Greek word · G2184
ἐφήμερος
ephēmeros
daily
Lasting a day, for the day, or enough for the day. In classical Greek it also meant short-lived, which is where English 'ephemeral' comes from, and humans could be called ephēmeroi, 'creatures of a day'.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
Lasting a day, for the day, or enough for the day. In classical Greek it also meant short-lived, which is where English 'ephemeral' comes from, and humans could be called ephēmeroi, 'creatures of a day'.
- Against the English
'Daily food' is accurate, but English 'daily' can suggest 'regular, every day'. The Greek points to food for this one day: today's meal, with nothing stored up.
- Used elsewhere in the period
The phrase 'the food for the day' (hē ephēmeros trophē) appears in Hellenistic writers for the bare subsistence ration. It is not the same word as the epiousios ('daily'/'for tomorrow') of the Lord's Prayer (Matt 6:11), though the concern is close.
Similar words
Where it appears
James · 1
-
James 2:15 ἐφημέρου of daily
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
Here: 'Lasting for, or enough for, one day.' This is the only time the word appears in the New Testament. The person lacks not luxuries, and not even a stored supply, but today's bare meal.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.