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πένθος

pénthos

G3997 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A state or expression of deep grief, sorrow, or mourning, often occasioned by personal loss, bereavement, or profound distress. The term refers primarily to an intense emotional response to misfortune or death, specifically the act or condition of mourning. Additionally, it may encompass ritualized or communal mourning practices in certain contexts.

Semantic Range

grief, mourning (especially for the dead), lamentation, sorrow, ritual mourning, expression of deep sorrow

Root / Etymology

From the alternate stem πενθ- of the verb πενθέω (to mourn, to lament), which is likely related to the root πάσχω (to suffer, to experience). The ultimate origin is uncertain, but it appears consistently as a term for deep sorrow or mourning both in literature and ritual.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, πένθος denotes grief or mourning, especially for the dead, and is commonly used in both Homeric poetry and tragedy. In Hellenistic and Koine Greek (including the Septuagint), it retains this meaning, often describing the mourning period after death or communal lamentation. In the New Testament, πένθος appears infrequently (e.g., James 4:9), typically signifying deep contrition, repentance, or grief over sin or misfortune. The sense of ritual mourning is also present in Greek literary and epigraphic sources, marking formal periods of lament. English translations often render πένθος as 'mourning' or 'sorrow,' but these do not always capture its nuance of intense, often communal, lament. πένθος is distinct from λύπη (lypē, generalized pain or sadness), emphasizing public or ritual expressions of mourning rather than private distress. There is no theological bias in the term itself, and it does not denote hope or comfort, only the state or action of grief or lamentation.

Translation Consistency

primary "mourning" 5 occurrences

πένθος most commonly denotes mourning or the state/act of mourning. “Mourning” is the natural, widely used English noun that covers grief, lamentation, and ritualized expressions of sorrow, matching the typical usage across contexts and the majority of existing renderings.

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

strengthened from the alternate of πάσχω; grief:--mourning, sorrow.

Root Family

πένθος (penthos) — mourning, grief, lamentation

Root πενθ- to mourn, to grieve, to lament

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3997-01 πένθος penthos N ACC N SG grief deep mourning mourning 5

Occurrences in Scripture

5 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3997-01 James 4:9 πένθος penthos N ACC N SG mourning deep mourning mourning
G3997-01 Revelation 18:7 πένθος penthos N ACC N SG grief deep mourning mourning
G3997-01 Revelation 18:7 πένθος penthos-2 N ACC N SG grief deep mourning mourning
G3997-01 Revelation 18:8 πένθος penthos N NOM N SG mourning deep mourning mourning
G3997-01 Revelation 21:4 πένθος penthos N NOM N SG sorrow deep mourning mourning
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