παῖς (G3816) — Greek Lexicon

παῖς

paîs

G3816 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A child—male or female—generally one who is young in age; also used to designate a youth or young person. In broader usage, refers to one who is in a subordinate or dependent social position, such as a servant or attendant, especially in relation to a household, royalty, or deity. Contextual sense may extend from familial and affectionate designations ('child, son, daughter') to formal roles within a social hierarchy ('servant, attendant'), depending upon relational dynamics and the context of address.

Semantic Range

child (male or female), son, daughter, youth, young man, young woman, servant, maid, attendant, retainer, subordinate; by extension, servant of a ruler or of God

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root παῖ-; possibly related etymologically to παίω ('to strike, beat'), but this is uncertain; the formation is archaic with pre-classical Greek attestations. Related to words indicating 'child' in other Indo-European languages, though precise relation is debated.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, παῖς primarily referred to a child of either gender, occasionally extending to a youth approaching adulthood. The term could be used affectionately within families ('child, son, daughter') but also as a designation of status for servants, particularly those of lower rank and often of youthful age in both domestic and royal settings. In the Hellenistic and Roman periods, including the Septuagint and New Testament, παῖς retains this dual range: biological/affectionate child or subordinate attendant/servant. Notably, in the Septuagint, παῖς is frequently used as a translation for Hebrew עֶבֶד (ʿeved), especially in reference to the 'servant' or 'servant of the LORD,' and can thereby be applied metaphorically to the people of Israel, particular individuals (e.g., the 'Servant of YHWH' in Isaiah), or idealized figures with a servant relationship to God. In New Testament usage, παῖς often appears in contexts where the sense oscillates between 'child' and 'servant,' sometimes emphasizing special relationship or divine commission (e.g., God's 'servant' in prophecy fulfillment). English translations may alternate between 'child,' 'servant,' 'son,' or 'boy' depending on context, but a single English word frequently fails to capture the full semantic breadth—particularly the term's extension from familial to servile status and its conflation of youthfulness with social subordination.

Translation Consistency

primary "child" 13 occurrences

παῖς most commonly denotes a young person (male or female) and the natural, neutral English noun 'child' covers the broad familial and age-based sense while still allowing context to convey subordinate or servant roles. 'Child' is natural-sounding, gender-neutral, and can be inflected consistently across all forms; rarer senses like 'servant' can be rendered by context or added modifiers (e.g., 'child/servant') where needed.

Alternatives (11 occurrences):

"servant" (6x) "servants" (3x) "children" (2x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

perhaps from παίω; a boy (as often beaten with impunity), or (by analogy), a girl, and (genitive case) a child; specially, a slave or servant (especially a minister to a king; and by eminence to God):--child, maid(-en), (man) servant, son, young man.

Root Family

παῖς (pais) — child, young person, servant, attendant

Root παῖ- child, young person, servant, attendant

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G3816-05`	παῖς	pais	`N NOM M SG`	servant	young servant	child	9
`G3816-01`	παῖδα	paida	`N ACC M SG`	servant	a young servant	a young child	5
`G3816-04`	παιδὸς	paidos	`N GEN M SG`	servant	of the child	of the child	5
`G3816-02`	παῖδας	paidas	`N ACC M PL`	children	children	children	3
`G3816-03`	παίδων	paidon	`N GEN M PL`	servants	of children	servants	1
`G3816-06`	παισὶν	paisin	`N DAT M PL`	servants	to/for children	servants	1

Occurrences in Scripture

24 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G3816-02`	Matthew 2:16	παῖδας	paidas	`N ACC M PL`	male children	children	children
`G3816-05`	Matthew 8:6	παῖς	pais	`N NOM M SG`	servant	young servant	child
`G3816-05`	Matthew 8:8	παῖς	pais	`N NOM M SG`	servant	young servant	servant
`G3816-05`	Matthew 8:13	παῖς	pais	`N NOM M SG`	servant	young servant	child
`G3816-05`	Matthew 12:18	παῖς	pais	`N NOM M SG`	servant	young servant	child
`G3816-06`	Matthew 14:2	παισὶν	paisin	`N DAT M PL`	servants	to/for children	servants
`G3816-05`	Matthew 17:18	παῖς	pais	`N NOM M SG`	boy	young servant	child
`G3816-02`	Matthew 21:15	παῖδας	paidas	`N ACC M PL`	children	children	children
`G3816-04`	Luke 1:54	παιδὸς	paidos	`N GEN M SG`	His servant	of the child	of his servant
`G3816-04`	Luke 1:69	παιδὸς	paidos	`N GEN M SG`	servant	of the child	of the child
`G3816-05`	Luke 2:43	παῖς	pais	`N NOM M SG`	boy	young servant	child
`G3816-05`	Luke 7:7	παῖς	pais	`N NOM M SG`	servant	young servant	child
`G3816-04`	Luke 8:51	παιδὸς	paidos	`N GEN F SG`	child's	of the child	of the child
`G3816-05`	Luke 8:54	παῖς	pais	`N VOC F SG`	child	young servant	child
`G3816-01`	Luke 9:42	παῖδα	paida	`N ACC M SG`	boy	a young servant	a young child
`G3816-02`	Luke 12:45	παῖδας	paidas	`N ACC M PL`	servants	children	servants
`G3816-03`	Luke 15:26	παίδων	paidon	`N GEN M PL`	servants	of children	servants
`G3816-05`	John 4:51	παῖς	pais	`N NOM M SG`	son	young servant	child
`G3816-01`	Acts 3:13	παῖδα	paida	`N ACC M SG`	servant	a young servant	servant
`G3816-01`	Acts 3:26	παῖδα	paida	`N ACC M SG`	Servant	a young servant	a young child
`G3816-04`	Acts 4:25	παιδός	paidos	`N GEN M SG`	servant	of the child	servant
`G3816-01`	Acts 4:27	παῖδά	paida	`N ACC M SG`	servant	a young servant	servant
`G3816-04`	Acts 4:30	παιδός	paidos	`N GEN M SG`	servant	of the child	servant
`G3816-01`	Acts 20:12	παῖδα	paida	`N ACC M SG`	boy	a young servant	a young child

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