ὁδοιπορία (hodoiporia)
hodoiporia
journey
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun hodoiporia refers to a journey or the act of traveling. It appears only twice in the New Testament, specifically in John 4:6 and 2 Corinthians 11:26. In these contexts, it denotes the physical act of moving from one place to another, such as Jesus growing weary on His way to Jacob’s well or Paul describing his frequent travels for the sake of the gospel.
This word is a compound formed from hodos, meaning "way" or "road," and poria, relating to passage or travel. It emphasizes the concrete experience of being on the road rather than abstract spiritual movement. Translators typically render it simply as "journey" or "traveling," capturing its straightforward sense of transit without adding theological nuance.
Its rarity in Scripture highlights specific moments where the physical reality of travel is central to the narrative. Whether describing a moment of rest or a list of hardships, hodoiporia grounds the text in the tangible world of ancient movement.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hodoiporia describes the physical reality of a journey, grounding spiritual narratives in the tangible world of ancient travel. It reminds us that faith is lived out not just in abstract thought, but through the concrete experiences of moving from one place to another. Whether it is Jesus resting by Jacob’s well or Paul listing the hardships of his travels, this word highlights the human side of divine mission.
In John 4:6, we see Jesus tired from His journey, sitting down by the well. This moment shows that even the Son of God experienced the weariness of travel, making His encounter with the Samaritan woman deeply personal and relatable. It invites us to find rest in Him when our own paths feel long or difficult.
Paul’s mention of frequent journeys in 2 Corinthians 11:26 underscores the cost of sharing the gospel. His travels were not leisurely trips but dangerous expeditions filled with peril. This word connects us to the early church’s commitment, showing that faith often requires stepping out into the unknown, trusting God’s presence even when the road is uncertain.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- journey1×
- in journeyings1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὁδοιπορίας1×
- ὁδοιπορίαις1×
Key Verses
-
John 4:6
Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being tired from his journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
This occurrence highlights Jesus' physical exhaustion after traveling, emphasizing His humanity and readiness to meet people in their daily routines.
-
II Corinthians 11:26
I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;
Here Paul uses the term to summarize the repeated dangers he faced while preaching, illustrating the high personal cost of apostolic ministry.