ῥώννυμι
rhṓnnymi
G4517 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be strong, to be in good health; primarily, to possess physical strength or vigor. In impersonal passive construction, used as a formulaic wish for health or well-being ("farewell", "be well"). The term can express robustness, soundness, or the state of being healthy, and by extension, it appears in Hellenistic and Koine epistolary closings as a wish for the addressee's welfare.
Semantic Range
to be strong, to make strong, to be healthy, to be vigorous, to be in good health, used as a formula for farewell ('be/wish well', 'farewell')
Root / Etymology
Root ῥων-, possibly related to ῥύομαι (to rescue, deliver), but connection is uncertain; etymology uncertain. The verb is primarily found in later Greek and is considered a prolongation of an older or dialectal form.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb ῥώννυμι is rare in classical sources but becomes attested in later (Hellenistic and Koine) Greek. It generally refers to strength, especially health or physical vigor. In the New Testament (e.g., Acts 15:29), it appears in an impersonal passive form (ῥώννυσθε) as a formulaic parting exclamation, paralleling Latin 'vale' ('farewell', 'be strong'). This formality was common in Greek letters of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Standard English translations usually render this as 'farewell' or 'goodbye', but the underlying wish is for ongoing health or strength, not merely parting. The verb is not frequent in the LXX or broader Koine literature. Unlike verbs such as ὑγιαίνω (to be healthy, to be sound), ῥώννυμι more overtly expresses vigor or robustness. See also related compound forms like ἐρρωσμένος (strong, healthy) and expressions such as ἔρρωσο.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
prolongation from (to dart; probably akin to ῥύομαι); to strengthen, i.e. (impersonal passive) have health (as a parting exclamation, good-bye):--farewell.
Root Family
ῥων- (rhṓnnymi) — to strengthen, to be strong, to be healthy
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4517-01 |
ἔρρωσθε | errosthe | V PRF PASS IMP 2P PL |
Farewell | Be strengthened and well | be strong | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4517-01 |
Acts 15:29 | ἔρρωσθε | errosthe | V PRF PASS IMP 2P PL |
Farewell | Be strengthened and well | be strong |