ἀσθενέω

I am weak, sick

Definition

The verb ἀσθενέω primarily means 'to be weak' or 'to be sick.' In the New Testament, it most often refers to physical illness, as when Jesus heals the sick (Matthew 10:8, Luke 4:40). It can also describe a state of physical infirmity or chronic weakness, such as the man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:3). Beyond the physical, the word extends to moral or spiritual weakness, as when Paul speaks of the 'weak' in faith (Romans 14:1-2) or his own experience of strength in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Biblical Usage

This verb is used 35 times across the Gospels, Acts, and the Pauline epistles. In the Gospels and Acts, it almost exclusively describes physical sickness and healing (e.g., Matthew 25:36, Mark 6:56, Acts 9:37). Paul employs the term more broadly, using it for physical illness (Galatians 4:13), but also metaphorically for spiritual or ethical weakness within the Christian community (1 Corinthians 8:9-12, Romans 4:19). This dual usage highlights a key thematic development from literal to figurative application.

Etymology

Derived from the adjective ἀσθενής (asthenēs, G772), meaning 'without strength.' It is a compound of the alpha-privative prefix ἀ- (a-, meaning 'not' or 'without') and the root σθένος (sthenos), meaning 'strength' or 'might.' The core concept is a lack or deprivation of strength, which naturally extends from physical to other realms of human experience.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it connects human vulnerability with divine power. In the Gospels, Jesus' healing of the ἀσθενέω demonstrates his messianic authority over physical brokenness. In Paul's theology, it becomes a central paradox: human weakness is the very place where God's grace and power are made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9). Understanding this term enriches the reading of passages about suffering, grace, and the nature of Christian community, where the 'weak' are to be specially cared for (1 Thessalonians 5:14).

In the first-century Greco-Roman world, physical weakness or chronic sickness often carried social and religious stigma, sometimes being viewed as a sign of divine disfavor or moral failing. Jesus' ministry of healing the ἀσθενέω directly confronted these assumptions, restoring not just health but social standing and religious inclusion. The term's use for moral 'weakness' in matters of conscience (e.g., food sacrificed to idols) reflects internal community debates about faith and practice in a pluralistic culture.

ἀρρωστέω (arrōsteō, G732) — emphasizes being sickly or infirm, often in a more chronic sense. νοσέω (noseō, G3558) — focuses on being diseased or ill. μαλακία (malakia, G3119) — a noun meaning 'sickness' or 'weakness,' often used for specific maladies.

Word Details

Scripture References