Quick Definition
γράμμα, ατος, τό n.n. a letter, writings, learning
Strong's Definition
from 1125; a writing, i.e. a letter, note, epistle, book, etc.; plural learning
KJV Usage: bill, learning, letter, scripture, writing, written
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, n. | -τος | γράφω
33.50 · Communication · Written Language
writing, what has been written any kind of written document, whether in book or manuscript form, with focus upon the content
JHN 5:47 · ACT 28:21 · ROM 2:27 · ROM 2:29 · ROM 7:6 · 2CO 3:6 · 2CO 3:6 · 2TI 3:15
6.63 · Artifacts · Instruments Used in Marking and Writing
letter an object containing writing addressed to one or more persons, normally written on papyrus In some languages it may be necessary to try to distinguish between a letter as an object and a letter as content or message. In ACT 23:33 the focus seems to be upon the letter as an object, not necessarily upon the contents of the document. In most contexts, however, it is impossible to distinguish between a letter as a material object and a letter as a message (see 33.48).
33.39 · Communication · Written Language
account, record of debts a written statement of financial accounts, especially of debts In place of the expression ‘here is your account,’ one may say ‘here is a list of what you owe.’
1 α, β, and γ, the first three letters of the Greek alphabet, are used as ordinal numbers (first, second, and third) in connection with the titles of books of the NT. See Domain 60 Number. 2 γράμμα[c] may also be classified as a derivative of γράφω to write (33.61) and mean anything that is written; see 33.50.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
γράμμα, -ros, τό, (γράφω), that which has been written ; 1. a letter i. e. the character: Lk. xxiii. 388 [R G Lbr. Tr mrg. br.]; Gal. vi. 11. 2. any writing, a document or record; a. a note of hand, bill, bond, account, written acknowledgment of debt, (as scriptio in Varr. sat. Men. 8, 1 [ef. Edersheim ii. 268 sqq.]): Lk. xvi. 6 sq. ((Joseph. antt. 18, 6,3], in Ltxt. T Tr WH plur. τὰ γράμματα; so of one document also in Antiph. p. 114, (30); Dem. p. 1034, 16; Vulg. cautio). b. a letter, an epistle: Acts xxviii. 21; (Hdt. 5, 14; Thue. 8, 50; Xen. Cyr. 4, 5, 26, etc.). ©. τὰ ἱερὰ γράμματα the sacred writings (of the O. T.; [so Joseph. antt. prooem. § 3; 10, 10,4 fin.; 6. Ap. 1, 10; Philo, de vit. Moys. 3, 39; de praem. et poen. § 14; leg. ad Gai. § 29, ete.— but always rai. y.]): 2 Tim. iii. 15 [here T WHom. L Tr br. ra]; γράμμα i. q. the written law of Moses, Ro. ii. 27; Μωῦσέως γράμματα, Jn. ν. 47. Since the Jews so clave to the letter of the law that it not only became to them a mere letter but also a hindrance to true religion, Paul calls it γράμμα in a disparaging sense, and contrasts it with τὸ πνεῦμα i.e. the divine Spirit, whether operative in the Mosaic law, Ro. ii. 29, or in the gospel, by which Christians are governed, Ro. vii. 6; 2 Co. iii. 6 sq. [but in vs. 7RGT WH read the plur. written in letters, so Lmrg. Tr mrg.]. 3. ra γράμματα, like the Lat. litterae, Eng. letters, i. 4. learning: Acts xxvi. 24; εἰδέναι, μεμαθηκέναι yp. (cf. Germ. studirt haben), of sacred learning, Jn. vii.15. (μανθάνειν, ἐπίστασθαι. etc., γράμματα are used by the Greeks of the rudiments of learning; cf. Passow i. p. 571; [L. and S. 8. v. 1. 5.»
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
γράμμα gramma 14x
pr. that which is written or drawn; a letter, character of the alphabet, a writing, book, Jn. 5:47; an acknowledgment of debt, an account, a bill, note, Lk. 16:6, 7; an epistle, letter, Acts 28:21; Gal. 6:11; ἱερὰ γράμματα, the sacred books of the Old Testament, the Jewish Scriptures, 2 Tim. 3:15; spc. the letter of the law of Moses, the bare literal sense, Rom. 2:27, 29; 7:6; 2 Cor. 3:6, 7; pl. letters, learning, Jn. 7:15; Acts 26:24*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
γράμμα, -τος, τό
(< γράφω), [in LXX for סֵפֶר, etc. ;]
that which is traced or drawn, a picture.
that which is written; a character, letter: Ga 6:11;
a writing, a written document; a bill or account: Lk 16:6, 7;
a letter: Ac 28:21;
τὰ ἱερὰ γ., the sacred writings, i.e. the OT: II Ti 3:15 (so in Philo, Vit. Mos., iii, 39) ;
τὸ γ., the letter, the written word as an external authority in contrast with the direct influence of the Spirit as manifested in the new Covenant: Ro 2:27, 29 7:6, II Co 3:6, 7;
τὰ γ., letters, i.e. learning: Jo 7:15, Ac 26:24. (In π. an illiterate person is very frequently referred to as γράμματα μὴ εἰδότης, and this "never means anything else than inability to write": MM, Exp., x; but v. also Cremer, 166; DCG, i, 202; ii, 584.)
†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
γράμμα. In view of Jn γ15 it must be remarked that there are hundreds of papyri where someone states that he writes on behalf of the person concerned, who is illiterate: this is most often γράμματα μὴ εἰδότος (εἰδυίης), Lut also frequently ἀγραμμάτου ὄντος (οὔσης). For examples see 5.7. ἀγράμματος, and add the inscription of the Imperial period Sy// 8445 κελεύουσαν ὑπὲρ αἱ ὑτὰν] γράψαι, ἐπεὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτὰ γράμματα μὴ εἰδέναι. See Dittenberger’s note: he can only quote one parallel from inscrr. With this goes sucha phrase as P Tebt IT. 31628 (A.D. 99) τέχνη δὲ ὑμῶν (7. 7p.) γράμματα, “ we are scribes by profession” (Edd.), and that of P Flor III. 38279 (A.D. 222-3) μανθ(άνων) γράμμ(ατα), of a child. The exceeding commonness of this phraseology, which never means anything than inability to write, forces us to recognize it in Jn γ᾽ and Ac 41%. With the biting scorn of the superior person, these learned fools affect to regard Jesus and His disciples as ‘‘illiterates.”” Under the same heading, with γράμματα = characters formed in writing, comes P Hib I. 209 (c. B.c. 265), where a notice is to be put on a board μεγάλοις γράμμασιν. This |
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
γράμμα (gramma) — something written. γράμμα, ατος, τό, Doric dialect γράθμα, probably in [Refs 6th c.BC+], but γράσσμα, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: late Aeolic dialect plural γρόππατα, [Refs]: (γράφω):— that which is drawn: plural, lines of a drawing, picture, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; picture, Ἀπέλλεω γ. [Refs 3rd c.BC+]: singular, drawing, picture, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: plural, figures in a picture, [Refs 5th c.AD+]
II. written character, letter, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: in plural, letters, characters, γραμμάτων τε συνθέσεις [NT+4th c.BC+]; the letters, the alphabet, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Ἀσσύρια, Ἑλληνικά, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μαθεῖν to have learnt to read, [Refs]; ἐδίδασκες γράμματα, ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἐφοίτων you kept school—I went there, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τέχνη ἡμῶν γ. our profession is that of the scribe, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
II. b articulate sound, letter, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; γράμματα φθέγγεσθαι[Refs]
II. c παρὰ γράμμα λέγοντα.. σκοπεῖν etymologically, [Refs]; τὰ παρὰ γ. σκώμματα puns, [Refs]; but ἀρετὴν παρὰ γ. διώκοντες, with reference to Νικαρέτη, the mistress of Stilpo, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II. d inscription, τὸ Δελφικὸν γ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.2. in plural, notes in music, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
II.3. mathematical diagram, epigram cited in [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
II.4. letter inscribed on the lots which the δικασταί drew, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; practically, = division of dicasts, ἐν ὁποίῳ γ. δειπνεῖ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἁ κατὰ γράμμα φυλακά the roster of guards, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]
II.4. b quarters of a town, [Refs]; accent, [Refs]
II.5. a small weight, 1/24 ounce, scruple, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
III. in plural, set of written characters, piece of writing, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: hence, letter, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; inscription, epitaph, etc., ἐκόλαψε ἐς τὸν τάφον γράμματα λέγοντα τάδε [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.2. papers, documents, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τούτων τὰ γ. the documents to prove this, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ δημόσια γ. the public records, Decrees cited in [Refs 4th c.BC+]; title-deeds, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; account of loans, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; contract or estimate, [Refs]; catalogue, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: in singular, bond, [NT]; note of hand, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
III.3. a man's writings, i.e. book, treatise, τὰ τοῦ Ζήνωνος γ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]: plural, books, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ ἱερὰ γ. the Holy [NT+3rd c.BC+]; ἱερὰ γ., = Imperial rescripts, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; = hieroglyphics, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]: in singular, the [NT+2nd c.AD+]; opposed to πνεῦμα, [Refs]article of a treaty, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
III.4. laws or rules, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κατὰ γράμματα ἄρχειν, opposed to ἄνευ γραμμάτων, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
IV. in plural, also, letters, learning, ἀπείρους γραμμάτων [Refs 5th c.BC+]