Greek word · G2561
κάκωσις
kakōsis
oppression
Ill-treatment, maltreatment, oppression. It names harm deliberately inflicted on someone, from the verb κακόω, "to do evil to, mistreat". Sometimes it means more broadly a miserable condition that results from such harm.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
κάκωσις, -εως, ἡ
(κακόω) [Ín LXX (for עָנִי, יָדַע, etc.): Exodus 3:7, Jeremiah 2:28, Wisdom of Solomon 3:2, al. ;]
ill-treatment: Acts 7:34 (LXX),†
(AS)
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
Ill-treatment, maltreatment, oppression. It names harm deliberately inflicted on someone, from the verb κακόω, "to do evil to, mistreat". Sometimes it means more broadly a miserable condition that results from such harm.
- Against the English
The KJV, WEB and YLT have "affliction", which today often suggests illness or bad luck. BSB/NIV-type "oppression" is closer: this is suffering imposed by Egypt's forced-labour regime.
- How it drifted
In older English "affliction" naturally covered persecution and ill-treatment. In modern usage it has narrowed toward sickness or general hardship.
- Used elsewhere in the period
In the Septuagint κάκωσις translates Hebrew ʿŏnî ("affliction, humiliation") at Exod 3:7, 17 and Deut 26:7: "the Lord saw our affliction". In Acts, Stephen has already used the verb κακόω for Egypt's treatment of Israel (7:6, quoting Gen 15:13; 7:19, Pharaoh "mistreated our fathers").
Where it appears
Acts · 1
-
Acts 7:34 κάκωσιν oppression
I have indeed seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’
Here: Harm done to people by others: abuse, mistreatment, oppression. It picks up the verb "mistreat" Stephen used in 7:6 and 7:19 for what Egypt did to Israel.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.