5559. chrós
Lexical Summary
chrós: Skin, complexion

Original Word: χρώς
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: chrós
Pronunciation: khrōs
Phonetic Spelling: (khroce)
KJV: body
NASB: body
Word Origin: [probably akin to the base of G5530 (χράομαι - use) through the idea of handling]

1. the body (properly, its surface or skin)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
skin

Probably akin to the base of chraomai through the idea of handling; the body (properly, its surface or skin) -- body.

see GREEK chraomai

HELPS Word-studies

5559 xrṓs. 5559 (xrṓs) does not refer to the "body" in general, but rather the surface of the body.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
the surface of the body, skin
NASB Translation
body (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 5559: χρώς

χρώς, genitive χρωτός, (cf. χροιά, the skin (cf. Curtius, § 201)), from Homer down (who (generally) uses the genitive χρώς etc. (cf. Ebeling, Lex. Homer, or Liddell and Scott, under the word)), the surface of the body, the skin: Acts 19:12; the Sept. for בָּשָׂר, twice for עור, Exodus 34:29f, Alex..

Topical Lexicon
Definition and Occurrence

Strong’s Greek 5559 designates the outer surface of the human body, “skin” or “flesh.” It appears once in the New Testament, in Acts 19:12, describing cloths that had touched Paul’s skin.

Context in Acts 19:11-12

“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits departed from them” (Acts 19:11-12). The setting is Ephesus, a center of magic arts. The Spirit’s power works through common work-cloths from Paul’s tentmaking, underscoring that the miracle is divine, not magical.

Ministry Significance

1. Authentication of the apostolic message—These healings confirm Paul’s gospel before Jews and Gentiles (Hebrews 2:3-4; 2 Corinthians 12:12).
2. Triumph over occultism—Acts 19 later records magicians burning their scrolls (Acts 19:18-19). The contact miracles expose the impotence of sorcery before the risen Christ.
3. Extension of Christ’s ministry—Just as people touched the fringe of Jesus’ cloak and were healed (Mark 6:56; Luke 8:44), so items that touched Paul’s skin become conduits of grace. The same Lord works through His servant.

Theological Themes

• Incarnational principle—God often mediates spiritual power through physical means (John 1:14; 1 John 1:1).
• Holistic redemption—Diseases and demons depart, reflecting Christ’s authority over both physical and spiritual realms (Matthew 8:16-17).
• Sovereignty of God—The miracles are described as “extraordinary,” emphasizing they are neither normative nor controllable by humans.

Biblical Parallels

• Peter’s shadow healing the sick (Acts 5:15).
• The hem of Jesus’ garment (Mark 5:27-30).
• Elisha’s bones reviving a dead man (2 Kings 13:21).
• The bronze serpent in the wilderness (Numbers 21:8-9; John 3:14)—a physical object becoming a means of divine deliverance.

Historical Reception

Early believers cherished accounts of contact miracles, yet apostolic writers never exalt material objects themselves. Church history shows both appreciation (e.g., remembering martyrs) and excess (relic-veneration). Reformers cautioned against superstition, directing faith to Christ alone (Colossians 2:18-19).

Practical Application

• God may work through ordinary vocations—Paul’s tentmaking aprons became instruments of blessing.
• Physical means are never ends in themselves; faith must rest on the living Christ (Acts 3:16).
• Prayer for healing and deliverance remains valid (James 5:14-16), acknowledging that God, not technique, determines results.
• Believers should resist occult substitutes, trusting the surpassing power of the gospel (1 John 4:4).

Summary

The single New Testament use of Strong’s 5559 highlights the tangible reality of God’s power in advancing the gospel. Items that touched Paul’s skin became signs of Christ’s authority, encouraging faith, confronting superstition, and magnifying the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:17).

Forms and Transliterations
εχώλαναν εχωλάνθη χρως χρώτα χρωτος χρωτός χρωτὸς χυδαίοι χύμα χυτήν χυτός χύτρα χύτραν χύτρας χυτρόγαυλον χυτρόγαυλος χυτρογαύλους χυτρόποδες χυτών χωθαρώθ χωλανείτε chrotos chrotòs chrōtos chrōtòs
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Englishman's Concordance
Acts 19:12 N-GMS
GRK: ἀπὸ τοῦ χρωτὸς αὐτοῦ σουδάρια
NAS: carried from his body to the sick,
KJV: that from his body were brought unto
INT: from the skin of him hankerchiefs

Strong's Greek 5559
1 Occurrence


χρωτὸς — 1 Occ.

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