Original Word: χεῖλος
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: cheilos
Pronunciation: KHI-los
Phonetic Spelling: (khi'-los)
KJV: lip, shore
NASB: lips
Word Origin: [from a form of the same as G5490 (χάσμα - chasm)]

1. a lip (as a pouring place)
2. (figuratively) a margin (of water)

lip, shore.

From a form of the same as chasma; a lip (as a pouring place); figuratively, a margin (of water) -- lip, shore.

see GREEK chasma

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
a lip, an edge
NASB Translation
lips (6).

STRONGS NT 5491: χεῖλος

χεῖλος, χείλους, τό, genitive plural in the uncontracted form χειλέων (Hebrews 13:15; see ὄρος) (χέω equivalent to ΧΑΩ, χαίνω), from Homer down, the Sept. for שָׂפָה, a lip;

a. in the N. T. of the speaking mouth (cf. Winer's Grammar, 32): Matthew 15:8; Mark vil. 6; Romans 3:13; 1 Corinthians 14:21; Hebrews 13:15 (on which see καρπός, 2 c.); 1 Peter 3:10.

b. metaphorically: χεῖλος τῆς θαλάσσης, the seashore, Hebrews 11:12 (Genesis 22:17; Exodus 7:15; Exodus 14:30, etc.; of the shore of a lake, Josephus, b. j. 3, 10, 7; of the banks of rivers, Herodotus 2 (70). 94; (Aristotle, de mirab. aud. 46; 150; cf. hist. an. 6, 16, p. 570a, 22); Polybius 3, 14, 6; (cf. Winer's Grammar, pp. 18, 30)).

Definition and Scope

Strong’s Greek 5491 designates the “lip” in both the literal and figurative senses. In its seven New Testament occurrences, the word ranges from the physical margin of the mouth to the poetic rim of the seashore (Hebrews 11:12). The contexts move swiftly from anatomy to theology, highlighting how the outer edge of the body reveals inner realities of the heart, covenant faithfulness, and prophetic warning.

Physical and Figurative Usage in Scripture

1. Literal organ of speech (Romans 3:13; 1 Peter 3:10).
2. Metonymy for spoken words—either deceitful (Matthew 15:8; Mark 7:6) or worshipful (Hebrews 13:15).
3. Symbolic border of the sea, an image of vast posterity (Hebrews 11:12).
4. Medium through which God speaks in foreign tongues (1 Corinthians 14:21).

Lips as Vehicle of Speech and Moral Indicator

Paul’s citation of Psalms in Romans 3:13 exposes the fallen nature of humanity: “Their throat is an open grave; they practice deceit with their tongues; the venom of vipers is under their lips.” Corrupt lips betray inner death. Peter’s exhortation follows the same psalmic thread: “Keep…his lips from deceitful speech” (1 Peter 3:10). Guarding the lips is thus central to practical holiness and community peace.

Duplicity versus Devotion: Prophetic Critique

Jesus invokes Isaiah 29:13 in Matthew 15:8 and Mark 7:6 to indict hollow religion: “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.” Here the word 5491 unmasks hypocrisy; right words without right hearts provoke divine displeasure. The episodes warn contemporary disciples that God discerns sincerity behind every confession and song.

Lips as Instrument of Praise and Sacrifice

Hebrews 13:15 elevates the mouth to priestly function: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.” Post-Calvary worship moves from temple altars to redeemed mouths. The lips, once instruments of deceit, are redeemed to bear “fruit” acceptable to God, displaying the transformative power of the gospel.

Unexpected Outreach: Foreign Lips and the Gift of Tongues

Paul cites Isaiah 28:11 in 1 Corinthians 14:21: “By means of foreign tongues and through the lips of strangers I will speak to this people.” God’s choice to address Israel through Gentile languages foreshadows both Pentecost and the missionary expansion of the church. The gift of tongues, though perplexing, confirms God’s resolve to make His voice heard even when covenant people grow dull of hearing.

Boundary Image: The Shoreline of Ancestral Promise

Hebrews 11:12 uses the word in its spatial sense: descendants “as countless as the sand on the seashore.” The lip of the sea frames the boundless promise to Abraham. From barren lips of an aged patriarch’s body sprang innumerable heirs, underscoring God’s faithfulness despite human impossibility.

Ministry Implications

• Guard speech: truthful, gracious words honor Christ and protect fellowship.
• Prioritize heart integrity: worship must unite mouth and motive.
• Cultivate continual praise: every believer is a priest offering verbal sacrifices.
• Embrace cross-cultural mission: God still speaks through “foreign lips,” urging openness to multilingual proclamation.
• Rest in covenant certainty: the shore-line metaphor assures believers that God’s promises exceed visible limits.

Related Themes and Cross References

Proverbs 12:22; Psalms 63:3; Isaiah 6:5-7; James 1:26; James 3:9-10.

Summary

Strong’s Greek 5491 threads through Scripture as both a literal lip and a theological signpost. Whether exposing deceit, expressing praise, or marking the horizon of divine promise, the “cheilos” calls believers to align heart and speech under the lordship of Christ, confident that the God who monitors every word also multiplies every promise.

χείλεσι χείλεσί χειλεσιν χείλεσιν χείλεσίν χειλεων χειλεών χειλέων χειλη χείλη χειλος χείλος χεῖλος χείλους cheile cheilē cheíle cheílē cheileon cheileōn cheiléon cheiléōn cheilesin cheílesin cheílesín cheilos cheîlosInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts