3983. peinaó

Lexicon

peinaó: To hunger, to be hungry

Original Word: πεινάω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: peinaó
Pronunciation: pay-nah'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (pi-nah'-o)
Definition: To hunger, to be hungry
Meaning: I am hungry, needy, desire earnestly.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

be hungry

From the same as penes (through the idea of pinching toil; "pine"); to famish (absolutely or comparatively); figuratively, to crave -- be an hungered.

see GREEK penes

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from peina (hunger)
Definition
to hunger, be hungry
NASB Translation
going hungry (1), hunger (4), hungry (18).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3983: πεινάω

πεινάω, πείνω, infinitive πεινᾶν (Philippians 4:12); future πεινάσω (Luke 6:25; Revelation 7:16); 1 aorist ἐπείνασα — for the earlier forms πεινην, πεινήσω, ἐπείνησα; cf. Lob. ad Phryn., pp. 61 and 204; Winers Grammar, § 13, 3 b.; (Buttmann, 37 (32); 44 (38)); see also διψάω; (from πεινᾷ hunger; (see πένης)); from Homer down; the Sept. for רָעֵב; to hunger, be hungry;

a. properly: Matthew 4:2; Matthew 12:1, 3; Matthew 21:18; Matthew 25:35, 37, 42, 44; Mark 2:25; Mark 11:12; Luke 4:2; Luke 6:3, 25; equivalent to to suffer want, Romans 12:20; 1 Corinthians 11:21, 34; to be needy, Luke 1:53; Luke 6:21; Philippians 4:12; in this same sense it is joined with δίψαν, 1 Corinthians 4:11; in figurative discourse, οὐ πεινᾶν καί οὐ δίψαν is used to describe the condition of one who is in need of nothing requisite for his real (spiritual) life and salvation, John 6:35; Revelation 7:16.

b. metaphorically, to crave ardently, to seek with eager desire: with the accusative of the thing, τήν δικαιοσύνην, Matthew 5:6 (in the better Greek authors with a genitive as χρημάτων, Xenophon, Cyril 8, 3, 39; συμμαχων, 7, 5, 50; ἐπαινου, oec. 13, 9; cf. Winers Grammar, § 30, 10, b. at the end; (Buttmann, § 131, 4); Kuinoel on Matthew 5:6, and see διψάω, 2).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek root word πένης (penēs), meaning "poor" or "needy."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • 7457 רָעֵב (ra'ev): To be hungry, famished.
• 7456 רָעֵב (ra'av): Hunger, famine.

These Hebrew terms parallel the Greek πεινάω in expressing the condition of hunger, whether physical or metaphorical, and are used in the Old Testament to describe both literal famines and spiritual longing for God.

Usage: The verb πεινάω is used in the New Testament to describe both physical hunger and a metaphorical longing or desire for spiritual sustenance. It appears in various contexts, including literal hunger and spiritual yearning.

Context: The Greek verb πεινάω (peinaō) is frequently encountered in the New Testament, where it is used to convey both physical and spiritual hunger. In its literal sense, πεινάω describes the basic human need for food, as seen in passages where individuals experience physical hunger. For example, in Matthew 4:2, after fasting for forty days and forty nights, Jesus "was hungry" (BSB). This usage underscores the genuine human experience of Jesus, emphasizing His identification with human needs.

Beyond its literal application, πεινάω is also employed metaphorically to express a deep spiritual longing or desire. In the Beatitudes, Jesus declares, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6, BSB). Here, πεινάω signifies a profound yearning for spiritual fulfillment and righteousness, highlighting the blessedness of those who earnestly seek God's kingdom and His righteousness.

The dual usage of πεινάω in the New Testament reflects the broader biblical theme of God's provision for both physical and spiritual needs. In John 6:35, Jesus proclaims, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst" (BSB). This statement encapsulates the promise of spiritual satisfaction and eternal sustenance found in Christ, who meets the deepest needs of the human soul.

The concept of hunger, both physical and spiritual, serves as a powerful metaphor throughout Scripture, illustrating the human condition and the divine provision. The use of πεινάω in the New Testament invites believers to recognize their dependence on God for all needs and to seek fulfillment in Him alone.

Forms and Transliterations

επείνας επεινασα επείνασα ἐπείνασα επεινασαν επείνασαν ἐπείνασαν επείνασε επεινασεν επείνασεν ἐπείνασεν πεινα πεινά πεινᾷ πειναν πεινάν πεινᾷν πεινᾶν πεινάσει πεινασετε πεινάσετε πειναση πεινάση πεινάσῃ πεινάσητε πεινάσουσι πεινασουσιν πεινάσουσιν πεινάσω πεινάσωμεν πεινωμεν πεινώμεν πεινῶμεν πεινών πεινωντα πεινώντα πεινῶντα πεινωντας πεινώντας πεινῶντας πεινωντες πεινώντες πεινῶντες πεινώντι πεινώντων πεινώσαν πεινώσας πεινώσι πεινώσιν epeinasa epeínasa epeinasan epeínasan epeinasen epeínasen peina peinā̂i peinā̂in peinan peinase peinasē peinásei peinásēi peinasete peinásete peinasousin peinásousin peinomen peinômen peinōmen peinō̂men peinonta peinônta peinōnta peinō̂nta peinontas peinôntas peinōntas peinō̂ntas peinontes peinôntes peinōntes peinō̂ntes

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 4:2 V-AIA-3S
GRK: τεσσεράκοντα ὕστερον ἐπείνασεν
NAS: nights, He then became hungry.
KJV: nights, he was afterward an hungred.
INT: forty afterward he hungered

Matthew 5:6 V-PPA-NMP
GRK: μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες
NAS: are those who hunger and thirst
KJV: [are] they which do hunger and
INT: Blessed they who hunger and thirst for

Matthew 12:1 V-AIA-3P
GRK: μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπείνασαν καὶ ἤρξαντο
NAS: and His disciples became hungry and began
KJV: disciples were an hungred, and
INT: [the] disciples of him were hungry and began

Matthew 12:3 V-AIA-3S
GRK: Δαυὶδ ὅτε ἐπείνασεν καὶ οἱ
NAS: when he became hungry, he and his companions,
KJV: when he was an hungred, and they
INT: David when he hungered and those

Matthew 21:18 V-AIA-3S
GRK: τὴν πόλιν ἐπείνασεν
NAS: to the city, He became hungry.
KJV: into the city, he hungered.
INT: the city he hungered

Matthew 25:35 V-AIA-1S
GRK: ἐπείνασα γὰρ καὶ
NAS: For I was hungry, and you gave
KJV: For I was an hungred, and ye gave
INT: I hungered indeed and

Matthew 25:37 V-PPA-AMS
GRK: σε εἴδομεν πεινῶντα καὶ ἐθρέψαμεν
NAS: did we see You hungry, and feed
KJV: saw we thee an hungred, and fed
INT: you saw we hungering and fed [you]

Matthew 25:42 V-AIA-1S
GRK: ἐπείνασα γὰρ καὶ
NAS: for I was hungry, and you gave
KJV: For I was an hungred, and ye gave
INT: I hungered indeed and

Matthew 25:44 V-PPA-AMS
GRK: σε εἴδομεν πεινῶντα ἢ διψῶντα
NAS: did we see You hungry, or
KJV: saw we thee an hungred, or athirst,
INT: you saw we hungering or thirsting

Mark 2:25 V-AIA-3S
GRK: ἔσχεν καὶ ἐπείνασεν αὐτὸς καὶ
NAS: and he and his companions became hungry;
KJV: need, and was an hungred, he, and
INT: he had and hungered he and

Mark 11:12 V-AIA-3S
GRK: ἀπὸ Βηθανίας ἐπείνασεν
NAS: Bethany, He became hungry.
KJV: from Bethany, he was hungry:
INT: from Bethany he hungered

Luke 1:53 V-PPA-AMP
GRK: πεινῶντας ἐνέπλησεν ἀγαθῶν
NAS: HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS;
KJV: He hath filled the hungry with good things;
INT: [the] hungry he filled with good things

Luke 4:2 V-AIA-3S
GRK: συντελεσθεισῶν αὐτῶν ἐπείνασεν
NAS: and when they had ended, He became hungry.
KJV: were ended, he afterward hungered.
INT: having ended they he hungered

Luke 6:3 V-AIA-3S
GRK: Δαυὶδ ὅτε ἐπείνασεν αὐτὸς καὶ
NAS: when he was hungry, he and those
KJV: himself was an hungred, and
INT: David when he hungered himself and

Luke 6:21 V-PPA-NMP
GRK: μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες νῦν ὅτι
NAS: Blessed [are] you who hunger now,
KJV: Blessed [are ye] that hunger now: for
INT: Blessed [you] who hunger now for

Luke 6:25 V-FIA-2P
GRK: νῦν ὅτι πεινάσετε οὐαί οἱ
NAS: now, for you shall be hungry. Woe
KJV: for ye shall hunger. Woe
INT: now for you will hunger Woe to you who

John 6:35 V-ASA-3S
GRK: οὐ μὴ πεινάσῃ καὶ ὁ
NAS: he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes
KJV: shall never hunger; and
INT: never not might hunger and he that

Romans 12:20 V-PSA-3S
GRK: ἀλλὰ ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός
NAS: YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED
KJV: thine enemy hunger, feed him;
INT: but If should hunger the enemy

1 Corinthians 4:11 V-PIA-1P
GRK: ὥρας καὶ πεινῶμεν καὶ διψῶμεν
NAS: we are both hungry and thirsty,
KJV: we both hunger, and thirst,
INT: hour both we hunger and thirst

1 Corinthians 11:21 V-PIA-3S
GRK: ὃς μὲν πεινᾷ ὃς δὲ
NAS: and one is hungry and another
KJV: and one is hungry, and another
INT: one indeed is hungry one moreover

1 Corinthians 11:34 V-PIA-3S
GRK: εἴ τις πεινᾷ ἐν οἴκῳ
NAS: anyone is hungry, let him eat
KJV: And if any man hunger, let him eat at
INT: if anyone be hungry at home

Philippians 4:12 V-PNA
GRK: χορτάζεσθαι καὶ πεινᾷν καὶ περισσεύειν
NAS: of being filled and going hungry, both
KJV: and to be hungry, both
INT: to be full both to hunger and to abound

Revelation 7:16 V-FIA-3P
GRK: οὐ πεινάσουσιν ἔτι οὐδὲ
NAS: They will hunger no longer,
KJV: They shall hunger no more,
INT: not they will hunger any more neither

Strong's Greek 3983
23 Occurrences

ἐπείνασα — 2 Occ.
ἐπείνασαν — 1 Occ.
ἐπείνασεν — 7 Occ.
πεινᾷ — 3 Occ.
πεινᾷν — 1 Occ.
πεινάσῃ — 1 Occ.
πεινάσετε — 1 Occ.
πεινάσουσιν — 1 Occ.
πεινῶμεν — 1 Occ.
πεινῶντα — 2 Occ.
πεινῶντας — 1 Occ.
πεινῶντες — 2 Occ.