“Splanchnizomai”; what a word. It’s an ancient Greek word which in English expresses “compassion”.
This word can be found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and
Luke; let’s look at a few instances from Matthew’s Gospel.
Matthew 9:36 (NIV)
When he saw the crowds, he
had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep
without a shepherd.
Matthew 15:32 (NIV)
Jesus called his disciples to
him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with
me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry,
or they may collapse on the way.”
Matthew 18:27 (NASB)
And the master of that slave
felt compassion, and he released him and forgave him the debt.
Matthew 20:34 (NASB)
Moved with compassion, Jesus
touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.
The Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries defines compassion as,
a strong feeling of sympathy for people or animals who
are suffering and a desire to help them
But “splanchnizomai” is deeper than that. As you know, our
English words seldom convey what the original Greek words truly express – the depth
of the words is lost in translation.
“Splanchnizomai” comes from the word “splanxna”, the inward
parts of the body – the heart, the lungs, the liver and the kidneys; who knows,
for good measure, the spleen might also be included. In other words, this is
something that is felt deep within.
When in Matthew we read that Jesus was moved with compassion, it’s much more intense
than emotional empathy, it’s a visceral, gut-wrenching pain. His was not a fleeting
sense of pity but a real physical reaction, felt in His internal organs, to both
the physical and social suffering of two blind beggars.
“Splanchnizomai” is compassion that demands action. Jesus
always had that type of compassion; compassion that moved Him to provide for
the hungry, the sick, the outcast, the marginalized, the needy, the weak and
the weary.
Beloved, Jesus had compassion not just for people’s
spiritual well-being but for their physical well-being too (see Matthew 15:32
above). You and I are called to have this same compassion for others. Compassion
that is “splanchnizomai” – felt so deeply that it pains internally.
Amen †
Shelley Johnson “Splanchnizomai” © 2026 November 1, 2026
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