Biblical Context: Top 10 Greek Words That Are Tricky To Translate

INTRODUCTION

Translators of the Bible have a tough job of balancing faithfulness to the original text and conveying the overall meaning of the words. In ancient Greek, there are three different words for “life” and four for “love” — how do you convey their different meanings when separate terms in English don’t exist? If every biblical term was rendered literally, it would be better to go swimming with a “donkey’s millstone” tied around your neck than cause others to stumble. And when Jesus saw the lost people of Israel, his “bowels moved”. However, back in Judea during the first century, everyone knew what a donkey’s millstone was and that a movement within one’s bowels had nothing to do with toileting routines. But nowadays, when we don’t have pack animals in garages, it’s probably wisest to translate the original Greek terms of the New Testament into reasonably equivalent phrases in modern languages. It’s better to go swimming with a “giant rock” tied around your than cause others to stumble, and when Jesus saw his spiritually lost countrymen, his heart was stirred with compassion. Makes more sense, right? 

However, even the best efforts to translate the Bible faithfully into modern language will result in some of the original meaning getting lost in translation. 

It takes significant time and effort to dig deep into ancient manuscripts to discover the treasures hidden there. Here are ten biblical words and phrases from the Gospels that are some of the toughest to render into modern English. They each contain nuggets of truth that apply to us thousands of years later.

1. EKPLESSO: “BLOWN AWAY!”

Part of Speech: verb

Pronunciation: ek-place'-so

Strong’s Concordance Number: G1605

They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath [Jesus] entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. (Mark 1:21-22, ESV)

Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. (Matthew 15: 30-31, NKJV)

All of the Gospel writers except John use the Greek word ekplesso. The term occurs thirteen times in the New Testament, twelve of which are in the Gospels in reference to Jesus. It’s derived from ek (“away”) and plesso (“strike”), which literally translates to “strike off,” “drive out,” or “blow away.” However, when used figuratively, ekplesso describes being dumbfounded and common renderings in English include “astonished” or “amazed.” Coincidentally, to be “blown away” in today’s language is a colloquial way of referring to profound amazement. Although it may seem like a colloquial (slangy) way to translate it, “blown away” is actually quite literal.

A paraphrased version of Mark 1:21-22 and Luke 4:31-32 would read like this:

Immediately [Jesus] went into the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach. They were blown away at his teaching, because his words had such authority, unlike the scribes. 

Jesus blew people away with his teaching and miracles, just as he does today.

2. SPLAGCHNIZOMAI: “BOWEL MOVEMENT”

Part of Speech: verb

Pronunciation: splangkh-nid'-zom-ahee

Strong’s Concordance Number: G4697

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.  (Mt 14:14, ESV)

As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” (Lk 7:12-13, NIV)

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. (Mt 9:36, NKJV)

Throughout history, the seat of emotions has been referred to as various parts of the body. Nowadays, we attribute our deepest sense of self to our heart and the place where thoughts occur as the brain, but in Hebrew it was kidneys (kilyâ) in Hebrew. Similarly, we refer to the place where thoughts occur as the brain, but it was the heart (lēḇ) in much of the Old Testament

My inmost being (kilyâ, kidneys) will exult when your lips speak what is right. (Pr 23:16, ESV)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart (lēḇ, mind) be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. (Ps 19:14, NKJV)

Similarly, splagchnizomai is a word in the New Testament that directly translates to “move one’s bowels.” However, Greek-speaking Jews in the first century referred to the bowels as the seat of emotion and personhood. Unlike the current meaning of having a bowel movement, splagchnizomai refers to having a deep emotional feeling in one’s gut. More specifically, it referred to feeling sympathy or pity, similar to the expression of being “moved” emotionally. It occurs twelve times in the New Testament, often translated as “have compassion”.

Metaphorical body parts in the Bible don’t mean the same thing back then as they do today, so translators often swap in equivalent terms. Either way, people are not just physical beings — we all have a mind and a spirit, regardless of what physical organs they may be likened to.

3. PATRIS: “FATHERLAND” 

Part of Speech: feminine noun

Pronunciation: pat-rece'

Strong’s Concordance Number: G3968

Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, only because they had seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast. (Jn 4:44-45, NASB)

Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’” “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” (Lk 4:23-24, NIV)

Patris occurs eight times in the New Testament; all four Gospel writers use this term. The most literal translation is “fatherland”, derived from the Greek word for “father” (pater). 

Like other European languages, Greek nouns have masculine, feminine, or neutral connotations. Interestingly, patris is actually a feminine noun, not masculine as we might expect from a male-derived term. 

English Bibles tend to translate patris as “your own country” or “hometown”. The Spanish equivalent is “su propia tierra”. French, however, has a word — patrie — that is directly derived from the Greek, which is what tends to occur in francophone Bibles. German Bibles similarly uses a literal translation of patris. Before and during World War II, the Nazis referred to Germany as the Fatherland (vaterland) in an effort to unite German-speaking Aryan people groups, perhaps denoting the same divine endowment that Israel had in the Bible. Thus, it became a fiercely nationalistic term, with deep-seated racial prejudice.  However, the use of “fatherland” predates the Nazis by thousands of years and is a more literal translation of patris than “homeland” or “own country”. 

In patriarchal Jewish society, land and estates were passed down through the generations from fathers to sons and were strongly tied with personal identity. To inherit land was to be part of the legitimate people of God. Thus, patris in the Bible doesn’t just denote where one was born and raised, it’s a cultural and religious identifier. 

4. ONIKOS MYLOS: “DONKEY’S MILLSTONE”

Part of Speech: phrase (adjective, masculine noun)

Pronunciation: on-ik-os' moo'-los

Strong’s Concordance Number: G3684. G3458

Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it is better for him if a heavy millstone is hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea. (Mk 9:42, NASB)

Millstones were large stone wheels with a hole drilled through the middle to facilitate an axle. It was pulled on a slab to grind grain or press olives. Sometimes millstones were so large and heavy that only pack animals could operate them. Thus, a “donkey’s millstone” (onikos mylos, as it occurs in the original Gospel texts) was one of the largest functional rocks in ancient societies.

Nowadays, millstones aren’t used anymore. Nor are donkeys used for transportation or everyday tasks, so translating onikos mylos literally doesn’t make much sense to the modern reader. However, the concept it illustrates is still impressive. A pack animal might struggle to pull such a stone around a pole, so what are the chances of keeping your head above water with one of them tied around your neck?

5. EMBRIMAOMAI: “SNORT WITH ANGER”

Part of Speech: verb

Pronunciation:  em-brim-ah'-om-ahee

Strong’s Concordance Number: G1690

Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. (Jn 11:32-40, ESV)

As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once. (Mk 1:42-43, NKJV)

The Greek word embrimaomai occurs five times in the New Testament, often in the context of a sharp rebuke or stern warning. It comes from the word brimaomai, which literally means “snort angrily.” Thus, embrimaomai refers to being stirred up with anger. Nowadays we might say “hot and bothered” or “ticked off”. “Irate” is a reasonable English equivalent but still doesn’t capture the strong language or visceral anger of Jesus’ emotional response. NLT captures it reasonably well as “a deep anger welled up within him”, but considerably wordier. 

Even in the passages that refer to a warning, embrimaomai was no subtle suggestion but a stern command from someone who had the power to follow through with its enforcement. The imagery is potent: think of a bull snorting angrily and you’ll get a picture of how Jesus felt in those moments.  

6. EUKARIOS: “GOOD TIME” 

Part of Speech: adjective

Pronunciation:  yoo'-kahee-ros

Strong’s Concordance Number: G2121

Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death, and could not do so; for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he had been protecting him. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; and yet he used to enjoy listening to him. An opportune day came when Herod, on his birthday, held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders, and the leading people of Galilee… (Mk 6:19-21, NASB)

Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Heb 4:16, NLT)

Eukarios is a Greek term that translates literally to “good time,” from the words eu (“good”) and kairos (“time”). Contrary to the modern meaning of “having a good time” (i.e. enjoying oneself), this ancient word is probably best understood as the moment when conditions are ideal for a particular objective. Many Bibles translate it as “opportune time”, “strategic day”, or simply “opportunity”. 

To be sure, John’s death wasn’t a “good time” for Jesus or his followers, just the “right time” for Herodias to murder a good man who criticized her.

7. ASELGIA: “INCONTINENT”

Part of Speech: feminine noun

Pronunciation: as-elg'-i-a

Strong’s Concordance Number: G766

From within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. (Mk 7:21-22, ESV)

Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered… They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception. (2 Pet 2:2,18, NLT)

The literal translation is of aslegia, but it seems to be a combination of the prefix a- (meaning “un-”) and selges. This second half of the word doesn’t occur in the Bible but generally refers to the ability to control one’s bowel or bladder function. Thus, aselgia literally means  “incontinent”.

The ancient city of Selge was a colony founded by the Spartans in the region of Pisidia (now southern Turkey). It was located in an exceptionally fertile area, with rich farming and an active logging industry. Because of its impressive rule of law, Selge rose to prominence among the cities of Pisidia, with a strong army renowned for its valor. It’s possible that such a respectable and dignified city influenced the Greek term selges to mean “composed”, “honorable”, or emotionally continent.

Aselgia has been called the ugliest word in the New Testament. However, in contrast to toileting habits, aselgia was a metaphorical term that referred to gross immorality. It can translate to “sensuality” or “lewdness”. It denoted extreme sexual licentiousness or violence, particularly when someone shocks public decency with blatant sinfulness — everything opposite to what the noble citizens of Selge would do.

Aselgia isn’t used commonly in the Bible - only once in the Gospels - but nine other times in the rest of the New Testament, most prominently by Peter in reference to the behavior of Sodom and Gomorrah before their destruction — drunken orgies and debauchery. It’s all about nasty behavior without the sense to be ashamed of it. Aselgia is difficult to translate into English because such base, shameless behavior can encompass so many different sins. 

8. PECHYS and STADIA: “ELBOW” and “ARENA” 

Part of Speech: masculine noun, neutral noun

Pronunciation: pay'-khoos, stad'-ee-on

Strong’s Concordance Number: G4083, G4712

Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? (Mt 6:27, NKJV)

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits away, dragging the net full of fish. (Jn 21:7-8, NASB)

The sea began getting rough, because a strong wind was blowing. Then, when they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat; and they were frightened. (Jn 6:18-19, NASB)

Ancient measurements of short distances were often based on body parts. The cubit comes from the Latin cubitum (“elbow”), referring to the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, about 45 centimeters (18 inches). Two hundred cubits was about a hundred yards, the length of a football field. The equivalent Hebrew term was ammah and the Greek term was pechys, both of which are derived from the word for “elbow” in their respective languages. Other distances were based on the cubit and/or other body parts:

• Span: distance between extended thumb and little finger, equal to 1/2 of a cubit

• Handbreadth: width of the hand at the knuckles, equal to 1/6 of a cubit

• Finger: width of one finger, equal to 1/4 of a handbreadth or 1/24 of a cubit

• Fathom: width of the outstretched arms, equal to 4 cubits

• Rod, Reed: 6 cubits

These measurements weren’t universally standardized and varied somewhat between regions.

Long distances, by contrast, were often measured in stadia. The Greeks held running races in large arenas, which is where the English “stadium” comes from. The running event itself (stadion or stade) was a prestigious part of the ancient Olympic Games. At the trumpet blast, participants sprinted nude along a dirt track to the finish line where race officials determined the winner. Thus the stadion subsequently became a unit of distance measuring 600 feet (185 meters), according to the length of the race track. Most Bibles convert such distances into modern equivalents. 25 to 30 stadia was about three miles or (five kilometers). 

The distances themselves are not difficult to transpose into modern equivalents, but the common terms (like pechys and stadia) reflect the ancient cultures the original Scriptures were addressed to. There were no measuring tapes or range finders back then, just body parts and landmarks. 

9. KERATION: “LITTLE HORN” 

Part of Speech: Noun

Pronunciation: ker-at'-ee-on

Strong’s Concordance Number: G2769

About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. (Lk 15:14-16, NLT)

Carob trees (Ceratonia siliqua) are flowering shrubs in the pea family that grow throughout the Mediterranean. Their fruit is a long pod that takes about a year to develop and ripen. Carob trees are also called St. John’s trees, since the seeds in the pods resemble the shape of locusts, which was the unusual diet of John the Baptizer. Similarly, their Greek name, keration, translates to “little horn,” due to their horned shape. As food, carob was usually dried or roasted and had a sweet taste, but was generally reserved for the poor, since it was so inexpensive. It was also a common means of feeding pigs.

This single occurrence by Luke is the only time keration occurs in the Bible. Carob pods are not well known elsewhere in the world, so translating such a fruit into an English equivalent is difficult. It’s usually rendered as “pods”. Whatever the name, nobody of means would be caught dead eating such pig feed. 

10. ARCHITRIKLINOS: “MASTER OF THREE TABLES” 

Part of Speech: Noun

Pronunciation: ar-khee-tree'-klee-nos

Strong’s Concordance Number: G755

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” (Jn 2:7-10, NIV)

At a Jewish feast in the first century, one of the guests was traditionally chosen to be the master of ceremonies, in charge of arranging the tables and tasting the food and wine beforehand. The Greek word for this role is architriklinos, which literally translates to “ruler of three couches.” The term came from the arrangement of reclining seats around three sides of a table, allowing servants access to the table on the fourth side. Other translations call it “headwaiter” (NASB) or “master of the feast” (ESV). The two occurrences in John’s account of Jesus turning water to wine are the only time architriklinos occurs in the Bible. 

The overall meaning had little to do with any number of couches but was all about this prestigious role. Just like today, banquets (particularly related to weddings) were important social affairs with numerous traditions, expectations, and formalities.

SUMMARY

Bible translation teams work very hard. They seek guidance from the Holy Spirit, consult innumerable references, and do their best to render God’s Word into language most people will understand. 

However, there are many words and phrases in the New Testament that have no modern English equivalents. Translating them literally (according to their actual definitions) is often awkward, while translating them loosely (according to their implied meaning) misses some of their original potency. Languages are unique to the cultures that use them, so as time and geography separate people, their respective languages naturally diverge. Such is the case when translating biblical Greek into modern English. We simply live in a different world from the one Jesus walked in. 

Words and phrases that lose some of their potency are par for the course when dealing with ancient manuscripts. However, sometimes biblical truths are buried deep in the text, requiring extensive excavation to fully understand Jesus’ impact in this world. It’s important for us to know that crowds were “blown away” at his teaching; his spirit (i.e. “bowels”) moved for those he loved; and he “snorted with anger” on occasion. 

Knowing and understanding some ancient Greek terminology, or at least knowing how to do some basic research, can make the story of Jesus jump right off the page. When Christ’s words come alive to us, they have the potential to affect us like never before. 

That’s always worth digging for.

© D. B. Ryen Incorporated, 2025.