λιμός (limos)
limos
hunger
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 12 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun limos refers to hunger or famine, describing a state where food is scarce and people suffer from lack. In the New Testament, it appears in twelve verses, often highlighting physical distress as a backdrop for spiritual lessons or prophetic warnings. For instance, Luke records Jesus citing Elijah’s time when “there was no bread” and many widows suffered because of famine (Luke 4:25), showing how scarcity impacted daily life.
This word carries the weight of real human suffering, not just metaphorical emptiness. It is paired with thirst in passages like 2 Corinthians 11:27 to emphasize extreme deprivation. In Revelation, it becomes part of apocalyptic imagery — one of the Four Horsemen brings famine alongside war and death (Revelation 6:8). The term also appears in Acts, where prophets warn of a coming famine under Emperor Claudius (Acts 11:28), reminding readers that such crises were known historical realities.
Limos likely derives from an idea of destitution or poverty, pointing to more than mere appetite — it signals a deep need. Translators usually render it “famine” when referring to widespread shortage, and “hunger” in personal contexts. Its use across Luke, Acts, and Revelation shows how early Christians understood physical hardship as both a present reality and a sign of deeper truths.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hunger in Scripture often points to a physical reality that we can easily overlook in our comfortable lives. When Jesus mentions famines or when Paul lists hunger among his hardships, he is describing a genuine lack of food that threatens survival. This raw experience strips away distractions and forces us to confront our dependence on God for daily bread.
Yet this physical need also mirrors a deeper spiritual truth. Just as the body cries out for sustenance, the soul yearns for connection with its Creator. In moments of scarcity or difficulty, we are reminded that true satisfaction comes from above. This awareness invites us to trust more deeply and to offer compassion to those who face such struggles today.
By acknowledging our own neediness, we open space for God’s provision to work in our lives. Whether facing personal challenges or witnessing global crises, this word calls us to look beyond immediate circumstances toward the One who sustains us. It encourages a posture of humility and reliance on divine grace rather than self-sufficiency.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 12 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a famine4×
- famines3×
- famine2×
- with hunger1×
- hunger1×
- famine,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- λιμὸς4×
- λιμῷ3×
- λιμοὶ2×
- λιμός,1×
- λιμὸν1×
- λιμοί1×
Key Verses
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Luke 15:17
But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger!
This verse captures the personal turning point where the prodigal son recognizes his desperate state, using hunger to signify both physical starvation and spiritual awakening.
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Romans 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Paul places famine alongside other severe trials to demonstrate that no external circumstance can sever the believer's union with Christ's love.
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Revelation of John 6:8
And behold, a pale horse, and the name of he who sat on it was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him.
Here famine functions as one of the four horsemen's judgments, illustrating widespread devastation and serving as a prophetic sign of end-times turmoil.