Original Word: ποτήριον
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: potérion
Pronunciation: po-TAY-ree-on
Phonetic Spelling: (pot-ay'-ree-on)
Definition: Cup
Meaning: a drinking cup, the contents of the cup; fig: the portion which God allots.

cup.

Neuter of a derivative of the alternate of pino; a drinking-vessel; by extension, the contents thereof, i.e. A cupful (draught); figuratively, a lot or fate -- cup.

see GREEK pino

Word Origin
a dim. form derivation from pinó
Definition
a wine cup
NASB Translation
cup (30), cups (1).

STRONGS NT 4221: ποτήριον

ποτήριον, ποτηρίου, τό (diminutive of ποτήρ), a cup, a drinking vessel;

a. properly: Matthew 23:25; Matthew 26:27; Mark 7:4, 8 (T WH omit; Tr brackets the verse); Mark 14:23; Luke 11:39; Luke 22:17, 20; 1 Corinthians 11:25; Revelation 17:4; πίνειν ἐκ τοῦ ποτηρίου, 1 Corinthians 11:28; τό ποτήριον τῆς ἐυλογιασς (see εὐλογία, 4), 1 Corinthians 10:16; with a genitive of the thing with which the cup is filled: ψυχροῦ, Matthew 10:42; ὕδατος, Mark 9:41; by metonymy, of the container for the contained, the contents of the cup, what is offered to be drunk, Luke 22:20b ((WH reject the passage) cf. Winer's 635f (589f)); 1 Corinthians 11:25f; τό ποτήριον τίνος, genitive of the person giving the entertainment (cf. Rückert, Abendmahl, p. 217f): πίνειν, 1 Corinthians 10:21 (cf. Winer's Grammar, 189 (178)); (cf. Winers Grammar, 411 (410)).

b. By a figure common to Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac, and not unknown to Latin writers, one's lot or experience, whether joyous or adverse, divine appointments, whether favorable or unfavorable, are likened to a cup which God presents one to drink (cf. Winer's Grammar, 32): so of prosperity, Psalm 15:5 (); Psalm 22:5 (); Psalm 115:13 (); of adversity, Psalm 10:6 (); Psalm 74:9 (); Isaiah 51:17, 22. In the N. T. of the bitter lot (the sufferings) of Christ: Matthew 26:39, 42 Rec.; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42; John 18:11; πίνειν τό ποτήριον μου or ὁ ἐγώ πίνω, to undergo the same calamities which I undergo, Matthew 20:22, 23; Mark 10:38, 39 (Plautus Cas. 5, 2, 53 (50) ut senex hoc eodem poculo quod ego bibi biberet, i. e. that he might be treated as harshly as I was); used of the divine penalties: Revelation 14:10; Revelation 16:19; Revelation 18:6. ((Alcaeus, Sappho), Herodotus, Ctesias (), Aristophanes, Lucian, others; the Sept. for כּוס.)

Word Origin: Diminutive of the Greek word ποτός (potos), meaning "drink."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • H3563 כּוֹס (kos): A cup or chalice, often used metaphorically in the Hebrew Bible to denote a portion or experience, particularly in the context of divine judgment or blessing (e.g., Psalm 23:5, Isaiah 51:22).
• H3564 כּוֹס (kos): Another form of the word for cup, used similarly in various contexts throughout the Old Testament.

The concept of the cup as a symbol of destiny, whether of blessing or judgment, is a recurring theme in biblical literature, bridging the Old and New Testaments and providing a rich tapestry of theological meaning.

Usage: The term ποτήριον is used in the New Testament to denote a literal cup or vessel used for drinking. It is also employed metaphorically to describe experiences or destinies, often in the context of suffering or divine judgment.

Context: The Greek word ποτήριον appears in various contexts throughout the New Testament, both literally and metaphorically. Literally, it refers to a physical cup, as seen in the accounts of the Last Supper, where Jesus shares a cup with His disciples (e.g., Matthew 26:27, Mark 14:23, Luke 22:20). This cup symbolizes the new covenant in His blood, a central element of Christian sacramental theology.

Metaphorically, ποτήριον is used to describe the experiences or fates that individuals or groups may encounter. In Matthew 20:22-23, Jesus asks James and John if they are able to drink the cup He is about to drink, referring to the suffering and sacrifice He will endure. Similarly, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prays for the cup of suffering to pass from Him, yet submits to the Father's will (Matthew 26:39, Mark 14:36, Luke 22:42).

The metaphorical use of ποτήριον extends to divine judgment, as seen in Revelation 14:10, where those who worship the beast will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of His anger. This imagery draws from Old Testament prophetic literature, where the cup often symbolizes God's judgment upon nations (e.g., Psalm 75:8, Isaiah 51:17).

ποτήρια ποτηριον ποτήριον ποτήριόν ποτηριου ποτηρίου ποτηριω ποτηρίω ποτηρίῳ ποτηριων ποτηρίων poterio potēriō poteríoi potēríōi poterion poteríon potērion potēriōn potēríōn potḗrion potḗrión poteriou poteríou potēriou potēríouInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts