Search / G3691
ὀξύς G3691
Adj-NMP  |  8× in 2 senses
Sharp, keen-edged; swift, quick — of a blade's cutting edge or of feet that move rapidly
The adjective ὀξύς appears eight times in the New Testament, almost entirely in Revelation's visions of sharp sickles and double-edged swords. In seven of these, it describes the keen cutting edge of a weapon or harvesting tool — the sharp two-edged sword proceeding from Christ's mouth (Rev 1:16, 2:12) and the sharp sickle of eschatological harvest (Rev 14:14, 17, 18). A single occurrence in Rom 3:15, quoting Isaiah 59:7, pivots to a different sense entirely: 'swift are their feet to shed blood,' where ὀξύς describes rapid movement rather than a blade's edge.

Senses
1. sense 1 Sharp, keen-edged — describing a blade, sword, or cutting instrument with a fine, penetrating edge. Seven occurrences carry this meaning, all in Revelation: the 'sharp two-edged sword' from Christ's mouth (Rev 1:16, 2:12), the 'sharp sickle' held by the one like a Son of Man and by the harvesting angels (Rev 14:14, 17, 18), and the sharp sickle commanded for use in Rev 14:18 and 19:15. Spanish consistently renders it 'afilada/aguda' (sharpened/keen), German 'scharf,' and French 'scharf' — all vocabulary of cutting edges. The imagery draws on OT harvest and judgment metaphors (Joel 3:13), with the sharpness emphasizing the decisive, unstoppable character of divine judgment.
PHYSICAL_ACTION Physical Impact Sharpening Implements
AR["الحادَّ", "الحادُّ", "حادٌّ"]·ben["তীক্ষ্ণ", "ধারালো"]·DE["scharf"]·EN["sharp"]·FR["scharf"]·heb["הֶחָד", "חַד", "חַדָּה"]·HI["तीखी", "तीखी:", "तीखी।", "तेज,", "तेज़"]·ID["tajam", "tajam,", "tajam.", "tajam:"]·IT["affilato"]·jav["landhep"]·KO["날카로운"]·PT["afiada"]·RU["острый", "острый,", "острый.", "острый:"]·ES["afilada", "aguda", "aguda,"]·SW["mkali,", "mkali.", "mkali:", "unaotoka,"]·TR["keskin", "çıkan"]·urd["تیز"]
2. sense 2 Swift, quick, rapid — describing speed of movement rather than the edge of a blade. The sole NT occurrence is Rom 3:15, where Paul quotes Isa 59:7 in his catena of OT testimonies to universal sinfulness: 'swift are their feet to shed blood.' Spanish shifts from 'afilada' (sharp) to 'veloces' (swift/speedy), and French from 'scharf' to 'vif' (quick/lively), clearly marking the semantic boundary. This sense is well attested in classical Greek, where ὀξύς could describe anything quick or acute — sharp hearing, swift motion, keen perception — though in the NT only the physical speed meaning survives.
TIME Time Speed and Quickness
AR["سَريعَةٌ"]·ben["দ্রুত"]·DE["scharf"]·EN["swift"]·FR["vif"]·heb["מְהִירוֹת"]·HI["तेज़"]·ID["cepat"]·IT["acuto"]·jav["rikat"]·KO["빠르니라"]·PT["velozes"]·RU["быстры"]·ES["veloces"]·SW["haraka"]·TR["hızlı"]·urd["تیز"]

Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)H3117 1. day, specific time (2231×)H5704 1. until, unto, as far as (1238×)H8141 1. year, unit of time (880×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H6258 1. and now (421×)G2250 1. day (388×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H5750 1. again, more, further (288×)H5769 1. forever, to eternity (280×)H6256 1. time, period (264×)H2320 1. month, calendar period (260×)H0310a 2. after (temporal) (258×)H3915 1. night, period of darkness (234×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H1242 1. morning (214×)H5750 2. still, yet (continuative) (166×)G5119 1. then (160×)

BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὀξύς, ύδος, , wood sorrel, Oxalis Acetosella, Refs 1st c.AD+ __2 ={ὀξύσχοινος}, great sea-rush, Juncus acutus, Refs __3 ={ὀξαλίς}, sorrel, Rumex acetosa, Refs 2nd c.AD+