πρᾶγμα (pragma)
pragma
thing
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 11 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun pragma refers to something that has been done or accomplished, essentially a deed or an act. It describes concrete events rather than abstract ideas, focusing on what actually takes place in reality. In Luke 1:1 and Acts 5:4, it points to specific historical actions that form the basis of testimony.
Beyond simple acts, the word often signifies a matter, affair, or business transaction. It carries a legal weight, appearing in contexts involving lawsuits or disputes, such as in 1 Corinthians 6:1 where believers are criticized for taking matters to secular courts. This forensic usage highlights its role in defining serious issues requiring judgment.
The term appears frequently in Hebrews to emphasize the reliability of God’s promises. In Hebrews 6:18 and 10:30, it underscores that divine declarations are not empty words but established facts. Translators usually render it as "thing" or "matter," capturing its sense of a settled reality that commands attention.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word pragma points to something concrete—a deed done or a matter settled in reality. It moves beyond abstract ideas to describe what actually happens. When you encounter this term, it reminds you that faith is grounded in real events and tangible actions, not just vague feelings.
In passages like Hebrews 6:18, the word highlights God’s promises as immutable facts. These are not empty words but established realities that offer strong encouragement to those who seek refuge in Him. This stability provides a firm foundation for your hope when life feels uncertain.
Even in difficult contexts, such as disputes among believers, pragma calls attention to serious matters requiring judgment. It invites us to handle conflicts with integrity and peace, recognizing that our actions have weight. By focusing on what is true and done, you can trust in the reliability of God’s word and the reality of His care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 11 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- things,2×
- matter2×
- things1×
- thing.1×
- of things1×
- matter;1×
- matter.1×
- deed1×
- a matter1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πρᾶγμα2×
- πραγμάτων,2×
- πραγμάτων2×
- πρᾶγμα.¶1×
- πράγματος1×
- πράγματι·1×
- πράγματι.1×
- πράγματι1×
Key Verses
-
Hebrews 6:18
that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.
This verse uses pragma to describe two immutable things that provide strong encouragement, emphasizing that God's promises are established facts rather than empty words.
-
Luke 1:1
Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us,
Here pragma refers to the specific matters or events that have been fulfilled among us, grounding the narrative in historical reality rather than myth.
-
I Corinthians 6:1
Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
The word denotes a legal matter or lawsuit, highlighting the seriousness of believers taking disputes before secular courts instead of resolving them within the community.
-
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.
Pragma is translated as 'things' here, referring to the concrete realities of hope and faith that are not yet seen but are assured by trust in God.