Greek word · G2189

ἔχθρα

echthra

hostility

Enmity, hostility: the state of being enemies, whether felt as hatred or acted out as opposition. It is used between individuals, between nations, and between people and God.

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

What it means

ἔχθρα, -ας, ἡ

(ἐχθρός), [in LXX for אֵיבָה, שִׂנְאָה, etc. ;]

enmity: Luke 23:12, Romans 8:7, Galatians 5:20, Ephesians 2:15-16, James 4:4.†

ἀηδία, -ας, ἡ

(ἀ- neg., ἦδος, pleasure), [in LXX: Proverbs 23:29 (שִׂיחַ)* ;]

1. of things or persons, unpleasantness, odiousness (Hipp., Dem., al.)

2. dislike (Plat.). disagreement (MM, VGT, see word): Luke 23:12 D.†

(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 Ephesians 2:16

Range of meaning

Enmity, hostility: the state of being enemies, whether felt as hatred or acted out as opposition. It is used between individuals, between nations, and between people and God.

Against the English

"Enmity" (KJV, YLT) and "hostility" (BSB, WEB, NIV, ESV) are both good. Some versions add a possessive ("their hostility," NIV/BSB; "our hostility toward each other," NLT). That narrows the word to the human, Jew–Gentile enmity, which the Greek does not specify.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Gen 3:15, "I will put enmity (ἔχθραν) between you and the woman"; Luke 23:12, Herod and Pilate, formerly "in enmity," become friends; Rom 8:7, "the mind of the flesh is enmity toward God"; Jas 4:4, "friendship with the world is enmity with God"; Gal 5:20, in the list of works of the flesh.

From the study of James 4:4

Range of meaning

Enmity, hostility, a state of being at odds with someone, whether personal, military or political. Echthros means a personal or public enemy, the opposite of philos.

Against the English

KJV and YLT have "enmity", which is accurate but archaic. "Hostility" (BSB, WEB, NASB) is clearer. Neither should be weakened into "distance from God" or "displeasing God". The word means being on the opposing side.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Septuagint of Genesis 3:15 God puts "enmity" between the serpent and the woman. Romans 8:7: "the mind of the flesh is enmity toward God". Luke 23:12 contrasts former "enmity" with new friendship. In Greek treaty language friend and enemy are the two possible standings.

From the study of Romans 8:7

Range of meaning

Enmity, hostility: the state or relationship of being enemies. In the Greco-Roman world enmity was a recognized social relationship, the reverse of friendship (philia), with its own expectations of opposition.

Against the English

KJV/YLT 'enmity' keeps the noun. BSB/ESV/NIV/WEB 'hostile' turns it into an adjective, which is clear but slightly softer: it describes an attitude rather than a relationship of open war.

Used elsewhere in the period

Luke 23:12: Herod and Pilate had been 'at enmity' (en echthra) before they became friends. James 4:4: 'friendship with the world is enmity with God.' Ephesians 2:14–16: Christ destroys 'the enmity'. Romans 5:10 uses the related noun: 'while we were enemies (echthroi) we were reconciled'.

Similar words

Where it appears

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 23:12 ἔχθρᾳ enmity

    That day Herod and Pilate became friends; before this time they had been enemies.

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 8:7 ἔχθρα [is] hostility

    because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

    Here: A noun, not an adjective: the mindset of the flesh *is* enmity. It is the standing relationship of being enemies, the opposite of the 'peace' in verse 6.

Galatians · 1

  1. Galatians 5:20 ἔχθραι, enmities,

    idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions,

    Here: Plural: standing hostilities between people, acts and relationships of being enemies, not only a private feeling of hate. It is the exact reverse of "love," the first fruit of the Spirit in 5:22.

Ephesians · 1

  1. Ephesians 2:16 ἔχθραν hostility

    and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility.

    Here: Active enmity, the condition of being enemies. In context it covers the Jew–Gentile hostility of v.14 and, because the reconciliation is "to God," humanity's hostility toward God as well.

James · 1

  1. James 4:4 ἔχθρα hostility

    You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.

    Here: An active state of hostility, the exact opposite of philia. Placed directly against "friendship", it means that taking one side is opposing the other.

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