μίσθιος
místhios
G3407 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
One who is employed for wages; a hired laborer or servant engaged for pay. In various contexts in Hellenistic and Koine Greek, can refer to a farm laborer, servant, or worker temporarily contracted, often with the implication of working for an employer distinct from one's household or kin. The primary sense is that of a non-permanent worker who receives compensation for labor, without the familial or long-term relationship associated with household slaves or bonded servants.
Semantic Range
hired servant, day-laborer, wage-earner, temporary worker, paid employee (in contrast to permanent slaves or household servants)
Root / Etymology
From μισθός ('wages, pay'). Formed with the suffix -ιος, indicating relation or connection, so 'one connected to pay/wages.' Cognate with μισθωτός but with a nuance of temporary or day-laborer. Related to the root μεθ- (to hire, to receive wages).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, μίσθιος designates a laborer hired for wages, distinct from a δοῦλος (slave) or οἰκέτης (household servant), who were permanently attached to the household. In the New Testament (notably Luke 15:17, 19), μίσθιος is contrasted with a son or permanent household slave, emphasizing the lower status and transient relationship of such workers. The term reflects social realities of agrarian and urban society in the Greco-Roman world, where landowners or householders would bring in extra help for harvest or special projects. English translations as 'hired servant' or 'hired worker' generally reflect the sense but may lose the distinction from permanent household servants. In the LXX and wider Koine, μίσθιος is rarely used compared to the more common μισθωτός.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from μισθός; a wage-earner:--hired servant.
Root Family
μίσθιος (misthios) — to hire, to pay wages, to earn compensation; one connected to wages
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3407-01 |
μίσθιοι | misthioi | ADJ.S NOM M PL |
hired servants | wage-workers | hired servants | 1 |
G3407-02 |
μισθίων | misthion | ADJ.S GEN M PL |
hired servants | of hired laborers | hired laborers | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3407-01 |
Luke 15:17 | μίσθιοι | misthioi | ADJ.S NOM M PL |
hired servants | wage-workers | hired servants |
G3407-02 |
Luke 15:19 | μισθίων | misthion | ADJ.S GEN M PL |
hired servants | of hired laborers | hired laborers |