663. apotomia

Lexicon

apotomia: Severity, sharpness, abruptness

Original Word: ἀποτομία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: apotomia
Pronunciation: ah-po-toh-MEE-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-ot-om-ee'-ah)
Definition: Severity, sharpness, abruptness
Meaning: (lit: sheerness, of a rock), abruptness, harshness, severity, rigor.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

severity.

From the base of apotomos; (figuratively) decisiveness, i.e. Rigor -- severity.

see GREEK apotomos

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from apo and the same as apotomós
Definition
sharpness, steepness
NASB Translation
severity (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 663: ἀποτομία

ἀποτομία, ἀποτομιας, ἡ (the nature of that which is ἀπότομος, cut off, abrupt, precipitous like a cliff, rough; from ἀποτέμνω), properly, sharpness (differing from ἀποτομή a cutting off, a segment); severity, roughness, rigor: Romans 11:22 (where opposed to χρηστότης, as in Plutarch, de book educ. c. 18 to πραότης, in Dionysius Halicarnassus 8, 61 to τό ἐπιεικές, and in Diodorus, p. 591 (except 83 (fragment 50:32, 27, 3 Dindorf)) to ἡμερότης).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb ἀποτέμνω (apotémnō), meaning "to cut off" or "to sever."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for ἀποτομία, the concept of divine severity or judgment can be related to several Hebrew terms that convey similar ideas. Some of these include:

- חָרוֹן (charon) • often translated as "fury" or "wrath," used to describe God's anger or judgment.
- קָשֶׁה (qasheh) • meaning "hard" or "severe," used in contexts of harshness or difficulty.
- שֶׁבֶר (sheber) • meaning "breaking" or "destruction," often used in the context of judgment or calamity.

These Hebrew terms, like ἀποτομία, emphasize the seriousness and decisiveness of God's actions in response to human disobedience or rebellion.

Usage: The word ἀποτομία is used in the New Testament to describe the severity of God's judgment or actions. It appears in contexts where the emphasis is on the strictness or decisiveness of a particular action or decision.

Context: The Greek term ἀποτομία is found in the New Testament in Romans 11:22, where the Apostle Paul uses it to describe the nature of God's dealings with humanity. In this passage, Paul contrasts the "kindness" and "severity" of God, urging believers to consider both aspects of God's character. The verse reads: "Consider therefore the kindness and severity of God: severity to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in His kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off" (Romans 11:22, BSB).

In this context, ἀποτομία is used to highlight the decisive and uncompromising nature of God's judgment against those who have fallen away. It serves as a warning to the believers in Rome to remain steadfast in their faith and to continue in God's kindness, lest they too experience His severity. The term underscores the dual aspects of God's nature—His grace and mercy towards those who remain faithful, and His strict justice towards those who do not.

Theologically, ἀποτομία reminds readers of the importance of perseverance in faith and the reality of divine judgment. It serves as a call to self-examination and a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God's grace.

Forms and Transliterations

αποτομια ἀποτομία αποτομιαν αποτομίαν ἀποτομίαν apotomia apotomía apotomian apotomían

Englishman's Concordance

Romans 11:22 N-AFS
GRK: χρηστότητα καὶ ἀποτομίαν θεοῦ ἐπὶ
NAS: the kindness and severity of God;
KJV: the goodness and severity of God: on
INT: [the] kindness and severity of God upon

Romans 11:22 N-NFS
GRK: τοὺς πεσόντας ἀποτομία ἐπὶ δὲ
NAS: who fell, severity, but to you, God's
KJV: them which fell, severity; but
INT: those having fallen severity toward however

Strong's Greek 663
2 Occurrences

ἀποτομία — 1 Occ.
ἀποτομίαν — 1 Occ.