ἀπορία (G640) — Greek Lexicon

ἀπορία

aporía

G640 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A state of being at a loss, perplexity, confusion, or difficulty due to uncertainty, lack of resources, or inability to see a clear solution; used to denote a psychological or situational experience of confusion or anxiety when faced with something inexplicable or unresolvable. The core meaning is a condition of helplessness or puzzlement.

Semantic Range

perplexity, confusion, distress, a state of being at a loss, helplessness, anxious uncertainty, a puzzling or unresolved situation

Root / Etymology

ἀπορία is derived from ἀπορέω ('to be at a loss, perplexed'), itself formed from ἄπορος ('without a way, impassable, lacking resources'); the prefix ἀ- (privative, 'not, without') + πόρος ('way, means, resource'). Hence, ἀπορία literally means 'the state of having no way out or no resources.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek from at least the 5th century BCE (e.g., Herodotus, Thucydides, Plato), ἀπορία referred to a literal or figurative impasse: being in difficulty because no way forward could be seen, whether on a journey, in debate, or in comprehending a problem. In philosophical contexts (esp. Plato and Aristotle), it is often used for an intellectual puzzle or conundrum—something that resists explanation and produces a sense of perplexity or mental blockage. In the Hellenistic and Koine periods, its psychological nuance grows more prominent, indicating emotional unrest, confusion, or anxious dismay (e.g., LXX Esther 4:4; Luke 21:25), and sometimes a sense of dread or anxiety in the face of disaster. New Testament usage (e.g., Luke 21:25) corresponds to a widespread Koine sense: distress or anxiety occasioned by lack of clear solutions. Standard English translations as 'perplexity' and 'distress' capture only part of the semantic range and tend to downplay the sense of practical helplessness central to the word's nuance in Greek.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the same as ἀπορέω; a (state of) quandary:--perplexity.

Root Family

ἀπορία (aporia) — perplexity, being at a loss, lack of a way forward, helpless uncertainty

Root ἀπορ- to be at a loss, to lack a way forward, to be perplexed

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G640-01`	ἀπορίᾳ	aporia	`N DAT F SG`	perplexity	in perplexity	perplexity	1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G640-01`	Luke 21:25	ἀπορίᾳ	aporia	`N DAT F SG`	perplexity	in perplexity	perplexity

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