ἐνάρχομαι (enarchomai)
enarchomai
to begin
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb enarchomai means to begin or make a start. It appears only twice in the New Testament, both times in the letters to the Philippians and Galatians. In these contexts, it describes the initiation of an action or process.
In Philippians 1:6, Paul uses this word to speak of God’s work that began in the believers’ lives. He expresses confidence that the one who started this good work will bring it to completion. This usage highlights a divine initiative that has already taken place and is expected to continue.
Similarly, in Galatians 3:3, Paul challenges the Galatian Christians with a rhetorical question. He asks whether they began by the Spirit would now try to be made perfect by human effort. Here, enarchomai underscores the contrast between spiritual beginnings and subsequent reliance on fleshly methods.
The word combines the prefix en-, meaning "in" or "within," with archomai, meaning "to begin." This construction suggests starting something within a particular context or sphere. Translators typically render it simply as "begin," capturing its straightforward sense of initiation without adding extra theological weight beyond the immediate context.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we look at our own spiritual journey, it is easy to feel responsible for every step forward or backward. The word enarchomai, meaning 'to begin,' offers a comforting shift in focus. In Philippians 1:6, Paul reminds us that God is the one who initiates this good work within us. This divine start is not dependent on our perfect performance but on His faithful character.
This truth frees us from the anxiety of trying to finish what we started on our own strength. As seen in Galatians 3:3, relying on human effort after a spiritual beginning leads to exhaustion. Instead, we can rest in the confidence that the One who began this process will bring it to completion. Your growth is held securely in His hands.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- having begun1×
- Having begun1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐναρξάμενος1×
- ἐναρξάμενοι1×
Key Verses
-
Philippians 1:6
being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Paul uses this word to anchor his confidence in God's ongoing commitment to finish the spiritual work He started in believers.
-
Galatians 3:3
Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now completed in the flesh?
The term highlights the inconsistency of switching from a Spirit-led start to fleshly efforts for completion.