ἀχάριστος (acharistos)
acharistos
ungrateful
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective acharistos describes a person who is ungrateful or unthankful. Its meaning comes from combining a negative prefix with a root related to grace or kindness, creating a picture of someone who fails to acknowledge the good they have received. In the New Testament, this word paints a stark portrait of moral character, highlighting a heart that remains closed to gratitude.
It appears in only two verses: Luke 6:35 and 2 Timothy 3:2. In Luke, Jesus uses it to describe the attitude of those who are ungrateful even toward God, contrasting them with the merciful nature of the Father. Paul echoes this in his letter to Timothy, listing the "ungrateful" among the many selfish traits that mark difficult times. The word suggests a failure to respond appropriately to favor or kindness.
Translators typically render acharistos as "ungrateful," which captures its core sense of thanklessness. While it can also mean ungracious, its primary biblical weight lies in the moral failure to give thanks. This term serves as a sharp reminder that gratitude is not merely a polite gesture but a fundamental response to grace.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Gratitude is a spiritual posture that reflects our awareness of God’s kindness. The word acharistos describes a heart that remains closed to this reality, failing to acknowledge the good it has received. It is not simply about manners; it is a moral blindness to grace. When we ignore thanks, we risk hardening our own hearts against the very source of every blessing.
Jesus points to God as the one who remains kind even toward those who do not return the favor. This sets a high standard for how we treat others. We are called to reflect that same mercy, offering love without keeping score. Recognizing our own tendency toward thanklessness helps us rely more fully on God’s patience and grace.
Paul lists this trait among the signs of difficult times, showing how selfishness crowds out gratitude. Yet, we do not have to live in that pattern. By remembering the kindness shown to us, we can choose a different path. Let us cultivate a spirit of thanks, knowing it opens our eyes to God’s ongoing care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- ungrateful,1×
- ungrateful1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀχάριστοι,1×
- ἀχαρίστους1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 6:35
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.
This verse highlights that God’s kindness extends even to the unthankful, showing His mercy is not dependent on our response.
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II Timothy 3:2
For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Paul places this trait alongside selfishness and arrogance, indicating it is a key sign of moral decline in difficult times.