ἀφειδία (G857) — Greek Lexicon

ἀφειδία

apheidía

G857 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Lack of sparing or restraint; the quality or practice of not holding back, particularly in matters of self-discipline. The term denotes severity, strictness, or rigor, especially as applied to the treatment of the body. In New Testament and contemporaneous contexts, it can refer to ascetic practice, austerity, or a willingness to endure hardship without self-indulgence.

Semantic Range

lack of restraint, severity, rigor, unsparingness, austerity, ascetic rigor, self-imposed severity

Root / Etymology

From the negative prefix ἀ- ('not') and the root φειδ- (related to φείδομαι, 'to spare, to refrain'). The compound thus signifies 'not sparing,' i.e., showing no restraint or leniency.

Historical & Contextual Notes

ἀφειδία is a rare noun, attested primarily in post-classical and Koine Greek. In the New Testament, it appears in Colossians 2:23, where it describes a self-imposed rigor or severity directed at the body, often in the context of ascetic practices. The term contrasts with φειδος ('restraint, moderation') and stresses the absence of indulgence. In broader Hellenistic usage, ἀφειδία can describe both positive self-control (in philosophical or athletic training) and negative severity (excessive harshness or even cruelty to oneself or others). Standard English translations often render the term as 'severity,' 'self-abasement,' or 'neglecting,' but these can miss nuances: the word does not necessarily imply carelessness (neglect) toward the body, but rather rigorous discipline or abstention. The term is not common in classical Greek, and its specialized development in later Greek reflects evolving attitudes toward asceticism and bodily discipline.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from a compound of Α (as a negative particle) and φείδομαι; unsparingness, i.e. austerity (asceticism):--neglecting.

Root Family

ἀφειδία (apheidia) — unsparingness, severity, rigor, austerity, lack of restraint

Root φειδ- to spare, to show restraint

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`G857-01`	ἀφειδίᾳ	apheidia	`N DAT F SG`	severity	in unsparing severity	severity	1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`G857-01`	Colossians 2:23	ἀφειδίᾳ	apheidia	`N DAT F SG`	severity	in unsparing severity	severity

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