Lexical Summary
eulabeia: Reverence, godly fear, caution
Original Word:εὐλάβεια
Part of Speech:Noun, Feminine
Transliteration:eulabeia
Pronunciation:yoo-lab'-i-ah
Phonetic Spelling:(yoo-lab'-i-ah)
KJV: fear(-ed)
NASB:piety, reverence
Word Origin:[fromG2126 (εὐλαβής - devout)]
1. (properly) caution
2. (religiously) devotion (piety)
3. (by implication, concretely) deep, reverential awe
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
reverence, awe
Fromeulabes; properly, caution, i.e. (religiously) reverence (piety); by implication, dread (concretely) -- fear(-ed).
see GREEKeulabes
HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 2124eulábeia (from2126/eulabḗs, "reverent, godly fear") – properly, "a taking hold of what God calls good"; "holy caution," inducingcircumspect behavior.See 2126 (eulabēs).
2124/eulábeia ("godly respect") is illustrated by a person carrying apriceless Persian vase across the room – which will always be in a "devout" (respectful) fashion!
[2124/eulábeia is actually used of someone doing this in antiquity. See Aristophanes (Aves, 377).
In classical Greek2124 (eulábeia) also means "reverent caution" (as in Sophocles and Plato).]
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
eulabésDefinitioncaution
NASB Translationpiety (1), reverence (1).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2124: εὐλάβειαεὐλάβεια,
εὐλαβείας,
ἡ, "the character and conduct of one who is
εὐλαβής (which see);
1.caution, circumspection, discretion:Sophocles,Euripides,Plato,Demosthenes, following; theSept.Proverbs 28:14; joined withπρόνοια,Plutarch, Marcell. 9; used of the prudent delay of Fabius Maximus,Polybius 3, 105, 8;ἡἐυλαβεοασῴζειπάντα,Aristophanes an. 377; equivalent toavoidance,πληγῶν,Plato, legg. 7, p. 815 a., et al. (in which senseZeno the Stoic contrastsἡεὐλάβεια,caution, as aεὔλογοςἐκκλισις,a reasonable shunning, withὁφόβος, (Diogenes Laërtius 7, 116, cf.Cicero, Tusc. 4, 6, 13).
2.reverence, veneration:ἡπρόςτόθεῖονεὐλάβειαDiodorus 13, 12;Plutarch, Camill. 21; de ser. hum. vind. c. 4, and elsewhere;πρόςτούςνόμους,Plutarch, Ages. 15;Θεοῦ, objec. genitive,Philo, Cherub. § 9; simplyreverence toward God, godly fear, piety:Hebrews 12:28 and, in the opinion of many, also (cf.ἀπό, II. 2 b.; see below).3.fear, anxiety, dread: Wis. 17:8; forדְּאָגָה,Joshua 22:24;Josephus, Antiquities 11, 6, 9;Plutarch, Fab. 1 (theεὐβουλία of Fabius seemed to beεὐλάβεια); so, most probably, inHebrews 5:7 (see (above and)ἀπό, I. 3 d.), for by using this more select word the writer, skilled as he was in the Greek tongue, speaks more reverently of the Son of God than if he had usedφόβος. (Synonym: seeδειλία, at the end; cf.Trench, § xlviii.; Delitzsch onHebrews 5:7.)
Topical Lexicon
Overview of the Conceptεὐλαβεία (eulabeia) conveys a two-fold idea: a God-ward reverence that expresses itself in worship, and a circumspect caution that guards the believer from irreverence. Far from mere timidity, it is an active, intelligent awe that both approaches God and restrains self. Its background stretches into Septuagint expressions for “fear of the LORD,” and in the New Testament it is reserved for profound moments where the holiness of God and the mission of Christ intersect.
Occurrences in the New Testament
1.Hebrews 5:7 – applied to Jesus Christ.
2.Hebrews 12:28 – applied to the worshipping community.
Although the noun occurs only twice, these settings reveal its essential dimensions: Christ’s devotional life and the church’s corporate service.
Christological Significance (Hebrews 5:7)
“During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears … and He was heard because of His reverence.” (Hebrews 5:7)
• Eulabeia is here attributed to the incarnate Son, showing that true godly fear is perfectly compatible with sinless perfection.
• The verse links reverence with effective intercession; the Father “heard” the Son because His petitions arose from awe, not presumption.
• It demonstrates that holy fear does not negate intimacy (cf.John 17), but rather frames it.
Ecclesiological Significance (Hebrews 12:28)
“Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” (Hebrews 12:28)
• The coming kingdom motivates present-tense worship.
• Gratitude (χάρις) and reverence (εὐλαβεία) are complementary, refuting any dichotomy between joy and fear.
• Acceptable service is defined not by external ritual but by inward posture; eulabeia becomes the touchstone for New Covenant worship.
Old Testament Continuity
Proverbs 1:7,Isaiah 11:2, andPsalm 2:11 speak of “fear of the LORD” in terms strikingly parallel to eulabeia. The writer to the Hebrews draws on this heritage, affirming that the attitude God has always desired—reverent awe—remains unchanged in the age of fulfillment.
Theological Dimensions
• Holiness: Eulabeia presupposes God’s unapproachable purity (Hebrews 12:29).
• Grace: Paradoxically, the same grace that grants access (Hebrews 4:16) elicits reverence.
• Perseverance: The cautionary element warns believers against drifting (Hebrews 2:1), grounding perseverance in worshipful fear.
Ministry and Pastoral Application
1. Prayer: Leaders and congregants are encouraged to approach the throne with eulabeia, modeling Christ-like petitions.
2. Worship Planning: Liturgies, music, and preaching should cultivate awe without suppressing joy.
3. Discipleship: Teaching on God’s character must balance His immanence with His transcendence, producing reverent lifestyles (Philippians 2:12-13).
4. Counseling: Spiritual complacency often stems from loss of eulabeia; restoring reverence realigns perspective on sin and grace.
Historical Reflection
Early Christian writers (e.g., Clement of Rome, Polycarp) echoed Hebrews by exhorting assemblies to gather “in fear and truth.” Throughout church history revivals have been marked by renewed eulabeia—Jonathan Edwards observed that heightened sense of God’s majesty preceded moral transformation.
Contemporary Implications
In an age prone to casual spirituality, εὐλαβεία calls believers back to worship that is both heartfelt and humbled. Whether in private devotion or public liturgy, reverence remains indispensable for encountering the living God whose kingdom cannot be shaken.
Forms and Transliterations
ευλάβειαν ευλαβειας ευλαβείας εὐλαβείας eulabeias eulabeíasLinks
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