Lexical Summary lupeó: To grieve, to cause sorrow, to distress Original Word: λυπέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cause grief, grieve, make sorry. From lupe; to distress; reflexively or passively, to be sad -- cause grief, grieve, be in heaviness, (be) sorrow(-ful), be (make) sorry. see GREEK lupe HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 3076 lypéō (from 3077 /lýpē, "deep grief") – to experience deep, emotional pain (sadness), i.e. severe sorrow (grief). 3076 (lypéō) is very intense and hence even used of the pain of childbirth (see Gen 3:16, LXX). See 3077 (lypē). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom lupé Definition to distress, to grieve NASB Translation cause...sorrow (1), caused...sorrow (2), caused sorrow (2), distressed (1), grieve (3), grieved (7), grieving (2), hurt (1), made sorrowful (5), sorrow (1), sorrowful (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3076: λυπέωλυπέω, λυπῶ; 1 aorist ἐλύπησα; pf λελύπηκα; passive, present λιποῦμαι; 1 aorist ἐλυπήθην; future λυπηθήσομαι; (λύπη); (fr, Hesiod down); to make sorrowful; to affect with sadness, cause grief; to throw into sorrow: τινα, 2 Corinthians 2:2, 5; 2 Corinthians 7:3; passive, Matthew 14:9; Matthew 17:23; Matthew 18:31; Matthew 19:22; Matthew 26:22; Mark 10:22; Mark 14:19; John 16:20; John 21:17; 2 Corinthians 2:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:13; 1 Peter 1:6; joined with ἀδημονεῖν, Matthew 26:37; opposed to χαίρειν, 2 Corinthians 6:10; κατά Θεόν, in a manner acceptable to God (cf. Winer's Grammar, 402 (375)), 2 Corinthians 7:9, 11; in a wider sense, to grieve, offend: τό πνεῦμα τό ἅγιον, Ephesians 4:30 (see πνεῦμα, 4 a. at the end); to make one uneasy, cause him a scruple, Romans 14:15. (Compare: συλλυπέω. Synonym: see θρηνέω, at the end.) Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scope of Grief in Scripture The verb denotes emotional pain that can be self-experienced (“be grieved”) or caused in another (“cause grief”). It ranges from momentary distress to deep, lingering sorrow and is always moral or relational in tone, never merely clinical. Narrative Portraits of Human Sorrow Matthew 14:9 shows Herod Antipas “grieved” when decorum clashed with conscience. The rich young ruler “went away sorrowful” (Matthew 19:22; Mark 10:22) because allegiance to wealth proved stronger than discipleship. The disciples repeatedly felt acute grief—when told of the cross (Matthew 17:23), the betrayal (Matthew 26:22; Mark 14:19), and at Gethsemane with their Lord “overwhelmed with sorrow” (Matthew 26:37). After the resurrection Peter “was grieved” by the triple inquiry of Jesus (John 21:17), a grief that dissolved in restored commission. These scenes show grief as a revealer of the heart: it exposes loyalties, tests faith, and invites deeper trust. Christ’s Prophetic Promise of Transformed Grief Jesus assured His own, “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20). Golgotha would plunge them into sorrow; the empty tomb would reverse it. The promise controls Christian lament: grief is real but never final for those united with the risen Christ. Godly Sorrow Versus Worldly Sorrow Paul’s correspondence with Corinth furnishes the fullest theology of the word. Confrontation over sin “caused you sorrow, though my letter grieved you” (2 Corinthians 7:8). Yet “you were grieved as God intended, and so were not harmed in any way by us” (7:9). Godly sorrow is productive—“What eagerness, what indignation, what longing!” (7:11). It leads to repentance and salvation; worldly sorrow breeds death. Discipline that pierces the conscience is therefore an act of pastoral love (2 Corinthians 2:2-5). Apostolic Ministry: Sorrowful yet Always Rejoicing Mission never guarantees unbroken happiness. Paul describes himself as “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10). Spiritual realism embraces both anguish over resistance to the gospel and abiding joy in Christ’s triumph. Communal Sensitivity and Mutual Grief “Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died” (Romans 14:15). Liberty without love wounds tender consciences. Likewise, believers are commanded, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30). Sin within the body, whether interpersonal or internal, hurts the divine Guest who indwells the church. Christian Bereavement and Eschatological Hope “We do not want you to be uninformed…so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Death remains an enemy, yet the resurrection promise disciplines mourning, infusing it with anticipation rather than despair. Suffering Trials for a Season “Though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials” (1 Peter 1:6). The verb frames temporary affliction within God’s refining purpose, ensuring praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Pastoral Application 1. Confront sin promptly; loving reproof may cause temporary grief that yields repentance and restored fellowship. Historical Perspective Early church discipline (reflected in 2 Corinthians) recognized the necessity of godly sorrow to heal communal breaches. Patristic writers echoed Paul: genuine repentance must be “mourning of the heart” (Chrysostom). Throughout revival history, deep conviction of sin, often accompanied by intense grief, has preceded spiritual awakening. Theological Summary Grief in the New Testament is never purposeless. When submitted to God, it becomes an instrument of sanctification, a gateway to joy, and a testimony to the reality of the Spirit’s indwelling presence. Forms and Transliterations ελύπεις ελυπηθη ελυπήθη ἐλυπήθη ελυπήθην ελυπηθησαν ελυπήθησαν ἐλυπήθησαν ελυπηθητε ελυπήθητε ἐλυπήθητε ελυπησα ελύπησα ἐλύπησα ελύπησε ελυπησεν ελύπησεν ἐλύπησεν λελυπηκεν λελύπηκεν λελύπημαι λελύπησαι λυπεί λυπεισθαι λυπείσθαι λυπεῖσθαι λυπείσθε λυπειται λυπείται λυπεῖται λυπειτε λυπείτε λυπεῖτε λυπηθεις λυπηθεὶς λυπηθεντες λυπηθέντες λυπηθηναι λυπηθήναι λυπηθῆναι λυπηθησεσθε λυπηθήσεσθε λυπηθήσονται λυπηθητε λυπηθήτε λυπηθῆτε λυπήθητε λυπησθε λυπήσθε λυπῆσθε λυπουμενοι λυπούμενοι λυπουμενος λυπούμενος λυπούντές λυπω λυπώ λυπῶ elupesa elupēsa elupesen elupēsen elupethe elupēthē elupethesan elupēthēsan elupethete elupēthēte elypesa elypēsa elýpesa elýpēsa elypesen elypēsen elýpesen elýpēsen elypethe elypēthē elypḗthe elypḗthē elypethesan elypēthēsan elypḗthesan elypḗthēsan elypethete elypēthēte elypḗthete elypḗthēte lelupeken lelupēken lelypeken lelypēken lelýpeken lelýpēken lupeisthai lupeitai lupeite lupesthe lupēsthe lupetheis lupētheis lupethenai lupēthēnai lupethentes lupēthentes lupethesesthe lupēthēsesthe lupethete lupēthēte lupo lupō lupoumenoi lupoumenos lypeisthai lypeîsthai lypeitai lypeîtai lypeite lypeîte lypesthe lypêsthe lypēsthe lypē̂sthe lypetheis lypetheìs lypētheis lypētheìs lypethenai lypethênai lypēthēnai lypēthē̂nai lypethentes lypethéntes lypēthentes lypēthéntes lypethesesthe lypethḗsesthe lypēthēsesthe lypēthḗsesthe lypethete lypethête lypēthēte lypēthē̂te lypo lypô lypō lypō̂ lypoumenoi lypoúmenoi lypoumenos lypoúmenosLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 14:9 V-APP-NMSGRK: καὶ λυπηθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς NAS: Although he was grieved, the king KJV: the king was sorry: nevertheless for INT: And having been grieved the king Matthew 17:23 V-AIP-3P Matthew 18:31 V-AIP-3P Matthew 19:22 V-PPM/P-NMS Matthew 26:22 V-PPM/P-NMP Matthew 26:37 V-PNM/P Mark 10:22 V-PPM/P-NMS Mark 14:19 V-PNM/P John 16:20 V-FIP-2P John 21:17 V-AIP-3S Romans 14:15 V-PIM/P-3S 2 Corinthians 2:2 V-PIA-1S 2 Corinthians 2:2 V-PPM/P-NMS 2 Corinthians 2:4 V-ASP-2P 2 Corinthians 2:5 V-RIA-3S 2 Corinthians 2:5 V-RIA-3S 2 Corinthians 6:10 V-PPM/P-NMP 2 Corinthians 7:8 V-AIA-1S 2 Corinthians 7:8 V-AIA-3S 2 Corinthians 7:9 V-AIP-2P 2 Corinthians 7:9 V-AIP-2P 2 Corinthians 7:9 V-AIP-2P 2 Corinthians 7:11 V-ANP Ephesians 4:30 V-PMA-2P 1 Thessalonians 4:13 V-PSM/P-2P Strong's Greek 3076 |