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G229 · Greek · New Testament
ἀλήθω
alēthō
Verb
Grind (grain), mill

Definition

The Greek verb alēthō means to grind grain — the daily labor of women at the millstone. It appears in Matthew 24:41 and Luke 17:35 in the context of the sudden coming of the Son of Man.

Usage & Theological Significance

"Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the other left" (Matthew 24:41). Jesus uses the most mundane domestic activity — women grinding grain at the millstone — to illustrate the radical divisiveness of His return. The same moment that brings salvation for one brings judgment for another. The coming of the Lord separates: not by class or status, but by spiritual readiness. Daily labor is not an escape from eschatological urgency; it is its backdrop.

Key Bible Verses

Matthew 24:41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Luke 17:35 Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.
Ecclesiastes 12:3 When the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim...
Matthew 24:44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
1 Thessalonians 5:2 For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Related Words

External Resources

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