Lexical Summary eulabeia: Reverence, godly fear, caution Original Word: εὐλάβεια Strong's Exhaustive Concordance reverence, aweFrom eulabes; properly, caution, i.e. (religiously) reverence (piety); by implication, dread (concretely) -- fear(-ed). see GREEK eulabes HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 2124 eulábeia (from 2126 /eulabḗs, "reverent, godly fear") – properly, "a taking hold of what God calls good"; "holy caution," inducing circumspect behavior. See 2126 (eulabēs). 2124 /eulábeia ("godly respect") is illustrated by a person carrying a priceless Persian vase across the room – which will always be in a "devout" (respectful) fashion! [2124 /eulábeia is actually used of someone doing this in antiquity. See Aristophanes (Aves, 377). In classical Greek 2124 (eulábeia) also means "reverent caution" (as in Sophocles and Plato).] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom eulabés Definition caution NASB Translation piety (1), reverence (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2124: εὐλάβειαεὐλάβεια, εὐλαβείας, ἡ, "the character and conduct of one who is εὐλαβής (which see); 1. caution, circumspection, discretion: Sophocles, Euripides, Plato, Demosthenes, following; the Sept. Proverbs 28:14; joined with πρόνοια, Plutarch, Marcell. 9; used of the prudent delay of Fabius Maximus, Polybius 3, 105, 8; ἡ ἐυλαβεοα σῴζει πάντα, Aristophanes an. 377; equivalent to avoidance, πληγῶν, Plato, legg. 7, p. 815 a., et al. (in which sense Zeno the Stoic contrasts ἡ εὐλάβεια, caution, as a εὔλογος ἐκκλισις, a reasonable shunning, with ὁ φόβος, (Diogenes Laërtius 7, 116, cf. Cicero, Tusc. 4, 6, 13). 2. reverence, veneration: ἡ πρός τό θεῖον εὐλάβεια Diodorus 13, 12; Plutarch, Camill. 21; de ser. hum. vind. c. 4, and elsewhere; πρός τούς νόμους, Plutarch, Ages. 15; Θεοῦ, objec. genitive, Philo, Cherub. § 9; simply reverence toward God, godly fear, piety: Hebrews 12:28 and, in the opinion of many, also 3. fear, anxiety, dread: Wis. 17:8; for דְּאָגָה, Joshua 22:24; Josephus, Antiquities 11, 6, 9; Plutarch, Fab. 1 (the εὐβουλία of Fabius seemed to be εὐλάβεια); so, most probably, in Hebrews 5:7 (see (above and) ἀπό, I. 3 d.), for by using this more select word the writer, skilled as he was in the Greek tongue, speaks more reverently of the Son of God than if he had used φόβος. (Synonym: see δειλία, at the end; cf. Trench, § xlviii.; Delitzsch on Hebrews 5:7.) εὐλαβεία (eulabeia) conveys a two-fold idea: a God-ward reverence that expresses itself in worship, and a circumspect caution that guards the believer from irreverence. Far from mere timidity, it is an active, intelligent awe that both approaches God and restrains self. Its background stretches into Septuagint expressions for “fear of the LORD,” and in the New Testament it is reserved for profound moments where the holiness of God and the mission of Christ intersect. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Hebrews 5:7 – applied to Jesus Christ. Although the noun occurs only twice, these settings reveal its essential dimensions: Christ’s devotional life and the church’s corporate service. Christological Significance (Hebrews 5:7) “During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears … and He was heard because of His reverence.” (Hebrews 5:7) • Eulabeia is here attributed to the incarnate Son, showing that true godly fear is perfectly compatible with sinless perfection. Ecclesiological Significance (Hebrews 12:28) “Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” (Hebrews 12:28) • The coming kingdom motivates present-tense worship. Old Testament Continuity Proverbs 1:7, Isaiah 11:2, and Psalm 2:11 speak of “fear of the LORD” in terms strikingly parallel to eulabeia. The writer to the Hebrews draws on this heritage, affirming that the attitude God has always desired—reverent awe—remains unchanged in the age of fulfillment. Theological Dimensions • Holiness: Eulabeia presupposes God’s unapproachable purity (Hebrews 12:29). Ministry and Pastoral Application 1. Prayer: Leaders and congregants are encouraged to approach the throne with eulabeia, modeling Christ-like petitions. Historical Reflection Early Christian writers (e.g., Clement of Rome, Polycarp) echoed Hebrews by exhorting assemblies to gather “in fear and truth.” Throughout church history revivals have been marked by renewed eulabeia—Jonathan Edwards observed that heightened sense of God’s majesty preceded moral transformation. Contemporary Implications In an age prone to casual spirituality, εὐλαβεία calls believers back to worship that is both heartfelt and humbled. Whether in private devotion or public liturgy, reverence remains indispensable for encountering the living God whose kingdom cannot be shaken. Englishman's Concordance Hebrews 5:7 N-GFSGRK: ἀπὸ τῆς εὐλαβείας NAS: and He was heard because of His piety. KJV: was heard in that he feared; INT: in reverent submission Hebrews 12:28 N-GFS |
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