kalamos · pen, reed

What it means

kalamos (κάλαμος) is a Greek word of the Bible that means “pen, reed”.

Reed; a reed pen for writing.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. A hollow stalk, to lean on or measure.
2. A sharpened reed dipped in ink for writing.

From Abbott-Smith (1922) · Thayer (1889)

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• reed ×11
• pen ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Matthew×5
• Mark×2
• Luke×1
• 3 John×1
• Revelation×3

• Matthew 11:7

  As these were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?

• Matthew 12:20

  A crushed reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not put out, until he brings justice to victory;

• Matthew 27:29

  And after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand; and kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

• Matthew 27:30

  And spitting on him, they took the reed and kept striking him on his head.

• Matthew 27:48

  And at once one of them ran and took a sponge, and filled it with sour wine, and putting it on a reed, he was giving him a drink.

• Mark 15:19

  And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him, and bending their knees, they were paying homage to him.

• Mark 15:36

  And someone ran, and filling a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and was giving him a drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah comes to take him down.”

• Luke 7:24

  And when John’s messengers had left, he began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?

• 3 John 1:13

  I had many things to write to you, but I do not want to write to you with ink and pen;

• Revelation 11:1

  And a measuring reed like a staff was given to me, saying, “Get up and measure the sanctuary of God and the altar and those who worship in it.

• Revelation 21:15

  And the one who was speaking with me had a measuring reed of gold to measure the city and its gates and its wall.

• Revelation 21:16

  And the city lies foursquare, and its length is as great as its width. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand stadia; its length and width and height are equal.