ἀγρυπνία (agrupnia)
agrupnia
sleeplessness
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun agrypnia describes the physical state of sleeplessness or keeping watch through the night. It refers to a period of wakefulness that is not by choice but often by necessity, arising from hardship or duty. In the New Testament, this word appears only twice, both in the letters of Paul to the Corinthian church.
Paul uses agrypnia to list the severe trials he has endured for the sake of the gospel. He groups it with hunger, thirst, and frequent fasting as evidence of his suffering (2 Corinthians 6:5). Later, he describes the exhausting nature of his ministry by mentioning "sleeplessness" alongside dangers from rivers and bandits (2 Corinthians 11:27). The term highlights the tangible cost of his apostolic labor.
Etymologically, the word combines a negative prefix with a root meaning sleep, literally defining it as "without sleep." This stark construction emphasizes the total absence of rest. Translators typically render it as "watchings" or "sleeplessness," capturing the raw physical reality of being awake while others rest.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word agrypnia describes the physical reality of sleeplessness, a state of wakefulness that is rarely chosen but often endured out of necessity or hardship. In the New Testament, this term appears only twice, both within Paul’s letters to the Corinthian church. He uses it not to boast about his stamina, but to honestly list the severe trials he has faced for the sake of the gospel.
When Paul groups sleeplessness with hunger, thirst, and frequent fasting, he is highlighting the tangible cost of his apostolic labor. It was a period of wakefulness that arose from duty rather than desire, emphasizing the total absence of rest while others slept. This stark construction reminds us that faithful service often comes with a heavy physical price.
For your own life, this word offers a quiet comfort. When you find yourself lying awake due to worry or responsibility, know that you are not alone in experiencing such exhaustion. Paul’s example shows that even those called to great tasks faced moments of profound weariness. Your restlessness is seen, and it does not diminish the value of your faithful presence.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- watchings,1×
- watchings1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀγρυπνίαις,1×
- ἀγρυπνίαις1×
Key Verses
-
II Corinthians 6:5
in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings,
Paul lists sleeplessness alongside beatings and imprisonments to demonstrate that his ministry involved genuine physical suffering, not just spiritual privilege.
-
II Corinthians 11:27
in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.
Here the term is paired with cold and nakedness, showing how environmental hardship and lack of rest compounded the dangers of his travel.