What does καύχημα (kaúchēma) mean in the Bible?
G2745 names a boast, a reason for boasting, or a ground of glorying. It is closely related to Paul's broader boasting language, but it often points to the thing someone might claim as a boast.
Greek · G2745
καύχημα
A boast (properly, the object; by implication, the act) in a good or a bad sense
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καύχημα G2745
Pronunciation kaúchēma
What does καύχημα (kaúchēma) mean in the Bible?
G2745 names a boast, a reason for boasting, or a ground of glorying. It is closely related to Paul's broader boasting language, but it often points to the thing someone might claim as a boast.
Reader summary
Full entry for καύχημα (G2745) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G2745?
The BSB source-word alignment has 11 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include boasting (2), may boast (2), boast (1), exultation (1), reason to boast (1).
Where does καύχημα (kaúchēma) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Romans 4:2. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (3), 2 Corinthians (3), Philippians (2), Galatians (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G2745 names a boast, a reason for boasting, or a ground of glorying. It is closely related to Paul's broader boasting language, but it often points to the thing someone might claim as a boast. Romans denies Abraham any boast before God by works, First Corinthians removes boasting from Paul's preaching obligation, and Galatians requires sober testing of one's own work. The word helps teachers ask what claim a person thinks they can stand on.
For preaching and teaching, this companion keeps the term tied to its cited Pauline settings before moving toward doctrine or application. The aim is not to turn a Greek gloss into a sermon by itself, but to help readers notice how the word functions inside Paul's argument, relationships, warnings, and gospel-centered exhortation with patient clarity.
How the Bible Uses It
G2745 focuses attention on the object or ground of boasting. Paul tests whether that ground stands before God, ministry obligation, and sober self-examination.
- Rom.4.2
If Abraham was indeed justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God.
Romans 4 removes works as a ground of boasting before God, guarding justification by faith.
- 1Cor.9.16
Yet when I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am obligated to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
First Corinthians 9 says Paul's preaching obligation gives him no ground for self-exalting boast. Necessity, not ego, governs the ministry.
- Gal.6.4
Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else.
Galatians 6 calls each person to test his own work rather than live by comparison. The word can serve sober self-examination under God.
Passage context
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It boasting 2× 1 Corinthians 5:6, 2 Corinthians 9:3
may boast 2× 2 Corinthians 1:14, Philippians 2:16
boast 1× 1 Corinthians 9:15
exultation 1× Philippians 1:26
reason to boast 1× Galatians 6:4
something to boast about 1× Romans 4:2
to be proud 1× 2 Corinthians 5:12
to boast 1× 1 Corinthians 9:16
we boast 1× Hebrews 3:6
Show sample aligned rows
Romans 4:2 καύχημα to something to boast about Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular 1 Corinthians 5:6 καύχημα to boasting Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular 1 Corinthians 9:15 καύχημά to boast Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular 1 Corinthians 9:16 καύχημα to to boast Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular 2 Corinthians 1:14 καύχημα to may boast Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular 2 Corinthians 5:12 καυχήματος to to be proud Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular 2 Corinthians 9:3 καύχημα to boasting Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular Galatians 6:4 καύχημα to reason to boast Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular Philippians 1:26 καύχημα to exultation Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular Philippians 2:16 καύχημα to may boast Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Romans 4:2
Aligned rows 11
Books represented 6
Romans 1 1 Corinthians 3 2 Corinthians 3 Galatians 1 Philippians 2 Hebrews 1
Source forms
καύχημα 9x kauchēma Romans 4:2, 1 Corinthians 5:6, 1 Corinthians 9:16, 2 Corinthians 1:14
καύχημά 1x kauchēma 1 Corinthians 9:15
καυχήματος 1x kauchēmatos 2 Corinthians 5:12
Parsing patterns
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular 5x Romans 4:2, 1 Corinthians 9:15, Galatians 6:4, Philippians 2:16
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular 5x 1 Corinthians 5:6, 1 Corinthians 9:16, 2 Corinthians 1:14, 2 Corinthians 9:3
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular 1x 2 Corinthians 5:12
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not blur G2745 and G2746 as though every occurrence has the same nuance. G2745 often points to the boast or ground itself.
- Do not use Galatians 6 to justify prideful self-focus. Paul's testing language moves away from comparison, not toward ego.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not blur G2745 and G2746 as though every occurrence has the same nuance. G2745 often points to the boast or ground itself.
- Do not use Galatians 6 to justify prideful self-focus. Paul's testing language moves away from comparison, not toward ego.
lexicalPassage contextPastoral application
Evidence Summary
Greek word. The object of boasting—either what one glories in or the act of glorying itself.
Strong's G2745
Lexical occurrences 11 verses Greek text appearances 11 times Word forms 3 forms 11 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link 1 Corinthians 5:6 Source Gloss
a boast (properly, the object; by implication, the act) in a good or a bad sense
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
The object of boasting—either what one glories in or the act of glorying itself.
(καυχάομαι), [in LXX chiefly for תְּהִלָּה, תִּפְאָרָה ;]
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
11 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Romans 4:2 Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
καύχημα, kauchma
a boasting
Read verse 1 Corinthians 5:6 Noun Nominative Singular Neuter
καύχημα kauchma
a boasting
Read verse 1 Corinthians 9:15 Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
καύχημά kauchma
a boasting
Read verse 1 Corinthians 9:16 Noun Nominative Singular Neuter
καύχημα· kauchma
a boasting
Read verse 2 Corinthians 1:14 Noun Nominative Singular Neuter
καύχημα kauchma
a boasting
Read verse 2 Corinthians 5:12 Noun Genitive Singular Neuter
καυχήματος kauchmatov
a boasting
Read verse 2 Corinthians 9:3 Noun Nominative Singular Neuter
καύχημα kauchma
a boasting
Read verse Galatians 6:4 Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
καύχημα kauchma
a boasting
Read verse Philippians 1:26 Noun Nominative Singular Neuter
καύχημα kauchma
a boasting
Read verse Philippians 2:16 Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
καύχημα kauchma
a boasting
Read verse Hebrews 3:6 Noun Accusative Singular Neuter
καύχημα kauchma
a boasting
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
This word appears as a noun across 3 case and number patterns. The form changes show how the word functions in a sentence; they do not change the basic lexical meaning by themselves.
Form patterns 3 Aligned forms 11 Case pattern Accusative (5) Number pattern Singular (11)
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Nominative · Singular · Neuter 1 Cor 5:6 · 1 Cor 9:16 · 2 Cor 1:14 · 2 Cor 9:3 · Phil 1:26 5×
Genitive · Singular · Neuter 2 Cor 5:12 1×
Accusative · Singular · Neuter Rom 4:2 · 1 Cor 9:15 · Gal 6:4 · Phil 2:16 · Heb 3:6 5×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Improper glorying or pride in a bad sense, condemned by Paul
Ground or matter of legitimate glorying, Paul's apostolic labor as basis for boasting
Occasion for mutual glorying between Paul and the Corinthian church in Christ
Ground of glorying on the day of Christ, the word of life held forth
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 11 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
καύχημα is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
G2745 presses the question of ground. What can someone point to as a reason for confidence, honor, or glorying? Paul dismantles works as a ground before God, refuses to make gospel preaching an ego platform, and redirects self-examination away from comparison. The only safe boast is one governed by grace and accountability before God.
Anchor passage
Rom.4.2
Doctrinal connections
- Rom.4.2 - Romans 4 removes works as a ground of boasting before God, guarding justification by faith.
- 1Cor.9.16 - First Corinthians 9 says Paul's preaching obligation gives him no ground for self-exalting boast. Necessity, not ego, governs the ministry.
- Gal.6.4 - Galatians 6 calls each person to test his own work rather than live by comparison. The word can serve sober self-examination under God.
Boast or ground of boasting is the reviewed display gloss for G2745. In this Pauline-focused companion, local STEP TAGNT evidence shows about 10 Pauline use(s), with common forms including N-NSN 5, N-ASN 4, N-GSN 1. Treat these form signals as support for reading the passage, not as a replacement for context.
From Old to New Testament
Paul's boasting language refuses every ground that competes with grace. The believer's confidence is not built from works, platform, or comparison.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain