Original Word: πύθων
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: puthón
Pronunciation: poo-thone'
Phonetic Spelling: (poo'-thone)
Definition: Python, spirit of divination
Meaning: a divining spirit, Python, called after the Pythian serpent said to have guarded the oracle at Delphi and been slain by Apollo.

divination.

From Putho (the name of the region where Delphi, the seat of the famous oracle, was located); a Python, i.e. (by analogy, with the supposed diviner there) inspiration (soothsaying) -- divination.

Word Origin
from Puthó (Pytho, an area of Greece)
Definition
Python, a mythical serpent slain by Apollo, divination
NASB Translation
divination (1).

STRONGS NT 4436: Πυθών

Πυθών, Πύθωνος, ὁ, Python;

1. in Greek mythology the name of the Pythian serpent or dragon that dwelt in the region of Pytho at the foot of Parnassus in Phocis, and was said to have guarded the oracle of Delphi and been slain by Apollo.

2. equivalent to δαιμόνιον μαντικον (Hesychius, under the word), a spirit of divination: πνεῦμα Πύθωνος, or more correctly (with L T Tr WH) πνεῦμα πύθωνα (on the union of two substantives one of which has the force of an adjective see Matthiae, p. 962, 4; (Kühner, § 405, 1; Lob. Paralip. 344f)), Acts 16:16; some interpreters think that the young woman here mentioned was a ventriloquist, appealing to Plutarch, who tells us (mor., p. 414 e. de def. orac. 9) that in his time ἐγγαστριμυθοι were called πυθωνες; (cf. Meyer).

Word Origin: Derived from Πύθων (Pythōn), a mythical serpent or dragon that was said to inhabit the region of Delphi and was slain by Apollo.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for πύθων, the concept of divination and unclean spirits can be related to several Hebrew terms, such as:
• אֹבוֹת (oboth) • Strong's Hebrew 178: Refers to mediums or necromancers, those who communicate with spirits.
• יִדְּעֹנִים (yidde'onim) • Strong's Hebrew 3049: Refers to wizards or those who have familiar spirits.

These Hebrew terms reflect similar practices of divination and spiritism that were condemned in the Old Testament, as seen in passages like Leviticus 19:31 and Deuteronomy 18:10-12.

Usage: The term is used in the New Testament to describe a spirit of divination, particularly in the context of Acts 16:16, where a slave girl possessed by a spirit of divination encounters Paul and his companions.

Context: The term πύθων (pýthōn) appears in the New Testament in Acts 16:16. In this passage, the Apostle Paul encounters a slave girl in Philippi who is described as having a "spirit of divination" (πνεῦμα πύθωνα, pneuma pýthōna). This spirit enabled her to predict the future, and she brought significant profit to her owners through fortune-telling. The spirit of divination is linked to the ancient Greek mythological figure Python, a serpent or dragon associated with the oracle at Delphi. In the biblical context, the spirit is portrayed as an unclean or demonic force, and Paul, through the power of Jesus Christ, commands the spirit to leave the girl, thereby freeing her from its influence. This act of deliverance leads to a conflict with her owners, who are angered by the loss of their source of income. The account highlights the early Christian confrontation with pagan practices and the power of Christ over demonic forces.

πυθωνα πύθωνα πύθωνος πυκάζουσα πυκάζουσιν πυκάση puthona puthōna pythona pythōna pýthona pýthōnaInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts