ἐλαττόω (elattoō)
elattoō
to make less
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb elattoō means to make something smaller, lesser, or inferior in status. In the New Testament, it appears only three times, primarily in the Gospel of John and the Epistle to the Hebrews. Its core sense is not merely physical reduction but a decrease in dignity, authority, or importance.
A key example occurs in John 3:30, where John the Baptist declares that he must "decrease" so that Jesus may "increase." Here, the word captures a voluntary lowering of one’s own prominence to highlight another’s rising influence. In Hebrews 2:7 and 2:9, it describes how Jesus was made "a little lower than the angels" for a time, emphasizing His temporary humiliation in human form.
This term carries theological weight by framing humility not as weakness but as purposeful self-lowering. It reflects a pattern seen throughout Scripture where divine greatness is revealed through apparent diminishment. Translators often render it as "decrease," though the Greek implies a conscious reduction in rank or value rather than simple loss.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word elattoō invites us to rethink how we view our own importance. It describes a deliberate lowering of status, not out of shame, but to make room for something greater. In John’s Gospel, John the Baptist uses this term to explain his role: he is content to decrease so that Jesus may increase. This is not a loss of identity, but a realignment of focus toward Christ.
Hebrews applies this same concept to Jesus Himself. Though He is God, He was made temporarily lower than the angels to suffer death for us. This shows that true greatness in God’s eyes often looks like humility and service. When we feel small or overlooked, we can find comfort knowing that God uses our lowliness to display His glory.
This word reminds us that spiritual growth is not about climbing higher on our own merits, but about making space for Jesus to take the central place in our lives. It is a call to quiet confidence, trusting that God’s purposes are fulfilled when we step back and let Him lead.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to decrease.1×
- made lower1×
- You made lower1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἠλάττωσας1×
- ἠλαττωμένον1×
- ἐλαττοῦσθαι.1×
Key Verses
-
John 3:30
He must increase, but I must decrease.
This verse captures the voluntary nature of decreasing one's own prominence to highlight Christ's rising influence.
-
Hebrews 2:7
You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor.
Here the word describes Jesus' temporary humiliation in human form, emphasizing His identification with our weakness.
-
Hebrews 2:9
But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.
This occurrence links Jesus' lowered status directly to His suffering and death, showing the purpose behind His humility.