85. adémoneó
Lexical Summary
adémoneó: To be distressed, troubled, or deeply grieved

Original Word: ἀδημονέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: adémoneó
Pronunciation: ah-day-mon-eh'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (ad-ay-mon-eh'-o)
KJV: be full of heaviness, be very heavy
NASB: distressed, troubled
Word Origin: [from a derivative of adeo "to be sated to loathing"]

1. to be in distress (of mind)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
to be distressed, troubled

From a derivative of adeo (to be sated to loathing); to be in distress (of mind) -- be full of heaviness, be very heavy.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
of uncertain origin
Definition
to be distressed
NASB Translation
distressed (2), troubled (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 85: ἀδημονέω

ἀδημονέω, (ῶ; (from the unused ἀδημων, and this from the alpha privative and δῆμος; accordingly, uncomfortable, as not at home, cf. German unheimisch, unheimlich; cf. Alexander Buttmann (1873) Lexil. ii. 136 (Fishlake's trans, p. 29f. But Lob. (Pathol. Proleg., p. 238, cf., p. 160) and others connect it with ἀδήμων, ἀδῆσαι; see Lightfoot on Philippians 2:26)); to be troubled, distressed: Matthew 26:37; Mark 14:33; Philippians 2:26. (Xenophon, Hell. 4, 4, 3 ἀδημονῆσαι τάς ψυχάς, and often in secular authors.)

Topical Lexicon
Biblical Occurrences and Context

The verb occurs three times in the Greek New Testament. Twice it describes the Lord Jesus in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:37; Mark 14:33), and once it depicts Epaphroditus’ concern for the Philippian church (Philippians 2:26). Each setting features a godly individual experiencing an acute inner struggle that is neither sinful nor faithless but fully compatible with perfect obedience.

Depth of Emotional Strain

The word signals more than ordinary sadness. It portrays a crushing weight that presses the spirit toward despair, yet without extinguishing hope. In the Gospel accounts, the intensity of Jesus’ sorrow is framed by parallels to Psalms of lament, drawing readers into the prophetic anticipation of the Suffering Servant. In Philippians, the distress of Epaphroditus springs from self-forgetting love for others rather than fear for his own life.

Christ’s Redemptive Agony

Matthew 26:37 records that Jesus “began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed”. His turmoil anticipates the cup of wrath He will soon drink. This moment underscores the true humanity of Christ; He does not float above pain but enters it fully. Yet His submission – “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39) – affirms the perfect harmony between His will and the Father’s plan. The distress amplifies, rather than diminishes, His obedience.

Pauline Pastoral Compassion

Philippians 2:26 reveals a servant-hearted distress: Epaphroditus “has been longing for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill”. The man almost died (verse 27), yet his greatest anguish centers on the church’s anxiety, not his own condition. Paul highlights this to exemplify the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5). The term thus bridges Gethsemane with everyday pastoral care, showing how Christlike love bears others’ burdens even in weakness.

Intertestamental and Patristic Reflections

Jewish intertestamental literature rarely uses an exact equivalent term, but the theme of righteous anguish surfaces in Psalms of Solomon and in the Qumran community’s hymns. Early Christian writers seized upon the Gospel scenes to combat Docetism, insisting that Christ’s genuine distress proves a genuine incarnation (Ignatius, Smyrneans 2; Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.19.3). Patristic homilies often paired Gethsemane with pastoral admonitions to endure trials without murmuring.

Theological Dimensions of Human Suffering

Scripture never presents distress as incompatible with faith. The verb’s limited but strategic usage teaches that profound emotional upheaval can coexist with unwavering trust. It reinforces the doctrine that temptation and sorrow, when met with submission to God, become arenas for manifesting grace (Hebrews 4:15-16). It also guards against Stoic detachment, affirming that redeemed emotions remain fully human while redeemed actions remain fully obedient.

Discipleship and Ministry Application

1. Authentic pastoral ministry allows room for anguished prayer. Jesus invited Peter, James, and John to witness His distress, modeling vulnerable fellowship.
2. Proper care for the sick and suffering mirrors Epaphroditus’ selfless concern, redirecting attention from one’s own pain to the edification of others.
3. Believers facing crushing circumstances may take comfort that their Savior passed through deeper waters and now intercedes with sympathy.
4. Leaders should resist triumphalistic rhetoric that dismisses emotional struggle; instead, they cultivate communities where groaning is voiced in faith.

Homiletical and Devotional Use

• Preach Matthew 26:36-46 to highlight the intersection of divine sovereignty and human anguish, encouraging congregations to pray honest prayers.
• Use Philippians 2:25-30 when exhorting volunteers and missionaries, emphasizing sacrificial service underpinned by genuine affection.
• In counseling settings, point sufferers to Christ’s Gethsemane as proof that feelings of overwhelming distress are not signs of divine abandonment but invitations to deeper reliance.

Thus, the three occurrences of this rare verb together form a luminous thread: the suffering Savior, the sacrificial servant, and the sympathetic High Priest who equips His people to bear one another’s burdens until He wipes away every tear.

Forms and Transliterations
αδημονειν αδημονείν ἀδημονεῖν αδημονων αδημονών ἀδημονῶν ademonein ademoneîn adēmonein adēmoneîn ademonon ademonôn adēmonōn adēmonō̂n
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Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 26:37 V-PNA
GRK: λυπεῖσθαι καὶ ἀδημονεῖν
NAS: to be grieved and distressed.
KJV: to be sorrowful and very heavy.
INT: to be sorrowful and deeply distressed

Mark 14:33 V-PNA
GRK: ἐκθαμβεῖσθαι καὶ ἀδημονεῖν
NAS: to be very distressed and troubled.
KJV: and to be very heavy;
INT: to be greatly amazed and deeply distressed

Philippians 2:26 V-PPA-NMS
GRK: ἰδεῖν καὶ ἀδημονῶν διότι ἠκούσατε
NAS: for you all and was distressed because
KJV: and was full of heaviness, because
INT: behold moreover [was] deeply distressed because you heard

Strong's Greek 85
3 Occurrences


ἀδημονεῖν — 2 Occ.
ἀδημονῶν — 1 Occ.

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