Category Archives: Vocabulary

Fear in the New Testament is expressed through multiple Greek terms, each with unique connotations. The words δειλία, φόβος, and εὐλάβεια represent three distinct responses to danger, authority, or the divine: cowardice, terror or dread, and reverence. Their careful usage by biblical authors reflects a deep theological understanding of the human condition before God, men, and adversity. This article explores their lexical range, usage in key New Testament texts, and how they frame a biblical theology of fear.

The vocabulary of servanthood in the Greek New Testament is strikingly diverse. Rather than using a single term for “servant,” the Holy Spirit—through the inspired authors—employs a spectrum of words: θεράπων, δοῦλος, διάκονος, οἰκέτης, and ὑπηρέτης. These words are not mere synonyms; they reflect differences in rank, relationship, responsibility, and spiritual significance. This article explores each term’s lexical meaning, biblical usage, and theological role in describing both literal and spiritual servitude. These five terms—θεράπων, δοῦλος, διάκονος, οἰκέτης, and ὑπηρέτης—all denote various kinds of servants in the Greek New Testament, but each carries a distinct social, spiritual, or functional nuance. Together, they form a rich vocabulary for understanding service, authority, and discipleship in early Christian theology.… Learn Koine Greek

Ἀληθής and ἀληθινός are powerful and subtly distinct adjectives in the Greek New Testament. Though both are translated as “true,” their shades of meaning reveal significant theological depth, especially in the writings of John and the broader Hellenistic background.

In the Greek New Testament, two adjectives—ἀληθής and ἀληθινός—are both commonly translated as “true.” Yet, in Koine Greek usage, and especially in the theological vocabulary of the apostles, these terms reveal distinct nuances. While closely related, they serve different rhetorical and theological functions. One describes factual or moral truthfulness, while the other points to ultimate, essential, or divine reality. This article explores their roots, differences, and roles in the Gospels, Epistles, and Revelation.… Learn Koine Greek

The Greek terms τιμωρία (timōria) and κόλασις (kolasis) are both associated with punishment, yet they diverge in motivation, context, and theological function in profound ways. While both τιμωρία and κόλασις are commonly translated as “punishment” in English, they carry distinct nuances in Greek. These differences were not only lexical but also philosophical and theological. The New Testament’s selective use of these words sheds light on divine justice, correction, and eschatological judgment. This article explores their etymology, usage in biblical and extrabiblical texts, and their implications for Christian theology.

The Greek words ἀνάθημα and ἀνάθεμα are among the most striking examples of near-homographs with completely different meanings in the New Testament. Though both stem from the root ἀνατίθημι (“to set up, to dedicate”), their divergence in usage and theological weight is profound. One refers to what is dedicated to God, the other to what is devoted for destruction. This article explores the lexical history, scriptural usage, and spiritual significance of these two potent terms.

The Greek New Testament uses various terms to express rebuke, correction, conviction, and exposure of wrongdoing. Among these, ἐπιτιμάω and ἐλέγχω emerge as two major verbs associated with verbal discipline or moral judgment. While both can involve confrontation, they differ in tone, function, and theological nuance. This study also incorporates the related noun forms αἰτία and ἔλεγχος, which contribute to the semantic field of accusation, evidence, and moral proof.

In the Greek New Testament, the terms ἱερόν and ναός both refer to the “temple,” yet they carry significantly different nuances and theological implications. Both terms are rooted in Greek religious vocabulary, yet when employed by New Testament writers—especially in the Gospels and Pauline Epistles—their meanings are sharpened to reflect both Jewish worship and Christian theology. This article explores their etymology, usage, and theological weight, distinguishing between the physical temple complex and the innermost dwelling place of God.