στρηνιάω (strēniaō)
strēniaō
to revel
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb strēniaō describes a life of reckless indulgence and wanton excess. It carries the sense of running riot or living luxuriously without restraint, painting a picture of someone consumed by sensual pleasure and self-indulgence.
This word appears only twice in the New Testament, both times within Revelation 18 to describe the fate of Babylon. The text uses it to depict how those who shared in her lavish lifestyle will mourn when she falls, having been sustained by their own extravagant habits (Revelation 18:7-9).
Its etymological roots suggest a connection to festive revelry that has spiraled into disorder. Unlike simple enjoyment, strēniaō implies a chaotic abandonment of moral boundaries, where luxury becomes a form of spiritual decay.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word strēniaō paints a vivid picture of life ruled by excess. It describes a state where indulgence replaces restraint, and luxury becomes a kind of spiritual blindness. In Revelation, this term highlights how those who lived for their own pleasure were caught off guard when everything collapsed. Their confidence in their own power left them unprepared for judgment.
This serves as a sobering reminder that chasing after temporary pleasures often leads to emptiness. When we place our trust in worldly success or sensual gratification, we risk losing sight of what truly endures. The passage invites us to examine where our hearts find security, urging a shift away from self-glorification toward reliance on God.
Ultimately, the contrast between Babylon’s fleeting pride and eternal truth offers hope. While the world may offer temporary comfort, it cannot sustain the soul. We are invited to find lasting peace in faithfulness rather than in the chaotic pursuit of pleasure.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- lived in luxury,1×
- having lived luxuriously,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐστρηνίασεν,1×
- στρηνιάσαντες,1×
Key Verses
-
Revelation of John 18:7
However much she glorified herself and grew wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning. For she says in her heart, ‘I sit a queen, and am no widow, and will in no way see mourning.’
This verse connects the act of living wantonly with the resulting torment, showing how self-exaltation leads to inevitable mourning.
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Revelation of John 18:9
The kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning,
Here the kings weep because their shared life of excess is destroyed, illustrating the emptiness of alliances built on indulgence.