δέσμ-ιος G1198
A prisoner or captive; one bound in confinement under authority.
Desmios refers to a person held in physical custody — bound, imprisoned, or detained by governing authorities. In the Gospels it describes Barabbas, the notable prisoner released at Passover (Matt 27:15-16; Mark 15:6). In Acts, Paul and Silas are prisoners at Philippi whose midnight worship triggers an earthquake (Acts 16:25-27). Paul later embraces the identity of 'prisoner of Christ Jesus' (Eph 3:1; Philem 1:1), transforming a term of shame into one of apostolic honor. Spanish 'preso' and German 'Gefangener' both carry the same weight of physical confinement.
Senses
1. prisoner, captive — A person held in confinement or bondage, whether in a literal prison or under military guard. The term designates someone detained by civil or political authority. Barabbas is called a desmios at Passover (Matt 27:15-16), and Paul and Silas are desmoi at Philippi (Acts 16:25, 27). Paul adopts the title voluntarily in his epistles (Eph 3:1; Philem 1:9), reframing imprisonment as a mark of faithful service. The translations uniformly render it as 'prisoner' or 'captive' across all languages. 17×
AR["أَسرى", "أَسيرًا", "أَسيرُ", "أَسيرِهِ", "أَسِيرًا", "أَسِيرٌ", "أَسْرَى", "الأَسيرُ", "الأَسِيرُ", "سَجِينًا", "سُجَناءَ", "سُجَناءُ"]·ben["বন্দী", "বন্দীকে", "বন্দীদের", "বন্দীদেরকে", "বন্দীরা"]·DE["Gefangene", "Gefangener"]·EN["a-prisoner", "prisoner", "prisoners"]·FR["prisonnier"]·heb["אֲסִירִים", "אֲסוּרִים", "אָסִיר", "אָסוּר", "הָאָסִיר"]·HI["कैदी", "बंदियों", "बंदियों-को", "बंदियोंको", "बंदी", "बंदीको", "बंदी।", "बन्दि", "बन्दी"]·ID["Tahanan", "dipenjara,", "tahanan", "tahanan,", "tahanan-tahanan", "tawanan"]·IT["desmion", "prigioniero"]·jav["dipun-bandha", "ingkang-kabanda", "tahanan", "tahanan,", "tiyang-ukuman", "tiyang-ukuman,"]·KO["갇힌-자", "갇힌-자들-을", "갇힌-자들과", "갇힌-자로", "갇힌-자를", "겇힌-자", "죄수", "죄수-를", "죄수들을", "죄수들이", "죄수로", "죄수를"]·PT["preso", "prisioneiro", "prisioneiro,", "prisioneiros", "prisioneiros."]·RU["узник", "узника", "узникам", "узники", "узников", "узником"]·ES["preso", "presos", "prisionero", "prisioneros"]·SW["mfungwa", "wafungwa", "wafungwa,"]·TR["elleri", "tek-başına", "tutsak", "tutuklu", "tutuklular", "tutuklulara", "tutukluları", "tutuklusu", "tutukluyu"]·urd["قیدی", "قیدی-کو", "قیدیوں", "قیدیوں-کو"]
Matt 27:15, Matt 27:16, Mark 15:6, Acts 16:25, Acts 16:27, Acts 23:18, Acts 25:14, Acts 25:27, Acts 28:16, Acts 28:17, Eph 3:1, Eph 4:1 (+5 more)
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
δέσμ-ιος, ον, binding: metaphorically, binding as with a spell, enchaining, with genitive, ὕμνος ἐξ Ἐρινύων δ. φρενῶν Refs 4th c.BC+ __II passive, bound, captive, Refs 5th c.BC+; on leash, [κύων] probably in Refs; δ. φυγών, ={ἐκ δεσμῶν}, Refs 5th c.BC+