Greek 3601 denotes intense interior pain—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—usually translated “anguish,” “sorrow,” or “torment.” It conveys more than momentary discomfort; it describes a sustained, piercing grief that grips the whole person.

Occurrences in the New Testament

- Romans 9:2: “I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.”

Paul’s love for his fellow Israelites is so profound that their unbelief cuts him with relentless grief. The term underscores the apostle’s Christ-like willingness to suffer for others (compare Exodus 32:32; Philippians 3:8).

- 1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”

Here the plural form highlights the cumulative misery that results when believers abandon true devotion for material gain. It stands as a sober pastoral warning: misplaced affections inevitably wound the soul.

Old Testament and Septuagint Background

In the Greek Old Testament the cognate noun regularly describes the pains of death (Psalm 18:5), the pangs of Sheol (Psalm 116:3), and the anguish of a heart estranged from God (Job 30:27). This heritage frames New Testament usage: human rebellion and covenant unfaithfulness invite piercing distress; covenant faithfulness, by contrast, brings comfort and deliverance (Psalm 34:18).

Exegetical Themes

- Covenant Compassion: Romans 9:2 reveals the heart of a shepherd who mirrors the anguish of the Lord Himself (Hosea 11:8; Matthew 23:37). Ministry without such anguish risks becoming sterile and detached.

- Self-inflicted Wounds: 1 Timothy 6:10 portrays sorrow as the harvest of idolatry. Greed promises security but yields spiritual lacerations (Proverbs 15:27; Luke 12:15).

- Unceasing Nature: Paul’s phrase “unceasing anguish” signals a burden carried continually to prayer (Romans 10:1), modelling intercession that does not grow cold.

Historical and Cultural Insights

Classical Greek writers used the noun for physical pain from wounds or disease and for grief over loss. The New Testament selects the word sparingly, emphasizing that believers’ deepest hurts are not merely bodily but covenantal and relational—aches born of love, conscience, and eternal realities.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

- Spiritual Diagnostics: Persistent anguish may indicate an unresolved call to intercede or reconcile (James 4:9).

- Stewardship of Emotion: While worldly sorrow leads to death, godly sorrow “produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

- Guarding the Heart: Teaching on contentment (Philippians 4:11-13) and generosity (1 Timothy 6:17-19) protects congregations from the sorrows attached to covetousness.

Christological and Eschatological Dimensions

The anguish of Romans 9:2 foreshadows Christ’s own “sorrow to the point of death” in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:38). His obedience through suffering secures the day when “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4). Until that consummation, believers participate in His sufferings, carrying anguished love into a lost world (Colossians 1:24).

Related Biblical Themes

- Compassion that Moves to Mission (Matthew 9:36-38)

- The Deceitfulness of Riches (Mark 4:19)

- The Ministry of Comfort through the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

Summary

Greek 3601 captures the sharp, lingering pain of a heart either burdened for others or wounded by sin. In Romans 9:2 it showcases sacrificial love; in 1 Timothy 6:10 it warns against self-inflicted misery. Grounded in Scriptural patterns of covenant sorrow and hope, the word summons believers to embrace godly anguish that fuels prayer, holiness, and compassionate mission while rejecting the futile sorrows bred by misplaced desires.