Lexical Summary stenochória: Distress, anguish, difficulty, trouble Original Word: στενοχωρία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance anguish, distress. From a compound of stenos and chora; narrowness of room, i.e. (figuratively) calamity -- anguish, distress. see GREEK stenos see GREEK chora HELPS Word-studies 4730 stenoxōría (from 4728 /stenós, "narrow, confined" and 5561 /xṓra, "space, territory, area") – properly, a narrow place; (figuratively) a difficult circumstance – which God always authorized and hence only produces a temporal sense of confinement. Through Christ's inworking of faith (4102 /pístis, "divine persuasion"), internal distress (sense of pressure, anguish) is ironically the way He shows His limitless work – in our "limitations"! [Ro 2:9 however uses 4730 (stenoxōría) for negative confinements (inner distress), that result from living outside of God's will.] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom stenos and chóros (space) Definition narrowness of space, fig. difficulty NASB Translation difficulties (1), distress (2), distresses (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4730: στενοχωρίαστενοχωρία, στενοχωρίας, ἡ (στενόχωρος), narrowness of place, a narrow space (Isaiah 8:22 (others take this as metaphorically); Thucydides, Plato, others); metaphorically, dire calamity, extreme affliction, (A. V. distress, anguish): Romans 2:9; Romans 8:35; 2 Corinthians 6:4; 2 Corinthians 12:10. (Deuteronomy 28:53, 55, 57; Sir. 10:26; (Wis. 5:3); 1 Macc. 2:53 1 Macc. 13:3; Polybius 1, 67, 1; (Artemidorus Daldianus, oeir. 3, 14); Aelian v. h. 2, 41; (others).) (Cf. Trench, § lv.) Topical Lexicon Concept and ScopeStrong’s Greek 4730 focuses on the crushing sense of being hemmed in by hostile circumstances—emotional, spiritual, relational, or physical. It portrays pressure so intense that it seems to eliminate options for relief, yet within Scripture it consistently serves God’s redemptive purposes. Canonical Distribution The term appears only in Pauline writings (Romans 2:9; Romans 8:35; 2 Corinthians 6:4; 2 Corinthians 12:10). Every setting contrasts human helplessness under pressure with divine justice, faithfulness, or empowerment. Romans 2:9 – Judicial Distress for the Unrepentant “There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Greek.” Paul couples “trouble” (the outward squeeze) with “distress” (the inward anguish) to describe retribution at the final judgment. The pairing underscores that God’s wrath is not merely theoretical; it produces felt confinement with no avenue of escape for the unrepentant. Moral accountability, therefore, cannot be evaded by status, heritage, or ignorance. Romans 8:35 – No Distress Can Sever the Believer “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” Here the same pressure that dooms the ungodly cannot disengage the believer from Christ’s covenant love. Paul moves the term from a sentence of condemnation (Romans 2:9) to a powerless antagonist (Romans 8:35). The gospel transforms distress from final doom into a defeated threat. 2 Corinthians 6:4 – Credential of Authentic Ministry “but in every way as servants of God we commend ourselves: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities” Paul lists distress among the conditions that validate, rather than invalidate, apostolic ministry. Genuine servants do not escape constriction; they prove God’s sustaining grace within it. The church’s leaders are thus measured not by the absence of hardship but by Spirit-enabled perseverance inside the squeeze. 2 Corinthians 12:10 – Occasion for Christ’s Power “For the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Distress joins a catalog of weaknesses that become platforms for divine strength. The apostle’s paradox—delight in pressure—flows from the conviction that Christ’s power “tabernacles” over those who acknowledge their limits (12:9). Old Testament Resonance The concept echoes the Hebrew imagery of being pressed in a narrow place (e.g., Psalm 118:5, “From my distress I called to the LORD”). The Septuagint often uses similar Greek roots to translate such passages, preparing readers for Paul’s usage. The theme moves from Israel’s national crises to personal apostolic experience, highlighting continuity in God’s dealings with His people. Theological Trajectory 1. Retributive: Unrepentant sin culminates in inescapable distress (Romans 2:9). Pastoral and Practical Application • Assurance: Believers facing suffocating circumstances can rest in Romans 8:35; distress cannot nullify Christ’s hold. Historical Witness Early church testimony—from Acts’ imprisonments to second-century martyr narratives—confirms the pattern: constriction intensified the church’s proclamation. Distress became a proving ground that advanced, rather than stifled, the gospel. Eschatological Outlook Scripture forecasts intensified global distress before the Lord’s return (e.g., Luke 21:25-28). For the unregenerate it portends judgment; for the faithful it signals imminent redemption. Present experiences of pressure therefore function as rehearsals, training believers to stand firm when the ultimate narrowing arrives. Summary Strong’s 4730 frames the believer’s experience of pressure within God’s larger story: judgment for the hardened, security for the redeemed, authenticity for servants, and strength for the weak. Far from negating faith, the tight spaces of life display the sovereignty, justice, and steadfast love of God. Forms and Transliterations στένουσι στένουσιν στενοχωρια στενοχωρία στενοχωριαις στενοχωρίαις στένων στένωσις στερεοκάρδιοι stenochoria stenochoría stenochōria stenochōría stenochoriais stenochoríais stenochōriais stenochōríaisLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Romans 2:9 N-NFSGRK: θλίψις καὶ στενοχωρία ἐπὶ πᾶσαν NAS: [There will be] tribulation and distress for every KJV: Tribulation and anguish, upon every INT: tribulation and distress on every Romans 8:35 N-NFS 2 Corinthians 6:4 N-DFP 2 Corinthians 12:10 N-DFP Strong's Greek 4730 |
    |