Word Study for G4236 (πρᾳότης)

praiótēs /prah-ot'-ace/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom πρᾷος

Meaninggentleness, by implication, humility

KJV usagemeekness.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of praiótēs — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word praiótēs, represented by G4236, defines gentleness and, by implication, humility or meekness. It appears 9 times across 9 unique verses in the Bible. This term signifies a controlled strength and a humble disposition, rather than weakness.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G4236 is consistently presented as a vital Christian characteristic. It is part of the spiritual clothing believers are to "put on," alongside virtues like kindness and humbleness of mind Colossians 3:12. Paul points to this quality as essential for ministry, instructing that a person caught in a fault should be restored in a "spirit of meekness" Galatians 6:1 and that those who oppose the truth should be instructed "in meekness" 2 Timothy 2:25. Furthermore, it is presented as a defining attribute of Christ himself, as Paul appeals to the Corinthian church by "the meekness and gentleness of Christ" 2 Corinthians 10:1.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the concept of meekness by appearing alongside it:

G5012 tapeinophrosýnē (humility of mind): Defined as "humiliation of mind, i.e. modesty," this quality is frequently paired with meekness, as believers are called to act with "all lowliness and meekness" Ephesians 4:2.
G3115 makrothymía (longsuffering): Meaning "forbearance or fortitude," this virtue is often listed with meekness, emphasizing patient endurance in relationships Colossians 3:12.
G1932 epieíkeia (gentleness): Meaning "mildness," this term is used in parallel with meekness to describe the character of Christ 2 Corinthians 10:1.
G1466 enkráteia (temperance): This word for "self-control" is listed immediately after meekness as a fruit of the Spirit, highlighting the discipline inherent in a meek character Galatians 5:23.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G4236 is significant, establishing it as a core component of a sanctified life.

A Fruit of the Spirit: Meekness is explicitly identified as part of the "fruit of the Spirit," indicating it is a work of God in a believer's life, not merely a personality trait Galatians 5:23.
A Christlike Attribute: The term is used to describe the very nature of Christ, making the pursuit of meekness an act of imitating him 2 Corinthians 10:1.
A Prerequisite for Ministry: It is framed as the correct posture for godly correction and restoration, necessary for gently restoring a fallen brother Galatians 6:1 and instructing opponents 2 Timothy 2:25.
A Commanded Virtue: Believers are actively commanded to "follow after" meekness along with other foundational qualities like righteousness, godliness, and love 1 Timothy 6:11.

Summary

In summary, G4236 denotes a grace-filled humility and strength under control. It is not passivity but a deliberate virtue that is a fruit of the Spirit, an echo of Christ's own character, and an essential element for Christian conduct. Its consistent pairing with concepts like love, humility, and longsuffering shows it to be a cornerstone of a life transformed by the gospel.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a noun and an adjective across 13 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Accusative Singular Feminine 3×
Dative Singular Feminine 3×
Genitive Singular Feminine 3×
Nominative Singular Masculine 2×
Genitive Singular Neuter 1×
Nominative Plural Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Dative: The indirect object — often "to" or "for".
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.
Neuter: Neuter grammatical gender.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 9 verses across 8 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Galatians (2 verses); never once in the other 19.

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Galatians

Ephesians

Colossians

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.