ἔκφοβος
ékphobos
G1630 predicate adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Terrified, seized with intense or overwhelming fear. In various contexts, ἔκφοβος describes a state of panic or great alarm, often as a strong emotional reaction to an unexpected supernatural event or presence. The word carries a sense of fear that is outwardly manifest, not just inwardly felt.
Semantic Range
terrified, greatly afraid, seized with panic, exceedingly fearful, struck with awe or alarm
Root / Etymology
Compound of ἐκ ('out of') and φόβος ('fear'), thus literally 'out of fear' or 'driven out by fear.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
ἔκφοβος appears rarely in Greek literature and is mostly attested in Hellenistic and Koine sources. In the New Testament, it is used to denote reactions to overwhelming, awe-inspiring, or startling events, such as divine manifestations or miraculous occurrences (e.g., Mark 9:6, indicating that the disciples were terrified during the transfiguration scene). In Septuagint and later Greek, it reinforces the degree of fear beyond mere apprehension or reverence, bordering on panic or terror. English translations such as 'exceedingly afraid,' 'terrified,' or 'sore afraid' often try to capture this heightened emotional state, but may not fully render the sense of being overwhelmed or undone by fear. Classical Greek typically used less intensive terms such as φοβέομαι ('to fear, be afraid') or φόβος ('fear'), while ἔκφοβος is distinctive in intensifying the sense of fear. The term does not inherently carry religious, ethnic, or geographic connotations beyond the context in which it is used; it refers specifically to an emotional reaction regardless of who experiences it.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἐκ and φόβος; frightened out of one's wits:-- sore afraid, exceedingly fear.
Root Family
ἔκφοβος (ekphobos) — terrified, driven out by fear, seized with panic, exceedingly fearful
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1630-02 |
ἔκφοβός | ekphobos | ADJ.S NOM M SG |
I am terrified | terrified | 1 |
G1630-01 |
ἔκφοβοι | ekphoboi | ADJ.P NOM M PL |
terrified | utterly terrified | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1630-01 |
Mark 9:6 | ἔκφοβοι | ekphoboi | ADJ.P NOM M PL |
terrified | utterly terrified |
G1630-02 |
Hebrews 12:21 | ἔκφοβός | ekphobos | ADJ.S NOM M SG |
I am terrified | terrified |