ὅπλον G3696
Weapon, instrument, tool; implements of war or moral/spiritual equipment
A versatile noun whose classical range spans ship's tackle, smith's tools, and military arms. In the NT it appears in both literal and figurative senses. John 18:3 describes the arresting party coming with 'weapons,' but Paul transforms the word into a metaphor for the Christian's moral and spiritual equipment: believers must not yield their members as 'instruments of unrighteousness' but as 'instruments of righteousness' (Rom 6:13), put on 'the armor of light' (Rom 13:12), and wield 'the weapons of righteousness' (2 Cor 6:7). The Spanish split between 'armas' and 'instrumentos' neatly mirrors the military-versus-tool duality.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Weapons, arms, or instruments—either literal military equipment or figurative moral and spiritual tools. In its one literal NT use, the arresting party carries 'weapons' to Gethsemane (John 18:3). Paul then develops the metaphorical register extensively: believers must not present their bodily members as 'instruments of sin' but as 'instruments of righteousness' to God (Rom 6:13), they are to put on 'the armor of light' for eschatological readiness (Rom 13:12), and apostolic ministry is conducted 'with the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left' (2 Cor 6:7). Spanish distinguishes 'armas' (weapons) from 'instrumentos' (tools), capturing both dimensions. 6×
AR["أَسلِحَةً", "أَسلِحَةُ", "أَسلِحَةِ", "أَسْلِحَةٍ", "أَسْلِحَةَ"]·ben["অস্ত্র", "অস্ত্রগুলি", "অস্ত্রের", "অস্ত্রের।"]·DE["Waffen"]·EN["armor", "weapons"]·FR["arme"]·heb["כְּלֵי", "כְלֵי", "נֶשֶׁק"]·HI["हथियार"]·ID["senjata"]·IT["arma", "oplon"]·jav["gegaman", "gegaman.", "sanjata"]·KO["무기들", "무기들은", "무기들을"]·PT["armas"]·RU["неправедности", "оружием.", "оружия"]·ES["armas", "instrumentos"]·SW["silaha"]·TR["o-", "silahlar", "silahları", "silahlarını"]·urd["ہتھیار", "ہتھیاروں"]
Related Senses
H2719 1. sword, weapon of war (410×)H4196 1. altar (place of sacrifice) (403×)H7393 1. chariot, chariotry (117×)H7198 1. bow (weapon) (72×)H7979 1. table (71×)H7782 1. ram's horn trumpet (69×)H4294 2. staff, rod, scepter (63×)H4043 1. shield, defensive weapon (60×)H0646 1. ephod (priestly garment) (49×)H8504 1. blue (violet-blue yarn/fabric) (49×)H2595 1. spear, lance (48×)H2671 1. arrow, projectile weapon (46×)H4818 1. chariot, war-chariot (44×)H3658 1. lyre, harp (stringed instrument) (42×)H1537 1. Gilgal (place name) (41×)H0713 1. purple (fabric/dye) (38×)H0905 3. poles, staves (37×)H7392 1. Qal participle: rider, charioteer (37×)H4501 1. cultic lampstand (menorah) (36×)H0212 1. wheel (35×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὅπλον, τό, tool, implement, mostly in plural, like{ἔντεα},{τεύχεα}: (probably from ἕπω A): __I a ship's tackle, tackling, Refs 8th c.BC+; especially ropes, halyards, etc., δησάμενοι δ᾽ ἄρα ὅπλα Refs 8th c.BC+; in which sense Refs 8th c.BC+ twice uses the singular, rope, Refsany ropes, Refs 5th c.BC+ __II tools, strictly so called, in Refs 8th c.BC+ especially of smiths' tools, Refs 8th c.BC+;…