What does χαίρω (chaírō) mean in the Bible?
χαίρω (chairō) means to rejoice, be glad, take delight, or, in conventional greetings, to bid someone well. The verb does not describe a free-floating mood whose goodness can be assumed.
Greek · G5463
χαίρω
To rejoice
Reading a lexicon entry
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χαίρω G5463
Pronunciation chaírō
What does χαίρω (chaírō) mean in the Bible?
χαίρω (chairō) means to rejoice, be glad, take delight, or, in conventional greetings, to bid someone well. The verb does not describe a free-floating mood whose goodness can be assumed.
Reader summary
Full entry for χαίρω (G5463) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G5463?
The BSB source-word alignment has 74 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Rejoice (12), Greetings (6), I rejoice (6), . . . (3), Hail (3).
Where does χαίρω (chaírō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 2:10. Its strongest book concentrations include Luke (12), John (9), Philippians (9), 2 Corinthians (8).
Are there verse guides for χαίρω (chaírō)?
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
What This Word Actually Means
χαίρω (chairō) means to rejoice, be glad, take delight, or, in conventional greetings, to bid someone well. The verb does not describe a free-floating mood whose goodness can be assumed. First Corinthians says love does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth, so joy is morally shaped by its object. Jesus redirects the disciples from delight in spiritual power to joy that their names are written in heaven.
The risen Lord turns fearful disciples toward glad recognition when they see His wounds and presence. Paul can be sorrowful yet always rejoicing, and he commands the church to rejoice in the Lord. These passages make Christian joy neither emotional denial nor self-generated optimism. It is a fitting response to truth, salvation, resurrection, faithful fellowship, and the Lord Himself.
The same verb can also mark corrupt delight or serve as a greeting, so speaker, object, cause, and setting must govern interpretation.
Passage contextCanonical synthesis
How the Bible Uses It
χαίρω can name gladness, command rejoicing, expose delight in evil, or function as a greeting. The selected passages concentrate on the object and ground of Christian joy: truth, salvation, the risen Christ, perseverance through sorrow, and communion with the Lord.
- 1Cor.13.6
Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth.
Paul gives joy an ethical object. Love refuses gladness at wrongdoing and joins its delight to the truth, which means intensity of feeling cannot make a corrupt pleasure faithful.
- Luke.10.20
Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Jesus does not reject the disciples’ gladness without replacement. He relocates it from delegated power and visible success to God’s saving knowledge and keeping of His people.
- John.20.20
After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Resurrection joy comes through recognition of the crucified and risen Lord. The wounds identify Jesus, His presence answers the disciples’ fear, and gladness belongs to the reality that death did not hold Him.
- 2Cor.6.10
Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
Paul places rejoicing beside genuine sorrow rather than using it to erase grief. Apostolic endurance can hold pain and gospel gladness together because hardship does not cancel the riches received and shared in Christ.
- Php.4.4
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
The repeated command is explicitly located ‘in the Lord.’ Its constancy rests on belonging to Christ within a letter that also knows conflict, anxiety, need, costly service, and imprisonment.
Passage contextethical_applicationgospel_claritychristological_synthesisPastoral applicationBook 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 Rejoice 12× Matthew 5:12, Luke 6:23, Luke 10:20, Romans 12:15
Greetings 6× Matthew 26:49, Matthew 28:9, Luke 1:28, Acts 15:23
I rejoice 6× Romans 16:19, 2 Corinthians 7:9, 2 Corinthians 7:16, Philippians 1:18
. . . 3× Luke 15:5, 2 John 1:10, 2 John 1:11
Hail 3× Matthew 27:29, Mark 15:18, John 19:3
rejoiced 3× Luke 13:17, John 20:20, 2 Corinthians 7:7
rejoicing 3× Acts 5:41, Acts 8:39, 2 Corinthians 6:10
they rejoiced 3× Matthew 2:10, Acts 13:48, Acts 15:31
I am glad 2× John 11:15, Philippians 2:17
I was overjoyed 2× 2 John 1:4, 3 John 1:3
joyfully 2× Luke 19:6, Luke 19:37
They were delighted 2× Mark 14:11, Luke 22:5
will rejoice 2× Luke 1:14, John 16:22
[and] I delight 1× Colossians 2:5
[and] is overjoyed 1× John 3:29
[Love] takes no pleasure 1× 1 Corinthians 13:6
are joyful 1× 1 Corinthians 7:30
be glad 1× Luke 15:32
Be joyful 1× Romans 12:12
he rejoiced 1× Acts 11:23
he rejoices 1× Matthew 18:13
I am glad that 1× 1 Corinthians 16:17
I will continue to rejoice 1× Philippians 1:18
Let us rejoice 1× Revelation 19:7
may rejoice 1× John 4:36
our great joy 1× 1 Thessalonians 3:9
pleased 1× Luke 23:8
rejoices 1× John 16:20
should be glad 1× Philippians 2:18
they were not 1× 1 Corinthians 7:30
those who rejoice 1× Romans 12:15
was glad 1× John 8:56
we rejoice 1× 2 Corinthians 13:9
we were even more delighted 1× 2 Corinthians 7:13
will gloat 1× Revelation 11:10
you may be overjoyed 1× 1 Peter 4:13
you may rejoice 1× Philippians 2:28
you would rejoice 1× John 14:28
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 2:10 ἐχάρησαν to they rejoiced Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural Matthew 5:12 χαίρετε to Rejoice Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Matthew 18:13 χαίρει to he rejoices Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Matthew 26:49 Χαῖρε to Greetings Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 27:29 Χαῖρε to Hail Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Matthew 28:9 Χαίρετε to Greetings Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural Mark 14:11 ἐχάρησαν to They were delighted Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural Mark 15:18 Χαῖρε to Hail Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular Luke 1:14 χαρήσονται to will rejoice Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural Luke 1:28 Χαῖρε to Greetings Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 2:10
Aligned rows 74
Books represented 16
Matthew 6 Mark 2 Luke 12 John 9 Acts 7 Romans 4 1 Corinthians 4 2 Corinthians 8 Philippians 9 Colossians 2 1 Thessalonians 2 James 1 1 Peter 2 2 John 3 3 John 1 Revelation 2
Source forms
χαίρετε 9x chairete Matthew 5:12, Luke 10:20, 2 Corinthians 13:11, Philippians 2:18
χαίρω 7x chairō John 11:15, Romans 16:19, 2 Corinthians 7:9, 2 Corinthians 7:16
χαίροντες 6x chairontes Luke 19:37, Acts 5:41, Romans 12:12, 1 Corinthians 7:30
Χαῖρε 5x Chaire Matthew 26:49, Matthew 27:29, Mark 15:18, Luke 1:28
ἐχάρησαν 4x echarēsan Matthew 2:10, Mark 14:11, Luke 22:5, Acts 15:31
χαίρειν 4x chairein Romans 12:15, 2 Corinthians 2:3, 2 John 1:10, 2 John 1:11
χαίρων 4x chairōn Luke 15:5, Luke 19:6, Acts 8:39, Colossians 2:5
ἐχάρη 3x echarē Luke 23:8, John 8:56, Acts 11:23
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural 11x Matthew 5:12, Matthew 28:9, Luke 10:20, 2 Corinthians 13:11
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular 8x John 11:15, Romans 16:19, 1 Corinthians 16:17, 2 Corinthians 7:9
Verb - Present Infinitive Active 7x Acts 15:23, Acts 23:26, Romans 12:15, 2 Corinthians 2:3
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural 6x Luke 19:37, Acts 5:41, Romans 12:12, 1 Corinthians 7:30
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural 5x Matthew 2:10, Mark 14:11, Luke 22:5, John 20:20
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular 5x Matthew 26:49, Matthew 27:29, Mark 15:18, Luke 1:28
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular 4x Luke 15:5, Luke 19:6, Acts 8:39, Colossians 2:5
Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 1st Person Singular 3x Philippians 4:10, 2 John 1:4, 3 John 1:3
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Let Scripture direct joy toward truth, salvation, Christ, and faithful love rather than treating every delight as spiritually healthy.
- Make room for lament and grief; rejoicing in the Lord can coexist with sorrow and patient suffering.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that χαίρω always describes holy joy; the same verb can mark corrupt delight or function as a greeting.
- Do not claim that faithful Christians must feel cheerful at every moment or that sorrow proves spiritual failure.
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Rejoice primarily means active gladness; distinct from mere emotion, often expressing relational joy in Christ.
Source Gloss
to rejoice
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 74 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 2:10 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Passive Deponent Indicative
ἐχάρησαν ecarhsan
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse cairete
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Matthew 18:13 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
χαίρει cairei
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Matthew 26:49 Verb Second Person Singular Present Active Imperative
Χαῖρε, caire
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Matthew 27:29 Verb Second Person Singular Present Active Imperative
Χαῖρε, caire
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Matthew 28:9 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
Χαίρετε. cairete
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Mark 14:11 Verb Third Person Plural Second Aorist Passive Deponent Indicative
ἐχάρησαν, ecarhsan
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Mark 15:18 Verb Second Person Singular Present Active Imperative
Χαῖρε, caire
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Luke 1:14 Verb Third Person Plural Second Future Passive Deponent Indicative
χαρήσονται. carhsontai
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Luke 1:28 Verb Second Person Singular Present Active Imperative
Χαῖρε, caire
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Luke 6:23 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
χαίρετε cairete
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Luke 10:20 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
χαίρετε cairete
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Luke 10:20 Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
χαίρετε cairete
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Luke 13:17 Verb Third Person Singular Imperfect Active Indicative
ἔχαιρεν ecairen
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Luke 15:5 Verb Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine
χαίρων. cairwn
I rejoice, am glad
Read verse Luke 15:32 Verb Second Aorist Passive Deponent Infinitive
χαρῆναι carhnai
I rejoice, am glad
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 mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 5 Aligned forms 74 Tenses Present, Aorist, Future, Imperfect Voices Active, Passive
Tenses
Voices
Imperative command or strong request 17×
Present Active Matt 5:12 · Matt 28:9 · Luke 10:20 · 2 Cor 13:11 · Phil 2:18 · Phil 3:1 · Phil 4:4 · 1 Thess 5:16 · 1 Pet 4:13 · Matt 26:49 · Matt 27:29 · Mark 15:18 · Luke 1:28 · John 19:3 16×
Aorist Passive Luke 6:23 1×
Indicative states a fact or reality 33×
Present Active John 11:15 · Rom 16:19 · 1 Cor 16:17 · 2 Cor 7:9 · 2 Cor 7:16 · Phil 1:18 · Phil 2:17 · Col 1:24 · Matt 18:13 · John 3:29 · 1 Cor 13:6 · 2 Cor 13:9 · 1 Thess 3:9 · Rev 11:10 14×
Aorist Passive Matt 2:10 · Mark 14:11 · Luke 22:5 · John 20:20 · Acts 15:31 · Luke 23:8 · John 8:56 · Acts 11:23 · Phil 4:10 · 2 John 1:4 · 3 John 1:3 · John 14:28 · 2 Cor 7:13 13×
Future Passive John 16:20 · John 16:22 · Luke 1:14 · Phil 1:18 4×
Imperfect Active Luke 13:17 · Acts 13:48 2×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 9×
Present Active Acts 15:23 · Acts 23:26 · Rom 12:15 · 2 Cor 2:3 · Jas 1:1 · 2 John 1:10 · 2 John 1:11 7×
Aorist Passive Luke 15:32 · 2 Cor 7:7 2×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 11×
Present Active Luke 19:37 · Acts 5:41 · Rom 12:12 · 1 Cor 7:30 · 2 Cor 6:10 · Luke 15:5 · Luke 19:6 · Acts 8:39 · Col 2:5 · Rom 12:15 11×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 4×
Aorist Passive Phil 2:28 · 1 Pet 4:13 2×
Present Active John 4:36 · Rev 19:7 2×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 74 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 50 aorist 18 future 4 imperfect 2
Voice
active 52 passive 22
Mood
indicative 33 imperative 17 participle 11 infinitive 9 subjunctive 4
NT Occurrences
Matthew 2:10 ἐχάρησαν aorist passive indicative completed Matthew 5:12 χαίρετε present active imperative imperative Matthew 18:13 χαίρει present active indicative ongoing Matthew 26:49 Χαῖρε present active imperative imperative Matthew 27:29 Χαῖρε present active imperative imperative Matthew 28:9 Χαίρετε present active imperative imperative Mark 14:11 ἐχάρησαν aorist passive indicative completed Mark 15:18 Χαῖρε present active imperative imperative Luke 1:14 χαρήσονται future passive indicative prospective Luke 1:28 Χαῖρε present active imperative imperative Luke 6:23 χάρητε aorist passive imperative imperative Luke 10:20 χαίρετε present active imperative imperative Luke 10:20 χαίρετε present active imperative imperative Luke 13:17 ἔχαιρεν imperfect active indicative background Luke 15:32 χαρῆναι aorist passive infinitive infinitive Luke 15:5 χαίρων present active participle participle Luke 19:37 χαίροντες present active participle participle Luke 19:6 χαίρων present active participle participle Luke 22:5 ἐχάρησαν aorist passive indicative completed Luke 23:8 ἐχάρη aorist passive indicative completed John 3:29 χαίρει present active indicative ongoing John 4:36 χαίρῃ present active subjunctive subjunctive John 8:56 ἐχάρη aorist passive indicative completed John 11:15 χαίρω present active indicative ongoing John 14:28 ἐχάρητε aorist passive indicative completed John 16:20 χαρήσεται future passive indicative prospective John 16:22 χαρήσεται future passive indicative prospective John 19:3 Χαῖρε present active imperative imperative John 20:20 ἐχάρησαν aorist passive indicative completed Acts 5:41 χαίροντες present active participle participle Acts 8:39 χαίρων present active participle participle Acts 11:23 ἐχάρη aorist passive indicative completed Acts 13:48 ἔχαιρον imperfect active indicative background Acts 15:23 χαίρειν present active infinitive infinitive Acts 15:31 ἐχάρησαν aorist passive indicative completed Acts 23:26 χαίρειν present active infinitive infinitive Romans 12:12 χαίροντες present active participle participle Romans 12:15 χαίρειν present active infinitive infinitive Romans 12:15 χαιρόντων present active participle participle Romans 16:19 χαίρω present active indicative ongoing
+34 more occurrences
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
New Testament Witnesses
Experiencing gladness or joy.
Showing 1 selected witness from 74 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
χαίρω is a primary verb - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Joy evidences genuine reception of the gospel. Acts 8:26-40
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
Christian joy is not defined by uninterrupted pleasant feeling. It is defined by a worthy object and a trustworthy ground. Love rejoices with the truth, so delight must be tested rather than merely celebrated. Jesus teaches His servants not to build their joy on spiritual influence, because visible success can become unstable soil for identity. Their deeper gladness is that they belong to God.
John then shows the disciples rejoicing when they see the crucified and risen Lord. Their fear is answered by His living presence, not by denial of what happened at the cross. Paul likewise refuses to make sorrow and rejoicing enemies. He can name both at once because gospel treasure is not exhausted by deprivation. The command to rejoice always is therefore ‘in the Lord.
’ Churches should make room for lament, repentance, patient suffering, and shared tears while teaching believers to return their hope to Christ. Joy matures when it loves what God calls true and good, receives salvation as gift, recognizes the risen Lord, and refuses to let suffering have the final word.
Anchor passage
Phil.4.4
Doctrinal connections
- G5479 Chara, joy: the related noun often names the joy that χαίρω expresses as action or response.
- G225 Alētheia, truth: First Corinthians 13:6 gives love’s rejoicing a moral object rather than treating gladness as self-validating.
- G4991 Sōtēria, salvation: Luke 10:20 redirects the disciples from ministry power toward their secure standing before God.
- G1453 Egeirō, to raise: John 20 grounds the disciples’ gladness in encounter with the crucified and risen Jesus.
- G3076 Lypeō, to grieve: Second Corinthians holds sorrow and rejoicing together, resisting emotional simplification.
- G2962 Kyrios, Lord: Philippians locates durable rejoicing in communion with Christ rather than favorable circumstances.
As a verb, χαίρω can describe present gladness, command rejoicing, report becoming glad, or serve idiomatically as a salutation. The construction and complement matter: ‘rejoice in the Lord,’ ‘rejoice with the truth,’ and ‘rejoice that’ specify different objects or grounds. A concordance list should not collapse these into one emotional formula.
From Old to New Testament
The Psalms repeatedly call God’s people to rejoice in the Lord, His salvation, righteous judgments, and steadfast care. The prophets can join trembling circumstances with gladness in God, as Habakkuk does when crops and herds fail. The New Testament centers this joy in the arrival, cross, resurrection, reign, and promised return of Christ, while retaining lament and moral seriousness.
Canonical synthesisPastoral application
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