Bible Lexicons

BGU II. 372 ii. 16 (A.D. 154), ";let them come down ἀμ [έ ]ριμνοι ."; The same papyrus 1. 7 shows the subst. ἀμεριμνία united with ἀσφάλεια as frequently in the papyri. For the adjective see also P Fay 11722 (A.D. 108) ε ̣̓κ ̣τίν ̣α ̣ξ ̣ο ̣ν ̣ τὸ διειρον (?) εἵνα ἀμέριμνος ἦ ̣ς ̣, P Oxy VI. 933.19f. (late ii/A.D.) καὶ περὶ τοῦ οἴκου ἀμέριμνος γείνου ὡς σοῦ παρόντος , ";have no more anxiety about your household than you would if you were present"; (Edd.), and P Flor II. 157 (iii/A.D.), where instructions are given to supply certain workmen with provisions, in order that they may be able to work heartily—ἔχοντες τὸ ἀμέριμνον τῶν τρο ̣φων . For the adverb cf. P Iand 8.12 (ii/A.D.) διαπέμψ [ομαι διὰ το ]ῦ ὀνολ ̣α ̣του ἀμερίμνω [ς , ";mittam secure"; (Ed.). P Lips I. 105.20 (i/ii A.D.) has ἵνα μέντοι ̣ α ̣̓μεριμν ̣ο ̣τερον ε ̣̀χη ̣ς , γράφω σοι . Cf. ib. 110.14 (iii/iv A.D.) ἵνα αμέριμνος ὦμε (= ὦμαι , a middle form), BGU II. 417.7 (ii/iii A.D.), etc. : the formula, with slight variations, is common. An adjective ἀμεριμνικός is found P Fay 130.10 (iii/A.D.). P Amh II. 136 (iii/A.D.) has both [ἀμ ]ε [ρί ]μνως ̣ and the derived verb ἀμεριμνῶ in the sense ";free from anxiety"; : cf. P Oxy VI. 930.8 ff. (ii/iii A.D.) ἠμερίμνουν γὰρ περὶ αὐτοῦ εἰδυῖα ὅτι κατὰ δύν [α ]μιν μέλλει σοι προσέχειν , ";for I had no anxiety about him, knowing that he intended to look after you to the best of his ability."; Ἀμεριμνία also occurs in an almost unintelligible sentence at the beginning of P Oxy I. 34 i. 3 (A.D. 127) : cf. BGU IV. 1082.7 (iv/A.D.) ὑπὲρ ἀμερ (ιμνίας ). It will be seen that the NT meaning alone is attested from the vernacular documents. Its tone in them suggests that ";anxiety"; rather exaggerates the word. So in Matthew 28:14 we might paraphrase ";we will put it right with the Procurator, so that you need not trouble";; and in 1 Corinthians 7:32 the verb that follows clearly does not suggest anxious care.

[Supplemental from 1930 edition]

Add P Oxy XIV. 1627 .20 (A.D. 342).