ἔγκυος (egkuos)
egkuos
pregnant
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective egkuos describes a woman who is "big with child" or in the state of pregnancy. Derived from roots meaning "in" and "to conceive," it refers specifically to the physical condition of carrying a fetus, rather than the act of conception itself. In the New Testament, this term appears only once, marking a precise moment in the narrative history.
This single occurrence is found in Luke 2:5, where Joseph travels to Bethlehem with Mary, who is described as egkuos. The word anchors the story in tangible human reality, highlighting the physical circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth. Translators consistently render it as "pregnant," capturing the straightforward biological state without adding theological commentary.
The rarity of this word in Scripture underscores its descriptive function. It serves to ground the incarnation in a specific historical and bodily context, reminding readers that the divine entered human life through ordinary, yet significant, physical stages. Its usage here emphasizes the reality of Mary’s condition at the time of the census.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ἔγκυος simply means pregnant, appearing just once in the New Testament at Luke 2:5. It describes Mary’s physical state as she travels to Bethlehem with Joseph. This single term grounds the story of Jesus’ birth in real human life, showing that God entered our world through ordinary biological processes.
For your faith, this detail matters because it affirms the reality of the incarnation. The divine did not bypass human nature but took on flesh within a specific moment of time and space. Mary’s pregnancy was not a metaphor but a tangible event, anchoring Christian hope in history rather than myth.
You can find comfort in knowing that God values the physical aspects of life. He does not treat the body as secondary to the spirit. Instead, He sanctifies human experiences like pregnancy, making them part of His redemptive plan. This reminds us that our own bodily lives are held within His care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- with child.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐγκύῳ.¶1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 2:5
to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
The term anchors the narrative in tangible human reality, highlighting the physical circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth during the census.