1175. deisidaimonia

Lexicon

deisidaimonia: Superstition, religious fear

Original Word: δεισιδαιμονία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: deisidaimonia
Pronunciation: day-see-die-mo-NEE-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (dice-ee-dahee-mon-ee'-ah)
Definition: Superstition, religious fear
Meaning: religion in general; in a bad sense: superstition.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

religion

From the same as deisidaimonesteros; religion -- superstition.

see GREEK deisidaimonesteros

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 1175 deisidaimonía (akin to 1174 /deisidaimonésteros, see there) – properly, dread of a pagan deity "inspiring" a "token show of respect" (religious gesture) – especially religious-superstition (Souter); a "respect of the divine" which is only driven by the dread of a deity.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from same as deisidaimonesteros
Definition
a religion, superstition
NASB Translation
religion (1), very religious (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1175: δεισιδαιμονία

δεισιδαιμονία, δεισιδαιμονίας, ἡ (δεισιδαίμων), fear of the gods;

1. in a good sense, reverence for the gods, piety, religion: Polybius 6, 56, 7; Josephus, Antiquities 10, 3, 2; καί θεοφιλής βίος, Diodorus 1, 70.

2. equivalent to ἡ δειλία πρός τό δαιμόνιον (Theophrastus, char. 16 (22) at the beginning (cf. Jebb, p. 263f)); superstition: (Polybius 12, 24, 5); Plutarch (Sol. 12, 4); Alex. 75, 1; de adulat. et am. 25, and in his Essay περί τῆς δεισιδαιμονίας; Antoninus 6, 30 θεοσεβής χωρίς δεισιδαιμονίας.

3. religion, in an objective sense; in which sense Josephus, Antiquities 19, 5, 3, says Claudius commanded the Jews μή τάς τῶν ἄλλων ἐθνῶν δεισιδαιμονίας ἐξουδενίζειν. Festus in the presence of Agrippa the Jewish king employs the word ambiguously and cautiously, in Acts 25:19, of the Jewish religion, viz. so as to leave his own judgment concerning its truth in suspense. Cf. Zezschwitz, Profangräcität u. Biblical Sprachgeist, p. 59; (K. F. Hermann, Lehrb. d. gottesdienstl. Alterthümer, § 8 note 6; Trench, § xlviii.; (cf. Kenrick, Biblical Essays, 1864, p. 108ff; Field, Otium Norv. iii., p. 80f)).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from δεισιδαίμων (deisidaimōn), which is a compound of δειδω (deidō, "to fear") and δαίμων (daimōn, "a deity" or "demon").

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for δεισιδαιμονία, concepts of fear and reverence towards God are prevalent in the Hebrew Scriptures. Words such as יִרְאָה (yir'ah, Strong's H3374, "fear" or "reverence") and חָרַד (charad, Strong's H2730, "to tremble" or "to fear") capture similar themes of reverence and fear in a religious context. These terms emphasize a proper attitude towards God, distinguishing between healthy reverence and superstitious fear.

Usage: The word δεισιδαιμονία is used in the New Testament to describe a form of religious observance that may be characterized by superstition or excessive fear of deities. It appears in Acts 25:19, where it is translated as "superstition" in some versions, but in the Berean Standard Bible, it is rendered as "religion."

Context: • Contextual Analysis: In Acts 25:19, the Apostle Paul is being accused by Jewish leaders before the Roman governor Festus. The term δεισιδαιμονία is used by Festus to describe the religious disputes between Paul and the Jewish leaders, particularly concerning the resurrection of Jesus. Festus, as a Roman, perceives these disputes as matters of Jewish religious belief, which he refers to as δεισιδαιμονία.
• Theological Implications: The use of δεισιδαιμονία in this context highlights the Roman perspective on Jewish and early Christian beliefs. To the Roman mind, these beliefs could appear as superstitions or excessive religious practices. However, from a Christian perspective, the term underscores the misunderstanding and mischaracterization of genuine faith by those outside the faith community.
• Historical and Cultural Background: In the Greco-Roman world, δεισιδαιμονία could carry a negative connotation, suggesting irrational fear or superstition. However, it could also denote a form of piety or reverence towards the divine. The dual connotation reflects the tension between genuine religious devotion and practices perceived as superstitious.
• Application for Believers: Understanding δεισιδαιμονία helps believers discern between true faith and practices that may be rooted in fear or superstition. It encourages a faith that is based on a sound understanding of God's nature and His revelation, rather than on fear or ritualistic observance.

Forms and Transliterations

δεισιδαιμονιας δεισιδαιμονίας deisidaimonias deisidaimonías

Englishman's Concordance

Acts 25:19 N-GFS
GRK: τῆς ἰδίας δεισιδαιμονίας εἶχον πρὸς
NAS: their own religion and about
KJV: of their own superstition, and of
INT: the own religion they had against

Strong's Greek 1175
1 Occurrence

δεισιδαιμονίας — 1 Occ.