Original Word: χαίρω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: chairó
Pronunciation: khah'-ee-ro
Phonetic Spelling: (khah'-ee-ro)
KJV: farewell, be glad, God speed, greeting, hall, joy(-fully), rejoice
NASB: rejoice, rejoicing, rejoiced, glad, greetings, hail, greeting
Word Origin: [a primary verb]

1. to be "cheer"ful, i.e. calmly happy or well-off
2. (impersonally, especially) as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well

farewell, be glad, God speed, rejoice.

A primary verb; to be "cheer"ful, i.e. Calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well -- farewell, be glad, God speed, greeting, hall, joy(- fully), rejoice.

5463 xaírō (from the root xar-, "favorably disposed, leaning towards" and cognate with 5485 /xáris, "grace") – properly, to delight in God's grace ("rejoice") – literally, to experience God's grace (favor), be conscious (glad) for His grace.

5463 /xaírō ("glad for grace") has a direct "etymological connection with xaris (grace)" (DNTT, 2, 356). S. Zodhiates (Dict, 1467) likewise comments that 5479 /xará ("joy") and 5485 /xáris ("grace") are cognate with 5463 /xaírō ("to rejoice"), i.e. all share the same root and therefore the same core (fundamental) meaning.

[The etymological link between 5463 /xaírō ("rejoice"), 5479 /xará ("joy") and 5485 /xáris ("grace") – i.e. that they are all cognates – is brought out by LS (p 1,976), Zod (Dict), CBL, Wigram's Englishman's Greek Concordance (Ed. Ralph Winters), Word Study Greek-English NT (Tyndale, Ed. Paul McReynolds); see also DNTT (2,356) and TDNT (9; 359,60).

TDNT likewise groups them as cognates, referring to 5479 (xará) as the noun-form (nomen actionis) and discussing them separately in terms of their distinctive connotations.]

Word Origin
a prim. verb
Definition
to rejoice, be glad
NASB Translation
am glad (1), glad (7), gladly (1), greeted* (1), greeting (2), greetings (4), hail (4), joyfully (1), make (1), rejoice (33), rejoiced (8), rejoices (2), rejoicing (10).

STRONGS NT 5463: χαίρω

χαίρω; imperfect ἔχαιρον; future χαρήσομαι (Luke 1:14; John 16:20, 22; Philippians 1:18, for the earlier form καιρήσω, cf. (Winers Grammar, 90 (86); Buttmann, 68 (60)); Alexander Buttmann (1873) Ausf. Spr. ii. 322f; Matthiae, § 255, under the word; Kühner, § 343 under the word; Krüger, § 40, under the word; (Veitch, under the word)), once χάρω (Revelation 11:10 Rec., a form occurring nowhere else); 2 aorist (passive as active) ἐχάρην (cf. συγχαίρω, at the beginning); from Homer down; the Sept. for שָׂמַח, גִּיל, שׂוּשׂ; to rejoice, be glad;

a. in the properly, and strict sense: (Mark 14:11); Luke 15:5,(32); ; John 4:36; John 8:56; John 20:20; Acts 5:41; Acts 8:39; Acts 11:23; Acts 13:48; 2 Cor. (); (some refer this to b. in the sense of farewell); Philippians 2:17, 28; Colossians 2:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:16; 1 Peter 4:13; 3 John 1:3; opposed to κλαίειν, Romans 12:15; 1 Corinthians 7:30; opposed to κλαίειν καί θρηνεῖν, John 16:20; opposed to λύπην ἔχειν, ibid. ; joined with ἀγαλλίασθαι, Matthew 5:12; Revelation 19:7; with σκιρταν, Luke 6:23; χαίρειν ἐν κυρίῳ (see ἐν, L 6 b, p. 211b middle (cf. Buttmann, 185 (161))), Philippians 3:1; Philippians 4:4, 10; χαίρειν χαράν μεγάλην (cf. χαρά, a.), to rejoice exceedingly, Matthew 2:10; also χαρά χαίρειν (Winers Grammar, § 54, 3; Buttmann, § 133, 22), John 3:29: ἡ χαρά ἡ χαίρομεν, 1 Thessalonians 3:9; χαίρειν ἐπί with a dative of the object, Matthew 18:13; Luke 1:14; Luke 13:17; Acts 15:31 Romans 16:19 L T Tr WH; 1 Corinthians 13:6; 1 Corinthians 16:17; 2 Corinthians 7:13; Revelation 11:10 (Xenophon, mem. 2, 6, 35; Cyril 8, 4, 12; Plato, legg. 5, p. 739 d.; cf. Kühner, § 425 Anm. 6; (Winers Grammar, § 33 a.; Buttmann, § 133, 23); in the Greek writings generally with a simple dative of the object as Proverbs 17:19); διά τί, John 3:29; διά τινα, John 11:15; 1 Thessalonians 3:9; ἐν τούτῳ, Philippians 1:18; (ἐν ταῖς παθήμασι μου, Colossians 1:24); with an accusative of the object, τό αὐτό, Philippians 2:18 (ταῦτα, Demosthenes, p. 323, 6; cf. Matthiae, § 414, p. 923; Krüger, § 46, 5, 9); τό ἐφ' ὑμῖν (see ὁ, II. 8, p. 436a), Romans 16:19 R G; ἀπό τίνος, equivalent to χαράν ἔχειν, to derive joy from one, 2 Corinthians 2:3; ἐχάρητε followed by ὅτι, John 14:28; 2 Corinthians 7:9, 16; 2 John 1:4; ἐν τούτῳ, Luke 10:20; with a dative of the cause: τῇ ἐλπίδι χαίροντες, let the hope of future blessedness give you joy, Romans 12:12 (yet cf. Winer's Grammar, § 31, 1 k., 7d.).

b. in a broader sense, to be well, to thrive; in salutations, the imperative χαῖρε, "Hail!" Latinsalve (so from Homer down): Matthew 26:49; Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:18; Luke 1:28; John 19:3; plural χαίρετε (A. V. all hail), Matthew 28:9; at the beginning of letters the infinitive χαίρειν (namely, λέγει or κελευει): Acts 15:23; Acts 23:26; James 1:1 (often in the books of Maccabees; cf. Grimm on 1 Macc. 10:18; Otto in the Jahrbb. f. deutsch. Theol. for 1867, p. 678ff; cf. Hilgenfeld, Galaterbrief, p. 99ff; Xenophon, Cyril 4, 5, 27; Aelian v. h. 1, 25); fully, χαίρειν λέγω, to give one greeting, salute, 2 John 1:10 (11). (Compare: συνχαίρω.)

Scope of the Term

The verb chairo and its cognate forms appear seventy-four times in the Greek New Testament, ranging from imperative greetings (“Rejoice!” or “Greetings!”) to descriptions of deep, Spirit-wrought joy. Whether conveying courtesy in everyday communication or celebrating redemptive realities, the word consistently reflects gladness rooted in God’s gracious activity.

As a Greeting

In Classical Greek correspondence the infinitive “to rejoice” (chairein) became a conventional salutation. The New Testament writers employ the same formula in Acts 15:23; Acts 23:26; James 1:1; 2 John 1:10-11, yet under inspiration it takes on richer meaning—extending peace and delight in Christ, not mere politeness. The angel’s address to Mary, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28), likewise fuses a customary hello with a proclamation of messianic blessing. Conversely, the mock homage of Judas (Matthew 26:49) and of the soldiers who scorned Jesus (Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:18; John 19:3) illustrates how a form of the same word can be twisted into cynical derision, highlighting the moral divide between true and false honor to the Lord.

Christological and Redemptive Joy

Joy crowns the saving work of God in Christ. At His birth the Magi “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2:10). Jesus anticipates resurrection victory: “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20) and “no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22). The disciples experienced that promise when they “rejoiced when they saw the Lord” (John 20:20). Revelation 19:7 carries the theme to its consummation: “Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come.”

Joy in Fellowship and Ministry

Epistolary passages link joy with gospel partnership. Paul tells the Philippians, “In every way…Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice” (Philippians 1:18). He rejoices over the obedience of the Romans (Romans 16:19), the presence of Stephanas and companions (1 Corinthians 16:17), Titus’s encouraging report (2 Corinthians 7:13), and the Colossian believers’ good order (Colossians 2:5). John echoes the sentiment: “I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth” (2 John 1:4; 3 John 1:3). Genuine Christian leadership therefore measures success not by numbers or acclaim but by the sight of believers growing in faith and love.

Joy amidst Suffering

Far from denying hardship, chairo often coexists with pain. Jesus commands, “Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:12), immediately after describing persecution. The apostles “went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer dishonor” (Acts 5:41). Peter exhorts: “Rejoice insofar as you share in the sufferings of Christ” (1 Peter 4:13). Such joy is neither stoicism nor escapism; it springs from assurance that trials serve a sovereign purpose and lead to eternal glory.

Joy as an Apostolic Command

Imperatives saturate the letters: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4); “Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16); “Rejoice, aim for restoration” (2 Corinthians 13:11). Joy is thus not a suggestion tied to circumstances but an act of obedient faith, sustained by the Spirit (Romans 14:17) and intertwined with prayer and gratitude (Romans 12:12; Philippians 4:6).

Corporate Rejoicing

Scripture envisions a community where joys and sorrows are shared: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). Jesus’ parables of the lost sheep and the prodigal son culminate in communal celebration (Luke 15:5-7, 15:32). Heaven itself participates when sinners repent, underscoring the missional dimension of joy.

Eschatological Rejoicing

Future hope amplifies present gladness. “Look, I have told you beforehand” (John 14:28)—even grief at Christ’s departure becomes a seed of joy when the Spirit comes. Revelation 11:10 shows the wicked briefly rejoicing over the slain witnesses, yet their gloating is eclipsed by the eternal rejoicing of the redeemed. Ultimate joy belongs to the Lamb and His people.

Practical Ministry Applications

1. Greeting and correspondence: begin letters, emails, and sermons with Christ-centered cheer, following the apostolic pattern.
2. Discipleship: teach believers that joy is cultivated through truth (John 15:11), fellowship, and service, not external ease.
3. Pastoral care: help sufferers embrace the paradox of rejoicing in tribulation, anchoring them in God’s promises.
4. Corporate worship: deliberately celebrate conversions, answered prayers, and faithful endurance, modeling Luke 15’s heavenly priorities.
5. Evangelism: authentic joy testifies that the gospel satisfies the deepest longings of the human heart.

Harmony with the Biblical Theology of Joy

Chairo stands in close family relation to charis (grace) and chara (joy). Grace bestowed produces joy experienced; joy expressed magnifies grace received. Thus the term operates as a bridge between God’s benevolent action and the believer’s grateful response, permeating Christian life from initial greeting to eschatological glory.

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