The Greek word hypéchō, represented by G5254, is defined as to hold oneself under, i.e. endure with patience:--suffer. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse, making its single usage highly specific and significant. The word is a compound of ὑπό (meaning under) and ἔχω (meaning to have or hold).
The sole appearance of G5254 is in Jude 1:7, where it describes the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. The verse states that these cities, along with those around them, are "set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." In this context, the word portrays a state of undergoing a continuous penalty. Their punishment for "giving themselves over to fornication" and "going after strange flesh" is presented not as a past event, but as an ongoing condition that serves as a visible warning.
Several related words from its context clarify the meaning of this suffering:
- G4295 prókeimai (to lie before the view, i.e. (figuratively) to be present (to the mind), to stand forth (as an example or reward)): This word, translated as "are set forth for," establishes that the suffering of the cities is a deliberate and public display Jude 1:7.
- G1164 deîgma (a specimen (as shown)): This highlights that Sodom and Gomorrah serve as a tangible example of the consequences of sin Jude 1:7.
- G1349 díkē (right (as self-evident), i.e. justice (the principle, a decision, or its execution)): The suffering is explicitly defined as vengeance or just punishment, emphasizing it as a righteous execution of justice Jude 1:7.
- G166 aiṓnios (perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well)): This adjective describes the fire as eternal, indicating the unending nature of the judgment being endured.
The theological weight of G5254 in its single use is profound. It serves to illustrate key principles of divine judgment.
- Judgment as a Perpetual Warning: The use of hypéchō shows that the consequences of sin can serve as an ongoing, public example. Sodom and Gomorrah are not just historical accounts but are "set forth for an example" Jude 1:7, actively suffering to warn others.
- The Link Between Sin and Punishment: The passage draws a direct line from the cities' specific sins—giving themselves over to fornication G1608 and going after strange G2087 flesh G4561—to the punishment they endure.
- The Nature of Divine Justice: The suffering is characterized as the "vengeance" G1349 of "eternal" G166 fire Jude 1:7, portraying God's justice as both severe and everlasting in response to unrepentant sin.
In summary, while hypéchō G5254 literally means to hold oneself under or endure, its lone biblical appearance gives it a powerful and specific application. It defines the state of undergoing a continuous and visible divine judgment. The fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, as described in Jude 1:7, transforms the word from a simple act of suffering into a permanent illustration of the consequences of sin, set forth as an eternal warning.
TRV