ἐπιθανάτιος
epithanátios
G1935 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Subject to death, consigned to die; used especially of someone destined for execution or marked for lethal danger. In certain contexts, carries the sense of being on the verge of death or in a position where death is imminent or expected.
Semantic Range
appointed to death, consigned to execution, regarded as destined to die, exposed to deadly danger, marked out for death
Root / Etymology
From ἐπί (upon, over) and θάνατος (death); formed as an adjective indicating a relation of being placed over or set upon death, i.e., facing death or destined for it.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term ἐπιθανάτιος is rare and appears in Koine Greek literature with the general sense of being condemned to die or set apart for death. In 1 Corinthians 4:9, Paul uses it metaphorically to describe the apostles as those exhibited 'as men appointed to death,' echoing imagery of people condemned to execution in public spectacles, such as gladiators or criminals brought last before the crowd. The sense is not of a general mortality but of a specifically assigned, fateful death, often by judicial or violent means. The root does not convey the idea of simple mortality, but of a heightened, deliberate exposure to imminent death. Standard English translations (such as 'appointed to death') capture the judicial or performative aspect but may miss the nuance of public condemnation or spectacle present in the original context. The term does not have a direct equivalent in classical Greek, appearing mainly in later and Hellenistic sources.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἐπί and θάνατος; doomed to death:--appointed to death.
Root Family
ἐπιθανάτιος (epithanatios) — subject to death, destined to die, consigned to execution, exposed to deadly danger
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1935-01 |
ἐπιθανατίους | epithanatious | ADJ.S ACC M PL |
condemned to death | those destined for death | those destined for death | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1935-01 |
1 Corinthians 4:9 | ἐπιθανατίους | epithanatious | ADJ.S ACC M PL |
condemned to death | those destined for death | those destined for death |