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ἀγρυπνία

agrypnía

G70 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

The state of being awake or alert, especially involving intentional wakefulness for a purpose. In most contexts, ἀγρυπνία refers to sustained wakefulness, vigilance, or watchfulness, often motivated by responsibility, concern, or spiritual discipline. It can also denote a period of remaining awake, such as during prayer, guarding, or attentive waiting.

Semantic Range

wakefulness, sleeplessness; vigilant watchfulness; spiritual vigilance; voluntary staying awake (esp. for prayer, duty, or concern)

Root / Etymology

From the verb ἀγρυπνέω ('to be sleepless, to keep awake, to watch'), which is formed from ἄγρυπνος ('sleepless'), a compound of the negative prefix ἀ- ('not') and ὕπνος ('sleep'). The root carries the sense of 'lacking sleep' or 'staying awake'.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἀγρυπνία generally described literal sleeplessness or insomnia, sometimes due to anxiety or necessity. In Hellenistic and Koine usage, including the Septuagint and the New Testament, the term often shifts from involuntary insomnia to purposeful watchfulness or spiritual vigilance—such as staying awake in prayer or to fulfill a duty. In the New Testament (e.g., 2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:27), ἀγρυπνία is associated with deliberate acts of endurance or spiritual discipline. English translations like 'watch' or 'watching' may obscure the underlying sense of vigilant wakefulness, which includes both physical and metaphorical attentiveness. The concept is related to but distinct from φυλακή ('guard, watch' as in military or prison sense); ἀγρυπνία emphasizes the condition or practice of remaining awake, not simply the guard post itself.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἀγρυπνέω; sleeplessness, i.e. a keeping awake:--watch.

Root Family

ἀγρυπνία (agrypnia) — wakefulness, sleeplessness, vigilant watchfulness

Root ἀγρυπν- to be awake, to be sleepless, to watch

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G70-01 ἀγρυπνίαις agrupniais N DAT F PL sleeplessness in wakeful vigils sleeplessnesses 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G70-01 2 Corinthians 6:5 ἀγρυπνίαις agrupniais N DAT F PL sleeplessness in wakeful vigils sleeplessnesses
G70-01 2 Corinthians 11:27 ἀγρυπνίαις agrupniais N DAT F PL sleepless nights in wakeful vigils wakeful vigils
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