English · KJV
G5088

τίκτω

tíktō /tek'-o/ Ask about this word
Roota strengthened form of a primary τέκω (which is used only as alternate in certain tenses)
Meaningto produce (from seed, as a mother, a plant, the earth, etc.), literally or figuratively
KJV usagebear, be born, bring forth, be delivered, be in travail.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tíktō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word tíktō, represented by G5088, means to produce from seed, like a mother, a plant, or the earth. It is used literally or figuratively to mean bear, be born, bring forth, be delivered, or be in travail. It appears 19 times across 18 unique verses in the Bible.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G5088 is central to the accounts of significant births. It is used to announce the birth of Jesus, as in the angelic declaration that Mary "shall bring forth a son" Matthew 1:21. The Magi use this word when they seek the one who is "born King of the Jews" Matthew 2:2. Beyond human birth, the term is also applied to the natural world, as when the earth "bringeth forth herbs" after receiving rain Hebrews 6:7. Figuratively, it describes a process of cause and effect, where lust, once conceived, "bringeth forth sin" James 1:15.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concepts of birth and production:

  • G1080 gennáō (bear, beget, be born): This word, often used for the father's role in procreation, is used to describe being "delivered of" or "born" into the world John 16:21. It is also used figuratively for regeneration.
  • G1064 gastḗr (belly, + with child, womb): This term for the womb is directly linked to pregnancy and appears in prophecies about a virgin being "with child" who will bring forth a son Matthew 1:23.
  • G5043 téknon (child, daughter, son): This word signifies the product of birth, a child. It is used to describe the child that the woman in Revelation is ready to deliver Revelation 12:4.
  • G4416 prōtótokos (firstbegotten(-born)): This specifies the firstborn child and is used in conjunction with G5088 in the description of Jesus as Mary's "firstborn son" Luke 2:7.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G5088 is primarily seen in its connection to Christ's incarnation and eschatological events.

  • The Nativity of Christ: The word is foundational to the Christmas story. Its use underscores the miraculous and prophesied nature of Jesus's arrival, from the announcement that a virgin shall "bring forth a son" named Emmanuel Matthew 1:23 to the declaration that a Saviour "is born this day" Luke 2:11.
  • Figurative Production of Sin: The use of G5088 in James provides a powerful theological metaphor. Lust conceives and then "bringeth forth sin," which in turn leads to death, illustrating a spiritual principle of generation James 1:15.
  • Prophetic Fulfillment: In Revelation, a woman "brought forth a man child" destined to rule all nations Revelation 12:5, connecting the act of birth to God's ultimate redemptive and sovereign plan. The dragon stands ready to devour her child as soon as it is "born" Revelation 12:4.

Summary

In summary, G5088 is a crucial word that carries meaning from the physical to the spiritual. While it literally describes the act of bringing forth life—whether a child, a plant, or an heir—it is theologically significant for its role in the narrative of Christ's birth and its use as a powerful metaphor for the spiritual consequences of human desire. It demonstrates how the fundamental act of birth is used in Scripture to convey profound truths about salvation, sin, and prophecy.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 19 occurrences, inflected in 11 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • ἔτεκεν
  • τεκεῖν
  • τέξεται
  • τέκῃ
  • ἐτέχθη
  • τεχθεὶς
  • τέξῃ
  • τίκτει
  • τίκτουσα
  • τίκτουσα
  • τίκτῃ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

G1080 γεννάω to procreate (properly, of the father, but by extension of the mother) G1064 γαστήρ the stomach G5043 τέκνον a child (as produced) G4416 πρωτότοκος first-born (usually as noun, literally or figuratively)

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 18 verses across 7 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Luke (5 verses); never once in the other 20.

4
Matthew
5
Luke
1
John
1
Galatians
2
Hebrews
1
James
4
Revelation

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.