noun · neuter
paidiem
Strong’sG3813
a little child, an infant
stem paidi-52 times in the New Testamentin 7 of 27 books5 of 6 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
Παιδίον refers to a young child or infant 1234. It can denote a baby or very young child 13, but is also used more broadly for older children, including boys and girls who are already half-grown 123. It is used figuratively as a familiar, affectionate form of address, similar to English colloquial use of "lads" or "boys" 1, and figuratively of a person who is spiritually immature 2.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
παιδίον, -ου, τό,
dimin, of παῖς, [in LXX chiefly for יֶלֶד, also for נַעַר, בֵּן, etc., freq. in To in ref. to full-grown youth;]
SYN.: v.s. παῖς.
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3813 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidpahee-dee'-on
a childling (of either sex), i.e. (properly), an infant, or (by extension) a half-grown boy or girl; figuratively, an immature Christian
Fromneuter diminutive of G3816;
King James(little, young) child, damsel.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
(paroxytone), τό, diminutive of παῖς (never in Trag.), little or young child (up to 7 years, accusative to Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐκ παιδίου from a child, Refs 5th c.BC+ 'chip of the old block', Refs 1st c.BC+
II young slave, male or female, Refs 5th c.BC+
III τὸ παιδίον, a disease of children, probably convulsions, uncertain reading in Refs 5th c.BC+
III.3 παίδι-ος, ὁ, barbarism for {παιδιόθεν}, Refs 1st c.AD+
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
Every form this word takes in Biblang, with the Greek it corresponds to and how often the New Testament uses it.
| Job in the sentence case | one singular | more than one plural |
|---|---|---|
| subject or object direct | paidiem9×παιδίον | paidieim6×παιδία |
| of, belonging to genitive | paidieu6×παιδίου | paidieiu4×παιδίων |
| to, for dative | paidie | paidiei2×παιδίοις |
Tinted cells are forms the New Testament never uses, so there is no Greek to show against them — but they are still correct Biblang, built from the slots below like any other.
Why these forms, and no others — the slots that make them
paidie is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
52 occurrences, every one of them listed
paidiem“child”subject or objectdirect singular9×
Matthew 2:9… ercharantos stēita epanō hou ate tem paidiem.… stood over the place where the Child was.
Matthew 18:4hotinos oun tapeinati heauton hōs tem paidiem houtem, houtos atō tos megoteros en …… whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom …
Mark 5:39… autoi; Tinem thorubovō kai klaiavō? tem paidiem ouk apothnēskata alla katheudatō.… all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but asleep.”
Mark 5:40… autou, kai eisporeuotō hopou ate tem paidiem;… and went in to see the child.
Mark 10:15… decheteia tan basileian tou theou hōs paidiem, ouk mē eiserchateia eis autan.… the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Luke 1:66… kardia autoiu, legarōntois; Tinem ara tem paidiem houtem eti? kai gar cheiras kuriou …… and asked, “What then will this child become?” For the Lord’s hand was …
Luke 1:80Tem de paidiem auxanate kai krataiote pneume, kai ate …And the child grew and became strong in spirit …
Luke 2:40Tem de paidiem auxanate kai krataiote plērorōntem sofia, kai …And the Child grew and became strong. He was …
Luke 18:17… decheteia tan basileian tou theou hōs paidiem, ouk mē eiserchateia eis autan.… the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
paidieu“child”of, belonging togenitive singular6×
Matthew 2:8… legata; Poreuirantois exetazavar akribōs peri teu paidieu; epan de heuriskaveia, apangelavar mi, hopōs …… Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report …
Matthew 2:20… gar tois zētarōntois tan psuchan teu paidieu.… of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.”
Mark 5:40… ekbalarantos pantoin paralabatō ton patron teu paidieu kai tan mētēran kai toin meta …… them all outside, He took the child’s father and mother and His own …
Mark 5:41“child”kai kratarantos tau cheirau teu paidieu legatō auta; Talitha koumasar, hem atō …Taking her by the hand, Jesus said, “Talitha koum!” which means, “Little …
Mark 9:24“child”euthuos krazarantos tos patros teu paidieu legate; Pisteuamō; boēthasōr mu ta apistia.Immediately the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”
Luke 2:17… rēmeu teu laliranteu autoi peri teu paidieu houteu.After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had …
paidieim“children”subject or objectdirect plural6×
Matthew 18:3… mē strefiveia kai geneveia hōs teim paidieim, ouk mē eiserchaveia eis tan basileian …… you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom …
Matthew 19:13Tote prosferila auto paidieim hina tain cheirain epitithateia autei kai …Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him …
Luke 11:7… ēdē tas thuras kleiotē, kai teim paidieim mu meta mu eis tan koitan …… door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed. I …
1 Corinthians 14:20Adelfoir, mē paidieim genovōr tai frenai, alla ta kakia …Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants …
Hebrews 2:13… kai palin; Idou mis kai teim paidieim heim mi dōata tos theos.… again: “Here am I, and the children God has given Me.”
Hebrews 2:14Epei oun teim paidieim koinōnatē haimeu kai sarkau, kai autos …Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too …
paidieiu“children”of, belonging togenitive plural4×
Matthew 14:21… androis hōsei pentakischilioi chōris gunaikaiu kai paidieiu.… men were fed, besides women and children.
Matthew 15:38… ale tetrakischilioi androis chōris gunaikaiu kai paidieiu.… men were fed, besides women and children.
Mark 7:28… trapezau esthialō apo teiu psixeiu teiu paidieiu.… dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
Mark 9:37“child”Hos an henem teiu toiouteiu paidieiu decheteia epi te onome mu, min …“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me, but the One who …
paidiei“children”to, fordative plural2×
Matthew 11:16… homoiami tan genean houtan? homoias atō paidiei kathorōntei en tai agorai heim prosfōnarōnteim …… compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling …
Luke 7:32homoiois alō paidiei tei en agora kathorōntei kai prosfōnarōntei …They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling …
paidiem18×
Matthew 2:11… ercharantois eis tan oikian horala tem paidiem meta Mariau tau mētērau autou, kai …… to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they …
Matthew 2:13… to Iōsēf legarōntos; Egerirantos paralabasar tem paidiem kai tan mētēran autou kai fugasōr …… Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to …
Matthew 2:13… si; mellatō gar Hērōdos zētarō tem paidiem teu apolara autem.… is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”
Matthew 2:14tos de egerirantos paralabata tem paidiem kai tan mētēran autou nuktau kai …So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and …
Matthew 2:20legarōntos; Egerirantos paralabasar tem paidiem kai tan mētēran autou kai poreuosōr …“Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and go to …
Matthew 2:21tos de egerirantos paralabata tem paidiem kai tan mētēran autou kai eiserchata …So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and went to …
Matthew 18:2kai proskalerantos paidiem stēata autem en mese autoiuJesus invited a little child to stand among them.
Matthew 18:5kai hos ean decheteia henem paidiem toioutem epi te onome mu, min …And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes …
Mark 7:30… eis ton oikon autau heuriskata tem paidiem balorēntem epi tan klinan kai tem …… she went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the …
Mark 9:36kai labarantos paidiem stēata autem en mese autoiu kai …Then He had a little child stand among them. Taking the child …
Luke 1:59… hēmera ta ogdoa erchala peritemara tem paidiem, kai kalale autem epi te onome …… when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him …
Luke 2:27… en te eisagara toin gonevoin tem paidiem Iēsun teu poiara autoin kata tem …… when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him what …
Luke 9:47… ton dialogismon tau kardiau autoiu epilaberantos paidiem stēata autem para heauto,… thoughts of their hearts, had a little child stand beside Him.
Luke 9:48… autoi; Hos an decheteia houtem tem paidiem epi te onome mu min dechotō, …… to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and …
John 4:49… basilikos; Kurior, katabainasar prin apothnēskara tem paidiem mu.… official said, “come down before my child dies.”
John 16:21… hōras autau; hotan de gennateia tem paidiem, ouketi mnēmoneuatō tau thlipsiau dia tan …… but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of …
Hebrews 11:23… patroiu autou, dioti horala asteiem tem paidiem kai ouk fobila tem diatagmem tou …… saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were unafraid of the …
Luke 1:76kai sis de, paidiem, profētos Hupsistou kalisi, proporeuesi gar enōpion …And you, child, will be called a prophet of …
paidieim5×
Matthew 19:14tos de Iēsus legata; Afiēkavar teim paidieim kai mē kōluavōr auteim erchara pros …But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not …
Mark 10:13Kai prosferale auto paidieim hina auteiu hapteteia; tois de mathētois …Now people were bringing the little children to Jesus for Him to place …
Mark 10:14… aganaktata kai legata autoi; Afiēkavar teim paidieim erchorō pros min, mē kōluavōr auteim, …… indignant and told them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not …
Luke 18:16… Iēsus proskaleta auteim legarōntos; Afiēkavar teim paidieim erchorō pros min kai mē kōluavōr …… to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not …
1 John 2:14“children”grafama vi, paidieim, hoti gnōskavē ton patron; grafama vi, …I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I …
Paidieim2×
John 21:5legatō oun autoi tos Iēsus; Paidieim, mē tinem prosfagiem echavō? apokrinila auto; …So He called out to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” “No …
1 John 2:18Paidieim, eschatas hōras atō, kai kathōs akouava …Children, it is the last hour; and …