κίνδυνος
kíndynos
G2794 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The state or condition of being exposed to the possibility of harm, loss, or injury; danger, risk, peril. In literary and documentary sources, κίνδυνος commonly refers to situations that involve the likelihood or threat of adverse or harmful outcomes. The word may pertain to physical danger or peril, as well as more abstract forms of risk or jeopardy, depending on the context. Often used with verbs of 'being in' or 'falling into' (ἐν κινδύνῳ εἶναι or εἰς κίνδυνον ἐμπίπτειν), referring to experiencing, encountering, or facing a situation of risk.
Semantic Range
danger, peril, risk, exposure to harm, situation involving threat or jeopardy, possibility of loss or injury
Root / Etymology
etymology uncertain. The term does not have a securely attested root in earlier Indo-European or transparent compound derivation. Some ancient grammarians speculated a link to κινέω ('to move') or a non-Greek origin, but these are unsubstantiated.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, κίνδυνος frequently appears in historiographic, dramatic, and philosophical contexts to denote serious threat, adverse circumstance, or risk. By the Hellenistic and Koine periods—including the Septuagint and New Testament—it retains this general meaning, often in reference to life-threatening situations (e.g., shipwrecks, persecutions, warfare) but also to existential or spiritual peril. Related terms include ἀπειλή (threat), φόβος (fear), and ἀσφάλεια (security), each with overlapping but distinct nuances. English translations typically render κίνδυνος as 'danger' or 'peril,' which accurately covers the semantic range, though the term can at times extend to general states of uncertainty or jeopardy beyond immediate physical harm. There are no significant shifts in meaning from classical through Koine usage, but in biblical texts κίνδυνος tends to appear in formulaic lists of hardships or trials (e.g., 2 Corinthians 11:26). The word does not carry specific theological weight, and it lacks the cultic or legal connotations that some related terms (such as πειρασμός, 'trial/testing') may convey.
Translation Consistency
"Danger" is the most natural, common, and neutral English word that covers the full semantic range (physical peril, risk, exposure to harm) reflected in κίνδυνος. It matches typical English collocations (in danger, face danger, fall into danger) and will render consistently across contexts without sounding overly formal or archaic.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of uncertain derivation; danger:--peril.
Root Family
κινδυ- (kíndynos) — danger, risk, peril
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2794-01 |
κινδύνοις | kindunois | N DAT M PL |
in perils | in dangers | in dangers | 8 |
G2794-02 |
κίνδυνος | kindunos | N NOM M SG |
danger | danger | danger | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
9 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2794-02 |
Romans 8:35 | κίνδυνος | kindunos | N NOM M SG |
danger | danger | danger |
G2794-01 |
2 Corinthians 11:26 | κινδύνοις | kindunois | N DAT M PL |
in perils | in dangers | in dangers |
G2794-01 |
2 Corinthians 11:26 | κινδύνοις | kindunois-2 | N DAT M PL |
in perils | in dangers | in dangers |
G2794-01 |
2 Corinthians 11:26 | κινδύνοις | kindunois-3 | N DAT M PL |
in perils | in dangers | in dangers |
G2794-01 |
2 Corinthians 11:26 | κινδύνοις | kindunois-4 | N DAT M PL |
in perils | in dangers | in dangers |
G2794-01 |
2 Corinthians 11:26 | κινδύνοις | kindunois-5 | N DAT M PL |
in perils | in dangers | in dangers |
G2794-01 |
2 Corinthians 11:26 | κινδύνοις | kindunois-6 | N DAT M PL |
in perils | in dangers | in dangers |
G2794-01 |
2 Corinthians 11:26 | κινδύνοις | kindunois-7 | N DAT M PL |
in perils | in dangers | in dangers |
G2794-01 |
2 Corinthians 11:26 | κινδύνοις | kindunois-8 | N DAT M PL |
in perils | in dangers | in dangers |