δέος (deos)
deos
fear
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun deos denotes a profound sense of awe, reverence, or holy fear. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Hebrews 12:28, where believers are urged to serve God acceptably with "reverence and awe." This usage distinguishes it from simple terror; it describes the respectful trembling one feels before the majesty of God.
Its root verb, deomai, means to bind or be in need, suggesting a state of dependence that leads to humility. While synonyms like phobos can imply panic, deos carries a weight of solemn respect. Translators often render it as "reverence" to capture this dignified fear that acknowledges God's supreme authority and holiness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word deos captures a deep, reverent awe before God. It is not the panic of terror, but a holy respect for His majesty. This feeling helps us approach Him with humility and gratitude.
In Hebrews 12:28, we are encouraged to serve God with this reverence. It reminds us that our worship is an act of love and submission. We can trust in His unshakable kingdom as we offer our lives to Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- fear;1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- δέους·1×
Key Verses
-
Hebrews 12:28
Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let’s have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,
This verse uniquely pairs deos with grace, showing that holy reverence is the proper response to receiving an unshakable kingdom.