Definition of G5313: hypsōma
Hypsōma means an elevated place or thing – whether physical height like mountains or abstract barriers like pride. When Paul uses it in Romans 8, he’s saying nothing in the vertical dimensions can separate us from God’s love. In 2 Corinthians, it describes arrogant thoughts that “lift themselves up” against knowing God – the kind of intellectual pride that becomes a fortress against divine truth.
What This Word Actually Means
Hypsōma (ὕψωμα) carries both literal and metaphorical weight in Greek. At its most basic level, it describes anything elevated – a hill, a high building, or even the celestial heights. But ancient writers regularly used it for figurative “heights” too: lofty thoughts, exalted positions, or barriers that rise up between people.
The word comes from the verb hypsóō (ὑψόω), meaning “to lift up” or “exalt,” and appears only twice in the New Testament – both times in Paul’s letters. What makes this word fascinating is how Paul uses the same root that describes Christ being “lifted up” on the cross and “exalted” to God’s right hand to talk about things that oppose God.
The ancient world understood height as a symbol of power and proximity to the divine. Mountains were where gods dwelled, towers were monuments to human achievement, and being “lifted up” meant having authority. So when Paul talks about hypsōma, he’s working with imagery his readers would immediately connect to power, separation, and barriers.
The Word Behind the Word
Hypsōma is built from the root hyps- meaning “high” or “elevated,” with the suffix -ma that typically creates nouns describing results or states. Think of it like adding “-ness” in English – it transforms the concept of being high into a thing that embodies height.
The word family includes hypsos (height itself), hypsistos (highest, often used of God), and that crucial verb hypsóō (to lift up). This verbal root appears throughout the New Testament in contexts ranging from Christ’s crucifixion (“lifted up” on the cross) to his exaltation (“highly exalted” by the Father).
Etymology Alert
The hyps- root connects to the Indo-European base meaning “over” or “above.” It’s related to our English words “hyper-” and even “over” itself. Ancient Greek writers used this word family to describe everything from physical elevation to social status to spiritual realities.
How Scripture Uses It
The New Testament gives us just two snapshots of hypsōma in action, but they’re remarkably different:
In Romans 8:39, Paul includes “height” (hypsōma) alongside depth, life, death, angels, and powers in his famous list of things that cannot separate believers from God’s love. Here it’s likely referring to physical or cosmic dimensions – the vertical realm that ancient people associated with spiritual powers and celestial beings.
But in 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul uses the same word for “every lofty thing that raises itself up against the knowledge of God.” Here hypsōma describes intellectual or spiritual pride – thoughts and arguments that position themselves as “higher” than God’s truth.
This second usage captures the idea of “pretension” – a towering of self-conceit that becomes a barrier to knowing God. It’s not just thinking highly of yourself; it’s constructing mental fortresses that resist divine truth.
Cultural Context Changes Everything
Ancient Mediterranean culture was intensely vertical in its thinking. Height meant proximity to the divine realm, power, and honor. Temples were built on high places, kings lived in elevated palaces, and gods were thought to inhabit the heights of heaven.
Classical writers like Philo and Plutarch used hypsōma to describe everything from aerial heights to the sun at its highest point. Military writers employed it for elevated defensive positions – ramparts, bulwarks, and fortified heights that gave strategic advantage.
Cultural Context
In the ancient world, being “lifted up” could mean honor (like a king on his throne) or shame (like a criminal on a cross). Paul brilliantly plays with this paradox – Christ was literally “lifted up” in crucifixion but spiritually “exalted” to glory. Now nothing in the heights can separate us from that same love.
This cultural backdrop makes Paul’s usage especially powerful. When he says no hypsōma can separate us from God’s love, he’s addressing ancient fears about cosmic powers dwelling in the heights. When he talks about demolishing lofty hypsōmata that oppose God’s knowledge, he’s using siege warfare imagery his readers would recognize immediately.
Why Translators Struggle With This Word
The challenge with hypsōma is its range. Should translators go literal (“height”) or metaphorical (“lofty thing”)? The context determines everything, but that same flexibility makes consistent translation nearly impossible.
In Romans 8:39, most versions stick with “height” to maintain the cosmic dimension Paul intends. But in 2 Corinthians 10:5, translators split between “high thing” (KJV), “lofty thing” (NASB), and “pretension” (some modern versions).
Translation Challenge
English lacks a single word that captures both physical elevation and arrogant pride. Paul’s Greek readers would have understood hypsōma as naturally encompassing both ideas – anything that “lifts itself up” whether literally or figuratively. Our translations have to choose which aspect to emphasize.
The metaphorical sense in 2 Corinthians is particularly tricky. Paul isn’t just talking about proud thoughts – he’s describing intellectual constructs that function like military fortifications, defending the mind against God’s truth. Most English translations lose this fortress imagery.
Where You’ll Find This Word
Primary passages where this word appears:
- Romans 8:39 – Listed among cosmic forces that cannot separate believers from God’s love
- 2 Corinthians 10:5 – Describes proud arguments that exalt themselves against knowing God
Notable translations across versions:
- ESV: “height” (Romans), “lofty thing” (2 Corinthians)
- NIV: “height” (Romans), “pretension” (2 Corinthians)
- NASB: “height” (Romans), “lofty thing” (2 Corinthians)
Other translation options: elevation, exalted barrier, prideful obstacle, intellectual fortress, arrogant stronghold
Words in the Same Family
Root family:
Synonyms and near-synonyms:
- G5308 – hypsēlos – high, lofty, exalted (describes quality rather than thing)
- G3173 – megas – great, large (emphasis on size rather than elevation)
“When Paul uses hypsōma, he’s not just talking about physical heights or proud thoughts – he’s describing anything that positions itself as a barrier between us and God, whether cosmic or psychological.”
Key Takeaway
Understanding hypsōma transforms how we read these crucial passages. In Romans 8, Paul isn’t just saying “heights and depths” can’t separate us from God’s love – he’s addressing ancient fears about spiritual powers dwelling in elevated realms. In 2 Corinthians 10, he’s not just critiquing proud thoughts but describing intellectual fortresses that must be demolished for God’s truth to penetrate. The word reminds us that anything that “lifts itself up” – whether cosmic force or human pride – is powerless against God’s love and must yield to his truth.
Dig Deeper
Internal Resources:
- G5312 – hypsóō – The root verb meaning “to exalt”
- Romans 8:39 analysis – Paul’s cosmic vision of God’s unbreakable love
- 2 Corinthians 10:5 analysis – Spiritual warfare against prideful thoughts
External Scholarly Resources:
- Blue Letter Bible entry – Comprehensive lexical data
- Bible Hub concordance – Usage examples and translations
- Bill Mounce Greek Dictionary – Concise definition with nuances
- StudyLight Greek Lexicon – Classical usage examples
All external links open in new windows for continued study
