ἀρά (ara)
ara
curse
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun ara refers to a spoken appeal that seeks divine intervention against someone or something. While it can simply mean a prayer or supplication, its most common usage in Scripture carries a heavier weight: it describes a curse or imprecation. This is a plea for judgment or harm to befall another, rather than a request for personal blessing.
The word appears only once in the New Testament, in Romans 3:14, where Paul quotes Psalm 10:7. Here, it translates the Hebrew concept of an oath invoking evil upon oneself if one lies, or a curse directed at others. The sources note that this usage aligns with the Old Testament Greek translation, where ara frequently stands for the Hebrew word for a solemn curse.
Its etymology suggests a connection to binding or swearing, emphasizing the serious nature of the words spoken. Unlike a casual wish, an ara is a formal invocation, calling on God to enforce the stated outcome. In Romans, it highlights the depth of human sinfulness by listing such curses among other corrupt speech patterns.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ara describes a spoken appeal that seeks divine intervention against someone or something. While it can simply mean a prayer or supplication, its most common usage in Scripture carries a heavier weight: it describes a curse or imprecation. This is a plea for judgment or harm to befall another, rather than a request for personal blessing. The word appears only once in the New Testament, in Romans 3:14, where Paul quotes Psalm 10:7.
Here, ara translates the Hebrew concept of an oath invoking evil upon oneself if one lies, or a curse directed at others. The sources note that this usage aligns with the Old Testament Greek translation, where ara frequently stands for the Hebrew word for a solemn curse. Its etymology suggests a connection to binding or swearing, emphasizing the serious nature of the words spoken.
Unlike a casual wish, an ara is a formal invocation, calling on God to enforce the stated outcome. In Romans, it highlights the depth of human sinfulness by listing such curses among other corrupt speech patterns. This word reminds us of the power and seriousness of our words, inviting us to reflect on how we speak about others and seek justice in a way that honors God.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- of cursing1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀρᾶς1×
Key Verses
-
Romans 3:14
“Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
Paul uses ara here to quote Psalm 10:7, showing that even the speech of those who reject God is marked by curses and bitterness, highlighting the universal need for grace.