ὕβρις (hubris)
hubris
mistreatment
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun hubris describes a violent act of insolence or an outrageous injury inflicted with pride. In the New Testament, it carries the weight of wanton violence rather than simple disagreement. It signifies an affront where the perpetrator’s arrogance is central to the harm done to another person.
This word appears in only three verses, highlighting its specific intensity. Paul lists it as part of the hardships he endures in 2 Corinthians 12:10, grouping it with insults and calamities. In Acts 27, it describes the damage and loss suffered by a ship during a storm, extending the concept of violent destruction to physical objects.
The term often translates Hebrew words for haughtiness or pride in the Old Testament background. It captures a sense of unprovoked aggression that stems from a superior attitude. Translators render it as mistreatment or outrage to convey this blend of violence and arrogance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word hubris points to a specific kind of harm: violence mixed with arrogance. It is not just an accident or a simple disagreement. It describes an act where someone inflicts injury because they feel superior, treating another person as less than human. This word appears only three times in the New Testament, which shows how serious and intense this behavior is.
In 2 Corinthians 12:10, Paul lists hubris alongside insults and persecutions. He does not hide from these hardships but finds strength in Christ through them. This reminds us that when we face unprovoked aggression or prideful mistreatment, our worth is not defined by the abuser’s arrogance. God sees the injustice, and He offers a different kind of power.
Even in Acts 27, the word describes physical loss during a storm. While this usage is broader, it still carries the weight of destruction. For your faith life, this means you do not have to fight pride with pride. When others act with hubris, you can rest in the truth that Christ’s strength is made perfect in your weakness.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- disaster2×
- insults,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὕβριν1×
- ὕβρεως1×
- ὕβρεσιν,1×
Key Verses
-
II Corinthians 12:10
Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, and in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.
Paul groups this specific type of arrogant mistreatment with other sufferings to show that Christ's power rests on him when he is vulnerable.
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Acts 27:10
and said to them, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”
This verse uses the word to predict severe injury and loss, highlighting the destructive outcome of ignoring wise counsel during a crisis.
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Acts 27:21
When they had been long without food, Paul stood up in the middle of them and said, “Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have set sail from Crete and have gotten this injury and loss.
Paul identifies the current suffering as the direct result of past hubristic decisions, linking human pride to tangible consequences.