ὀρθρινός (orthrinos)
orthrinos
dawn
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective orthrinos refers to the time of dawn or early morning. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Luke 24:22, where women report that they went to Jesus’ tomb at daybreak and found the stone rolled away.
This word is a later variant of the more common orthrios, both deriving from the root for "morning" or "daybreak." Its use here highlights the specific timing of the discovery, emphasizing the early hour when the women arrived. The term captures the quiet, transitional moment between night and day, marking the beginning of the resurrection narrative.
While less frequent than its counterpart, orthrinos carries the same sense of freshness and new beginnings associated with sunrise. Its single occurrence in Luke underscores the significance of this moment in the Gospel account, where the dawn brings not just light but the revelation of Christ’s victory over death.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word orthrinos points to the quiet hours just before sunrise, a time when the world is still settling into light. In Luke’s Gospel, this specific term marks the moment women arrived at the tomb, carrying spices and heavy hearts. It was not a time of celebration, but of grief and confusion. Yet, it is precisely in this early, uncertain dawn that the story of resurrection begins.
For you, this word offers a gentle reminder that new beginnings often start in the dark. You do not need to have all the answers before God meets you. The dawn does not ask for perfection; it simply arrives. Trust that even when your path feels unclear or your spirit is weary, light is breaking through. This verse invites you to bring your honest questions and tired hopes into the presence of Christ.
May you find peace in knowing that every morning brings a fresh chance to encounter grace. Let the hope of the empty tomb anchor your heart today.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- at dawn1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὀρθριναὶ1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 24:22
Also, certain women of our company amazed us, having arrived early at the tomb;
This verse uses orthrinos to specify that the women arrived at the tomb in the early morning light, highlighting the precise timing of their discovery.