Original Word: ὑπερήφανος
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: huperephanos
Pronunciation: hoo-per-ay'-fan-os
Phonetic Spelling: (hoop-er-ay'-fan-os)
KJV: proud
Word Origin: [from G5228 (ὑπέρ - behalf) and G5316 (φαίνω - appeared)]

1. appearing above others (conspicuous)
2. (figuratively) haughty

proud.

From huper and phaino; appearing above others (conspicuous), i.e. (figuratively) haughty -- proud.

see GREEK huper

see GREEK phaino

5244 hyperḗphanos (from 5228 /hypér, "beyond, over" and 5316 /phaínō, "shine forth") – properly, over-shine, trying to be more than what God directs, i.e. going beyond the faith He imparts (cf. Ro 12:2,3).

STRONGS NT 5244: ὑπερήφανος

ὑπερήφανος, ὑπερηφάνου (from ὑπέρ and φαίνομαι, with the connective (or the epic extension (cf. Curtius, § 392)), ἡ; cf. ὑπερηφερης, δυσηλεγής, τανηλεγης εὐηγενής), from Hesiod down;

1. showing oneself above others, overtopping, conspicuous above others, pre-eminent (Plato, Plutarch, others).

2. especially in a bad sense, "with an overweening estimate of one's means or merits, despising others or even treating them with contempt, haughty" (cf. Westcott, Epistles of St. John, p. 64{b}): Romans 1:30; 2 Timothy 3:2; opposed to ταπεινοί, James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5 (in these two passages after Proverbs 3:34); with διάνοια καρδίας added, Luke 1:51. (The Sept. for זֵד, רָם, גֵּאֶה, etc.; often in the O. T. Apocrypha.) (See Trench, Synonyms, § xxix.; Schmidt, chapter 176, 8.)

STRONGS NT 5244a: ὑπερλίανὑπερλίαν (formed like ὑπεράγαν, ὑπέρευ), and written separately ὑπέρ λίαν (so R Tr (cf. Winers Grammar, § 50, 7 Note; Buttmann, § 146, 4)), over much; pre-eminently: οἱ ὑπερλίαν ἀπόστολοι, the most eminent apostles, 2 Corinthians 11:5; 2 Corinthians 12:11.

Concept and Scope

Strong’s Greek 5244 names a posture of self-exaltation that places the creature above the Creator and above fellow image-bearers. Scripture portrays this spirit as the antithesis of humility and the fountainhead of many visible sins. While other Greek terms describe boasting (ἀλαζών) or empty glory (κενοδοξία), ὑπερήφανος exposes an inner attitude: a heart that “lifts itself high.” Its biblical portrait stretches from the sin of Satan (implicit in Isaiah 14) to the end-times crisis (2 Timothy 3:2).

Occurrences in the New Testament

Luke 1:51 – In Mary’s Magnificat the proud are scattered, revealing that the coming of Messiah overturns human self-importance: “He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.”

Romans 1:30 – Paul lists “arrogant” people among those given over to a depraved mind, demonstrating that pride thrives where the true knowledge of God is suppressed.

2 Timothy 3:2 – “People will be lovers of themselves … arrogant,” marking pride as a hallmark of the last days and a pastoral warning to the Church.

James 4:6 – Quoting Proverbs 3:34, James promises divine resistance: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

1 Peter 5:5 – Peter repeats the same oracle to elders and flock alike, binding humility to effective spiritual leadership.

Old Testament Roots

Proverbs repeatedly brands pride as folly (for example, Proverbs 16:5; 16:18). Isaiah’s taunt over Babylon and Ezekiel’s indictment of Tyre trace imperial collapses to the self-glorifying heart. By invoking Proverbs 3:34, James and Peter affirm the unbroken moral fabric that spans both Testaments: God’s settled hostility toward pride.

Theological Themes

1. Divine Opposition: Pride provokes active resistance from God, not mere disapproval. The proud are “scattered” (Luke 1:51) or “opposed” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).
2. Cosmic Reversal: The Gospel inverts worldly hierarchies. Mary’s song previews the kingdom principle that “whoever exalts himself will be humbled” (Matthew 23:12).
3. Eschatological Indicator: In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, arrogance signals perilous times when outward religiosity masks inward rebellion.
4. Universality of Sin: Romans 1:30 embeds pride within a catalog of Gentile evils, proving that self-exaltation is not limited to a covenant-breaking Israel but is endemic to fallen humanity.
5. Grace for the Humble: The repeated proverb underscores God’s redemptive intent—humility is the posture that receives grace, the only cure for pride.

Ministry and Pastoral Implications

• Preaching must confront pride as a root sin, not merely a personality flaw.
• Church leadership (1 Peter 5:5) is to model mutual submission, wearing humility as a garment that safeguards unity.
• Discipleship should cultivate practices—prayer, fasting, service—that lower self-reliance and exalt Christ.
• Counseling and discipline gain clarity from recognizing that many relational conflicts stem from ὑπερηφανία.
• Evangelism appeals to consciences by exposing pride’s bankruptcy and offering the grace God freely gives the humble.

Historical Reflection

Early fathers (e.g., Gregory the Great) labeled pride the “queen of vices.” Reformers saw it at the heart of works-righteousness. Revivals have consistently begun with corporate humbling, illustrating the ongoing relevance of the biblical warnings.

Warnings and Promises

Warning: “God opposes the proud” (James 4:6). An individual, church, or nation cannot prosper while nurturing arrogance.

Promise: “But gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). The antidote to divine opposition is not achievement but surrender—trusting the One who “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death” (Philippians 2:8).

Summary

Strong’s 5244 unmasks the self-exalting heart that God resists and Christ overturns. Scripture’s five occurrences, anchored by a consistent Old Testament witness, form a clarion call: flee pride, embrace humility, and receive the abundant grace that flows to those who bow low before the Lord.

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