ἤπῐος G2261
Gentle, kind, mild; lenient and gracious in disposition; moderate and tender.
This beautiful adjective describes a gentle, kind disposition that treats others with mildness rather than harshness. Classical usage applied it to kind rulers, appeased deities, gentle words, and even mild weather or fevers. Paul requires that the Lord's servant possess this quality, contrasting it with quarrelsomeness. The term suggests not weakness but strength under control—power exercised with kindness. It appears in contexts describing both character and conduct, the inward disposition showing itself in outward gentleness.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Paul instructs Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:24 that a servant of the Lord must be gentle toward all, positioned between being teachable and patient. Classical parallels show the word describing kind fathers, merciful gods, and mild natural forces. The multilingual evidence ('amable,' 'sanft') emphasizes the tender, non-harsh quality. This gentleness doesn't imply permissiveness but rather the patient kindness needed for effective teaching and correction, especially when dealing with opponents who need to be won rather than defeated. 1×
AR["لَطيفاً"]·ben["নম্র"]·DE["sanft"]·EN["gentle"]·FR["ἤπιον"]·heb["עָנָו"]·HI["नरम"]·ID["ramah"]·IT["ēpion"]·jav["sarèh"]·KO["온유한-자로"]·PT["manso"]·RU["кротким"]·ES["amable"]·SW["mpole"]·TR["yumuşak"]·urd["نرم"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἤπῐος, α, ον, also ος, ον Refs 8th c.BC+ __1 of persons, gentle, kind, πατὴρ ὣς ἤπιος αἰεί Refs 8th c.BC+; of a monarch, ἀγανὸς καὶ ἤRefs 8th c.BC+; of the gods, σωτῆρας.. ἠπίους θ᾽ ἡμῖν μολεῖν Refs 5th c.BC+; οὐδέ πω ἤπιος appeased, NT __2 of feelings, words, etc., εἴ μοι κρείων Ἀγαμέμνων ἤπια εἰδείη had kindly feeling towards me, Refs 8th c.BC+; μῦθος ἤ. Refs 8th c.BC+; ὀργαί, φρένες, Refs 5th…