εὐλαβέομαι
eulabéomai
G2125 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To act with caution, to be careful or wary; in specific contexts, to show reverence or respect (especially in religious or sacred settings); also, to be apprehensive or fearful in the sense of showing careful respect or awe, particularly toward a deity or sacred things. The primary meaning is to exercise caution or thoughtful consideration, with extended senses including reverential awe and careful fear.
Semantic Range
to act with caution, to be careful or wary, to show reverence, to demonstrate respectful fear or awe, to be apprehensive in a positive sense (mindful awe or piety)
Root / Etymology
From the adjective εὐλαβής ('careful, cautious, circumspect, devout') formed by the prefix εὖ ('well, good') + the root λαβ- (from λαμβάνω, 'to take, grasp, receive'). The verb εὐλαβέομαι is the middle voice form, meaning 'to take good care, to be cautious.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Classical Greek, εὐλαβέομαι is not frequently attested, but its cognate adjective εὐλαβής is well documented, carrying a sense of cautiousness or carefulness. In Hellenistic and Koine Greek, especially in the Septuagint and New Testament, the term developed a particular nuance of showing reverence—especially reverential fear—toward the divine or sacred matters. In the New Testament (e.g., Hebrews 11:7; Hebrews 12:28), εὐλαβέομαι describes the kind of respect or awe that leads to appropriate action, often in a religious context. This reverential 'fear' is different from mere human dread (expressed by φοβέομαι) and instead emphasizes thoughtful, devout caution or awe before God or sacred obligation. English translations commonly render it as 'to fear,' 'to show reverence,' or 'to act with godly fear,' but these can obscure the nuance of careful, deliberate respect inherent in the Greek. The term is more nuanced than simply 'to be afraid' and can denote both inner caution and outward demonstration of reverence.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
middle voice from εὐλαβής; to be circumspect, i.e. (by implication) to be apprehensive; religiously, to reverence:--(moved with) fear.
Root Family
εὐλαβέομαι (eulabeomai) — to be cautious, to be careful, to be reverent, to show respectful fear
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2125-01 |
εὐλαβηθεὶς | eulabetheis | V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M SG |
moved with fear | having shown reverent caution | having shown reverent caution | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2125-01 |
Hebrews 11:7 | εὐλαβηθεὶς | eulabetheis | V AOR PASS PTCP NOM M SG |
moved with fear | having shown reverent caution | having shown reverent caution |