υἱο-θεσία G5206
huiothesia -- adoption as a son; the legal and spiritual act of being placed as a child in a family
Huiothesia (from huios 'son' + thesis 'placing') is the distinctly Pauline term for adoption -- the legal act by which someone not born into a family is granted full status as a son and heir. Paul employs it in a profoundly theological register: believers receive the 'spirit of adoption' by which they cry 'Abba, Father' (Rom 8:15), they await the full consummation of their adoption at the resurrection of the body (Rom 8:23), and adoption belongs among the covenant privileges of Israel (Rom 9:4). The purpose of Christ's redemptive work was precisely 'that we might receive adoption as sons' (Gal 4:5). German Sohnschaft ('sonship') captures the relational nuance beautifully, while Spanish and French adopcion and adoption preserve the legal metaphor.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The theological-legal concept of being placed as a son within God's family, conferring full rights of inheritance and intimate relationship. Paul uses it to describe both the present reality -- the Spirit enables the cry 'Abba, Father' (Rom 8:15; Gal 4:5) -- and the eschatological hope of bodily redemption (Rom 8:23). It also names a historic privilege of Israel (Rom 9:4) and the predestined purpose of God in Eph 1:5. German Sohnschaft emphasizes the relational 'sonship' dimension, while Spanish adopcion and French adoption foreground the legal transfer of status, together illuminating this single rich sense across all five occurrences. 5×
AR["التَّبَنِّي", "التَّبَنِّيَ", "التَّبَنّي", "التَّبَنّيَ"]·ben["দত্তক-গ্রহণ", "দত্তক-গ্রহণের", "দত্তক-পুত্রত্বকে", "দত্তকপুত্রত্ব"]·DE["Sohnschaft"]·EN["adoption", "of-adoption"]·FR["Sohnschaft", "adoption"]·heb["אִמּוּץ-בָּנִים", "הַ-אִמּוּץ-לְבָנִים"]·HI["गोउद-ले-पनअ", "गोउद-लेपन", "लेपालकपन", "लेपालकपन-की"]·ID["pengangkatan", "pengangkatan-anak", "pengangkatan-anak,"]·IT["adozione", "uiothesian"]·jav["dados-putra", "kaputran", "pangangkatan-putra,", "putra-angkat"]·KO["양자-됨을", "양자됨에", "양자를", "양자와", "양자의"]·PT["adoção", "adoção,", "adoção-de-filhos", "de-adoção,"]·RU["-искупление", "и-", "усыновление", "усыновления"]·ES["adopción", "de-adopción"]·SW["kupitishwa-kuwa-wana", "uwana", "ya-kupitishwa-kuwa-wana"]·TR["evlat-edinilmeyi", "evlatliga", "evlatlık", "evlatlığı", "evlatlığın"]·urd["لے-پالک-بنانا", "لے-پالک-پن", "لے-پالکی", "لے-پالکی-کی"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
υἱο-θεσία, ἡ, adoption as a son, Refs 2nd c.BC+; in a religious sense, πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας NT; frequently in Inscrr., in the phrase καθ᾽ υἱοθεσίαν, Refs 2nd c.BC+