ὁδοιπορ-ία G3597
journey, traveling by road or the act of making a trip
The activity of traveling from one place to another, particularly by foot. John uses it to describe Jesus, 'wearied from his journey' (John 4:6), sitting by Jacob's well in Samaria—a humanizing detail showing physical exhaustion from travel. Paul uses the plural in his catalog of apostolic hardships: 'in frequent journeys' (2 Corinthians 11:26), likely referring to his missionary travels through difficult terrain. Both contexts emphasize the physical demands of pre-modern travel.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Journey or traveling, the act of going from place to place. Classical usage emphasizes walking—the primary mode of ancient travel for those without horses or carriages. John's notice of Jesus' weariness highlights the incarnation's true physicality—God in flesh experiences genuine fatigue. Paul's travels, covering thousands of miles on foot through hostile territory, represent extraordinary hardship. Cross-linguistic glosses (Spanish 'viaje/en viajes,' French 'voyage,' German 'Wanderung') preserve the sense of arduous travel. 2×
AR["أَسْفارٍ", "مَسِيرَةِ"]·ben["যাত্রায়", "যাত্রার"]·DE["Wanderung"]·EN["in-journeys", "journey"]·FR["voyage"]·heb["דֶּרֶךְ", "מַסָּעוֹת"]·HI["यात्रा,", "यात्राओं-में"]·ID["dalam-perjalanan", "perjalanan,"]·IT["odoiporias", "viaggio"]·jav["lampahan,", "lelampahan"]·KO["여행", "여행들에"]·PT["em-jornadas", "viagem,"]·RU["путешествиях", "пути"]·ES["en-viajes", "viaje"]·SW["safari"]·TR["yolculuklarda", "yolculuktan"]·urd["سفر", "سفروں"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὁδοιπορ-ία, Ionic dialect -ιη, ἡ, walking, Refs 5th c.BC+; τὸ ἄδηλον τῆς ὁ. the uncertainty of the journey by road, Refs 3rd c.AD+; power of walking, Refs 4th c.AD+; journey, σημαίνειν μέτρον ὁδοιπορίας Refs