φυσίωσις (phusiōsis)
phusiōsis
arrogance
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun phusiōsis describes a state of being puffed up or swollen with pride. Its root verb refers to blowing air into something until it expands, creating a vivid image of someone whose ego has inflated beyond its proper size. In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in 2 Corinthians 12:20, where Paul lists behaviors he fears might still exist among the Corinthians.
Paul uses this term to warn against spiritual arrogance that can undermine genuine community. He worries that divisions and selfishness might persist despite his efforts, suggesting that phusiōsis is not just personal vanity but a disruptive force within the church. The word captures the hollow nature of pride, which swells with empty air rather than substantive character.
Translators typically render this term as "arrogance" or "swelling," emphasizing its negative connotation in Christian ethics. Unlike humility, which involves groundedness and service, phusiōsis represents a dangerous self-inflation that separates believers from one another. Paul’s use of this rare word highlights how seriously he views the threat of pride to healthy relationships.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word phusiōsis paints a vivid picture of something inflated with air rather than filled with substance. It describes an arrogance that swells up from within, pushing others away and creating distance in our relationships. When we let pride take root, it does not build us up; instead, it hollows out the community around us, replacing genuine connection with empty self-importance.
In 2 Corinthians 12:20, Paul lists this trait alongside strife and jealousy, showing how destructive it can be to church life. He fears that such attitudes might still linger among believers, disrupting the unity Christ desires for His people. Recognizing this tendency in ourselves is the first step toward humility, allowing us to rely on God’s grace rather than our own inflated sense of worth.
May we guard our hearts against this swelling pride, choosing instead to serve one another with humility. Let us find our identity not in how high we rise above others, but in how closely we walk with Christ and care for those around us.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- conceit,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- φυσιώσεις,1×
Key Verses
-
II Corinthians 12:20
For I am afraid that perhaps when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don’t desire, that perhaps there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, or riots,
Paul groups phusiōsis with strife and jealousy to show how spiritual arrogance actively damages church unity.