776. asitia

Lexicon

asitia: Fasting, abstinence from food

Original Word: ἀσιτία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: asitia
Pronunciation: ah-see-TEE-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (as-ee-tee'-ah)
Definition: Fasting, abstinence from food
Meaning: either: lack or wheat, lack of food (the literal meaning), or: abstinence from food, a fast, loss of appetite, sea-sickness (the extended meaning).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

abstinence.

From asitos; fasting (the state) -- abstinence.

see GREEK asitos

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from asitos
Definition
abstinence from food
NASB Translation
time without food (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 776: ἀσιτία

ἀσιτία, ἀσιτίας, ἡ (ἄσιτος which see), abstinence from food (whether voluntary or enforced): πολλή long, Acts 27:21. (Herodotus 3, 52; Euripides, Suppl. 1105; (Aristotle, probl. 10, 35; cth. Nic. 10, p. 1180{b}, 9); Josephus, Antiquities 12, 7; others.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek prefix ἀ- (a-), meaning "without," and σῖτος (sitos), meaning "food" or "grain."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for ἀσιτία, the concept of fasting is present in the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew word צוֹם (tsom, Strong's Hebrew 6685) is often used to describe fasting as a religious practice. Another related term is רָעָב (ra'av, Strong's Hebrew 7458), meaning "famine" or "hunger," which can describe a lack of food due to external circumstances, similar to the situation described in Acts 27:21.

Usage: The word ἀσιτία is used in the New Testament to describe situations of fasting or lack of food. It appears in contexts where physical deprivation is either a result of circumstances or a chosen spiritual discipline.

Context: The Greek term ἀσιτία is found in the New Testament, specifically in Acts 27:21, where it describes the condition of the people on the ship with Paul who had gone a long time without food during a storm at sea. The passage highlights the severity of their situation and the physical toll it took on them. In the Berean Standard Bible, Acts 27:21 reads: "After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up among them and said, 'Men, you should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete. Then you would have avoided this disaster and loss.'"

The use of ἀσιτία in this context underscores the dire circumstances faced by Paul and his companions, emphasizing the physical and emotional strain of prolonged fasting due to external conditions. In the broader biblical narrative, fasting is often associated with spiritual practices, repentance, and seeking divine intervention. However, in this instance, it is a result of necessity rather than choice.

The concept of fasting, whether voluntary or involuntary, is significant in biblical theology, often symbolizing dependence on God and a focus on spiritual rather than physical sustenance. The account in Acts serves as a reminder of the human vulnerability to natural forces and the need for divine guidance and provision.

Forms and Transliterations

ασιτιας ασιτίας ἀσιτίας asitias asitías

Englishman's Concordance

Acts 27:21 N-GFS
GRK: Πολλῆς τε ἀσιτίας ὑπαρχούσης τότε
NAS: a long time without food, then
KJV: after long abstinence Paul stood forth
INT: much also abstinence [from food] there being then

Strong's Greek 776
1 Occurrence

ἀσιτίας — 1 Occ.