおみくろんὐκかっぱ ἔσχηκα ἄνεσιν τたうῷ πνεύματι μみゅーοおみくろんυうぷしろん, 2 Corinthians 2:13): Romans 8:3; Galatians 5:13, 19; opposed to τό πぱいνにゅーεいぷしろんῦμみゅーαあるふぁ (τたうοおみくろんῦ Θしーたεいぷしろんοおみくろんῦ), Romans 8:6f, 12; Galatians 5:16; Galatians 6:8; Colossians 2:13 (on which see ἀκροβυστία, c.); Colossians 2:23 (see πλησμονή); ἐπιθυμία σαρκός, Galatians 5:16; αあるふぁἱ ἐπιθυμίαι and τά θελήματα τたうῆς σαρκός, Ephesians 2:3; ὁ νにゅーοおみくろんῦς τたうῆς σαρκός, Colossians 2:18; σしぐまῶμみゅーαあるふぁ τたうῆς σαρκός, a body given up to the control of the flesh, i. e. a body whose members our nature, estranged from God, used as its instruments (cf. Romans 6:19), Colossians 2:11 G L T Tr WH; τά τたうῆς σαρκός (opposed to τά τたうοおみくろんῦ πνεύματος), the things which please the flesh, which the flesh craves, Romans 8:5; σαρκί ἐπιτελοῦμみゅーαあるふぁιいおた, to make for oneself an end (see ἐπιτελέω, 1 tim) by devoting oneself to the flesh, i. e. by gradually losing the Holy Spirit and giving oneself up to the control of the flesh, Galatians 3:3; σταυρουν τήν σάρκα αあるふぁὐτたうοおみくろんῦ (see σταυρόω, 3 b.), Galatians 5:24; ἐνにゅー σαρκί εいぷしろんἶνにゅーαあるふぁιいおた (opposed to ἐνにゅー πνεύματι, namely, τたうοおみくろんῦ Θしーたεいぷしろんοおみくろんῦ), to be in the power of the flesh, under the control of the flesh, Romans 8:8f, cf. Romans 7:5 (see 2 above); οおみくろんἱ κατά σάρκα ὄντες, who exhibit the nature of the flesh, equivalent to οおみくろんἱ σαρκικοί (opposed to οおみくろんἱ κατά πぱいνにゅーεいぷしろんῦμみゅーαあるふぁ ὄντες), Romans 8:5; κατά σάρκα περιπατεῖνにゅー, to live according to the standard of the flesh, to comply in conduct with the impulse of the flesh, Romans 8:1 Rec.; 2 Corinthians 10:2; opposed to κατά πぱいνにゅーεいぷしろんῦμみゅーαあるふぁ, Romans 8:4; βουλεύεσθαι, 2 Corinthians 1:17; κかっぱαあるふぁυうぷしろんχかいᾶσθαι, 2 Corinthians 11:18 where cf. Meyer; (opposed to κατά πぱいνにゅーεいぷしろんῦμみゅーαあるふぁ) ζぜーたῆνにゅー, Romans 8:12f (ἐνにゅー σαρκί τυγχάνουσιν, ἀλらむだλらむだ' οおみくろんὐ κατά σάρκα ζぜーたῶσしぐまιいおたνにゅー, of Christians, Ep. ad Diogn. 5, 8 [ET]); ἐνにゅー σαρκί περιπατοῦντες οおみくろんὐ κατά σάρκα στρατευόμεθα, although the nature in which we live is earthly and therefore weak, yet we do not carry on our warfare according its law, 2 Corinthians 10:3 (οおみくろんὐ κατά σάρκα γράφειν, ἀλλά κατά γνώμην Θしーたεいぷしろんοおみくろんῦ, Ignatius ad Rom. 8, 3 [ET]); with the suggestion of weakness as respects knowledge: σάρξ καί αあるふぁἷμみゅーαあるふぁ, a man liable to err, fallible man: Matthew 16:17; Galatians 1:16; ἡ ἀσθένεια τたうῆς σαρκός, Romans 6:19; σοφοί κατά σάρκα, 1 Corinthians 1:26. Cf. Tholuck, Ueber σάρξ als Quelle der Sünde, in the Theol. Studien und Kritiken for 1855, p. 477ff; C. Holsten, Die Bedeut. des Wortes σάρξ im Lehrbegriffe des Paulus, 4to, Rostock 1855 (reprinted in his Zum Evang. des Paul. u. Petr., p. 365ff. (Rostock, 1867); see also (with especially reference to Holsten) Lüdemann, Die Anthropologie des Apest. Paul. (Kiel, 1872)); Ritschl, Entstehung der altkathol. Kirche, edition 2, p. 66ff; Baur in the Theol. Jahrbb. for 1857, p. 96ff, and in his Biblical Theol. des N. T., p. 142ff, etc.; Wieseler, Br. an die Galater, pp. 443ff, 448ff (cf. Riddle in Schaff's Lange's Commentary on Romans, p. 235f) Weiss, Biblical Theol. des N. T. (3rd edition) § 68, p. 243ff, § 100, p. 414f; Rich. Schmidt, Paulin. Christologie, p. 8ff; Eklund, σάρξ vocabulum quid ap. Paulum apost. significet (Lund, 1872); Pfleiderer, Paulinismus, p. 47ff. (English translation, vol. i., p. 47ff); Wendt, Die Begrifle Fleisch u. Geist im Biblical Sprachgebr. (Gotha, 1878); (Cremer in Herzog edition 2 under the word Fleisch, but especially in his Biblical-theol. Wörterbuch, 3te (or 4te) Aufl., under the word; Laidlaw, The Bible Doctr. of Man (Edinb. 1879), pp. 74ff, 373f; Philippi, Glaubensl. edition 2, vol. iii., pp. 231-250; especially Dickson, St. Paul's use of the terms Flesh and Spirit (Glasgow, 1883)); and the references in Meyer on Romans 4:1 (6te Aufl.).

flesh

Probably from the base of saroo; flesh (as stripped of the skin), i.e. (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul (or spirit), or as the symbol of what is external, or as the means of kindred), or (by implication) human nature (with its frailties (physically or morally) and passions), or (specially), a human being (as such) -- carnal(-ly, + -ly minded), flesh(-ly).

see GREEK saroo

σしぐまαあるふぁρろーκかっぱαあるふぁ σάρκα σαρκας σάρκας σάρκες σしぐまαあるふぁρろーκかっぱιいおた σαρκί σしぐまαあるふぁρろーκかっぱὶ σαρκος σαρκός σしぐまαあるふぁρろーκかっぱὸς σしぐまαあるふぁρろーκかっぱωおめがνにゅー σαρκών σしぐまαあるふぁρろーκかっぱῶνにゅー σしぐまαあるふぁρろーξくしー σάρξ σしぐまὰρろーξくしー σαρξί σαρξίν sarka sárka sarkas sárkas sarki sarkí sarkì sarkon sarkôn sarkōn sarkō̂n sarkos sarkós sarkòs sarx sárx sàrxInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts