Greek word · G20

ἀγαλλίασις

agalliasis

joy

Exultation, jubilation: joy that shows outwardly, in shouting, song and festivity. In biblical Greek it is often tied to worship and to God's coming saving acts.

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἀγαλλίασις, -εως, ἡ

(ἀγαλλιάω), [in LXX (most frequently in Pss. and often coupled with εὐφροσύνη, as Psalm 45:15) chiefly for גִּיל ;]

exultation, exuberant joy: Luke 1:44, Acts 2:46, Hebrews 1:9, Jude 1:24; χαρὰ καὶ ἀ., Luke 1:14 (Cremer, 592).†

(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 Hebrews 1:9

Range of meaning

Exultation, jubilation: joy that shows outwardly, in shouting, song and festivity. In biblical Greek it is often tied to worship and to God's coming saving acts.

Against the English

BSB/NIV "joy" and KJV/ESV "gladness" are both fine. "Exultation" (as in the supplied gloss) keeps more of the festive, celebratory force.

Used elsewhere in the period

The word is almost unknown outside Jewish and Christian Greek; it is typical of the Greek Old Testament (frequent in the Psalms). NT: Luke 1:14, 44 (the unborn John "leapt for exultation"); Acts 2:46; Jude 24 ("present you blameless with exultation"). Hebrew behind it here: sason, the joy of weddings and feasts (Jer 7:34; 33:11).

From the study of Jude 1:24

Range of meaning

Exultation, jubilation, leaping or shouting joy. It is festive and public, not only an inner feeling. It is found almost only in biblical and Jewish Greek.

Against the English

BSB/WEB/ESV/NIV/NASB 'great joy', KJV 'exceeding joy', YLT 'gladness'. 'Exceeding' and 'great' rightly signal intensity. 'Gladness' is too mild. None quite conveys the loud, celebrating quality.

How it drifted

In modern English 'joy' often means a quiet inner contentment. The Greek word describes joy that is expressed out loud: shouting, singing, festival.

Used elsewhere in the period

Used heavily in the Greek Psalms for Hebrew rinnah/gil, the ringing cries of worship (e.g., Ps 45:7 LXX = 44:8; Ps 126:2 LXX = 125:2). In the NT: the baby leaping 'for joy' (Luke 1:44), the early believers eating 'with exultation' (Acts 2:46), the 'oil of exultation' (Heb 1:9). 1 Peter 4:13 ties the verb to the final revealing of glory: 'that you may rejoice exultingly (agalliōmenoi) at the revelation of his glory'.

From the study of Acts 2:46

Range of meaning

Exultation, jubilation, exuberant joy that shows itself, often expressed in song, shouting or festal celebration. It is especially joy at God's saving action.

Against the English

'Gladness' (KJV, BSB, WEB, YLT) is accurate but mild. In modern English 'gladness' sounds calm. The Greek is closer to 'jubilation', 'festive joy'.

How it drifted

English 'gladness' has softened over time. The Greek word belongs to the language of worship and celebration.

Used elsewhere in the period

It is mainly a Bible word, frequent in the Septuagint Psalms (e.g. Ps 44[45]:8 'oil of gladness', cited in Heb 1:9; Ps 41[42]:5 'with a voice of exultation' at the festal procession). Luke uses it of the joy at John the Baptist's birth (Luke 1:14, 44). Jude 24 uses it of joy at the end of the age.

Similar words

Where it appears

Luke · 2

  1. Luke 1:14 ἀγαλλίασις, gladness,

    He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,

  2. Luke 1:44 ἀγαλλιάσει exultation

    For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

Acts · 1

  1. Acts 2:46 ἀγαλλιάσει gladness

    With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart,

    Here: Exuberant, festive joy, the kind used for worship, feasts and God's saving acts. It is not a quiet inner contentment.

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 1:9 ἀγαλλιάσεως of exultation

    You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You above Your companions with the oil of joy.”

    Here: "Of exultation": loud, jubilant, festive joy, the kind people show at a coronation or wedding. It translates the Hebrew sason, "rejoicing." It describes what the oil means: it is the oil of celebration.

Jude · 1

  1. Jude 1:24 ἀγαλλιάσει, exultation —

    Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—

    Here: Exuberant, expressed joy, the shouting and celebrating kind found at festivals and in temple worship, often tied to God's final rescue. The scene ends as a celebration, not as a nervous hearing in court.

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