μίσθιος (misthios)

misthios

hired worker

G3407 · Greek · New Testament · 3 verses

Language: Koine Greek
Testament: New Testament
Occurrences: 3 verses
Root: —

Word Overview

The adjective misthios describes a person who works for wages, functioning as a hired laborer or servant rather than a slave. Its meaning is rooted in the concept of a daily wage, distinguishing this worker by their temporary status and contractual obligation. In the New Testament, it appears only three times, all within the Gospel of Luke.

This term carries significant weight in Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son. The younger son reflects on his future, noting that even his father’s hired workers enjoy a full belly, while he starves (Luke 15:17). He later rehearses a speech asking to be treated as one of these wage earners rather than as a son (Luke 15:19, 21). The contrast highlights the difference between earning a living through labor and receiving inheritance through family relationship.

Etymologically, the word derives from misthos, meaning "wage" or "hire." This connection emphasizes that the worker’s value is transactional. While a slave belongs to the household permanently, the hired servant leaves when the work is done or the pay stops. The sources note this distinction clearly, showing how the term underscores the temporary nature of employment compared to the permanence of family bonds.

Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).

What This Word Means for Your Faith

The word misthios refers to a hired worker, someone who labors for a daily wage rather than belonging permanently to a household. In the ancient world, this status was distinct from slavery; the hired servant had a contract and could leave when the work ended or the pay stopped. It highlights a transactional relationship based on duty and compensation.

In Luke 15:17, the prodigal son looks at his father’s misthioi with envy. He sees that even these temporary workers have enough bread to spare, while he starves. This moment of clarity shows how low he has fallen, realizing that his former position as a son was far better than the security of a hired hand.

Yet this word also deepens our understanding of grace. The father does not restore him merely to the status of a misthios, a worker who earns his keep. Instead, he restores him as a beloved child. We are not saved by wages or contracts, but by the generous love of a Father who invites us into His home.

How it's translated

How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.

servants2×
hired servants1×

Forms in the text

The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.

μισθίων2×
μίσθιοι1×

Key Verses

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 uses the word to show the son's realization that even temporary workers have more security than he does in his current state of hunger.
Luke 15:19
I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’

Here the son proposes a regression, asking to be treated as a hired servant rather than a son, highlighting the transactional nature of that role.
Luke 15:21
The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

Although the word does not appear in this specific text, it is the culmination of the speech prepared in verse 19 where the son rejects the identity of a hired worker.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does misthios mean in the Bible?

Misthios refers to a hired worker or laborer who works for wages. It describes someone who is not a slave but also not a permanent member of the household, serving under a temporary contractual agreement.

How is misthios different from doulos?

Doulos typically means 'slave' or 'bondservant', implying a permanent and often involuntary bond to a master. Misthios, by contrast, describes a hired hand who works for pay and has a more limited, temporary relationship with the employer.

Where does this word appear in Scripture?

It appears only three times in the New Testament, all within Luke 15. It is used in the parable of the Prodigal Son to describe the father's hired workers who have plenty of food.

Why does the prodigal son mention misthioi?

He mentions them to highlight his desperation. He realizes that even a temporary worker in his father's house has enough bread, whereas he is dying of hunger. It shows how far he has fallen from his status as a son.

Every Occurrence (3 verses across 1 books)

Luke 3 verses

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…

Luke 15:19

I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’

Luke 15:21

The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your…