κτῆνος G2934
Domesticated animal, beast of burden; a creature owned for transport, labor, or livestock.
From the same root as κτάομαι ('to acquire'), κτῆνος originally meant 'property' in the form of livestock—flocks and herds. By NT times it had broadened to include any domesticated animal, particularly beasts used for riding or transport. The Good Samaritan sets the wounded man on his own κτῆνος (Luke 10:34), and Paul is provided mounts (κτήνη) for safe passage to Felix (Acts 23:24). Spanish cabalgadura ('riding animal') captures this transport sense precisely, while the broader 'animal' rendering in English and French reflects the word's use in 1 Cor 15:39 for animal flesh generally.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Domesticated animal, beast of burden or livestock. Covers the range from riding animals to livestock in general. In Luke 10:34 and Acts 23:24 the word refers specifically to mounts or pack animals used for transport—Spanish cabalgadura highlights this nuance well. In 1 Cor 15:39 Paul uses it in a broader biological sense, distinguishing the flesh of κτήνη from that of humans, birds, and fish. Rev 18:13 lists κτήνη among trade goods of fallen Babylon, evoking the classical sense of livestock as valuable property. The etymological link to κτάομαι ('acquire') underscores that these are owned, domesticated creatures. 4×
AR["البَهائِمِ", "بَهائِمَ", "دابَّةِ", "دَوَابَّ"]·ben["পশু", "পশুদের,", "পশুর"]·DE["Tiere", "κτήνη", "κτῆνος"]·EN["animal", "cattle", "mounts", "of-beasts"]·FR["animal", "bête"]·heb["בְּהֵמָה", "בְּהֵמוֹת", "שֶׁל-בְּהֵמָה"]·HI["पशु", "पशुओं-का"]·ID["Binatang", "binatang,", "hewan", "ternak"]·IT["bestiame", "ktenos", "ktēnē"]·jav["-ing-raja-kaya", "kewan", "raja-kaya"]·KO["가축과", "짐승도", "짐승들-의", "짐승에"]·PT["de-animais,", "gado"]·RU["вьючных-животных", "животное", "скот", "скотов"]·ES["cabalgadura", "cabalgaduras", "de-ganados", "ganado"]·SW["mnyama", "ngʼombe,", "wa-wanyama", "wanyama"]·TR["hayvanlar", "hayvanların", "hayvanına", "sığırları"]·urd["جانور", "جانوروں", "جانوروں-کا", "مویشی"]
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
κτῆνος, εος, τό, (κτάομαι) mostly in plural κτήνεα, contraction κτήνη, flocks and herds, Refs 5th c.BC+; κ. τὰ δημιοπληθῆ Refs 4th c.BC+; of beasts in general, Refs 1st c.AD+; opposed to ἄνθρωποι, Refs 3rd c.AD+; of swine, Refs 2nd c.BC+ __2 in singular, a single beast, as an ox or sheep, Refs 5th c.BC+; horse or mule for riding, NT; of a domestic animal, opposed to θηρίον, Refs 2nd c.AD+