Lexical Summary eusplagchnos: Compassionate, tender-hearted Original Word: εὔσπλαγχνος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance pitiful, tender-hearted. From eu and splagchnon; well compassioned, i.e. Sympathetic -- pitiful, tender-hearted. see GREEK eu see GREEK splagchnon HELPS Word-studies 2155 eúsplag NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom eu and splagchnon Definition tenderhearted, compassionate NASB Translation kindhearted (1), tender-hearted (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2155: εὔσπλαγχνοςεὔσπλαγχνος, ἐυσπλαγχνον (εὖ and σπλάγχνον, which see), properly, having strong bowels; once so in Hippocrates ( Topical Lexicon Thematic OverviewEusplagchnos expresses an inner disposition of compassionate sensitivity that moves the whole person toward acts of mercy. In Scripture it appears in exhortations directed to covenant communities, calling believers to embody the gracious tenderness they themselves have received from God in Christ. Rooted in the Nature of God • God’s saving work is repeatedly described as an overflow of compassionate mercy (for example, Psalm 103:8; Titus 3:4–5). By urging Christians to be “tenderhearted,” the apostles ground Christian ethics in imitation of the Father who “is compassionate and gracious.” Divine compassion is thus the source, pattern, and empowerment for human eusplagchnos. Placement in Apostolic Paraenesis 1. Ephesians 4:32 positions tenderheartedness within a triad: kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness. All three are presented as necessary for preserving unity in the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3) and reversing the relational fracture caused by bitterness (Ephesians 4:31). “Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” 2. 1 Peter 3:8 locates tenderheartedness in a cluster of five virtues (like-mindedness, sympathy, brotherly love, tenderheartedness, humility). These qualities form the relational ethos that enables scattered believers to stand firm amid persecution and to offer a compelling witness to unbelievers (1 Peter 3:15–16). Association with Other Christian Virtues • Kindness: Eusplagchnos provides the affective depth behind practical acts of kindness (chréstos). Historical Context In Greco-Roman moral philosophy, “pity” (eleos) could be viewed as weakness, yet early Christians embraced tenderness as a mark of moral strength. By weaving eusplagchnos into household and community codes, Paul and Peter transformed prevailing social expectations, calling masters, household heads, and all believers to adopt the self-emptying gentleness modeled by Jesus Christ. Ministry Significance Pastoral care: Elders are to shepherd “not under compulsion but willingly” (1 Peter 5:2), a calling that presupposes tenderheartedness toward the flock. Diaconal service: Meeting material needs (Acts 6; 1 John 3:17) must spring from genuine compassion. Reconciliation: Congregations fractured by offense find healing when members cultivate eusplagchnos, leading to restorative forgiveness. Liturgical and Devotional Application • Prayers of confession often invoke God’s tender mercies (Psalm 51:1). Congregational use of such prayers reinforces the believer’s mandate to extend the same mercy to others. Witness to the World The early church’s reputation for caring for orphans, widows, and the sick was an outworking of eusplagchnos. Modern ministry to the marginalized continues this legacy, embodying the gospel in tangible form and providing apologetic credibility (1 Peter 2:12). Eschatological Horizon Because “mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13), the cultivation of tenderheartedness anticipates the consummated kingdom where sorrow and hardness of heart are banished (Revelation 21:4). Believers practice now what will characterize the new creation eternally. Summary Eusplagchnos is the Spirit-wrought disposition that feels the misery of another as one’s own and acts to relieve it. Anchored in God’s character, commanded by the apostles, and indispensable to church life and mission, tenderheartedness remains a non-negotiable hallmark of authentic discipleship. Forms and Transliterations ευσαναλλάκτως ευσπλαγχνοι εύσπλαγχνοι εὔσπλαγχνοι ευσταθούν ευστόχως ευστροφία eusplanchnoi eúsplanchnoiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ephesians 4:32 Adj-NMPGRK: ἀλλήλους χρηστοί εὔσπλαγχνοι χαριζόμενοι ἑαυτοῖς NAS: to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving KJV: one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving INT: one another kind tender-hearted forgiving each other 1 Peter 3:8 Adj-NMP |
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