γέλως (gelōs)
gelōs
laughter
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun gelōs simply means laughter. It appears only once in the New Testament, in James 4:9, where believers are urged to mourn and weep instead of laughing. This single usage places the word in a context of serious self-reflection and repentance.
In the Septuagint, this Greek term often translates the Hebrew sēḥōq, which can refer to playful joy or mocking ridicule depending on the situation. James uses it here to denote a lighthearted attitude that is inappropriate for those recognizing their spiritual condition. The word itself carries no inherent moral weight; its meaning depends entirely on whether the laughter stems from joy, mockery, or frivolity.
Translators consistently render gelōs as "laughter" without adding qualifiers. This straightforward approach preserves the direct contrast James makes between mourning and laughing. The brevity of the term highlights the sharpness of the command: a complete shift in emotional posture is required.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word gelōs appears just once in the New Testament, carrying a direct challenge to our emotional posture. James urges believers to turn their laughter into mourning during seasons of spiritual reckoning. This is not a call to suppress all joy, but to recognize when a lighthearted attitude clashes with the seriousness of repentance.
Understanding this term helps us navigate moments where we might feel disconnected from God’s work in our lives. It invites us to examine whether our current mood reflects genuine engagement with our spiritual condition or a casual detachment. By aligning our hearts with truth, we open space for deeper healing and restoration.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- laughter1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- γέλως1×
Key Verses
-
James 4:9
Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
This verse uses gelōs to contrast frivolous joy with the solemnity required for repentance, highlighting a shift in emotional posture.