μετριοπαθέω

From the study of Hebrews 5:2

Range of meaning

From metrios ('measured, moderate') and pathos ('feeling, passion'). It means to keep your emotions in proportion: to restrain anger, to bear with someone, to grieve within bounds, to treat someone with moderation rather than severity. The related noun metriopatheia was a technical term in Greek ethics. The Stoics held that the wise person should be free of passion (apatheia). The Aristotelian school taught that the wise person should have passions but in due measure (metriopatheia).

Against the English

KJV 'have compassion' makes it warmer and stronger than it is, as if it meant deep shared feeling. 'Deal gently' (BSB, NIV, ESV, WEB) is close, but it can lose the core idea of measure: the priest does not overreact with anger at people's failures, and he does not shrug at sin either.

How it drifted

KJV's 'compassion' comes through the Latin Vulgate, which translates the word as condolere, 'to suffer with'. That pulls it toward the language of Hebrews 4:15, where Jesus 'sympathises' (sympatheō, a different word).

Used elsewhere in the period

Diogenes Laertius (5.31) reports Aristotle's view that the wise person is not 'without passion' but 'moderate in passion' (metriopathēs). Philo (Allegorical Interpretation 3.129–134) contrasts Moses, who cuts anger out completely, with Aaron, the first high priest, who practises metriopatheia, moderating his passions. Philo also praises Abraham for grieving Sarah moderately, neither too much nor not at all (On Abraham 255–257). Josephus (Antiquities 12.128) uses the verb for Vespasian and Titus showing restraint toward the Jews rather than punishing them. Plutarch uses the noun often.