ἐπανόρθωσις
epanórthōsis
G1882 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A restoration to an upright or correct state; in extended or figurative use, the act of setting right, correction, or improvement—especially with reference to behavior, doctrine, or practice that has gone astray. The term can refer both to the literal action of straightening or the metaphorical activity of amending what is defective or erroneous.
Semantic Range
a straightening up again, restoration to proper state, rectification, correction, improvement, reform, reformation (of conduct or doctrine)
Root / Etymology
From the prefix ἐπί (upon, again) and the noun ἀνόρθωσις (straightening, restoration), itself from the verb ἀνορθόω (to restore, to set upright). Thus, ἐπανόρθωσις literally denotes a re-straightening or a restoration again.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term ἐπανόρθωσις is a rare word in Greek literature, with limited attestation outside Christian texts. In the New Testament, it appears in 2 Timothy 3:16 within a sequence denoting the functions of Scripture: teaching, reproof, correction (ἐπανόρθωσις), and training. The underlying metaphor is of setting something that has been bent, fallen, or misaligned back into its proper position. While the term is sometimes rendered as 'correction' or 'improvement' in English Bible translations, these renderings may not fully capture the restorative or rehabilitative sense implied in the Greek. In Hellenistic Greek, related terms (such as ἀνορθόω, ἀνόρθωσις) retain their physical meanings (e.g., medical sense of straightening a limb), but also serve as metaphors for moral or institutional reform, as seen in medical, philosophical, and rhetorical traditions. The prefix ἐπι- adds a sense of further or renewed action. No clear evidence for use before Hellenistic or Christian Greek, and the word is constructed according to regular morphological principles. In the context of early Christian usage, ἐπανόρθωσις emphasizes a restorative correction rather than mere punitive discipline, aligning with broader Hellenistic and philosophical ideas of moral or social reformation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from a compound of ἐπί and ἀνορθόω; a straightening up again, i.e. (figuratively) rectification (reformation):-- correction.
Root Family
ὀρθ- (diórthōsis) — to make straight, to correct, to set right
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G1357 | διόρθωσις | of thorough correction |
| G1930 | ἐπιδιορθόω | you might further set right for yourself |
| G2735 | κατόρθωμα | |
| G3717 | ὀρθός | straight ones |
| G3722 | ὄρθρος | dawn |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1882-01 |
ἐπανόρθωσιν | epanorthosin | N ACC F SG |
correction | restorative correction | restorative correction | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1882-01 |
2 Timothy 3:16 | ἐπανόρθωσιν | epanorthosin | N ACC F SG |
correction | restorative correction | restorative correction |