κακοπάθεια (kakopatheia)
kakopatheia
suffering
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun kakopatheia describes the concrete experience of suffering or distress. Derived from words meaning "evil" or "bad" and "to feel," it refers not to an abstract concept but to the actual hardship endured by a person. In the New Testament, this term appears only once, in James 5:10, where it characterizes the trials faced by the prophets.
Its usage highlights endurance under difficult circumstances rather than passive victimhood. The text points to the prophets as examples of those who spoke in the name of the Lord while undergoing these afflictions. This connects the word closely to the idea of perseverance through hardship, framing suffering as a context for faithful witness rather than merely a state of pain.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word kakopatheia points to the real, physical weight of hardship. It is not a distant idea but the actual ache you feel when life becomes heavy. In James 5:10, this term describes the trials faced by the prophets who spoke for God despite their pain.
Seeing suffering as a context for faithful witness changes how we view our own struggles. It does not ask us to ignore the pain but to hold onto hope while enduring it. The prophets did not suffer passively; they continued to speak truth even when it cost them dearly.
This reminds us that your current difficulties are seen and known. You are not alone in bearing this load. There is strength available to stand firm, knowing that your endurance has purpose and value in God's eyes.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- of suffering evils1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- κακοπαθείας1×
Key Verses
-
James 5:10
Take, brothers, for an example of suffering and of perseverance, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
This verse uses the word to describe the concrete hardships endured by prophets while they remained faithful to their divine calling.