θυσία (G2378) — Greek Lexicon

θυσία

thysía

G2378 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

An act of offering or giving up something of value, especially as a ritual act, frequently involving an animal, plant, or other oblation presented to a deity (primary sense). The term may denote (1) the ritual act itself, (2) the object or victim offered, (3) various forms of non-material offering (such as praise, thanksgiving, or obedience in metaphorical/later usage). In specific contexts, may refer to prescribed offerings in temple, sanctuary, or private religious practice.

Semantic Range

ritual act of sacrifice, the object or victim of a sacrifice, religious or cultic offering, non-material or metaphorical offering (such as praise or obedience), thanksgiving offering, act of devotion

Root / Etymology

From the root θύω (thýō), meaning 'to offer in sacrifice,' 'to slay as a ritual act.' θυσία is the feminine noun form, denoting the act or the thing offered.

Historical & Contextual Notes

θυσία is well-attested from classical Greek onward, originally describing both the act and the object offered to gods, heroes, or spirits, whether animal, vegetable, or other goods. In the Septuagint, θυσία commonly translates Hebrew זֶבַח (zevaḥ, animal offering), but also broader sacrificial concepts (including שֶׁלֶם, shelém, 'peace offering'). In the New Testament, θυσία primarily refers to Israelite/Judean sacrificial practices (e.g., temple offerings), but also takes on metaphorical senses, such as spiritual sacrifices or acts of devotion (Heb 13:15–16; Rom 12:1). English translation as 'sacrifice' most often narrows the term to the offering or victim, but in Greek, θυσία encompasses both the ritual and the item. Distinct from φάρμακον (phármakon, magical offering/poison) and δῶρον (dōron, 'gift'), which may not imply ritual slaying or burning. In Hellenistic and Roman-period texts, θυσία also refers to civic, communal, or personal offerings to deities, often accompanying festival activity. Under Roman rule, θυσία could signal allegiance or identity—participation in imperial or civic cults. New Testament metaphorical extensions of θυσία (e.g., 'living sacrifice') reflect Hellenistic Jewish and early Christ-following reinterpretations of traditional cultic language.

Translation Consistency

primary "sacrifice" 27 occurrences

“Sacrifice” is the most natural, common English rendering that covers the primary senses of θυσία (the ritual act, the victim or object offered, and metaphorical/non‑material offerings). It matches the majority of existing renderings and reads naturally across cultic and figurative contexts; while “offering” is a possible alternative, “sacrifice” best preserves the term’s typical force and frequency in the text.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):

"sacrificial offerings" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from θύω; sacrifice (the act or the victim, literally or figuratively):--sacrifice.

Root Family

θυσία (thysia) — ritual sacrifice, sacrificial offering, victim offered, act of devotion

Root θυσι- to offer as sacrifice, to kill/immolate for ritual purposes

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G2378-04`	θυσίαν	thusian	`N ACC F SG`	sacrifice	a sacrificial offering	a thing to sacrifice	11
`G2378-05`	θυσίας	thusias	`N ACC F PL`	sacrifices	sacrificial offerings	sacrifices	9
`G2378-03`	θυσίαις	thusiais	`N DAT F PL`	sacrifices	to sacrifices	sacrifices	3
`G2378-06`	θυσιῶν	thusion	`N GEN F PL`	sacrifices	of sacrificial offerings	of sacrifices	2
`G2378-01`	θυσίᾳ	thusia	`N DAT F SG`	sacrifice	to a sacrificial offering	to a sacrifice	2
`G2378-02`	θυσίαι	thusiai	`N NOM F PL`	sacrifices	sacrificial offerings	sacrificial offerings	1

Occurrences in Scripture

28 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G2378-04`	Matthew 9:13	θυσίαν	thusian	`N ACC F SG`	sacrifice	a sacrificial offering	a thing to sacrifice
`G2378-04`	Matthew 12:7	θυσίαν	thusian	`N ACC F SG`	sacrifice	a sacrificial offering	a thing to sacrifice
`G2378-06`	Mark 12:33	θυσιῶν	thusion	`N GEN F PL`	sacrifices	of sacrificial offerings	of sacrifices
`G2378-04`	Luke 2:24	θυσίαν	thusian	`N ACC F SG`	a sacrifice	a sacrificial offering	a thing to sacrifice
`G2378-06`	Luke 13:1	θυσιῶν	thusion	`N GEN F PL`	sacrifices	of sacrificial offerings	of sacrifices
`G2378-04`	Acts 7:41	θυσίαν	thusian	`N ACC F SG`	a sacrifice	a sacrificial offering	a thing to sacrifice
`G2378-05`	Acts 7:42	θυσίας	thusias	`N ACC F PL`	sacrifices	sacrificial offerings	sacrifices
`G2378-04`	Romans 12:1	θυσίαν	thusian	`N ACC F SG`	sacrifice	a sacrificial offering	a thing to sacrifice
`G2378-05`	1 Corinthians 10:18	θυσίας	thusias	`N ACC F PL`	sacrifices	sacrificial offerings	sacrifices
`G2378-04`	Ephesians 5:2	θυσίαν	thusian	`N ACC F SG`	a sacrifice	a sacrificial offering	a thing to sacrifice
`G2378-01`	Philippians 2:17	θυσίᾳ	thusia	`N DAT F SG`	sacrifice	to a sacrificial offering	to a sacrifice
`G2378-04`	Philippians 4:18	θυσίαν	thusian	`N ACC F SG`	a sacrifice	a sacrificial offering	a thing to sacrifice
`G2378-05`	Hebrews 5:1	θυσίας	thusias	`N ACC F PL`	sacrifices	sacrificial offerings	sacrifices
`G2378-05`	Hebrews 7:27	θυσίας	thusias	`N ACC F PL`	sacrifices	sacrificial offerings	sacrifices
`G2378-05`	Hebrews 8:3	θυσίας	thusias	`N ACC F PL`	sacrifices	sacrificial offerings	sacrifices
`G2378-02`	Hebrews 9:9	θυσίαι	thusiai	`N NOM F PL`	sacrifices	sacrificial offerings	sacrificial offerings
`G2378-03`	Hebrews 9:23	θυσίαις	thusiais	`N DAT F PL`	sacrifices	to sacrifices	sacrifices
`G2378-05`	Hebrews 9:26	θυσίας	thusias	`N GEN F SG`	of-sacrifice	sacrificial offerings	sacrifice
`G2378-03`	Hebrews 10:1	θυσίαις	thusiais	`N DAT F PL`	sacrifices	to sacrifices	sacrifices
`G2378-04`	Hebrews 10:5	θυσίαν	thusian	`N ACC F SG`	sacrifice	a sacrificial offering	a thing to sacrifice
`G2378-05`	Hebrews 10:8	θυσίας	thusias	`N ACC F PL`	sacrifices	sacrificial offerings	sacrifices
`G2378-05`	Hebrews 10:11	θυσίας	thusias	`N ACC F PL`	sacrifices	sacrificial offerings	sacrifices
`G2378-04`	Hebrews 10:12	θυσίαν	thusian	`N ACC F SG`	sacrifice	a sacrificial offering	a thing to sacrifice
`G2378-01`	Hebrews 10:26	θυσία	thusia	`N NOM F SG`	sacrifice	to a sacrificial offering	sacrifice
`G2378-04`	Hebrews 11:4	θυσίαν	thusian	`N ACC F SG`	sacrifice	a sacrificial offering	a thing to sacrifice
`G2378-04`	Hebrews 13:15	θυσίαν	thusian	`N ACC F SG`	sacrifice	a sacrificial offering	a thing to sacrifice
`G2378-03`	Hebrews 13:16	θυσίαις	thusiais	`N DAT F PL`	sacrifices	to sacrifices	to sacrifices
`G2378-05`	1 Peter 2:5	θυσίας	thusias	`N ACC F PL`	sacrifices	sacrificial offerings	sacrifices

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