τᾰπείν-ωσις G5014
Humiliation, low estate, abasement; the condition of being brought low or living in humble circumstances.
Tapeinosis denotes the state or experience of being low — whether social, physical, or spiritual. Mary's Magnificat celebrates God looking upon her 'low estate' (Luke 1:48), turning humility into the occasion for divine favor. In Acts 8:33, the term appears in the Isaianic Servant Song quoted by Philip: Christ's 'humiliation' involved the denial of justice. Philippians 3:21 contrasts our 'body of humiliation' with Christ's glorious body, while James 1:10 warns the rich that their exaltation will fade into lowliness. Spanish splits between 'humildad' (a virtue) and 'humillación' (a condition imposed), mirroring a distinction the Greek leaves flexible.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Humiliation, low estate, abasement — the condition of being in a lowly state, whether experienced as divine grace, unjust suffering, or mortal frailty. Luke 1:48 celebrates God's gracious attention to Mary's humble circumstances. Acts 8:33 (quoting Isaiah 53:8) describes the Messiah's judicial humiliation. Philippians 3:21 uses it for the lowly condition of the present mortal body. James 1:10 applies it to the inevitable humbling of the wealthy. The Spanish evidence — 'humildad' versus 'humillación' — hints at the range from voluntary humility to externally imposed degradation, though the Greek encompasses both under one term. 4×
AR["اتِّضاعِهِ", "اتِّضَاعِ", "تَواضُعِ"]·ben["অবমাননায়", "নম্রতা", "নম্রতায়", "হীনতার"]·DE["Erniedrigung", "ταπείνωσιν", "ταπεινώσει"]·EN["humiliation", "lowliness"]·FR["humiliation", "ταπεινώσει", "ταπεινώσεως"]·heb["הַשְׁפָּלָתוֹ", "שִׁפְלוּת", "שִׁפְלוּתוֹ"]·HI["दीनता", "दीनता-में", "नेएचत"]·ID["itu", "kerendahan", "kerendahannya"]·IT["tapeinosin", "tapeinōsei", "tapeinōseōs", "umiliazione"]·jav["andhap", "kaandhapan", "kanisthaning"]·KO["낮아짐-에서", "비천함", "비천함-을"]·PT["humildade", "humilhação"]·RU["смирение", "унижении", "унижения"]·ES["humildad", "humillación"]·SW["kushushwa", "unyenyekevu"]·TR["alcalmamizin", "alçaklığına", "alçalmasında", "alçaltılmasında"]·urd["عاجزی", "پستی", "پستی-کے"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
τᾰπείν-ωσις, εως, ἡ, lowering, of a movement in dancing, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 lessening, opposed to αὔξησις, Refs 4th c.BC+; reduction of a swelling, Refs 2nd c.AD+ __3 humiliation, abasement, Refs 4th c.BC+; ἀγέννεια καὶ τ. Refs 1st c.BC+; low estate, low condition, LXX+NT __4 lowness of style, Refs 1st c.AD+ __5 dejection of a planet (compare ταπείνωμα), Refs 2nd c.AD+