Word Study for G5553 (χρυσίον)

chrysíon /khroo-see'-on/ Ask about this word

Meaningdiminutive of χρυσός; a golden article, i.e. gold plating, ornament, or coin

KJV usagegold.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of chrysíon — 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 chrysíon, represented by G5553, refers to a golden article, such as gold plating, an ornament, or a coin. As a diminutive of χρυσός, it appears 9 times across 9 unique verses in the Bible, often representing material wealth and value.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G5553 is used to illustrate both literal and figurative wealth. Peter declares his lack of material riches, stating, "Silver and gold have I none" Acts 3:6. Similarly, Paul emphasizes his focus on ministry over material gain by saying he coveted no man's silver or gold Acts 20:33. The word is also used symbolically, as when Christ counsels the church to buy from him "gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich" Revelation 3:18. In visions of the holy, it describes heavenly realities, such as the ark of the covenant being overlaid with gold Hebrews 9:4 and the city of New Jerusalem having a street of pure gold Revelation 21:21.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide deeper context to the value and nature of gold:

G5349 phthartós (corruptible): This word highlights the perishable nature of worldly wealth. Believers are reminded they were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold 1 Peter 1:18.
G1383 dokímion (trial, trying): This term is used to contrast the value of faith against material wealth, explaining that the trial of faith is "much more precious than of gold that perisheth" 1 Peter 1:7.
G694 argýrion (silver): Often paired with gold to denote worldly currency and possessions, this word appears when Peter says "Silver and gold have I none" Acts 3:6, establishing a clear distinction between earthly and spiritual power.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of G5553 is primarily seen in its use as a point of contrast.

Worldly vs. Spiritual Value: Gold is consistently presented as inferior to spiritual realities. Faith is more precious than gold 1 Peter 1:7, and true spiritual riches come from Christ, not from earthly metals Revelation 3:18.
Inadequacy for Redemption: Scripture makes it clear that redemption cannot be purchased with material things. Peter explicitly states believers are not redeemed with corruptible things like gold 1 Peter 1:18, but with the precious blood of Christ 1 Peter 1:19.
Symbol of Divine Purity: While earthly gold perishes, it is also used to describe the perfection of the heavenly realm. The New Jerusalem is described as pure gold Revelation 21:18, and sacred items like those associated with the ark of the covenant were made with gold Hebrews 9:4, symbolizing consecrated value and holiness.

Summary

In summary, G5553 functions as a powerful symbol in the Bible. While it refers to the valuable metal gold, its greater purpose is often to draw a sharp contrast between the temporary, corruptible wealth of the world and the eternal, incorruptible value of faith, redemption, and the glory of God's kingdom. It serves to teach that what is truly precious cannot be measured in earthly terms.

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 noun across 13 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Dative Singular Neuter 5×
Nominative Singular Neuter 3×
Genitive Singular Neuter 2×
Accusative Singular Masculine 1×
Accusative Singular Neuter 1×
Genitive Plural Neuter 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Dative: The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Neuter: Neuter grammatical gender.

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 9 verses across 4 of the 27 books. Most frequent in 1 Peter and Revelation (3 verses each); never once in the other 23.

Acts

Hebrews

1 Peter

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, 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.