Pain
Summary
Pain in Scripture encompasses both physical suffering and mental anguish, often used figuratively to describe distress from divine judgment or spiritual trials.
☩Hebrew Terms for Pain
Multiple Hebrew words convey the concept of pain: chul or chil signifies twisting or writhing, often compared to a woman in travail; chebhel refers to pangs or birth pains; ka'ebh and makh'obh express grief or sorrow. These terms appear predominantly in poetical and prophetical books, describing mental disquiet or dismay from personal or national sin.
☩New Testament Usage
In the New Testament, odin describes severe pain such as childbirth pangs, while basanizo means to torture or torment. The word ponos, meaning toil or suffering, describes the pain of divine judgment and is used in the promise that in God's eternal city 'there shall be no more pain.' Physical conditions described include what may have been spinal meningitis in the account of the centurion's servant.
Related Verses36 mentions
References
- 1.James Orr (ed.), "Pain," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 2.John McClintock and James Strong, "Pain," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VII (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).