1134. gunaikeios
Lexical Summary
gunaikeios: Womanly, feminine

Original Word: γυναικεῖος
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: gunaikeios
Pronunciation: goo-nah-ee-KAY-os
Phonetic Spelling: (goo-nahee-ki'-os)
KJV: wife
NASB: woman
Word Origin: [from G1135 (γυνή - woman)]

1. feminine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
wife, female

From gune; feminine -- wife.

see GREEK gune

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from guné
Definition
female
NASB Translation
woman (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 1134: γυναικεῖος

γυναικεῖος, γυναικεῖα, γυναικεῖον, of or belonging to a woman, feminine, female: 1 Peter 3:7. (From Homer down; the Sept.)

Topical Lexicon
Canonical Occurrence

The adjective appears only in 1 Peter 3:7, where Peter urges Christian husbands to live “with consideration as a weaker vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered”. The term accents the distinctly female nature of the wife in contrast to the male husband, providing the backdrop for Peter’s pastoral counsel on honor, understanding, and joint inheritance.

Biblical Foundations of Femininity

From Genesis onward Scripture treats the female sex as God-designed, dignified, and indispensable. “Male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27), establishing a binary that is both biological and theological. Eve is fashioned “out of man” (Genesis 2:23), yet she is given to be his essential counterpart and partner in dominion (Genesis 1:28). The Old Testament canon, particularly Proverbs 31, celebrates the strength, wisdom, and spiritual vitality of godly women, preparing the way for New Testament teaching.

Theological Significance in 1 Peter 3:7

1. Mutual Heirship. Though the wife is called a “weaker vessel,” she is simultaneously identified as a “fellow heir” of eternal life. Spiritual equality underlines physical distinction.
2. Honor and Protection. The phrase presses husbands to display chivalrous regard, not condescension. Strength is redirected toward sacrificial service, reflecting Christ’s own love for the church (Ephesians 5:25).
3. Spiritual Consequences. Failure to honor the feminine nature jeopardizes one’s prayer life, revealing divine displeasure when feminine dignity is ignored.

Historical and Cultural Background

First-century Greco-Roman culture often treated women as property. Peter’s instructions elevate wives far above societal norms by granting them equal spiritual status and calling for respectful partnership. Early Christian writings (e.g., Didache, Shepherd of Hermas) echo this ethos, illustrating the transformative impact of the apostolic teaching on household codes.

Old and New Testament Parallels

Genesis 2:24 – Marriage as one-flesh union.
Ruth 3:11 – The community’s praise of female virtue.
Proverbs 31:10-31 – An idealized portrait of feminine industry and faith.
Luke 8:1-3 – Women as patrons of Jesus’ ministry.
Acts 16:14-15 – Lydia’s leadership in hospitality and commerce.
Galatians 3:28 – Unity in Christ transcends social hierarchies without erasing creational distinctions.

These passages harmonize with Peter by affirming both complementarity and co-heirship.

Ministerial Applications

1. Premarital Counseling. Teach prospective husbands to understand and honor the feminine frame—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—grounding their role in 1 Peter 3:7.
2. Men’s Discipleship. Encourage men to harness strength for nurture and intercession, recognizing that neglect of a wife’s welfare disrupts communion with God.
3. Women’s Ministry. Affirm the biblical identity and dignity of womanhood, resisting cultural extremes of devaluation or masculinization.
4. Church Leadership. Model co-laboring relationships where spiritual gifts are welcomed from both sexes within biblically defined roles (Romans 16:1-2; 1 Timothy 2:12-13).
5. Family Worship. Use 1 Peter 3:7 as a regular reminder of mutual accountability before God, fostering an atmosphere of honor, empathy, and shared grace.

Contemporary Relevance

Modern debates over gender blur God-given distinctions. The single New Testament use of this adjective pierces current confusion with balanced clarity: physical and functional differences remain, yet neither sex is spiritually superior. The church safeguards the beauty of femininity by holding both truths together—celebrating equal worth and protecting designed distinctness.

Summary

Strong’s Greek 1134 appears only once, but its placement in 1 Peter 3:7 supplies a keystone for biblical anthropology and marital ethics. Scripture presents the female sex as a divinely crafted vessel, to be honored, protected, and cherished as an equal participant in redemption. Christian ministry that embraces this pattern upholds the created order and magnifies the gospel’s transformative power in homes, congregations, and society.

Forms and Transliterations
γυναικεία γυναικείαν γυναικείον γυναικειω γυναικείω γυναικείῳ γυναικώνα γυναικώνι γυναικώνος γύναιον gunaikeio gunaikeiō gynaikeio gynaikeiō gynaikeíoi gynaikeíōi
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
1 Peter 3:7 Adj-DNS
GRK: σκεύει τῷ γυναικείῳ ἀπονέμοντες τιμήν
NAS: weaker, since she is a woman; and show
KJV: honour unto the wife, as
INT: vessel with the female rendering honor

Strong's Greek 1134
1 Occurrence


γυναικείῳ — 1 Occ.

1133
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