331. anathema
Berean Strong's Lexicon
anathema: Accursed, devoted to destruction, offering

Original Word: ἀνάθεμα
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: anathema
Pronunciation: ah-NAH-theh-mah
Phonetic Spelling: (an-ath'-em-ah)
Definition: Accursed, devoted to destruction, offering
Meaning: a votive offering, a thing devoted to God; a curse, the thing cursed.

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb ἀνατίθημι (anatithēmi), meaning "to set up" or "to dedicate."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - 2764. חֵרֶם (herem): Refers to something devoted to God, often for destruction.

Usage: In the New Testament, "anathema" refers to something or someone that is cursed or devoted to destruction. It is used to denote a person or thing that is set apart for divine wrath or judgment. The term carries a strong connotation of being cut off from the community of believers and from God's favor.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Greek culture, "anathema" originally referred to an offering or gift dedicated to a deity, often placed in a temple. Over time, the term evolved to signify something that was devoted to destruction, especially in a religious context. In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), "anathema" is used to translate the Hebrew word "herem," which refers to things devoted to God for destruction, often in the context of warfare or judgment.

HELPS Word-studies

331 anáthema (from 303 /aná, "up" concluding a process, which intensifies 5087 /títhēmi, "to place") – properly, place up, referring to something pledged (given up) to destruction; a divine curse/ban ("accursed"); an "oath-curse."

[331 (anáthema) is the root of the English word, "anathema."]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from anatithémi
Definition
that which is laid up, i.e. a votive offering
NASB Translation
accursed (5), solemn (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 331: ἀνάθεμα

ἀνάθεμα, (τος, τό (equivalent to τό ἀνατεθειμένον);

1. properly, a thing set up or laid by in order to be kept; specifically a votive offering, which after being consecrated to a god was hung upon the walls or columns of his temple, or put in some other conspicuous place: 2 Macc. 2:13 (Plutarch, Pelop c. 25); Luke 21:5 in L T, for ἀναθήμασι R G Tr WH; for the two forms are sometimes confounded in the manuscripts; Moeris, ἀνάθημα ἀττικῶς, ἀνάθεμα ἑλληνικῶς. Cf. ἐπίθημα, ἐπίθεμα, etc., in Lob. ad Phryn., p. 249 (cf. 445; Paral. 417; see also Lipsius, Gram. Unters., p. 41).

2. ἀνάθεμα in the Sept. is generally the translation of the Heb. חֵרֶם, a thing devoted to God without hope of being redeemed, and, if an animal, to be slain (Leviticus 27:28, 29); therefore a person or thing doomed to destruction, Joshua 6:17; Joshua 7:12, etc. (Winer's Grammar, 32); a thing abominable and detestable, an accursed thing, Deuteronomy 7:26. Hence, in the N. T. ἀνάθεμα denotes a. a curse: ἀναθέματι ἀναθεματίζειν, Acts 23:14 (Winers Grammar, 466 (484); Buttmann, 184 (159)).

b. a man accursed, devoted to the direst woes (equivalent to ἐπικατάρατος): ἀνάθεμα ἔστω, Galatians 1:8; 1 Corinthians 16:22; ἀνάθεμα λέγειν τινα to execrate one, 1 Corinthians 12:3 (R G, but L T Tr WH have restored ἀνάθεμα Ἰησοῦς, namely, ἔστω); ἀνάθεμα εἶναι ἀπό τοῦ Χριστοῦ, Romans 9:3 (pregnantly equivalent to doomed and so separated from Christ). Cf. the full remarks on this word in Fritzsche on Romans, vol. ii., 247ff; Wieseler on Galatians, p. 39ff; (a translation of the latter by Prof. Riddle in Schaff's Lange on Romans, p. 302ff; see also Trench, § v.; Lightfoot on Galatians, the passage cited; Ellicott ibid.; Tholuck on Romans, the passage cited; BB. DD., under the words, Anathema, Excommunication).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
accused, anathema, curse.

From anatithemai; a (religious) ban or (concretely) excommunicated (thing or person) -- accused, anathema, curse, X great.

see GREEK anatithemai

Forms and Transliterations
ΑΝΑΘΕΜΑ ανάθεμα ανάθεμά ἀνάθεμα Αναθεματι αναθέματι Ἀναθέματι αναθέματος ANATHEMA anáthema Anathemati Anathémati
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Acts 23:14 N-DNS
GRK: πρεσβυτέροις εἶπαν Ἀναθέματι ἀνεθεματίσαμεν ἑαυτοὺς
NAS: ourselves under a solemn oath to taste
KJV: ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat
INT: elders said With an oath we have bound ourselves

Romans 9:3 N-NNS
GRK: ηὐχόμην γὰρ ἀνάθεμα εἶναι αὐτὸς
NAS: that I myself were accursed, [separated] from Christ
KJV: that myself were accursed from Christ
INT: I was wishing indeed a curse to be myself

1 Corinthians 12:3 N-NNS
GRK: λαλῶν λέγει ΑΝΑΘΕΜΑ ΙΗΣΟΥΣ καὶ
NAS: Jesus is accursed; and no one
KJV: Jesus accursed: and
INT: speaking says accursed [is] Jesus and

1 Corinthians 16:22 N-NNS
GRK: κύριον ἤτω ἀνάθεμα μαρανα θα
NAS: the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha.
KJV: Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
INT: Lord let him be accursed Maran atha

Galatians 1:8 N-NNS
GRK: εὐηγγελισάμεθα ὑμῖν ἀνάθεμα ἔστω
NAS: we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
KJV: unto you, let him be accursed.
INT: we proclaimed to you accursed let him be

Galatians 1:9 N-NNS
GRK: ὃ παρελάβετε ἀνάθεμα ἔστω
NAS: you received, he is to be accursed!
KJV: ye have received, let him be accursed.
INT: what you received accursed let him be

Strong's Greek 331
6 Occurrences


ἀνάθεμα — 5 Occ.
Ἀναθέματι — 1 Occ.

















330
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