αἰσχύνομαι
aischýnomai
G153 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To feel shame, experience a sense of personal disgrace or embarrassment; to be put to shame, suffer humiliation or dishonor in the eyes of others. It may denote both an internal sense of shame as well as the external experience of public dishonor. The term can express the emotional response to personal failure, moral fault, or being exposed in an unfavorable situation—a spectrum from inward distress to social humiliation.
Semantic Range
to feel shame, to be ashamed, to suffer disgrace, to be put to shame, to hesitate out of shame, to cause to shrink from action due to embarrassment, to experience public humiliation
Root / Etymology
From the root αἰσχ- (meaning "shame, disgrace"), combined with the middle/passive ending –ομαι, producing a verb indicating the state or action of being shamed or experiencing shame. Closely related to the noun αἰσχύνη (shame, disgrace).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, αἰσχύνομαι primarily denotes the experience of shame, often tied to the fear of disgrace before others—reflecting honor-shame dynamics central to ancient Mediterranean societies. It can also signal a reluctance to act out of fear of bringing shame or dishonor upon oneself or one's community. In Hellenistic and Koine usage (LXX, NT), the verb may broaden to include not only a person's internal emotional state but also the outward experience of being dishonored, sometimes through exposure, defeat, or unfulfilled expectations. The term is often used in contexts involving social status, honor, and integrity, as well as in more general references to failing morally or spiritually. Septuagint translators frequently chose αἰσχύνομαι to render Hebrew terms associated with shame or disgrace, particularly in prophetic literature. In the New Testament, it retains these sense but is sometimes nuanced by theological or eschatological concerns, conveying the idea of not being 'put to shame' by God, i.e., not being ultimately dishonored or disappointed. English translations often use 'be ashamed,' but this does not always capture the full scope of both inward shame and public dishonor implied by the Greek.
Translation Consistency
αἰσχύνομαι typically expresses the state of feeling shame or being put to shame. “Be ashamed” naturally captures both the inward sense (feel ashamed) and the outward/passive sense (be put to shame/humiliated), and it will allow consistent inflection in English across all forms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from (disfigurement, i.e. disgrace); to feel shame (for oneself):--be ashamed.
Root Family
αἰσχύνομαι (aischýnomai) — to shame, to dishonor, to disgrace
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G153-03 |
αἰσχυνθήσομαι | aischunthesomai | V FUT PASS IND 1P SG |
I shall be ashamed | I will be put to shame | I will be put to shame | 2 |
G153-01 |
αἰσχυνέσθω | aischunestho | V PRS PASS IMP 3P SG |
be ashamed | let him be put to shame | let him be put to shame | 1 |
G153-04 |
αἰσχυνθῶμεν | aischunthomen | V AOR PASS SUBJ 1P PL |
shrink away | may we be put to shame | may we be put to shame | 1 |
G153-02 |
αἰσχύνομαι | aischunomai | V PRS MID IND 1P SG |
I am ashamed | I feel shame | I am ashamed | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G153-02 |
Luke 16:3 | αἰσχύνομαι | aischunomai | V PRS MID IND 1P SG |
I am ashamed | I feel shame | I am ashamed |
G153-03 |
2 Corinthians 10:8 | αἰσχυνθήσομαι | aischunthesomai | V FUT PASS IND 1P SG |
I will be ashamed | I will be put to shame | I will be put to shame |
G153-03 |
Philippians 1:20 | αἰσχυνθήσομαι | aischunthesomai | V FUT PASS IND 1P SG |
I shall be ashamed | I will be put to shame | I will be put to shame |
G153-01 |
1 Peter 4:16 | αἰσχυνέσθω | aischunestho | V PRS PASS IMP 3P SG |
be ashamed | let him be put to shame | let him be put to shame |
G153-04 |
1 John 2:28 | αἰσχυνθῶμεν | aischunthomen | V AOR PASS SUBJ 1P PL |
shrink away | may we be put to shame | may we be put to shame |