Romans 1:31 — Word Study
N1904ἀσυνέτους, ἀσυνθέτους, ἀστόργους ἀσπόνδους, ἀνελεήμονας,
BSAfoolish,asunetos [without understanding, unintelligent] untrustworthy,asunthetos△ [untrustworthy, covenant-breakers] heartlessastorgos [unfeeling, without natural affection] implacable,aspondos△ unmerciful,aneleēmōn△ [implacable, unmerciful, showing no pity]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| ἀσυνέτους, | foolish, | Adjective, accusative, plural |
| ἀσυνθέτους, | untrustworthy, | Adjective, accusative, plural |
| ἀστόργους | heartless | Adjective, accusative, plural |
| ἀσπόνδους, | implacable, | Adjective, accusative, plural |
| ἀνελεήμονας, | unmerciful, | Adjective, accusative, plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless. |
| KJV | Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: |
| ASV | without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful: |
| YLT | unintelligent, faithless, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful; |
| WEB | without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful; |
| BBE | Without knowledge, not true to their undertakings, unkind, having no mercy: |
Where they part company is ἀσυνέτους and ἀστόργους — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a single main clause listing various moral failings, emphasizing the collective nature of the described traits.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
3 of 5 occur nowhere else in the New Testament — words chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word in the Greek New Testament, stands 19,867 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Romans 1:31
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Consequences of Rejectiongenerated
Romans 1:31 is part of a broader discussion where Paul outlines the sinful behaviors that arise when people turn away from God. He emphasizes that such behaviors are not just individual failings but reflect a collective moral decay. The preceding verses detail various forms of wickedness, culminating in this stark description of those who have abandoned understanding and compassion.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romans 1:20–21 | For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. |
| 2 | Romans 3:11 | There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. |
| 3 | Proverbs 18:2 | A fool does not delight in understanding, but only in airing his opinions. |
| 4 | Isaiah 27:11 | When its limbs are dry, they are broken off. Women come and use them for kindling; for this is a people without understanding. Therefore their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 4:22 | “For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — ἀσυνέτους, asunetosgenerated
The Greek word ἀσύνετος (i.e., *asunetos*) is an adjective meaning 'senseless' or 'without understanding.' It is derived from a negative prefix and a root that indicates understanding. This term is used in several contexts in the New Testament, often highlighting a lack of moral or spiritual insight.
In this verse, it describes people who are not just lacking intelligence but are morally foolish, indicating a deeper spiritual blindness. This word appears in other passages, such as Matthew 15:16 and Romans 1:21, where it signifies a failure to grasp the truth.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as 'They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.' The KJV and ASV use 'without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful,' which aligns closely with the original meaning.
Where translations differ, they do so on specific Greek words. For ἀσυνέτους, the KJV and ASV use 'without understanding,' while the BSB opts for 'senseless.' For ἀστόργους, the KJV and ASV use 'without natural affection,' while the BSB translates it as 'heartless.'
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of this verse contains a series of adjectives that describe the moral state of those who have turned away from God. Each adjective acts as a predicate, listing the characteristics of the subject implied in the context.
The main verb is implied in the context, with the adjectives providing a descriptive list of the moral failings. This construction emphasizes the cumulative nature of their depravity.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Greek word ἀσυνθέτους (i.e., *asunthetos*) is also found in the Septuagint, where it translates a Hebrew term for covenant-breakers. This connection highlights the seriousness of being untrustworthy in relationships, especially in the context of God's covenant with His people.
Similarly, ἀνελεήμονας (i.e., *aneleēmōn*) corresponds to the Hebrew word for cruelty, reinforcing the idea that a lack of mercy is a significant moral failing.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Romans 1:31 lists several negative traits of people who have turned away from God. They are described as senseless, untrustworthy, heartless, implacable, and unmerciful. This verse highlights the moral decline that comes from rejecting God's truth.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To be senseless means lacking understanding or discernment, particularly in moral and spiritual matters, indicating a deeper spiritual blindness.
Paul lists these traits to illustrate the complete moral failure of those who reject God, showing the consequences of turning away from divine truth.
The term 'faithless' or 'covenant-breakers' emphasizes the seriousness of failing to uphold commitments, particularly in the context of God's covenant with His people.
We can learn the importance of maintaining our understanding and compassion, as well as the dangers of turning away from God and His truth.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see the traits described in this verse reflected in today's society?
- How can I ensure that I remain faithful and understanding in my relationships with others?
- What steps can I take to cultivate a heart of compassion and mercy?
- How does understanding the seriousness of these traits affect my view of sin and redemption?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Several early church Fathers comment on this verse, discussing the implications of the moral failings listed by Paul.
"Without natural affection, implacable." For this Christ Himself also pronounces to be the cause of wickedness, saying, "When iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." (Matt. xxiv. 12). This too St.Early Church Fathers on Romans 1 →
Paul mentions all these sins, set out one by one, with respect to those who have been abandoned by God because they have abandoned him. Let us therefore take care, lest we also be abandoned for embracing one of these evils.Early Church Fathers on Romans 1 →
They were foolish and faithless and had no feelings either for God or for men. That is why they were heartless and ruthless. For someone who is cruel to his own family will be that much more cruel to others!Early Church Fathers on Romans 1 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Romans 1:31 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWithout understanding,.... Of God, of his nature and worship, of things divine and even moral, being given up to a reprobate mind: covenant breakers; had no regard to private or public contracts:
Read John Gill on Romans 1 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWithout understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Without understanding, covenant-breakers , [ asunetous (G801), asunthetous (G802)] - another alliteration
Read Robert Jamieson on Romans 1 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWithout understanding; or, without conscience; sunesiv, or snueidhsiv, being much the same. Without natural affection; this evil also reigned amongst the Gentiles, who sacrificed their very children to their idols, and otherwise exposed them to ruin: see . Implacable; or, irreconcilable and vindictive.
Read Matthew Poole on Romans 1 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Ver. 31. Implacable] That will not hear of a truce, much less of a peace. Nihil se libentius facere dictitabat Caesar, quam supplicibus ignoscere. (Caesar. Comment.) And surely, as any one is more manly, he is more merciful, as David, 2 Samuel 1:12. And, on the contrary, the basest natures are most vindictive; neither will they ever be heartily reconciled. Their reconciliations are vulpinae amicitiae, fox-like friendships.
Read John Trapp on Romans 1 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(31) Without understanding—i.e., without moral or spiritual understanding; incapable of discriminating between right and wrong, expedient and inexpedient. St. Paul prays that the Colossians may possess this faculty (Colossians 1:9). Without natural affection.—The affection founded upon natural relationship—e.g., between parent and child, husband and wife, brother and sister. In illustration of this particular expression, we may remember that infanticide and divorce were very common at this period.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Romans 1 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 31. Without understanding] ασυνετους, from α, negative, and συνετος, knowing; persons incapable of comprehending what was spoken; destitute of capacity for spiritual things. Covenant - breakers] ασυνθετους, from α, negative, and συντιθημυι, to make an agreement; persons who could be bound by no oath, because, properly speaking, they had no God to witness or avenge their misconduct. As every covenant, or agreement, is made as in the presence of God, so he that opposes the being and doctrine of God is incapable of being bound by any covenant; he can give no pledge for his conduct. Without natural affection] αστοργους; without that attachment which nature teaches the young of all animals…
Read AdamClarke on Romans 1 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges31. without understanding, covenant-breakers] The Gr. words are almost identical in form and sound. On “without understanding” see note on Romans 1:21, where “foolish” represents the same Greek word; an epithet full of deep meaning.implacable] Lit. truce-less; an adjective used in the classics for inevitable death and internecine war. The word is perhaps to be omitted here; but evidence is far from decisive.
Read Cambridge on Romans 1 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleWithout understanding - Inconsiderate, or foolish; see Romans 1:21-22. Covenant breakers - Perfidious; false to their contracts.
Read Albert Barnes on Romans 1 →The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.
without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;
They are senseless, faithless, heartless, unforgiving, merciless.
senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless.
Tyndale line
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful:
without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful:
Without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Which men, though they knew ye Lawe of God, how that they which comit such things are worthie of death, yet not onely do the same, but also fauour them that doe them.
Strictly literal
void of understanding, faithless, without natural affection, unmerciful;
unintelligent, faithless, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful;
unintelligent, faithless, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful;
They are senseless, faithless, heartless, and unmerciful.
From the Latin
Foolish, dissolute, without affection, without fidelity, without mercy.
Simplified
They don't want to understand, they don't keep their promises, they don't show any kindness or compassion.
Without knowledge, not true to their undertakings, unkind, having no mercy:
Word by word, the decisions they made
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the Nestle 1904 treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The earliest translations — Latin and Syriac
Every translation is an argument about meaning made by someone who had to commit to one. These two were made while the Greek was still a living language, and they are the oldest opinions we have about what this verse says.
insipientes, incompositos, sine affectione, absque fdere, sine misericordia.
Jerome revised the Old Latin against the Greek from AD 382; the Latin west read this text for a thousand years.
ܘܕܩܝܡܐ ܠܝܬ ܠܗܘܢ ܘܠܐ ܚܘܒܐ ܘܠܐ ܫܝܢܐ ܘܠܐ ܪܚܡܐ ܐܝܬ ܒܗܘܢ
The Bible of the Syriac-speaking church, in the language nearest to the Aramaic Jesus spoke.
Shown verse by verse rather than word by word: aligning a Greek word to its Latin or Syriac counterpart automatically would be guesswork, and a wrong alignment is worse than none.
The Greek editions compared — what the manuscripts actually say
Eight printed editions of the Greek New Testament, side by side. Where they agree the wording is settled; where a word is missing from an edition it is marked, so you can see the difference rather than take it on trust.
ἀσυνέτους, ἀσυνθέτους, ἀστόργους — ἀνελεήμονας,
The standard critical text of the New Testament.
ἀσυνέτους, ἀσυνθέτους, ἀστόργους — ἀνελεήμονας,
The previous edition, still widely cited.
ἀσυνέτους, ἀσυνθέτους, ἀστόργους — ἀνελεήμονας,
The Society of Biblical Literature edition, freely licensed.
ἀσυνέτους, ἀσυνθέτους, ἀστόργους — ἀνελεήμονας,
The edition that turned scholarship toward the earliest manuscripts.
ἀσυνέτους, ἀσυνθέτους, ἀστόργους — ἀνελεήμονας,
An independent critical text built from the oldest witnesses then known.
ἀσυνέτους, ἀσυνθέτους, ἀστόργους — ἀνελεήμονας,
A recent critical edition following documentary evidence closely.
ἀσυνέτους, ἀσυνθέτους, ἀστόργους ἀσπόνδους, ἀνελεήμονας,
The reading of the majority of surviving manuscripts.
ἀσυνέτους, ἀσυνθέτους, ἀστόργους ἀσπόνδους, ἀνελεήμονας,
The printed tradition behind the King James Version.
A witness that read differently would show its variant word here, marked.
Word by word, across the editions
| Word | Editions carrying it | Missing from |
|---|---|---|
| ἀσπόνδους, implacable, | TR, Byz | NA28, NA27, SBL, WH, Treg, Tyn |
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Greek New Testament — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Romans 1:31
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Greek lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. Imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, the full Liddell-Scott-Jones, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate LSJ, Robinson and Packard on the Greek, Webster and Cawdrey on the English the translators were using. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Greek word ἀσύνετος (i.e., *asunetos*) means 'unintelligent' or 'without understanding.' It is built from a negative prefix and a root meaning 'understanding.' The term appears in various contexts, including moral and intellectual senses, and is used in the New Testament in Matthew 15:16, Mark 7:18, and Romans 1:21, 31. Some sources also suggest a connotation of wickedness.
ἀσύνετος, -ov, unintelligent, without understanding: Mt. xy. 16; Mk. vii. 18; stupid: Ro.i. 21; x.19. In imitation of the Hebr. 533, ungodly (Sap. i. 5; Sir. xv. 7 sq. Let. ἀσυνετεῖν, Ps. exviii. (exix.) 158]), because a wicked > ,΄ ασωτια man has no mind for the things which make for salvation: Ro. i. 31 [al. adhere here to the Grk. usage; ef. Fritzsche ad loc.]. (In Grk. writ. fr. Hdt. down.) [Cf. σοφός, fin.]
ἀσύνετος (asunetos) — senseless.
ἀσύνετος,
Attic dialect ἀξ-, ον, void of understanding, witless, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: comparative, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τί τάδ᾽ ἀσύνετ; what folly is this? [Refs 5th c.BC+]. adverb -τως[Refs 1st c.AD+]
2. with genitive, not able to understand, λόγου[Refs 1st c.AD+]
II. not to be understood, unintelligible, [Refs 5th c.BC+]. adverb -τως[Refs 2nd c.BC+]
ἀσύνετος
asunetos
from 1 (as a negative particle) and 4908; unintelligent; by
implication, wicked:--foolish, without understanding.
see GREEK for 1
see GREEK for 4908
ἀσύνετος, ον
Adj
unintelligent, unwise, undiscerning
ἀσύνετος asynetos 5x
unintelligent, dull, Mt. 15:16; Mk. 7:18; reckless, perverse, Rom. 1:21, 31; unenlightened, heathenish, Rom. 10:19
ἀσύνετος void of understanding, stupid, Hdt., attic; not to be understood, unintelligible, Eur.
Adj-APM — Adjective · accusative · plural · masculineaccusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked plural masculine.
A-APM Part of Speech: Adjective Case: Accusative Number: Plural Gender: Masculine
5 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 2 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.
Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 5 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.
← what comes before
what comes after →
branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path
εἰς στάσιν δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐνέβαλεν ἀλλογλώσσους ἀπεργασάμενος καὶ ὑπὸ πολυφωνίας ποιήσας ἑαυτῶν ἀσυνέτους εἶναι.
αἰσθάνεσθαι οὖν ὀφείλομεν, μὴ ὄντες ἀσύνετοι, τὴν γνώμην τῆς ἀγαθωσύνης τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν, ὅτ̓ ἡμῖν λέγει, θέλων ἡμᾶς μὴ ὁμοίως πλανωμένους ἐκείνοις ζητεῖν, πῶς προσάγωμεν αὐτῷ.
διὰ τούτου ἀτενίζομεν εἰς τὰ ὕψη τῶν οὐρανῶν, διὰ τούτου ἐνοπτριζόμεθα τὴν ἄμωμον καὶ ὑπερτάτην ὄψιν αὐτοῦ, διὰ τούτου ἠνεῴχθησαν ἡμῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῆς καρδίας, διὰ τούτου ἡ ἀσύνετος καὶ ἐσκοτωμένη διάνοια ἡμῶν ἀναθάλλει εἰς τὸ φῶς, διὰ τούτου…
The Greek word ἀσύνθετος (asunthetos) is built from a negative particle and a form of the verb for 'to agree.' It describes someone who is untrustworthy or treacherous in keeping covenants. This term appears in the New Testament in Romans 1:31, where it conveys the idea of being faithless or breaking agreements.
ἀ-σύν-θετος, -ον
(< συντίθεμαι; v. M, Pr., 222; MM, s.v.),
[in LXX: Je 3:7, 8, 10, 11 (בּגד)*;]
false to engagements, not keeping covenant, faithless (MM, s.v.): Ro 1:31.†
ἀσύνθετος, -ov, 1. uncompounded, simple, (Plat., Aristot., al.). 2. (cvrridepat to covenant), covenantbreaking, faithless: Ro. i. 31 (so in Jer. iii. 8, 11; Dem. de falsa leg. p. 383, 6; cf. Pape and Passow s. v.; ἀσυνθετεῖν to be faithless [Ps. lxxii. (Ixxiii.) 15; 2 Esdr. x. 2; Neh. i. 8, ete.]; ἀσυνθεσία transgression, 1 Chr. ix. 1 [Ald., Compl. ; 2 Esdr. ix. 2,4; Jer. iii. 7]; εὐσυνθετεῖν to keep faith; [ef. Trench § lii.]).
ἀσύνθετος (asunthetos) — untrustworthy.
ἀσύν-θετος, ον,
(συντίθημι) uncompounded, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἀ. φωνή a word standing alone, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]. adverb -τως[Refs]
II. (συντίθεμαι) bound by no covenant, faithless, ὁ δῆμός ἐστιν πρᾶγμα τῶν πάντων ἀσυνθετώτατον[NT+4th c.BC+]; making no covenants, ἀ. διατελοῦσι[Refs 1st c.BC+]
ἀσύνθετος
asunthetos
from 1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of 4934; properly,
not agreed, i.e. treacherous to compacts:-- covenant-breaker.
see GREEK for 1
see GREEK for 4934
ἀσύνθετος, ον
Adj
untrue to an agreement, treacherous
ἀσύνθετος asynthetos 1x
unable to be trusted, undutiful, Rom. 1:31*
ἀσύνθετος συντίθημι uncompounded, Plat.
（συντίθεμαι) bound by no covenant, faithless, Dem., NTest.
Adj-APM — Adjective · accusative · plural · masculineaccusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked plural masculine.
A-APM Part of Speech: Adjective Case: Accusative Number: Plural Gender: Masculine
1 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 1 different way. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.
Counted over the 4 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.
The Greek word ἄστοργος (i.e., *astorgos*) means 'without natural affection' or 'unloving.' It is built from a negative particle and a root related to familial love. The term appears in Romans 1:31 and 2 Timothy 3:3, where it describes a lack of affection towards kindred. Various lexicons note its use in classical literature, indicating a broader range of meanings related to heartlessness.
* ἄστοργος, -ον
(< στοργή, family affection, love of kindred, v.s. ἀγάπη),
without natural affection: Ro 1:31, II Ti 3:3 (MM, s.v.).†
ἄστοργος, -ov, (στοργή love of kindred), without natural affection: Ro. i. 31; 2 Tim. iii. 3. (Aeschin., Theocr., Plut., al.)
ἄστοργος. Kaibel τ465 (iii/iv A.D.) ἀστόργου μοῖρα κίχεν θανάτου : the epitaph is among the Elgin marbles. In 20. 102844 (Andros, hymn to Isis, iv/A.D.), it means ‘‘amorem non expertus.” Στοργή is found in Chest. 11. 3619 (A.D. 360) εὐνοίας Kal στοργῆς ἔτι Te καὶ ὑπηρεσίας.
ἄστοργος (astorgos) — unfeeling.
ἄστοργ-ος, ον,
without natural affection, ἄστοργος ψυχήν[Refs 4th c.BC+]the heartless one, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἄ. θάνατος cruel, [Refs 1st c.AD+]
2. without attraction, [Refs 1st c.AD+]:—also ἀστόργης (sic) [Refs]
ἄστοργος
astorgos
from 1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of
stergo (to cherish affectionately); hard-hearted towards
kindred:--without natural affection.
see GREEK for 1
ἄστοργος, ον
Adj
unloving, devoid of affection
ἄστοργος astorgos 2x
devoid of natural or instinctive affection, without affection to kindred, Rom. 1:31; 2 Tim. 3:3*
ἄστοργος στοργή without natural affection, Aeschin.; ὥστοργος (i. e. ὁ ἄστ.) the heartless one, Theocr.
Adj-APM — Adjective · accusative · plural · masculineaccusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked plural masculine.
A-APM Part of Speech: Adjective Case: Accusative Number: Plural Gender: Masculine
2 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 2 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.
← what comes before
what comes after →
branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path
The Greek word ἄσπονδος (aspondos) is built from a negative particle and a term for a libation, indicating a lack of treaty or truce. It covers meanings such as implacable and irreconcilable, often used in contexts of conflict or hostility. The New Testament references it in 2 Timothy 3:3, where it describes certain negative traits.
* ἄσπονδος, -ον
(< σπονδή, a libation);
without truce (Thuc.).
admitting of no truce, implacable (Dem., al.): II Ti 3:3.†
ἄσπονδος, -ov, (σπονδή a libation, which, as a kind of sacrifice, accompanied the making of treaties and compacts; cf. Lat. spondere) ; [fr. Thue. down]; 1. without a treaty or covenant; of things not mutually agreed upon, e. g. abstinence from hostilities, Thue. 1, 37, ete. 2. that cannot be persuaded to enter into a covenant, implacable, (in this sense fr. Aeschyl. down; esp. in the phrase ἄσπονδος πόλεμος, Dem. pro cor. p. 314, 16; Polyb. 1, 65, 6; [Philo de sacrif. §4]; Οἷς. ad Att. 9, 10, 5; [ef. Trench § lii.]): joined with ἄστοργος, Ro. i. 31 Rec.; 2 Tim. iii. 3.
ἄσπονδος (aspondos) — irreconcilable.
ἄσπονδ-ος, ον,
without σπονδή or drink-offering: hence,
I. of a god, to whom no drink-offering is poured, ἄ. θεός, i.e. death, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. without a regular truce (ratified by σπονδαί), ἀνοκωχή[Refs 5th c.BC+]; of persons, without making a truce, ἄ. ἀπιέναι[Refs]; ἀσπόνδους τοὺς νεκροὺς ἀνελέσθαι take up their dead without leave asked, [Refs]; τὸ εὐπρεπὲς ἄσπονδον the specious plea of neutrality, [Refs]
II.2. admitting of no truce, implacable, ἄσπονδόν τ᾽ Ἄρη (ἀράν codices) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of persons, implacable, [NT]. adverb -δως, ἔχειν[Refs 1st c.AD+]
ἄσπονδος
aspondos
from 1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of 4689; literally,
without libation (which usually accompanied a treaty), i.e. (by
implication) truceless:--implacable, truce-breaker.
see GREEK for 1
see GREEK for 4689
ἄσπονδος, ον
Adj
implacable
ἄσπονδος aspondos 1x
pr. unwilling to make a treaty; hence, implacable, irreconcilable, 2 Tim. 3:3*
ἄσπονδος σπονδή without drink-offering, of a god, to whom no drink-offering is poured, ἄσπ. θεός i. e. death, Eur.
without a regular truce (which was ratified by σπονδαί), Thuc.; ἀσπόνδους τοὺς νεκροὺς ἀνελέσθαι to take up their dead without leave asked, id. Thuc.; τὸ ἄσπονδον a keeping out of treaty or covenant with others, neutrality, id. Thuc.
admitting of no truce, implacable, deadly, Lat. internecinus, of war, Aesch., Dem.
Adj-APM — Adjective · accusative · plural · masculineaccusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked plural masculine.
A-APM Part of Speech: Adjective Case: Accusative Number: Plural Gender: Masculine
2 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 1 different way. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.
ἡ δ’ ἅπαξ διαζευχθεῖσα καὶ διοικισθεῖσα ὡς ἄσπονδος μέχρι τοῦ παντὸς αἰῶνος ἐκτετόξευται, εἰς τὸν ἀρχαῖον οἶκον ἐπανελθεῖν ἀδυνατοῦσα.
The Greek word ἀνελεήμων (aneleēmōn) is built from the negative prefix ἀ- and ἐλεήμων, meaning merciful. It means 'merciless' or 'without mercy,' and is used in the New Testament in Romans 1:31. Various lexicons agree on its meaning, noting it as unmerciful or cruel.
ἀν-ελεήμων, -ον
(< -ἀ, ἐλεήμων),
[in LXX for אַכְזָר;]
without mercy: Ro 1:13.†
ἀν-ελεήμων, -ov, 56. -ovos, (a priv. and ἐλεήμων), without mercy, merciless: Ro. i. 31. ({Aristot. rhet. Alex. 37 p- 1442", 13]; Prov. v. 9, ete.; Sir. xiii. 12, ete.; Sap. xii. bess. ΤΣ
ἀνελεήμων (aneleēmōn) — merciless.
ἀνελεήμων, ον,
genitive ονος, merciless, without mercy, [NT+4th c.BC+]:—also ἀνηλεήμων, [Refs 4th c.BC+] ἀνελήμων. adverb ἀνελεημόνως, ἀπολέσθαι[LXX+5th c.BC+]
ἀνελεήμων
aneleemon
from 1 (as a negative particle) and 1655; merciless:--unmerciful.
see GREEK for 1
see GREEK for 1655
ἀνελεήμων, ον
Adj
without compassion, cruel
ἀνελεήμων aneleēmōn 1x
unmerciful, uncompassionate, cruel, Rom. 1:31*
ἀνελεήμων merciless, without mercy, NTest.
Adj-APM — Adjective · accusative · plural · masculineaccusative — the one it is done to — the object.
Agrees with anything else marked plural masculine.
A-APM Part of Speech: Adjective Case: Accusative Number: Plural Gender: Masculine
1 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 1 different way. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.
Counted over the 5 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.