noun · feminine
thlipsias
Strong’sG2347
persecution, affliction, distress
stem thlipsi-45 times in the New Testamentin 15 of 27 books7 of 10 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
Affliction, tribulation, distress — the pressure of hardship, suffering, or persecution that weighs on a person. 124
This is the meaning the word carries throughout the Bible, describing trouble such as persecution, hardship, or distress of heart, and it is often paired with related words like anguish, persecution, or distress to describe the severity of what is suffered. 12
Outside the Bible, the word's basic sense is literal pressure — physical pressing or squeezing, including a medical sense of pressure such as that of the pulse, and, separately, a sense of crushing used of castrating young animals. 3
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
θλίψις (LTr., θλῖψις), -εως, ἡ
(< θλίβω), [in LXX for צָרָה, etc.;]
SYN.: ἀνάγκη, διωγμός, στενοχωρία (v. supr., and cf. Tr., Syn, § lv; Lft., Notes, 45).
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2347 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidthlip'-sis
pressure (literally or figuratively)
Fromfrom G2346;
King Jamesafflicted(-tion), anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble.
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
pressure, Refs 4th c.BC+; ἀντέρεισις καὶ θ. Refs 1st c.BC+; of the pulse, Refs 2nd c.AD+; ὑστερικαὶ θ. Refs 2nd c.AD+
2 crushing, castration, πώλων Refs
3 metaphorically, oppression, affliction, LXX+1st c.BC+
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 nominative | thlipsias7×θλῖψις | thlipsiais1×θλίψεις |
| object accusative | thlipsian10×θλῖψιν | thlipsiain |
| direct address vocative | thlipsiar | thlipsiair |
| of, belonging to genitive | thlipsiau9×θλίψεως | thlipsiaiu3×θλίψεων |
| to, for dative | thlipsia9×θλίψει | thlipsiai6×θλίψεσιν |
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
thlipsia 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.
45 occurrences, every one of them listed
thlipsias“tribulation”subjectnominative singular7×
Matthew 24:21eti gar tote thlipsias megas hoias ouk genatē apo archau …… that time there will be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the …
Mark 13:19eli gar tais hēmerais ekeinais thlipsias hoias ouk genatē toioutas apo archau …For those will be days of tribulation unseen from the beginning of God’s …
Acts 7:11“affliction”… holan tan Aiguptan kai Chanaan kai thlipsias megas, kai ouk heuriskale chortasmeim tois …Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.
Romans 2:9“tribulation”thlipsias kai stenochōrias, epi pantan psuchan anthrōpou …… be trouble and distress for every human being …
Romans 5:3… en tai thlipsiai, oidarēntois hoti tas thlipsias hupomonan katergazotō,… our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
Romans 8:35“tribulation”… chōrizati apo tau agapau tou Christou? thlipsias ē stenochōrias ē diōgmos ē limos …Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness …
2 Corinthians 8:13ouk gar hina allosoi anesias, vi thlipsias; alla ek isotau… may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality.
thlipsian“tribulation”objectaccusative singular10×
Matthew 24:9“tribulation”Tote paradōali vin eis thlipsian kai apoktenali vin, kai evi misorōntois …Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all …
Matthew 24:29Eutheōs de meta tan thlipsian taiu hēmeraiu ekeinaiu tos hēlios skotiziti, …Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will …
Mark 13:24… en ekeinai tai hēmerai meta tan thlipsian ekeinan tos hēlios skotiziti, kai tas …But in those days, after that tribulation: ‘The sun will be darkened, and …
John 16:33… mi eirēnan echaveiō; en to kosmo thlipsian echavō, alla tharsavōr, mis nikamē ton …… In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome …
1 Corinthians 7:28“trouble”… ean gamateia tas parthenas, ouk hamartata. thlipsian de ta sarka echali tois toioutois, …… marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face troubles in this life, and I …
Philippians 1:17“affliction”… ton Christon katangelalō, ouk hagnōs, oiorōntois thlipsian egerarō toi desmoi mu.… however, preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can add to the distress of my chains.
2 Thessalonians 1:6… para theo antapodōara toi thlibarōntoi vin thlipsian… right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,
Revelation 2:9Oidamē su tan thlipsian kai tan ptōcheian, alla plousios asō, …I know your affliction and your poverty — though you are …
Revelation 2:10“affliction”… eis fulakan hina peiraziveia, kai echavi thlipsian hēmeraiu deka. genosōr pistos achri thanatou, …… of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I …
Revelation 2:22… kai toin moicheuarōntoin meta autau eis thlipsian megan, ean mē metanoaleia ek teiu …… adultery with her will suffer great tribulation unless they repent of her deeds.
thlipsiau“affliction”of, belonging togenitive singular9×
Matthew 13:21… heauto alla proskairos atō, generantau de thlipsiau ē diōgmou dia ton logon euthuos …… remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the …
Mark 4:17… heautoi alla proskairois alō, eita generantau thlipsiau ē diōgmou dia ton logon euthuos …… remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the …
John 16:21… gennateia tem paidiem, ouketi mnēmoneuatō tau thlipsiau dia tan charan hoti gennita anthrōpos …… forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a …
Acts 11:19Tois men oun diasparirantois apo tau thlipsiau tau generantau epi Stefano dierchala heōs …Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as …
2 Corinthians 1:8“affliction”… thelanō vin agnoarō, adelfoir, huper tau thlipsiau nu tau generantau en ta Asia, …… do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the hardships we encountered in the province of Asia. We were under a burden far beyond our ability to …
2 Corinthians 2:4“affliction”ek gar pollau thlipsiau kai sunochau kardiau grafama vi dia …For through many tears I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart, not to grieve you but to let you know how much I love …
2 Corinthians 4:17tem gar parautika elafrem tau thlipsiau nu kata huperbolan eis huperbolan aiōniem …For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal …
2 Corinthians 8:2“affliction”hoti en polla dokima thlipsiau tas perisseias tau charau autoiu kai …In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty …
Revelation 7:14… Houtois alō tois erchorōntois ek tau thlipsiau tau megau, kai plunala tain stolain …… have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and …
thlipsia“affliction”to, fordative singular9×
Romans 12:12“tribulation”ta elpida chairarōntois, ta thlipsia hupomenarōntois, ta proseucha proskarterarōntois,… joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.
2 Corinthians 1:4“affliction”tos parakalarōntos nin epi panta ta thlipsia nu, eis tem dunorō nin parakalarō …who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in …
2 Corinthians 1:4“affliction”… dunorō nin parakalarō toin en panta thlipsia dia tau paraklēsiau hau parakalonō autois …… so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received …
2 Corinthians 7:4“affliction”… huperperisseuomō ta chara epi panta ta thlipsia nu.… with encouragement; in all our troubles my joy overflows.
Philippians 4:14“distress”plēn kalōs poiava sunkoinōnarantois mu ta thlipsia.Nevertheless, you have done well to share in my affliction.
1 Thessalonians 1:6“affliction”… tou kuriou, decherantois ton logon en thlipsia polla meta charau pneumeu hagieu,… and of the Lord when you welcomed the message with the joy of the Holy Spirit, in spite of …
1 Thessalonians 3:7“affliction”… vi epi panta ta ananka kai thlipsia nu dia tau vu pistiau,… reason, brothers, in all our distress and persecution, we have been reassured about you, because of your faith.
James 1:27… episkeptorō orfanoin kai chērain en ta thlipsia autoiu, aspilon heauton tērarō apo tou …… for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being …
Revelation 1:9… adelfos vu kai sunkoinōnos en ta thlipsia kai basileia kai hupomona en Iēso, …… your brother and partner in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance that are …
thlipsiais“afflictions”subjectnominative plural1×
Acts 20:23… diamarturotō mi legarōntem hoti desmeim kai thlipsiais min menalō;… Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions await me.
thlipsiaiu“afflictions”of, belonging togenitive plural3×
Acts 7:10“afflictions”kai exaireta auton ek pantaiu taiu thlipsiaiu autou, kai dōata auto charitan kai …and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his …
Acts 14:22“tribulations”… ta pistia kai hoti dia pollaiu thlipsiaiu datō nin eiserchara eis tan basileian …… the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God …
Colossians 1:24… vu, kai antanaplēramō teim husterēmeim taiu thlipsiaiu tou Christou en ta sarka mu …… is lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body …
thlipsiai“afflictions”to, fordative plural6×
Romans 5:3… de, alla kai kauchonō en tai thlipsiai, oidarēntois hoti tas thlipsias hupomonan katergazotō,… but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces …
2 Corinthians 6:4“afflictions”… theou diakonois; en hupomona polla, en thlipsiai, en anankai, en stenochōriai,Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities;
Ephesians 3:13“afflictions”dio aitomō mē enkakarō en tai thlipsiai mu huper vu, hotinas atō doxas …So I ask you not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
1 Thessalonians 3:3“afflictions”tem mēdenon sainorō en tai thlipsiai houtai. autois gar oidavē hoti eis …so that none of you would be shaken by these trials. For you know that we are destined for this.
2 Thessalonians 1:4“afflictions”… pantoi toi diōgmoi vu kai tai thlipsiai hai anechovō,That is why we boast among God’s churches about your perseverance and faith in the face of all the persecution and affliction you are enduring.
Hebrews 10:33“afflictions”houtem men oneidismoi tē kai thlipsiai theatrizorōntois, houtem de koinōnois toiu houtōs …Sometimes you were publicly exposed to ridicule and persecution; at other times you were partners with those who were so treated.