841. autarkeia

Lexicon

autarkeia: Contentment, sufficiency, self-sufficiency

Original Word: αὐτάρκεια
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: autarkeia
Pronunciation: ow-TAR-kee-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (ow-tar'-ki-ah)
Definition: Contentment, sufficiency, self-sufficiency
Meaning: self-sufficiency, independence, contentment.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

contentment, sufficiency.

From autarkes; self-satisfaction, i.e. (abstractly) contentedness, or (concretely) a competence -- contentment, sufficiency.

see GREEK autarkes

HELPS Word-studies

841 autárkeia (from 846 /autós, "self" and 714 /arkéō, "to suffice, be sufficient") – properly, self-sufficient; used of the Spirit-filled Christian – having all they need within through the indwelling Christ.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from autarkés
Definition
self-satisfaction, i.e. self-sufficiency
NASB Translation
contentment (1), sufficiency (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 841: αὐτάρκεια

αὐτάρκεια, αὐταρκείας, ἡ (αὐτάρκης, which see), a perfect condition of life, in which no aid or support is needed; equivalent to τελειότης κτήσεως ἀγαθῶν, Plato, def., p. 412 b.; often in Aristotle, (defined by him (pol. 7, 5 at the beginning, p. 1326{b}, 29) as follows: τό πάντα ὑπάρχειν καί δεῖσθαι μηθενός ἀυταρκες; cf. Lightfoot on Philippians 4:11); hence, a sufficiency of the necessaries of life: 2 Corinthians 9:8; subjectively, a mind contented with its lot, contentment: 1 Timothy 6:6; ((Diogenes Laërtius 10, 130).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from αὐτάρκης (autarkes), which is a compound of αὐτο- (auto-, "self") and ἀρκέω (arkeō, "to suffice" or "to be content").

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for αὐτάρκεια, the concept of contentment and sufficiency can be related to several Hebrew terms that convey similar ideas, such as שָׁלוֹם (shalom, Strong's 7965), which denotes peace and completeness, and סָבַע (sava, Strong's 7646), meaning to be satisfied or filled. These terms reflect the Old Testament understanding of contentment as a state of well-being and sufficiency provided by God.

Usage: The term αὐτάρκεια is used in the New Testament to describe a state of contentment and sufficiency, particularly in the context of spiritual and material satisfaction. It appears in contexts that emphasize reliance on God's provision and the inner peace that comes from trusting in Him.

Context: The concept of αὐτάρκεια is significant in the New Testament, where it is associated with the Christian virtue of contentment. This term is used to convey the idea that believers can find sufficiency and satisfaction in their relationship with God, regardless of external circumstances. The Apostle Paul, in particular, emphasizes this virtue in his letters.

In 2 Corinthians 9:8, Paul writes, "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." Here, αὐτάρκεια is linked to the sufficiency provided by God's grace, enabling believers to fulfill their calling.

In Philippians 4:11, Paul states, "I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances." This passage highlights the learned aspect of αὐτάρκεια, suggesting that contentment is a spiritual discipline cultivated through faith and reliance on God's provision.

The virtue of αὐτάρκεια is contrasted with the pursuit of material wealth and the anxiety that often accompanies it. In 1 Timothy 6:6, Paul asserts, "Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain." This underscores the idea that true wealth is found in a godly life marked by contentment, rather than in the accumulation of material possessions.

Overall, αὐτάρκεια is a key aspect of the Christian life, encouraging believers to trust in God's provision and to find peace and satisfaction in Him, irrespective of their external circumstances.

Forms and Transliterations

αυταρκειαν αυτάρκειαν αὐτάρκειαν αυταρκειας αυταρκείας αὐταρκείας αυτάρκησεν autarkeian autárkeian autarkeias autarkeías

Englishman's Concordance

2 Corinthians 9:8 N-AFS
GRK: πάντοτε πᾶσαν αὐτάρκειαν ἔχοντες περισσεύητε
NAS: all sufficiency in everything,
KJV: having all sufficiency in all
INT: always all sufficiency having you might abound

1 Timothy 6:6 N-GFS
GRK: εὐσέβεια μετὰ αὐταρκείας
NAS: gain when accompanied by contentment.
KJV: godliness with contentment is great
INT: godliness with contentment

Strong's Greek 841
2 Occurrences

αὐτάρκειαν — 1 Occ.
αὐταρκείας — 1 Occ.