ἀνεπαίσχυντος
anepaíschyntos
G422 attributive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Not ashamed; not feeling shame or embarrassment in a given context. In particular, in moral, social, or rhetorical contexts, denotes a person acting or presenting themselves in a manner free from dishonor or cause for reproach. In literary application, referring to someone or something that stands without need for excuse, defense, or avoidance of disgrace.
Semantic Range
not ashamed, irreproachable, without cause for shame, unimpeachable, not subject to disgrace or reproach, not needing to feel embarrassment or guilt
Root / Etymology
Formed from the negative prefix ἀ- (not) and a derivative of αἰσχύνω (to shame, dishonor), specifically from αἰσχύνομαι (to be ashamed, to feel shame). Thus, ἀνεπαίσχυντος literally means 'not ashamed' or 'without shame.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Attested in Koine Greek, the compound is rare but found in significant moral and rhetorical passages. In the New Testament (2 Timothy 2:15), it characterizes a worker whose conduct and teaching require no apology or justification—unlike someone whose actions would bring shame. Classical and Hellenistic Greek operates with several terms for shame (αἰδώς, αἰσχύνη, αἰσχύνω) but ἀνεπαίσχυντος is especially oriented toward public accountability and irreproachable standing. English 'irreproachable' or 'blameless' conveys similar force, but may lack the explicit negation of shame. The root sense is not emotional shame alone but includes the social dimension of honor and reputation; hence, a person or work that stands without legitimate reason for others to be ashamed of it. The word does not imply shamelessness or a lack of conscience, but rather the absence of proper grounds for being put to shame. Corpus examples outside the New Testament are rare, but the formation is analogous to other compounds using ἀ- to denote lack or absence of a negative trait.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from Α (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of a compound of ἐπί and αἰσχύνομαι; not ashamed, i.e. irreprehensible: --that needeth not to be ashamed.
Root Family
ἀνεπαίσχυντος (anepaischyntos) — not ashamed, without disgrace, irreproachable, free from dishonor
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G422-01 |
ἀνεπαίσχυντον | anepaischunton | ADJ.A ACC M SG |
that needeth not to be ashamed | unashamed | unashamed | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G422-01 |
2 Timothy 2:15 | ἀνεπαίσχυντον | anepaischunton | ADJ.A ACC M SG |
that needeth not to be ashamed | unashamed | unashamed |