ἄνοιξις (anoixis)
anoixis
opening
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun anoixis simply means an opening or the act of opening something. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Here, he uses a specific phrase that translates literally as "in opening," which functions as a way of saying "whenever I speak" or "when I open my mouth." This usage reflects a common Greek idiom where physical opening represents the act of speaking or preaching.
Paul asks the Ephesian believers to pray for this very moment, requesting that God would grant him the boldness to proclaim the mystery of the gospel clearly. The word itself is quite rare and straightforward, lacking deep theological complexity. Its value lies in highlighting Paul’s dependence on prayer for his ministry. He does not rely on his own eloquence but on divine enablement to open his mouth and share the message effectively with others.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word anoixis simply means an opening. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Ephesians 6:19. Paul uses a common idiom here, linking the physical act of opening one’s mouth to the spiritual work of speaking God’s truth. He does not rely on his own eloquence but asks for divine enablement to share the gospel clearly.
This reminds us that effective communication in ministry depends on prayer, not just preparation. When we face moments where we need to speak with boldness or clarity, we can follow Paul’s example. We ask God to open our mouths and hearts, trusting Him to use our words for His glory. This simple request highlights our total dependence on the Holy Spirit for every opportunity to witness.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] opening1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀνοίξει1×
Key Verses
-
Ephesians 6:19
Pray for me, that utterance may be given to me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the Good News,
This is the only New Testament occurrence, where Paul links the physical opening of his mouth to the spiritual boldness needed to proclaim the gospel mystery.