lukos denotes a wolf, used both for dangerous animal imagery and for hostile figures portrayed through that imagery.

The term most often occurs in imagery of threatening figures: false prophets are portrayed as rapacious wolves, fierce wolves enter among a flock, and those sent out are placed among wolves. In John 10:12, it occurs in a scene where a wolf comes against sheep, snatches them, and scatters them.

1. Threatening figures in flock imagery · dominant

   Plural forms occur in warnings and comparisons involving vulnerable sheep or lambs. In Matthew 7:15 the APB renders false prophets as inwardly “rapacious wolves”; in Acts 20:29 it renders fierce wolves entering among a flock, while Luke 10:3 and Matthew 10:16 place those being sent out among wolves.

   Matthew 7:15Acts 20:29Luke 10:3Matthew 10:16
2. Wolf approaching and attacking sheep · occasional

   In John 10:12, the supplied singular accusative masculine morphology occurs in the clause about the hired hand seeing the wolf coming. The APB renders the following action as the wolf snatching the sheep and scattering them.

   John 10:12

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB presents the plural forms as “wolves” in warnings and comparisons, and presents the singular occurrence in John 10:12 as “the wolf.” These renderings confirm the scenes rather than establish a separate lexical distinction.