πάθος (pathos)
pathos
passion
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun pathos refers to an emotion that one suffers or endures rather than controls. In classical Greek it could describe any strong feeling, but in the New Testament it carries a distinctly negative weight. It denotes violent, passive affections that overwhelm reason, often linked with shame or depravity.
Scripture uses this term sparingly to highlight the loss of self-governance. Paul describes "passions of dishonor" in Romans 1:26 and "passions of lust" in 1 Thessalonians 4:5. These passages contrast uncontrolled emotional impulses with the disciplined life expected of believers.
While similar to epithymia, which implies active desire, pathos emphasizes the passive nature of being swept away by evil urges. It captures the moment when human will is overpowered by intense, destructive feelings. This distinction helps clarify why the apostle treats such emotions as evidence of a heart turned away from God.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word translated as passion here describes a feeling that overwhelms you, rather than one you choose. It suggests being swept away by an emotion so strong it overrides your better judgment. In the New Testament, this term carries a heavy weight, pointing to desires that lead away from God's design for human dignity and self-control.
When Scripture speaks of these passions, it is not describing healthy excitement or love. Instead, it highlights moments when human will is captured by destructive urges. This distinction helps us see why such feelings are treated as evidence of a heart turned away from wisdom. It reminds us that true freedom involves governing our emotions, not letting them govern us.
Understanding this concept offers clarity for your daily walk. You can recognize when an impulse is merely a fleeting feeling versus a passion that seeks to dominate you. This awareness invites you to seek the strength to stand firm, choosing discipline over being swept away by what feels good in the moment but leads to harm.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- passions1×
- passion,1×
- [the] passion1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πάθος,1×
- πάθη1×
- πάθει1×
Key Verses
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Romans 1:26
For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature.
This verse uses the term to describe a state where God allows people to experience the natural consequences of rejecting divine order, highlighting the loss of self-governance.
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Colossians 3:5
Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Paul lists this passion alongside sexual immorality and covetousness, grouping it with behaviors that believers are called to actively put to death.
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I Thessalonians 4:5
not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God,
Here the word contrasts the disciplined life of believers with those who do not know God, emphasizing that Christian living is defined by control rather than being driven by lust.