Necessity
ἀνάγκηStrong’s G0318anagkē
Appears in 18 verses of the New Testament
In short
Anagkē is the Greek word usually translated “necessity”, “necessary” and “need”. It appears in 18 verses of the New Testament.
“But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.”
Meaning
Usually translated “necessity”, “necessary” and “need”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- necessity 8
- necessary 4
- need 2
- distress 2
- hardships 2
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- Hebrews 4
- Luke 3
- 1 Corinthians 3
- 2 Corinthians 3
- Matthew 1
- Romans 1
9 books in all.
Related words
Explore in Scripture
- Jude 1:3In contextBeloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
- Matthew 18:7Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
- Luke 14:18And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.
- Luke 21:23But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
- Luke 23:17(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
- Romans 13:5Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
Greek dictionary
ἀνάγκη anagkē · necessity
ἀνάγκη, -ης, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for מָצוֹק, צַר ;] 1. necessity: ἔχειν ἀ-, with inf., to be compelled, Luk.14:18 23:17 (Rec., R, mg.), 1Co.7:37, Ju 3, Heb.7:27; ἐξ ἀ., κατ᾽ ἀ., of necessity, 2Co.9:7, Heb.7:12, Phm 14; ἀ. μοι ἐπίκειται, n. is laid on me, 1Co.9:16; with inf. (= ἀναγκαῖον ἐστι), Mat.18:7, Rom.13:5, Heb.9:16, 23 2. force, violence, hence pain, distress (Diod., al.; LXX; see M, Th., 41; MM, VGT, see word; cf. θλίψις): Luk.21:23, 1Co.7:26, 1Th.3:7; pl. (see B1., § 32, 6; Swete, Mk., 153), ἐν ἀ., 2Co.6:4 12:10.† (AS)
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “necessity” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
NECESSITY, noun
- That which must be and cannot be otherwise, or the cause of that which cannot be otherwise.
- Irresistible power; compulsive force, physical or moral.
- Indispensableness; the state of being requisite.
- Extreme indigence; pinching poverty; pressing need.
All definitions
- Unavoidableness; inevitableness; as the necessity of a consequence from certain premises.
- In the plural, things requisite for a purpose.
Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.
Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.