θάλπω (thalpō)
thalpō
to care for
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb thalpō carries the physical sense of warming or heating, which extends metaphorically to nurturing and cherishing with tender care. In the New Testament, it appears only twice, both in passages describing family relationships. It is used to depict the gentle, sustaining affection found in marriage and parenting.
Paul employs this word in Ephesians 5:29 when noting that husbands should care for their wives as they do their own bodies, and in 1 Thessalonians 2:7 where he describes his ministry style. There, he contrasts harsh leadership with the warmth of a nurse caring for her children. The term suggests a protective, life-giving heat rather than mere emotional sentiment.
Its root likely connects to thallo, meaning to bloom or become green, implying that this care fosters growth and vitality. Translators often render it as "cherish" or "nourish," capturing the idea of providing the warmth necessary for life to flourish. This usage highlights a love that is active, sustaining, and deeply personal.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word thalpō paints a picture of care that is as essential as warmth to life. It describes the tender, sustaining affection found in close relationships, where one person actively nurtures another’s growth and well-being. This is not just a feeling but an action, like a parent or spouse providing the heat needed for something fragile to thrive.
In Ephesians 5:29, Paul uses this term to describe how husbands should care for their wives, comparing it to how we naturally protect our own bodies. It reminds us that true love is practical and protective. Similarly, in 1 Thessalonians 2:7, he likens his ministry to a nursing mother cherishing her children, showing that spiritual guidance often looks like gentle, personal attention rather than distant authority.
When we encounter this word, it invites us to consider the warmth we bring into our own relationships. Whether in marriage or friendship, thalpō challenges us to offer care that is life-giving and attentive. It is a call to nurture others with the same instinctive love we have for ourselves, creating spaces where people feel safe and valued.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- shall cherish1×
- he cherishes1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- θάλπῃ1×
- θάλπει1×
Key Verses
-
Ephesians 5:29
For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly,
This verse applies thalpō to marriage, equating a husband's care for his wife with the natural instinct to protect one's own body.