Strong's Greek: 1077. γενέσια (genesia) -- birthday celebration, festival

Strong's Lexicon

genesia: birthday celebration, festival

Original Word: γενέσια
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: genesia
Pronunciation: gheh-NEH-see-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (ghen-es'-ee-ah)
Definition: birthday celebration, festival
Meaning: a birthday celebration.

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek word γένεσις (genesis), meaning "origin" or "birth."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Hebrew equivalent for "genesia" as the concept of birthday celebrations is not prominent in the Hebrew Bible. However, the Hebrew word יוֹם (yom), meaning "day," is often used in contexts involving specific days or events.

Usage: In the New Testament, "genesia" refers to a celebration or festival commemorating a birth. It is used specifically to denote the occasion of a birthday celebration. The term is associated with festivities and often includes feasting and merriment.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, birthday celebrations were common and often grand events, especially among the elite and ruling classes. These celebrations could include banquets, games, and sacrifices to the gods. The concept of celebrating birthdays was not originally a Jewish tradition, as Jewish culture focused more on commemorating significant life events such as circumcision, bar mitzvahs, and weddings. However, under Hellenistic influence, some Jewish and early Christian communities may have adopted the practice.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from genesis
Definition
a birthday celebration
NASB Translation
birthday (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1077: γενέσια

γενέσια, γενεσίων, τά (cf. Winer's Grammar, 176 (166)) (from the adjective γενέσιος from γένεσις), a birthday celebration, a birth-day feast: Mark 6:21; Matthew 14:6; (Alciphron epistles 3, 18 and 55; Dio Cassius, 47, 18, etc.; ἡ γενέσιος ἡμέρα, Josephus, Antiquities 12, 4, 7). The earlier Greeks used γενέσια of funeral commemorations, a festival commemorative of a deceased friend (Latinferiaedenicales), see Lob. ad Phryn., p. 103f; (Rutherford, New Phryn., p. 184; Winers Grammar, 24 (23)). Cf. Keim, ii., p. 516 (iv. 223 English translation).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

birthday.

Neuter plural of a derivative of genesis; birthday ceremonies -- birthday.

see GREEK genesis

Forms and Transliterations

γενεσιοις γενεσίοις γενεσίων genesiois genesíois

Links

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