στεῖρος

barren

Definition

The Greek adjective στεῖρος means 'barren' or 'unable to bear children.' In the New Testament, it is used exclusively to describe women who are physically incapable of conceiving, such as Elizabeth in Luke 1:7, 36. This condition was often seen as a source of social shame and divine disfavor in the ancient world. The word is also used metaphorically in Luke 23:29, where Jesus tells the women of Jerusalem that a time is coming when the 'barren' will be called blessed, contrasting physical barrenness with a future spiritual state. Furthermore, in Galatians 4:27, Paul quotes Isaiah 54:1, using 'barren' symbolically to represent the desolate Jerusalem who will have more children than the one who has a husband, applying it to the contrast between the law and promise.

Biblical Usage

Στεῖρος is used four times in the New Testament, all in contexts highlighting the theme of miraculous reversal or divine intervention. In Luke's Gospel, it describes Elizabeth's condition before the miraculous conception of John the Baptist (Luke 1:7, 36), emphasizing God's power to overcome natural impossibility. In Luke 23:29, Jesus uses the term in a prophetic lament, flipping its cultural connotation to declare future blessing for the barren. In Galatians 4:27, Paul employs the word in a quotation to make a theological argument, using the barren woman as a metaphor for the heavenly Jerusalem, which produces spiritual offspring through promise.

Etymology

The word στεῖρος is a native Greek adjective meaning 'sterile,' 'barren,' or 'unfruitful.' It is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ster-, meaning 'stiff' or 'sterile,' which also gives us the English word 'sterile.' In Greek, it specifically described land, animals, or people incapable of producing offspring. Its meaning remained consistent in biblical Greek, focusing on the inability to bear children.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it is often associated with God's power to reverse human hopelessness and fulfill His promises against all odds. The barren woman is a recurring biblical motif (e.g., Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth) that showcases divine grace and the inauguration of new eras of salvation history. In Luke, Elizabeth's barrenness sets the stage for the miraculous birth of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ. In Galatians, the metaphor underscores the contrast between human effort (the law) and divine promise (grace), teaching that spiritual fruitfulness comes from God's promise, not human capacity. Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by highlighting the profound reversal from shame to blessing that God accomplishes.

In the ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish world, barrenness was a profound personal and social tragedy. A woman's primary value and identity were often tied to her ability to bear children, especially sons, to continue the family line and provide security. Barrenness was frequently viewed as a sign of divine disfavor or a curse (e.g., Genesis 16:2, 1 Samuel 1:5-6). Therefore, the miraculous conception of a child to a barren woman was seen as a powerful act of God, overturning shame and signaling His special intervention and blessing. Jesus' statement in Luke 23:29 radically subverts this cultural view by pronouncing future blessing on the barren.

ἄκαρπος (akarpos, G175) — means 'unfruitful' or 'without fruit'; can refer to plants or metaphorically to unproductive lives, while στεῖρος is specifically biological barrenness.

Word Details

Scripture References