τεκνοτροφέω (teknotropheō)
teknotropheō
to raise children
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb teknotropheō means to raise or rear children, focusing on the practical care and upbringing of the young. It appears only once in the New Testament, in 1 Timothy 5:10, where Paul lists qualities that make a widow worthy of recognition by the church.
Its meaning comes from two parts: teknon (child) and trephō (to nourish or feed). This combination highlights the physical and daily work of parenting. The word points to the hands-on effort of bringing up children, rather than just biological parenthood.
Translators usually render it "bringing up children." This simple phrase captures the steady, everyday labor involved in raising a family, as described in this single biblical instance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word teknotropheō appears just once in Scripture, tucked into Paul’s instructions about widows in 1 Timothy 5:10. It combines words for child and nourishment to describe the daily, hands-on work of raising a family. This is not merely biological parenthood but the steady labor of feeding, guiding, and caring for young lives over time.
For many parents or caregivers, this verse offers quiet validation. The mundane tasks of parenting are seen as significant spiritual contributions. When you wash clothes, prepare meals, or offer patience through difficult phases, you are participating in a form of faithful service that the Bible honors.
This perspective helps reframe ordinary moments. Raising children is not separate from faith; it is where faith often takes its most practical shape. Whether you are raising your own children or supporting others in this journey, your steady care matters deeply to God and to the community around you.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- she has brought up children,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐτεκνοτρόφησεν,1×
Key Verses
-
I Timothy 5:10
being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work.
This is the only New Testament occurrence of the word, where it serves as a key criterion for recognizing a widow’s faithful service through the practical labor of raising children.