ἐξαπορέω (exaporeō)
exaporeō
to despair
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb exaporeō describes a state of being utterly at a loss, where all resources and options have been exhausted. It conveys more than simple sadness; it is the feeling of having no way out, leading to despair or renouncing hope. The word combines elements meaning "out" and "to be at a loss," emphasizing total depletion of strength or strategy.
In the New Testament, this term appears only twice, both in Paul’s letters to the Corinthians. In 2 Corinthians 4:8, he uses it to describe being "hard pressed on every side" yet not crushed, suggesting that while the situation causes despair, it does not define the believer's final state. Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 1:8, Paul recounts a severe afflictation in Asia that made him despondent and feel as though he had received a death sentence, highlighting the depth of human weakness.
This word captures the moment when human effort fails completely. It serves as a stark reminder of vulnerability, yet its usage in these contexts often precedes a revelation of divine strength. By acknowledging this depth of despair, the text points toward reliance on God rather than self-sufficiency.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
There are moments when life feels so heavy that you simply do not know which way to turn. The Greek word exaporeō describes this exact feeling: a state where every option has run out and hope seems impossible to find. It is the exhaustion of human strength, where we realize our own resources are completely empty.
Paul writes about this in 2 Corinthians 4:8, admitting that he was perplexed yet not to despair. He does not hide his pain; instead, he shows that even when you feel at your limit, God’s power is made perfect in your weakness. Your despair does not mean God has left you. It often marks the place where you finally stop relying on yourself and start trusting in His sustaining grace.
When you feel weighed down beyond your power, as Paul did in Asia, remember that this vulnerability is an invitation to lean on Christ. You are never alone in your deepest struggles. His strength meets you right there in the brokenness, offering a hope that human effort could never provide.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to despair1×
- despairing,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐξαπορούμενοι,1×
- ἐξαπορηθῆναι1×
Key Verses
-
II Corinthians 1:8
For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia: that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.
Paul uses this word to describe receiving a death sentence, highlighting the absolute depth of his human weakness in Asia.
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II Corinthians 4:8
We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;
The term appears here to show that while believers may feel perplexed and cornered, despair does not have the final word over their lives.