Brief Overview of ἀνίλεως (Strong’s G448)

The Greek adjective ἀνίλεως (anileōs) means “unmerciful” or “without mercy.” It describes a lack of compassion or kindness towards others, often indicating a harsh or severe attitude. The term is used to characterise someone who is unforgiving or does not show mercy.

Detailed Overview

1. Strong’s Concordance: Strong’s defines ἀνίλεως (G448) as “unmerciful” or “without mercy.” This term is used to describe a person or behavior that lacks compassion, highlighting a failure to show kindness or forgiveness.
2. Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich (BDAG) Greek-English Lexicon: BDAG provides a more nuanced understanding of ἀνίλεως, describing it as “unmerciful” or “without pity.” The lexicon emphasizes its use in moral or ethical contexts to describe someone who does not exhibit mercy or compassion towards others. BDAG’s definition reflects the term’s connotation of a deliberate refusal to show kindness or forgiveness.
3. Liddell-Scott-Jones (LSJ) Greek-English Lexicon: LSJ describes ἀνίλεως as “without mercy” or “unmerciful.” The lexicon supports the idea that this term is used to denote a lack of compassion and a severe attitude towards others, consistent with its general meaning of unkindness or harshness.
4. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon: Thayer’s defines ἀνίλεως as “unmerciful” or “without mercy.” It explains that the term describes a person who is devoid of pity or compassion, often highlighting a harsh or severe nature. Thayer’s emphasizes that this adjective is used to characterise an absence of mercy in various contexts.

In summary, ἀνίλεως refers to a lack of mercy or compassion, describing someone or something that is unmerciful or harsh. The definitions from Strong’s Concordance, BDAG, LSJ, and Thayer’s all align in highlighting this term’s connotation of severe and unforgiving behavior.