Original Word: χαρά
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: chara
Pronunciation: khar-ah'
Phonetic Spelling: (khar-ah')
Definition: Joy, gladness, delight
Meaning: joy, gladness, a source of joy.

gladness, joy

From chairo; cheerfulness, i.e. Calm delight -- gladness, X greatly, (X be exceeding) joy(-ful, -fully, -fulness, -ous).

see GREEK chairo

Cognate: 5479 xará (another feminine noun from the root xar-, "extend favor, lean towards, be favorably disposed") – properly, the awareness (of God's) grace, favor; joy ("grace recognized").

[The etymological link between 5463 /xaírō ("rejoice because of grace"), 5479 /xará ("joy because of grace") and 5485 /xáris ("grace") – i.e. that they are all cognates – is observed by LS (p 1,976), Zod (Dict), CBL, Wigram's Englishman's Greek Concordance (Ed. Ralph Winters), Word Study Greek-English NT (Tyndale, Ed. Paul McReynolds) – see also DNTT (2,356) and TDNT (9; 359,60).

TDNT likewise groups them as cognates, referring to 5479 (xará) as the noun-form (nomen actionis), discussing them separately in light of their distinct connotations.]

Word Origin
from chairó
Definition
joy, delight
NASB Translation
greatly (1), joy (54), joyful (1), joyfully (1), joyously (1), rejoicing (1).

STRONGS NT 5479: χαρά

χαρά, χαρᾶς, ἡ (χαίρω), from Aeschylus and Sophocles down, the Sept. for שִׂמְחָה and שָׂשׂון, joy, gladness; a: Luke 1:14; Luke 15:7, 10; John 15:11; John 16:22, 24; John 17:13; Acts 8:8; 2 Corinthians 7:13; 2 Corinthians 8:2; Galatians 5:22; Colossians 1:11; Philippians 2:2; 1 John 1:4; 2 John 1:12; opposed to κατήφεια, James 4:9; opposed to λύπη, John 16:20; 2 Corinthians 2:3; Hebrews 12:11; ὑμῶν, i. e. the joy received from you, 2 Corinthians 1:24 (opposed to the 'sorrow' which Paul on returning to Corinth would both experience and give, 2 Corinthians 2:1-3); χαρά τῆς πίστεως, springing from faith, Philippians 1:25; χαίρειν χαράν μέγαν Matthew 2:10 (Winers Grammar, § 32, 2; Buttmann, 131, 5); ἀγαλλίασθαι χαρά, 1 Peter 1:8; χαράν (Rec.st χάριν) πολλήν ἐήξειν ἐπί with a dative of the thing, Philemon 1:7; πληροῦν τινα χαρᾶς, Romans 15:13; πληροῦσθαι χαρᾶς, Acts 13:52; 2 Timothy 1:4; ποιεῖν τίνι χαράν μεγάλην, Acts 15:3; ἀπό τῆς χαρᾶς, for joy, Matthew 13:44; Luke 24:41; Acts 12:14; ἐν χαρά (ἔρχεσθαι), Romans 15:32; μετά χαρᾶς, with joy, Matthew 13:20; Matthew 28:8; Mark 4:16; Luke 8:13; Luke 10:17; Luke 24:52; Acts 20:24 Rec.; Philippians 1:4; Philippians 2:29; Hebrews 10:34; Hebrews 13:17 (Polybius 11, 33, 7; 22, 17, 12; Xenophon, Hiero 1, 25); with πνεύματος ἁγίου added, joy wrought by the Holy Spirit, 1 Thessalonians 1:6; χαρά ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, joyousness caused by (cf. ἐν, I. 6 (p. 211{b} bottom) and Buttmann, § 133, 23) the Holy Spirit, Romans 14:17; χαρά ἐπί τίνι, 2 Corinthians 7:4; χαίρειν χαρά διά τί, John 3:29 (cf. χαίρω, a.); also διά τινα (a relative pronoun intervening), 1 Thessalonians 3:9; ἡ χαρά ὅτι, John 16:21; χαρά ἵνα (see ἵνα, II. 2 d.), 3 John 1:4.

b. by metonymy, the cause or occasion of joy: Luke 2:10; James 1:2; (so 2 Corinthians 1:15 WH text Tr marginal reading (others, χάρις, which see 3 b.)); of persons who are one's 'joy': 1 Thessalonians 2:19; Philippians 4:1; of a joyful condition or state: ἀντί ... χαρᾶς, to attain to blessedness at the right hand of God in heaven, Hebrews 12:2; the same idea is expressed in the parable by the words, ἡ χαρά τοῦ κυρίου, the blessedness which the Lord enjoys, Matthew 25:21, 23.

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb χαίρω (chairō), meaning "to rejoice" or "to be glad."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • H8057 שִׂמְחָה (simchah): Joy, gladness, mirth. This Hebrew term is often used in the Old Testament to describe the joy associated with worship, festivals, and the blessings of God.
• H2304 חֶדְוָה (chedvah): Joy, rejoicing. Found in contexts that emphasize the joy of the Lord as a source of strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

In summary, χαρά (chara) encapsulates the essence of Christian joy, a profound and enduring gladness that arises from a relationship with God and the hope of eternal life. It is a central theme in the New Testament, reflecting the transformative power of the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life.

Usage: The term χαρά is used in the New Testament to describe a deep, abiding sense of joy and gladness that is often associated with spiritual realities and the presence of God. It is a joy that transcends circumstances and is rooted in the believer's relationship with Christ.

Context: The Greek word χαρά (chara) appears frequently in the New Testament, emphasizing the profound joy that characterizes the Christian life. This joy is not merely an emotional response to favorable circumstances but is deeply rooted in the spiritual realities of salvation, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the hope of eternal life.

In the Gospels, χαρά is often associated with the coming of the Messiah and the fulfillment of God's promises. For instance, in Luke 2:10, the angel announces to the shepherds, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people."

The Apostle Paul frequently speaks of joy as a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and an essential aspect of the Christian experience. In Philippians 4:4, he exhorts believers, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" This joy is not dependent on external circumstances but is a result of the believer's union with Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

The Epistle of James also highlights the paradoxical nature of Christian joy, encouraging believers to "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds" (James 1:2). This joy stems from the understanding that trials produce perseverance and spiritual maturity.

In the Book of Revelation, χαρά is depicted as a characteristic of the heavenly realm, where the redeemed experience eternal joy in the presence of God (Revelation 19:7).

χαρα χαρά χαρὰ χαρᾷ χαραν χαράν χαρὰν χαρας χαράς χαρᾶς χάριν chara chará charà charā̂i charan charàn charas charâs charin chárinInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts