μήτρα (mētra)
mētra
womb
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun mētra refers directly to the womb, serving as the physical place where life begins and develops. In the New Testament, this term appears only twice, yet it carries significant weight in describing human origins. It is used in Luke 2:23 to describe the purity laws concerning childbirth, grounding religious ritual in biological reality.
Romans 4:19 employs the word when Paul describes Abraham’s faith despite his body being "as good as dead." Here, mētra highlights the impossibility of conception from a barren womb, emphasizing that God’s promise transcends natural limitations. The term connects divine power with human frailty, showing that new life comes not from human strength but from God’s action.
Though simple in meaning, mētra anchors theological arguments about faith and resurrection in the tangible experience of birth. It reminds readers that even when nature seems closed, God can bring forth life where none exists.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word mētra simply means womb, pointing to the physical place where new life begins. In Scripture, this term grounds our understanding of faith in real human experience. It reminds us that God’s work often starts in places that seem small or impossible to the natural eye.
When Paul writes about Abraham, he notes the "deadness" of Sarah’s womb to show how completely Abraham trusted God’s promise, even when biology offered no hope. This word connects divine power with human frailty. It shows that new life comes not from our strength, but from God’s action.
Whether you are facing barren seasons or waiting for a breakthrough, this word invites you to look beyond what is visible. God can bring forth life where none seems possible. His promises are not limited by natural constraints, and He remains faithful even when circumstances appear closed.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- womb1×
- a womb1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- μήτρας1×
- μήτραν1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 2:23
(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”),
This verse links the physical reality of childbirth to religious devotion, showing that God’s laws respect the biological process of life.
-
Romans 4:19
Without being weakened in faith, he didn’t consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
Paul uses this term to highlight Abraham’s faith by pointing out that conception was biologically impossible, emphasizing that God’s promise transcends natural limitations.