Chēra χήρα

Chēra (Greek χήρα, Strong's G5503) is a Greek feminine noun meaning “widow”. It occurs 27 times in 25 verses of the New Testament.

Definition

From the STEPBible Brief Lexicon of Greek (based on Abbott-Smith), STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.

Translated as

Topics

• Widows and orphans

Verses

Every verse with Chēra, with the English words that translate it highlighted (KJV or BSB; other translations show the KJV here).

Matthew

• Matthew 23:14
  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.(not included in this translation)

Mark

• Mark 12:40
  Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”
• Mark 12:42
  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.Then one poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amounted to a small fraction of a denarius.
• Mark 12:43
  And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more than all the others into the treasury.

Luke

• Luke 2:37
  And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.and then was a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
• Luke 4:25
  But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;But I tell you truthfully that there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and great famine swept over all the land.
• Luke 4:26
  But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to the widow of Zarephath in Sidon.
• Luke 7:12
  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.As He approached the town gate, He saw a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.
• Luke 18:3
  And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
• Luke 18:5
  Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice. Then she will stop wearing me out with her perpetual requests.’”
• Luke 20:47
  Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”
• Luke 21:2
  And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.and He saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.
• Luke 21:3
  And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:“Truly I tell you,” He said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.

Acts

• Acts 6:1
  And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.In those days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Grecian Jews among them began to grumble against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
• Acts 9:39
  Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.So Peter got up and went with them. On his arrival, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood around him, weeping and showing him the tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
• Acts 9:41
  And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive.

1 Corinthians

• 1 Corinthians 7:8
  I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.Now to the unmarried and widows I say this: It is good for them to remain unmarried, as I am.

1 Timothy

• 1 Timothy 5:3
  Honour widows that are widows indeed.Honor the widows who are truly widows.
• 1 Timothy 5:4
  But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show godliness to their own family and repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
• 1 Timothy 5:5
  Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers.
• 1 Timothy 5:9
  Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,A widow should be enrolled if she is at least sixty years old, the wife of one man,
• 1 Timothy 5:11
  But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry,
• 1 Timothy 5:16
  If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.If any believing woman has dependent widows, she must assist them and not allow the church to be burdened, so that it can help the widows who are truly in need.

James

• James 1:27
  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Revelation

• Revelation 18:7
  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow and will never see grief.’

Notes

1. Definition and verse list from STEPBible's tagged Hebrew Old Testament (TAHOT) and Greek New Testament (TAGNT) and Brief Lexicons, STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.
2. English renderings from the public-domain KJV with Strong's numbers (eBible.org) and the Berean Standard Bible interlinear (public domain).