Original Word: ὀρθός
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: orthos
Pronunciation: or-thos'
Phonetic Spelling: (or-thos')
KJV: straight, upright
NASB: straight, upright
Word Origin: [probably from the base of G3735 (ὄρος - mountain)]

1. upright (as rising)
2. (perpendicularly) erect
3. (figuratively) honest
4. (horizontally) level or direct

straight, upright.

Probably from the base of oros; right (as rising), i.e. (perpendicularly) erect (figuratively, honest), or (horizontally) level or direct -- straight, upright.

see GREEK oros

3717 orthós – properly, straight (upright); (figuratively) morally-right; straight ("upright"); virtuous because straightforward (morally acceptable). See Heb 12:13.

["In earlier Greek, orthos meant 'straight up and down' while eythos meant 'straight on the horizontal plane' " (L & N, p 703, fn 8).]

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
straight, upright
NASB Translation
straight (1), upright (1).

STRONGS NT 3717: ὀρθός

ὀρθός, ὀρθή, ὀρθόν (ὈΡΩ, ὄρνυμι (to stir up, set in motion; according to others, from the root, to lift up; cf. Fick iii., p. 775; Vanicek, p. 928; Curtius, p. 348)), straight, erect; i. e.

a. upright: ἀνάστηθι, Acts 14:10; so with στῆναι in 1 Esdr. 9:46, and in Greek writings, especially Homer b. opposed to σκολιός, straight i. e. not crooked: τροχιαί, Hebrews 12:13 (for יָשָׁר, Proverbs 12:15 etc.; (Pindar, Theognis, others)).

Meaning and Theological Resonance

This adjective conveys the idea of something set straight, aligned, or functioning as intended. Physically it pictures what is erect rather than bent; ethically it evokes integrity, rectitude, and faithfulness to God’s revealed will. The imagery complements the biblical themes of righteousness, the straight way versus the crooked, and the call to restored wholeness in body and soul.

Occurrences in the New Testament

1. Acts 14:10 records Paul’s healing of the man lame from birth in Lystra: “In a loud voice Paul called out, ‘Stand up on your feet!’ And the man jumped up and began to walk.” The word describes the manner in which the man is to stand—fully upright.
2. Hebrews 12:13 exhorts believers, “Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” Here the term is figurative, urging lives that trace an unbending line of obedience, bringing corporate strengthening rather than stumbling.

Old Testament Background and Septuagint Echoes

The Septuagint frequently employs the same Greek term to translate Hebrew ideas of straightness and rightness (for example, Proverbs 3:6; Isaiah 40:3). These passages anticipate the New Testament’s call to prepare straight ways for the Lord and reinforce the moral-spiritual dimension: what is physically level becomes a metaphor for upright living before God.

Christological and Soteriological Significance

In Acts, the instant straightening of a disabled body testifies to the risen Christ’s authority working through His apostle, confirming the gospel among Gentiles. The event prefigures the final renewal when every physical limitation will yield to resurrection power. Hebrews links moral straightness to communal healing, showing that salvation is not merely individual but designed to produce an upright, strengthened people who bear Christ’s likeness.

Implications for Christian Living

• Personal Integrity: Believers are summoned to keep their conduct “upright,” refusing moral compromise.
• Corporate Responsibility: Straight paths made by one Christian remove obstacles for the spiritually or physically “lame,” fostering mutual edification.
• Perseverance under Discipline: Hebrews locates the command amid exhortations to endure divine discipline, implying that straight living is forged through God-ordained training.

Historical and Pastoral Reflections

Early Christian preaching presented miracles like the one at Lystra as visible proof that the gospel sets life straight—body, mind, and society. Pastors through the centuries have therefore urged congregations to embody the straight path, linking ethical fidelity with the Church’s healing witness in a fractured world.

Key Homiletical Themes

• From Lameness to Uprightness: Transformation through the name of Jesus.
• Straight Paths in a Crooked Generation: The Church as a roadway of trustworthiness.
• Discipline, Holiness, and Healing: How divine correction aligns believers for fruitful service.

ορθά ορθαί ορθαίς ορθας ορθάς ὀρθὰς ορθή ορθοί ορθος ορθός ὀρθός ορθούς ορθών orthas orthàs orthos orthósInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts