ἀσέβεια (G763) — Greek Lexicon

ἀσέβεια

asébeia

G763 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Lack of reverence or respect, especially toward what is regarded as sacred; impiety. In various contexts, also denotes behavior or attitudes opposed to established norms of piety, including disrespect toward divine or human authority, and, by extension, actions considered wicked or irreverent.

Semantic Range

impiety, lack of reverence, irreverence toward the divine or sacred, godlessness, disregard for the gods, contempt for religious or moral norms, wickedness

Root / Etymology

From ἀσεβής (asebēs, 'irreligious, impious, lacking reverence'), itself composed of ἀ- (a-, negative prefix) and σέβομαι (sebomai, 'to revere, to worship').

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἀσέβεια referred broadly to impiety or the violation of religious or societal norms, not limited specifically to hostility toward the divine but including any offense against what society deemed sacred or authoritative, including human laws and customs. By the Hellenistic and especially the Koine period, ἀσέβεια came to be used more specifically for irreverent behavior toward God or the gods. In the Septuagint, it frequently translates Hebrew terms for godlessness or irreligion, sometimes as a legal or moral offense. In the New Testament and other Jewish Hellenistic writings, it often designates a generalized absence of piety or reverence, especially with respect to God, and is contrasted with εὐσέβεια (eusebeia, 'devoutness, reverence'), the term for true piety. English translations tend to narrow the meaning to 'ungodliness', but the term conveys a broader negative evaluation of conduct that defies both divine and, in some cases, human expectations of reverence and order.

Translation Consistency

primary "ungodliness" 4 occurrences

Ungodliness is the common, natural English noun used in Bible translations to convey lack of reverence, impiety, and godlessness. It fits the full SILEX semantic range (irreverence toward the divine, contempt for piety, wickedness) and will read naturally and consistently across contexts.

Alternatives (2 occurrences):

"impiety" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἀσεβής; impiety, i.e. (by implication) wickedness:--ungodly(-liness).

Root Family

ἀσέβεια (asebeia) — impiety, irreverence, lack of reverence toward the sacred, godlessness

Root σεβ- to revere, to hold in awe, to worship (negated: to lack reverence)

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G763-02`	ἀσεβείας	asebeias	`N ACC F PL`	ungodliness	acts of irreverence	acts of ungodliness	3
`G763-01`	ἀσέβειαν	asebeian	`N ACC F SG`	ungodliness	impiety	impiety	2
`G763-03`	ἀσεβειῶν	asebeion	`N GEN F PL`	ungodliness	of irreverences	ungodlinesses	1

Occurrences in Scripture

6 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G763-01`	Romans 1:18	ἀσέβειαν	asebeian	`N ACC F SG`	ungodliness	impiety	impiety
`G763-02`	Romans 11:26	ἀσεβείας	asebeias	`N ACC F PL`	ungodliness	acts of irreverence	acts of ungodliness
`G763-02`	2 Timothy 2:16	ἀσεβείας	asebeias	`N GEN F SG`	ungodliness	acts of irreverence	acts of ungodliness
`G763-01`	Titus 2:12	ἀσέβειαν	asebeian	`N ACC F SG`	ungodliness	impiety	impiety
`G763-02`	Jude 1:15	ἀσεβείας	asebeias	`N GEN F SG`	ungodliness	acts of irreverence	acts of ungodliness
`G763-03`	Jude 1:18	ἀσεβειῶν	asebeion	`N GEN F PL`	ungodliness	of irreverences	ungodlinesses

← G762 Greek Lexicon G764 →