reltext / Greek lexicon

G4436

Πύθων

PuthōnG:N-M

divining spirit

πύθων, -ωνος, ὁ __1. in cl., Python, a serpent slain by Apollo, who is hence surnamed the Pythian. __2. In Plut. (ii, 414 E), a name given to ventriloquist soothsayers (ἐγγαστρίμυθοι; cf. Lev.19:31 20:6, 27, 1Ki.28:7), and perhaps in this sense πνεῦμα πύθωνα, a python-spirit: Act.16:16.† (AS)

The KJV translates G4436 in the following manner:

divination (2x)

Full Thayer's lexicon entry

Πύθων — Pýthōn

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)), Act 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).

1 occurrence