ἐπιμέλεια
epiméleia
G1958 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The act of attentive care, oversight, or concern for someone or something; in particular, solicitude or diligent attention to the needs, welfare, or condition of another. The term may also denote acts of solicitude such as hospitality or providing refreshment, with an emphasis on active involvement in the well-being of others.
Semantic Range
care, attentive oversight, solicitude, practical concern, provision for needs, acts of hospitality, refreshment
Root / Etymology
Derived from the verb ἐπιμελέομαι ('to care for, take care of, attend to', itself from ἐπί 'upon, over' + μέλω 'to be of concern, to be an object of care'). The noun suffix -εια forms an abstract noun indicating the state or quality of the root verb.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ἐπιμέλεια appears in philosophical, medical, and legal texts to denote a broad sense of diligent care or guardianship (e.g., Plato, Xenophon), often referring to the oversight of affairs, property, or persons. In the Hellenistic and Koine period, usage expands to include attentive care for guests or efforts to meet another’s needs, framing acts of hospitality within the cultural ideal of considerate attentiveness. In the New Testament (e.g., 1 Timothy 3:8), the term suggests mindful responsibility, especially in the context of service or the practical oversight of community matters. Standard English translations like 'care' or 'kind attention' capture the main idea but do not always reflect the active, ongoing nature implied by the Greek. The sense of 'refresh self' in some versions arises from interpreting the acts associated with such care, particularly in the context of hospitality, but this is a contextual development rather than a primary lexical meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἐπιμελέομαι; carefulness, i.e. kind attention (hospitality):--+ refresh self.
Root Family
ἐπιμέλεια (epimeleia) — care, attentive oversight, solicitude, practical concern
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1958-01 |
ἐπιμελείας | epimeleias | N GEN F SG |
care | of attentive care | care | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1958-01 |
Acts 27:3 | ἐπιμελείας | epimeleias | N GEN F SG |
care | of attentive care | care |