κοράσιον (korasion)

The noun korasion refers to a young girl or maiden, appearing seven times in the New Testament within the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. It serves as a diminutive form derived from kore, emphasizing youth and small stature rather than merely denoting gender. This linguistic nuance helps readers visualize the specific age and vulnerability of the figures involved in these narratives.

Lexical sources note that this term often corresponds to the Hebrew na‘arah in the Septuagint, such as when Ruth is described as a young woman (Ruth 2:8). In the Gospels, it highlights the fragility of those healed or mourned. Jesus uses it for Jairus’s daughter in Mark 5:41-42 and Matthew 9:24-25, while Mark 6:22 mentions Herodias’s daughter. The word underscores the human tenderness of these encounters.

Translators typically render korasion as "girl" or "damsel," though the latter can sound archaic. The term survives in modern Greek, maintaining its sense of a young female child. Its consistent use in these gospel accounts draws attention to the innocence and dependence of the subjects, framing Jesus’s miracles as acts of compassion toward the vulnerable.