αἱμορροέω (ahimorroeō)
ahimorroeō
to bleed
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb haimorrheō describes a person suffering from a continuous flow or discharge of blood. Its meaning is constructed from two Greek roots: haima, meaning "blood," and rheō, meaning "to flow." This compound structure creates a vivid image of bleeding that does not stop, indicating a chronic condition rather than a sudden injury.
In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in Matthew 9:20. It is used to describe the woman who touched Jesus’ garment, emphasizing the persistent and debilitating nature of her illness. The specific choice of this term highlights her long-term suffering and the physical weakness associated with losing blood over time.
Translators typically render haimorrheō as "suffered from a flow of blood" or simply "bled." This phrasing captures the medical reality of the condition while conveying the social isolation such a chronic ailment would have caused in the first century. The word serves to ground the miracle in tangible human suffering.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word haimorrheō paints a picture of persistent struggle. It describes a continuous flow that drains strength over time. In Matthew 9:20, we meet a woman living with this condition for twelve long years. Her story reminds us that God sees those who suffer in silence and obscurity.
Her faith moved her to reach out in the crowd. She believed that touching Jesus’ garment would bring healing. This moment shows that no matter how long your struggle has lasted, grace is still available. You do not need to be perfect or loud to approach Him; you only need to reach out in trust.
May this truth encourage you today. Even when your resources feel depleted, His power remains sufficient. He draws near to the weary and restores those who seek Him with a sincere heart.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- having a flux of blood1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- αἱμορροοῦσα1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 9:20
Behold, a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years came behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment;
This verse uses haimorrheō to specify that her condition lasted twelve years, highlighting the chronic nature of her suffering before she encountered Jesus.