Greek word · G1079

γενετή

genetē

birth

γενετή means birth. The phrase ἐκ γενετῆς means "from birth" and was a standard Greek way to describe a condition someone was born with.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

γενετή, -ῆς, ἡ = γενεή, Ion. for γενεά,

[in LXX: Leviticus 25:47 (עֵקֶר מִשְׁפָּחָו), Esther 4:17 * ;]

birth: ἐκ γ., John 9:1.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of John 9:1

Range of meaning

γενετή means birth. The phrase ἐκ γενετῆς means "from birth" and was a standard Greek way to describe a condition someone was born with.

Against the English

"From birth" is exact. The KJV's "from his birth" adds "his" in italics, which is harmless.

Used elsewhere in the period

The phrase is used in Greek from Homer onward (BDAG s.v. γενετή), including in medical and philosophical writing about inborn defects. Elsewhere in the New Testament, Luke uses a different phrase, "from his mother's womb" (Acts 3:2; 14:8), for men lame from birth.

Where it appears

John · 1

  1. John 9:1 γενετῆς. birth.

    Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth,

    Here: "Birth." The noun appears only here in the New Testament. "From birth" marks the case as one that could not be cured. It explains both the disciples' question about sin (9:2) and the later claim that no one had ever heard of such a healing (9:32).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.