"to bring low, depress, level, Lk. 3:5; met. to humble, abase, Phil. 2:8; mid. to descend to, or live in, a humble condition, 2 Cor. 11:7; Phil. 4:12; to humble, depress the pride of, any one, Mt. 18:4; mid. to humble one’s self, exhibit humility and contrition, Jas. 4:10; 1 Pet. ..."
Definition and meaning
to bring low, depress, level, Lk. 3:5; met. to humble, abase, Phil. 2:8; mid. to descend to, or live in, a humble condition, 2 Cor. 11:7; Phil. 4:12; to humble, depress the pride of, any one, Mt. 18:4; mid. to humble one’s self, exhibit humility and contrition, Jas. 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:6; to humble with respect to hopes and expectations, to depress with disappointment, Mt. 23:12; Lk. 14:11; 18:14; 2 Cor. 12:21*
In the original Greek the word is written: ταπεινόω
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
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 tapeinoo (G5013) across the King James Bible.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
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Common questions
Strong's G5013 (tapeinoo) is a Greek word that means: to bring low, depress, level, Lk. 3:5; met. to humble, abase, Phil. 2:8; mid. to descend to, or live in, a humble condition, 2 Cor. 11:7; Phil. 4:12; to humble, depress the pride of, any one, Mt. 18:4... It appears 11 times in the King James Bible.
The word tapeinoo (G5013) appears 11 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G5013 is tapeinoo, a Greek word defined as: to bring low, depress, level, Lk. 3:5; met. to humble, abase, Phil. 2:8; mid. to descend to, or live in, a humble condition, 2 Cor. 11:7; Phil. 4:12; . James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
tapeinoo is a Greek word found in the New Testament.