Greek word · G136
αἶνος
ainos
praise
In biblical Greek, praise, especially praise addressed to God. In older Greek also a tale, fable or meaningful saying (Aesop's fables were ainoi) and a speech of commendation.
Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
αἶνος, ου, ὁ,
[in LXX for הלל pi, עֹז ;]
poët, and Ion.,
1. = μῦθος, a tale (Horn., al.).
2. = Att. ἔπαινος, praise (Horn., al.): Matthew 21:16 (LXX), Luke 18:43.
3. In π., a decree (MM, VGT, see word).
† (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 Matthew 21:16
- Range of meaning
In biblical Greek, praise, especially praise addressed to God. In older Greek also a tale, fable or meaningful saying (Aesop's fables were ainoi) and a speech of commendation.
- Against the English
Every major English version says 'praise', and that is accurate. What English misses is that it stands in for a different Hebrew word (see effect_here).
- Used elsewhere in the period
In the NT only here and in Luke 18:43 ('all the people gave praise to God'). Frequent in the Greek Psalms for worship of God. The Hebrew of Psalm 8:3 has ʿoz, 'strength, might', and the Greek translators rendered it 'praise'. The two ideas sit side by side elsewhere: 'ascribe to the LORD glory and strength' (Psalm 29:1; 96:7).
- Range of meaning
In classical Greek: a story or fable, a saying, and also praise. In the Greek Old Testament it means praise addressed to God, especially in the Psalms. The related verb aineō, "to praise", appears in Luke 2:13, 2:20 and 19:37.
- Against the English
BSB, KJV and ESV render it "gave praise", which keeps the giving idiom. WEB, NIV and NLT have just "praised", which reads naturally but loses the picture of handing something over.
- Used elsewhere in the period
The noun appears in the New Testament only here and in Matthew 21:16, which quotes Psalm 8:3 in Greek: "you have prepared praise". It sounds like the language of worship and the psalms, close to the Old Testament formula "give glory/praise to the LORD" (for example Joshua 7:19 and Jeremiah 13:16).
Where it appears
Matthew · 1
-
Matthew 21:16 αἶνον;¶ praise’?
“Do You hear what these children are saying?” they asked. “Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read: ‘From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise’?”
Here: Praise addressed to God, the word used for worship in the Greek Psalms. Jesus applies it to the children's acclamation of himself as Son of David.
Luke · 1
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Luke 18:43 αἶνον praise
Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
Here: Spoken praise. The noun is rare in the New Testament (only here and Matthew 21:16) but common in the Greek psalms, so it gives the scene a temple-worship tone.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.