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κόπος

kópos

G2873 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Physical or mental exertion; labor or toil that results in fatigue or weariness. The word may refer both to the effort itself and to the resulting sense of exhaustion or distress. In some contexts, it emphasizes the hardship, difficulty, or burdensome nature of work undertaken.

Semantic Range

physical toil, labor, wearisome effort, hardship, troublesome work, exhausting exertion, cause of fatigue, distress, emotional weariness

Root / Etymology

From the root κοπ- (see κόπτω, 'to strike, to cut'), with κόπος signifying the result or product of striking—hence, toil or effort, especially that which wears one down. Related to the concept of physical beating or chopping, which metaphorically extends to strenuous labor.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, κόπος initially referred to the blow or striking action (from κόπτω), but very early it developed a figurative sense of 'wearing effort' or 'hard labor,' both physical and mental. By the Hellenistic and Koine periods, the primary sense had shifted almost entirely to signify arduous labor, effort, or hardship, with little memory of the original sense of 'blow.' The Septuagint and New Testament employ κόπος mainly for demanding work (manual or otherwise), and also for the emotional burdens associated with such toil. In the New Testament, κόπος is often used in reference to apostolic, missionary, or communal labor, sometimes accompanied by the idea of enduring hardship for a cause. Standard English translations (labor, toil, trouble, weariness) do not always convey the nuance of exertion leading to exhaustion or the hardship involved. Related terms: πόνος (often with a medical or suffering emphasis), ἔργον (which is broader and less focused on hardship).

Translation Consistency

primary "toil" 16 occurrences

Toil best captures the typical sense of κόπος: strenuous physical or mental effort and the weariness that results. It conveys both the laborious exertion and the burdensome, exhausting quality emphasized in many contexts. It is natural English and flexible (noun or verb) for consistent rendering across forms.

Alternatives (2 occurrences):
"trouble" (1x) "labor" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from κόπτω; a cut, i.e. (by analogy) toil (as reducing the strength), literally or figuratively; by implication, pains:--labour, + trouble, weariness.

Root Family

κοπ- (enkopḗ) — to cut, to interrupt, to hinder

Root κοπ- to strike, to beat, to weary
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G1464 ἐγκοπή an interruption
G2869 κοπάζω it subsided
G2870 κοπετός ritual mourning
G2871 κοπή of slaughter
G2872 κοπιάω I toiled

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2873-03 κόπον kopon N ACC M SG labor wearisome toil wearisome toil 6
G2873-06 κόπους kopous N ACC M PL trouble wearisome toils wearisome toils 4
G2873-02 κόποις kopois N DAT M PL labors with toils toils 3
G2873-01 κόπῳ kopo N DAT M SG in labor to wearisome toil in wearisome toil 2
G2873-04 κόπος kopos N NOM M SG labor wearisome toil wearisome toil 2
G2873-05 κόπου kopou N GEN M SG labor of wearisome toil labor 1

Occurrences in Scripture

18 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2873-06 Matthew 26:10 κόπους kopous N ACC M PL trouble wearisome toils wearisome toils
G2873-06 Mark 14:6 κόπους kopous N ACC M PL trouble wearisome toils trouble
G2873-06 Luke 11:7 κόπους kopous N ACC M PL trouble wearisome toils wearisome toils
G2873-03 Luke 18:5 κόπον kopon N ACC M SG trouble wearisome toil wearisome toil
G2873-03 John 4:38 κόπον kopon N ACC M SG labor wearisome toil wearisome toil
G2873-03 1 Corinthians 3:8 κόπον kopon N ACC M SG labor wearisome toil wearisome toil
G2873-04 1 Corinthians 15:58 κόπος kopos N NOM M SG labor wearisome toil wearisome toil
G2873-02 2 Corinthians 6:5 κόποις kopois N DAT M PL labors with toils toils
G2873-02 2 Corinthians 10:15 κόποις kopois N DAT M PL labors with toils toils
G2873-02 2 Corinthians 11:23 κόποις kopois N DAT M PL labors with toils toils
G2873-01 2 Corinthians 11:27 κόπῳ kopo N DAT M SG in labor to wearisome toil in wearisome toil
G2873-06 Galatians 6:17 κόπους kopous N ACC M PL troubles wearisome toils wearisome toils
G2873-05 1 Thessalonians 1:3 κόπου kopou N GEN M SG labor of wearisome toil labor
G2873-03 1 Thessalonians 2:9 κόπον kopon N ACC M SG labor wearisome toil wearisome toil
G2873-04 1 Thessalonians 3:5 κόπος kopos N NOM M SG labor wearisome toil wearisome toil
G2873-01 2 Thessalonians 3:8 κόπῳ kopo N DAT M SG labor to wearisome toil wearisome toil
G2873-03 Revelation 2:2 κόπον kopon N ACC M SG toil wearisome toil wearisome toil
G2873-03 Revelation 14:13 κόπων kopon N GEN M PL labors wearisome toil wearisome toil
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