adjective

tapeinos

Greekταπεινός (tapeinos)

Strong’sG5011

humble, lowly

stem tapein-8 times in the New Testamentin 6 of 27 books3 of 26 forms occur

Translated as

humble4×lowly3×downcast1×

What it means

ταπεινός, -ή, -όν

[in LXX for שָׁפָל, עָנִי, עָנָי, etc.;]

low-lying; metaph.,

(a) lowly, of low degree, brought low: Ja 1:9, II Co 7:6 (cf. Si 25:23); οἱ τ., opp. to δυνάσται, Lk 1:52; τ. ταπεινοῖς (neut., R, txt.; masc., R, mg.; v. ICC, in l.), Ro 12:16;

(b) lowly in spirit, humble, in cl. usually in a slighting sense (v. Tr., Syn., § xlii; but v. also Abbott, Essays, 81), in NT in an honourable sense: II Co 10:1; seq. τ. καρδίᾳ, Mt 11:29 (cf. Ps 33 (34):19); opp. to ὑπερήφανος, Ja 4:6, I Pe 5:5 (LXX).†

G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.

Strong’s G5011 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from

Saidtap-i-nos'

depressed, i.e. (figuratively) humiliated (in circumstances or disposition)

Fromof uncertain derivation;

King Jamesbase, cast down, humble, of low degree (estate), lowly.

James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.

Every form

Job in the sentence case	masculine singular	feminine singular	neuter singular	masculine plural	feminine plural	neuter plural
subject nominative	tapeinos3×ταπεινὸς	tapeinas	tapeinem	tapeinois	tapeinais	tapeineim
object accusative	tapeinon	tapeinan		tapeinoin2×ταπεινούς	tapeinain
direct address vocative	tapeinor	tapeinar		tapeinoir	tapeinair
of, belonging to genitive	tapeinou	tapeinau	tapeineu	tapeinoiu	tapeinaiu	tapeineiu
to, for dative	tapeino	tapeina	tapeine	tapeinoi3×ταπεινοῖς	tapeinai	tapeinei

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

tapeinstem+oaegender+smnru—its job in the sentence case+—ione · more than one number

tapein 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

Words built on the same stem

tapeinamō — ταπεινόω, I humble, humiliate

Where it appears

8 occurrences, every one of them listed

tapeinos“humble”subjectnominative singular3×

Matthew 11:29“humble”airavar ton zugon mu epi vin kai mathavar apo mu, hoti prauos amō kai tapeinos ta kardia, kai heuriskavi anapausian tai psuchai vu;Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

2 Corinthians 10:1“humble”Autos de mis Paulos parakalamō vin dia tau prautau kai epieikeiau tou Christou, hos kata prosōpem men tapeinos en vi, apeiarōtos de tharramō eis vin;Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you — I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.

James 1:9“lowly”Kauchetōr de tos adelfos tos tapeinos en te hupse autou,The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position.

tapeinoin“lowly”objectaccusative plural2×

Luke 1:52“lowly”kathairata dunastoin apo thronoiu kai hupsata tapeinoin,He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.

2 Corinthians 7:6“downcast”alla tos parakalarōtos toin tapeinoin parakalata nin tos theos en ta parousia Titou;But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the arrival of Titus,

tapeinoi“humble”to, fordative plural3×

Romans 12:16“lowly”tem autem eis allēloin fronarōtois, mē teim hupsēleim fronarōtois alla toi tapeinoi sunapagirōtois. mē ginevōr fronimois para heautoi.Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.

James 4:6“humble”megoteran de dōatō charian; dio legatō; Tos theos huperēfanoi antitassetō tapeinoi de dōatō charian.But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

1 Peter 5:5“humble”homoiōs, neoteroir, hupotassivar presbuteroi. pantoir de allēloi tan tapeinofrosunan enkombevar, hoti Tos theos huperēfanoi antitassetō tapeinoi de dōatō charian.Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”