Greek word · G5042
τεκνογονία
teknogonia
childbearing
The bearing (or producing) of children, built from teknon 'child' and the root of gignomai/gennaō 'beget, give birth'. In wider usage it can extend from the act of giving birth to the whole task of having and bringing up children.
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
From the study of 1 Timothy 2:15
- Range of meaning
The bearing (or producing) of children, built from teknon 'child' and the root of gignomai/gennaō 'beget, give birth'. In wider usage it can extend from the act of giving birth to the whole task of having and bringing up children.
- Against the English
'Childbearing' (KJV, BSB, ESV, NIV), 'the bearing of children' (NASB). WEB's 'her childbearing' adds a possessive the Greek does not have. YLT's 'the child-bearing' keeps the article.
- Used elsewhere in the period
It occurs only here in the New Testament. BDAG cites it from Greek philosophical and medical writing for the bearing of children. The related verb teknogoneō appears in 1 Tim 5:14 ('marry, bear children, manage the household'). Together the two show the author treating childbearing as part of the ordinary married household life he commends against teachers who 'forbid marriage' (4:3).
Similar words
Where it appears
1 Timothy · 1
-
1 Timothy 2:15 τεκνογονίας childbearing
Women, however, will be saved through childbearing, if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.
Here: Literally 'child-producing', the bearing of children. It occurs only here in the New Testament. The related verb in 5:14 ('I want younger widows to marry, bear children, manage their households') shows the letter uses the word family for ordinary motherhood within married household life.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.