"to be ashamed of, Mk. 8:38; Lk. 9:26; Rom. 1:16; 6:21; 2 Tim. 1:8, 12, 16; Heb. 2:11; 11:16*"
Definition and meaning
to be ashamed of, Mk. 8:38; Lk. 9:26; Rom. 1:16; 6:21; 2 Tim. 1:8, 12, 16; Heb. 2:11; 11:16*
In the original Greek the word is written: ἐπαισχύνομαι
Historical context
The Gospel of Mark moves urgently — the word "immediately" appears over 40 times. It was written for a Roman audience familiar with power and action. Jesus is portrayed as a man who acts, heals, and commands authority that the Roman world had never seen from a Jewish teacher.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of epaischunomai (G1870) across the King James Bible.
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:
For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
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Common questions
Strong's G1870 (epaischunomai) is a Greek word that means: to be ashamed of, Mk. 8:38; Lk. 9:26; Rom. 1:16; 6:21; 2 Tim. 1:8, 12, 16; Heb. 2:11; 11:16* It appears 9 times in the King James Bible.
The word epaischunomai (G1870) appears 9 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G1870 is epaischunomai, a Greek word defined as: to be ashamed of, Mk. 8:38; Lk. 9:26; Rom. 1:16; 6:21; 2 Tim. 1:8, 12, 16; Heb. 2:11; 11:16*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
epaischunomai is a Greek word found in the New Testament.