Greek word · G1516

εἰρηνικός

eirēnikos

peaceful

Literally 'peaceable words'. Behind it lies Hebrew divrei shalom, 'words of shalom'. Both the Hebrew phrase and the Greek εἰρηνικός carry the sense of a negotiated settlement.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

είρηνικός, -ή, -όν

(εἰρήνη), [in LXX for שָׁלוֹם and cognates ;]

peaceful: Hebrews 12:11, James 3:17.†

(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 1 Maccabees 7:15

Range of meaning

Literally 'peaceable words'. Behind it lies Hebrew divrei shalom, 'words of shalom'. Shalom covers safety, wholeness and a settled relationship, so 'words of peace' can mean (1) a formal offer of peace terms between hostile parties (Deut 2:26, where Moses sends 'words of peace' to Sihon), (2) assurances of safety or amnesty, or (3) friendly greetings. Both the Hebrew phrase and the Greek εἰρηνικός carry the sense of a negotiated settlement.

Against the English

KJV and Brenton's 'spake peaceably' makes it sound like a calm, gentle tone of voice. WEB's 'words of peace' is closer: the point is what was said, an offer of safety and terms, not just a friendly manner.

How it drifted

English 'peaceably' now describes behaviour ('they protested peaceably'). The older diplomatic sense, offering terms of peace, has largely dropped away.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Deut 2:26 (λόγοις εἰρηνικοῖς to Sihon). The Psalms and prophets know the phrase as a cover for treachery: Ps 35:20 ('they do not speak peace, but devise deceitful words'), Jer 9:8 ('with his mouth each speaks peace to his neighbour, but in his heart he sets an ambush'), Ps 28:3. In 1 Maccabees it becomes a running motif of betrayal: 1:30 (the Seleucid officer 'spoke peaceable words in deceit' and then fell on Jerusalem), 7:10 (Bacchides and Alcimus send 'peaceable words in deceit' to Judas, who refuses them), 7:27 (Nicanor does the same).

Where it appears

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 12:11 εἰρηνικὸν peaceable

    No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

    Here: 'Peaceful', in contrast to the strain and struggle of training. Behind it lies the Hebrew sense of peace as wholeness and well-being (shalom). See 12:14: 'pursue peace with all'.

James · 1

  1. James 3:17 εἰρηνική, peaceable,

    But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.

    Here: Inclined toward peace and making it. It is set directly against the 'disorder' of verse 16 and points ahead to the peacemakers of verse 18.

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