Greek word · G4036

περίλυπος

perilypos

sorrowful

"Deeply grieved, very sad". It is built from lypē (pain, grief, sorrow) and peri- (around), which strengthens it: grief that surrounds a person on every side.

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

What it means

περί-λυπος, -ον

[in LXX: Psalms 42:5, 11, I Est.8:69, al. ;]

very sad, deeply grieved: Matthew 26:38, Mark 6:26 14:34, Luke 18:23.†

(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 Matthew 26:38

Range of meaning

"Deeply grieved, very sad". It is built from lypē (pain, grief, sorrow) and peri- (around), which strengthens it: grief that surrounds a person on every side. In the New Testament it describes Herod when trapped by his oath (Mark 6:26), the rich ruler who cannot let go of his wealth (Luke 18:23), and Jesus here and in Mark 14:34.

Against the English

KJV/WEB "exceeding(ly) sorrowful" and ESV "very sorrowful" keep the intensity but sound mild to modern ears. NIV "overwhelmed with sorrow", BSB "consumed with sorrow" and NLT "crushed with grief" come closer to the sense of being engulfed. The Vulgate's Latin tristis ("sad") drops the strengthening altogether.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Greek Old Testament uses the exact phrase in the refrain of Psalms 42–43 (numbered 41–42 in the Greek): hina ti perilypos ei, psychē ("Why are you deeply grieved, O soul?", 41:6, 12; 42:5). It translates the Hebrew tishtochachi nafshi, "why are you bowed down, my soul?" The word also appears in Genesis 4:6 (Cain's fallen face) and Daniel 2:12 (Nebuchadnezzar's distress). In general Greek it is a strong but ordinary word for deep grief.

From the study of Luke 18:23

Range of meaning

The word is built from λύπη (grief, pain, distress) with the prefix περί ('around'), which strengthens it: 'grieved all around', overwhelmed with sorrow. It covers deep distress, anguish, and dismay that can leave a person unsettled or downcast.

Against the English

KJV, YLT: 'very sorrowful'. BSB, WEB, ESV, NIV, NASB, NLT: 'very sad'. Today 'sad' often names a mild mood. 'Sorrowful' keeps more of the weight. Neither fully conveys the sense of being surrounded and gripped by grief.

How it drifted

Over time English 'sad' has weakened into an everyday word for feeling a bit down. Its older senses were heavier.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint), God asks Cain, 'Why are you περίλυπος?' (Gen 4:6), and the psalmist asks, 'Why are you περίλυπος, O my soul?' (Ps 41[42]:6, 12). In the New Testament it describes Herod's distress at being trapped by his own oath (Mark 6:26) and Jesus in Gethsemane: 'My soul is περίλυπος, even to death' (Mark 14:34; Matt 26:38). Mark and Matthew tell the ruler's story with the related verb λυπέομαι, 'grieving' (Mark 10:22; Matt 19:22).

From the study of Luke 18:24

Range of meaning

Intensified form of λύπη ('grief, pain'). The prefix περί ('around') makes it 'surrounded by grief': deeply distressed, very sorrowful, grieved to the core.

Against the English

BSB 'sadness', WEB 'very sad', KJV/YLT 'very sorrowful'. 'Sad' on its own is too light. The word suggests real anguish.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Gen 4:6 (God to Cain: 'Why have you become deeply grieved?'); Ps 41/42:5, 11 LXX ('Why are you deeply grieved, my soul?'); Mark 6:26 (Herod's distress over John); Mark 14:34 / Matt 26:38 (Jesus in Gethsemane: 'my soul is deeply grieved, even to death').

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 26:38 περίλυπός Very sorrowful

    Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”

    Here: Grief (lypē) with the prefix peri-, "all around". It means hemmed in by sorrow on every side. The word stands first in the sentence for emphasis, and it repeats the wording of the lament in Psalms 42–43 in the Greek Old Testament: "Why are you deeply grieved, my soul?"

Mark · 2

  1. Mark 6:26 περίλυπος encompassingly sorrowful

    The king was consumed with sorrow, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to refuse her.

  2. Mark 14:34 περίλυπός Very sorrowful

    Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch.”

    Here: Grief at its heaviest. It comes first in the sentence, so the weight falls on it: 'Deeply grieved is my soul.' It is also the word of the lament refrain in Psalms 42 and 43 in their Greek translation.

Luke · 2

  1. Luke 18:23 περίλυπος very sorrowful

    But when the ruler heard this, he became very sad, because he was extremely wealthy.

    Here: 'Grief all around', a heavy distress that surrounds a person. It is not passing disappointment. The same word describes Jesus' own anguish in Gethsemane (Mark 14:34).

  2. Luke 18:24 περίλυπον sorrowful

    Seeing the man’s sadness, Jesus said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!

    Here: 'Grief all around': heavy sorrow, not mild disappointment. The same word describes Jesus' soul in Gethsemane (Mark 14:34).

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