3813. paidion
Lexical Summary
paidion: child, little child, young child, infant

Original Word: παιδίον
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: paidion
Pronunciation: pahee-DEE-on
Phonetic Spelling: (pahee-dee'-on)
KJV: (little, young) child, damsel
NASB: child, children, child's, boy's, children's
Word Origin: [neuter diminutive of G3816 (παῖς - servant)]

1. a young child (of either sex)
2. (properly) an infant
3. (by extension) a half-grown boy or girl
4. (figuratively) an immature Christian

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
little, young child, damsel.

Neuter diminutive of pais; a childling (of either sex), i.e. (properly), an infant, or (by extension) a half-grown boy or girl; figuratively, an immature Christian -- (little, young) child, damsel.

see GREEK pais

HELPS Word-studies

3813 paidíon – properly, a child under training; the diminutive form of 3816 /país ("child"). 3813 /paidíon ("a little child in training") implies a younger child (perhaps seven years old or younger). Some scholars apply 3816 (país) to a son or daughter up to 20 years old (the age of "complete adulthood" in Scripture).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
dim. of pais
Definition
a young child
NASB Translation
boy's (1), Child (10), child (21), child's (2), children (17), children's (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3813: παιδίον

παιδίον, παιδίου, τό (diminutive of παῖς) (from Herodotus down), the Sept. for טַף, נַעַר, בֵּן, etc.; a young child, a little boy, a little girl; plural τά παιδία, infants; children; little ones. In singular: universally, of an infant just born, John 16:21; of a (male) child recently born, Matthew 2:8, 11, 13, 14, 20; Luke 1:59, 66, 76, 80; Luke 2:17, 21 (Rec.), 21,40; Hebrews 11:23; of a more advanced child, Matthew 18:2, 4; Mark 9:36f; (Mark 10:15); Luke 9:47f; (Luke 18:17); of a mature child, Mark 9:24; τίνος, the son of someone, John 4:49; of a girl, Mark 5:39-41; (Mark 7:30 L text T Tr WH). In plural of (partly grown) children: Matthew 11:16 G L T Tr WH; ; Mark 7:28; Mark 10:13ff; Luke 7:32; Luke 18:16; (Hebrews 2:14); τίνος, of someone, Luke 11:7, cf. Hebrews 2:13. Metaphorically, παιδία ταῖς φρεσί, children (i. e. like children) where the use of the mind is required, 1 Corinthians 14:20; in affectionate address, equivalent to Latincarissimi (A. V. children), John 21:5; 1 John 2:14 (13),18; (1 John 3:7 WH marginal reading Synonym: see παῖς, at the end.)

Topical Lexicon
Semantic Range and Patterns of Usage

The word describes a very young child, from newborn through early childhood, and is employed both literally and metaphorically. Literally, it appears in birth narratives (Matthew 2; Luke 1–2), household scenes (Luke 11:7), healings (Mark 5:39-42; 7:30), and parent-child interactions (Matthew 19:13-15). Metaphorically it depicts those who are spiritually immature (1 Corinthians 14:20) or tenderly addressed members of the church (1 John 2:13, 18). Plural forms can highlight a collective identity (“the children God has given Me,” Hebrews 2:13), while diminutive nuance underlines vulnerability and dependence.

Christological Significance

1. Incarnation: Eight occurrences in Matthew 2 and six in Luke 1–2 refer to Jesus as a paidion, stressing His real humanity and humble beginnings. “On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him” (Matthew 2:11). The term underscores fulfilled prophecy (Matthew 2:15, 20) and frames the Messiah within ordinary childhood.
2. Redemptive Solidarity: “Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity” (Hebrews 2:14). The writer to the Hebrews builds a theology of atonement on the solidarity between the eternal Son and the paidia He came to save.
3. Resurrection/Creation Hints: Jairus’s daughter is called paidion (Mark 5:39-42), a detail linking new life to the same word used of the incarnate Child, forming a subtle arc from birth to resurrection life in Christ.

Kingdom Ethics and Discipleship

1. Entrance Requirements: “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). Childlikeness—humble trust, acknowledged dependence, absence of status—sets the standard for kingdom citizenship (cf. Mark 10:14-15; Luke 18:16-17).
2. Model for Greatness: When Jesus places a paidion in their midst (Matthew 18:2-5; Mark 9:36-37; Luke 9:47-48), He redefines greatness as self-lowering service: “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me.”
3. Warning Against Offense: The discourse continues with severe admonitions against causing “one of these little ones” to stumble (Matthew 18:6). The term therefore grounds ethical treatment of the weakest.

Pastoral and Ecclesial Implications

1. Congregational Address: John repeatedly opens exhortations with Παιδία (1 John 2:13, 18), a pastoral strategy that combines affection with authority. The diminutive fosters intimacy without diminishing responsibility.
2. Growth Paradigm: Paul contrasts childlike innocence in evil with mature understanding in doctrine—“In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature” (1 Corinthians 14:20). Churches are thus to promote purity while pressing believers toward doctrinal adulthood.
3. Family Metaphor: Luke 11:7 and Hebrews 2:13-14 frame believers as household children, reinforcing familial solidarity under the Father’s care and Christ’s sonship.

Eschatological Nuances

“Children, it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18) situates the community’s identity within an urgent eschatological timeframe. Dependence on the Father and discernment against deceivers mark the faithfulness expected of the end-time paidia.

Second Temple and Greco-Roman Background

In first-century Jewish and Greco-Roman culture, children occupied a socially marginal yet symbolically potent space—valued in families but lacking status. Jesus’ elevation of a paidion to central place subverts societal norms, reflecting Old Testament concern for the weak (Psalm 8:2) and anticipating the church’s counter-cultural posture toward the vulnerable.

Representative Passages

• Incarnation: Matthew 2:8-14, 20-21; Luke 2:27, 40
• Kingdom Teaching: Matthew 18:2-6; Mark 10:13-15; Luke 18:16-17
• Miraculous Care: Mark 5:39-42; 7:28-30; John 4:49
• Household Illustration: Luke 11:7
• Apostolic Exhortation: 1 Corinthians 14:20; 1 John 2:13-18
• Redemptive Theology: Hebrews 2:13-14; 11:23

Ministry Applications

1. Child-focused Outreach: The Lord’s welcome mandates intentional evangelism and discipleship of children.
2. Congregational Culture: Leadership patterned after Christ will prioritize humility, safeguard the weak, and cultivate purity without gullibility.
3. Teaching Framework: Distinguish between childlike trust and childish thinking; nurture growth from paidion to mature disciple.

Points for Further Study

• Comparative study with teknon, huios, and nepios.
• Influence on early church baptismal and catechetical practices.
• Interplay between physical childhood narratives and “new birth” theology in Johannine writings.

Forms and Transliterations
παιδια παιδία παιδιοις παιδίοις παιδιον παιδίον παίδιον παιδιου παιδίου παιδίω παιδιων παιδίων paidia paidía paidiois paidíois paidion paidiōn paidíon paidíōn paidiou paidíou
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 2:8 N-GNS
GRK: περὶ τοῦ παιδίου ἐπὰν δὲ
NAS: carefully for the Child; and when
KJV: for the young child; and
INT: for the child when moreover

Matthew 2:9 N-NNS
GRK: ἦν τὸ παιδίον
NAS: over [the place] where the Child was.
KJV: over where the young child was.
INT: was the child

Matthew 2:11 N-ANS
GRK: εἶδον τὸ παιδίον μετὰ Μαρίας
NAS: they saw the Child with Mary
KJV: they saw the young child with
INT: they found the child with Mary

Matthew 2:13 N-ANS
GRK: παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν
NAS: up! Take the Child and His mother
KJV: and take the young child and
INT: take with [you] the child and the

Matthew 2:13 N-ANS
GRK: ζητεῖν τὸ παιδίον τοῦ ἀπολέσαι
NAS: to search for the Child to destroy
KJV: seek the young child to destroy
INT: to seek the child to destroy

Matthew 2:14 N-ANS
GRK: παρέλαβεν τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν
NAS: up and took the Child and His mother
KJV: he took the young child and
INT: took with [him] the child and the

Matthew 2:20 N-ANS
GRK: παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν
NAS: up, take the Child and His mother,
KJV: and take the young child and
INT: take with [you] the child and the

Matthew 2:20 N-GNS
GRK: ψυχὴν τοῦ παιδίου
NAS: who sought the Child's life
KJV: which sought the young child's life.
INT: life of the child

Matthew 2:21 N-ANS
GRK: παρέλαβεν τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν
NAS: up, took the Child and His mother,
KJV: and took the young child and
INT: took with [him] the child and the

Matthew 11:16 N-DNP
GRK: ὁμοία ἐστὶν παιδίοις καθημένοις ἐν
NAS: It is like children sitting
INT: like it is to little children sitting in

Matthew 14:21 N-GNP
GRK: γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων
NAS: besides women and children.
KJV: women and children.
INT: women and children

Matthew 15:38 N-GNP
GRK: γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων
NAS: besides women and children.
KJV: women and children.
INT: women and children

Matthew 18:2 N-ANS
GRK: καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος παιδίον ἔστησεν αὐτὸ
NAS: And He called a child to Himself and set
KJV: called a little child unto him,
INT: And having called to [him] a child he set it

Matthew 18:3 N-ANP
GRK: ὡς τὰ παιδία οὐ μὴ
NAS: like children, you will not enter
KJV: as little children, ye shall
INT: as the little children no not

Matthew 18:4 N-NNS
GRK: ὡς τὸ παιδίον τοῦτο οὗτός
NAS: as this child, he is the greatest
KJV: as this little child, the same is
INT: as the child this he

Matthew 18:5 N-ANS
GRK: δέξηται ἓν παιδίον τοιοῦτο ἐπὶ
NAS: one such child in My name receives
KJV: one such little child in my
INT: will receive one little child such in

Matthew 19:13 N-NNP
GRK: προσηνέχθησαν αὐτῷ παιδία ἵνα τὰς
NAS: Then [some] children were brought
KJV: unto him little children, that
INT: were brought to him little children that

Matthew 19:14 N-ANP
GRK: Ἄφετε τὰ παιδία καὶ μὴ
NAS: Let the children alone,
KJV: Suffer little children, and
INT: Let the little children and not

Mark 5:39 N-NNS
GRK: κλαίετε τὸ παιδίον οὐκ ἀπέθανεν
NAS: and weep? The child has not died,
KJV: and weep? the damsel is not
INT: weep the child not is dead

Mark 5:40 N-GNS
GRK: πατέρα τοῦ παιδίου καὶ τὴν
NAS: out, He took along the child's father
KJV: the mother of the damsel, and
INT: father of the child and the

Mark 5:40 N-NNS
GRK: ἦν τὸ παιδίον
NAS: [the room] where the child was.
KJV: where the damsel was
INT: was the child

Mark 5:41 N-GNS
GRK: χειρὸς τοῦ παιδίου λέγει αὐτῇ
NAS: Taking the child by the hand, He said
KJV: he took the damsel by the hand,
INT: hand of the child he says to her

Mark 7:28 N-GNP
GRK: ψιχίων τῶν παιδίων
NAS: feed on the children's crumbs.
KJV: eat of the children's crumbs.
INT: crumbs of the children

Mark 7:30 N-ANS
GRK: εὗρεν τὸ παιδίον βεβλημένον ἐπὶ
NAS: she found the child lying
INT: she found the child lying on

Mark 9:24 N-GNS
GRK: πατὴρ τοῦ παιδίου ἔλεγεν Πιστεύω
NAS: Immediately the boy's father cried
KJV: the father of the child cried out,
INT: father of the child said I believe

Strong's Greek 3813
52 Occurrences


παιδία — 13 Occ.
παιδίων — 4 Occ.
παιδίοις — 2 Occ.
παιδίον — 27 Occ.
παιδίου — 6 Occ.

3812
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