ψῦχος (psuchos)
psuchos
cold
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun psuchos carries the straightforward meaning of coldness, referring to physical chill or exposure to low temperatures. In the New Testament, it appears only three times, always in a literal sense rather than as a metaphor for spiritual apathy or emotional distance. The word describes the tangible sensation of being cold, often in contexts involving hardship or discomfort.
Its usage highlights the physical realities faced by believers and others in biblical narratives. In John 18:18, servants stand by a charcoal fire to keep warm against the cold, illustrating a moment of ordinary human need. Similarly, Acts 28:2 describes Paul being covered by a cloak to protect him from the chill on Malta, while 2 Corinthians 11:27 lists enduring cold among the many hardships Paul endured during his ministry.
This term grounds the text in bodily experience, reminding readers that faith operates within physical limits. The sources do not link it to abstract theological concepts but use it to depict real-world conditions. Translators consistently render it as "cold," preserving its simple, direct meaning without adding symbolic weight.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ψῦχος reminds us that faith is lived out in real, physical bodies. It does not describe a distant spiritual state but the immediate sensation of chill. In John 18:18, servants huddle around a charcoal fire simply to keep warm. This ordinary moment shows that Jesus and His followers faced basic human needs like any other people.
Paul lists enduring cold among his hardships in 2 Corinthians 11:27. He does not hide these struggles but includes them as part of his ministry. This honesty validates our own experiences of discomfort or hardship. God is present in the cold, just as He was with Paul on Malta in Acts 28:2.
Your physical needs matter to Him. When you feel exposed or uncomfortable, remember that Scripture acknowledges these realities without shame. You are not alone in your struggles, and your faith holds true even in the coldest seasons of life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- cold2×
- cold.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ψῦχος.1×
- ψῦχος1×
- ψύχει1×
Key Verses
-
John 18:18
Now the servants and the officers were standing there, having made a fire of coals, for it was cold. They were warming themselves. Peter was with them, standing and warming himself.
This verse grounds the narrative in physical reality by showing Jesus' followers seeking warmth at a charcoal fire during a tense moment.
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Acts 28:2
The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire and received us all, because of the present rain and because of the cold.
Here, cold is the reason locals show kindness to Paul, highlighting how shared human vulnerability bridges cultural gaps.
-
II Corinthians 11:27
in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.
Paul includes cold alongside hunger and thirst to demonstrate the tangible hardships he endured for the gospel.