Greek word · Strong's G2378

θυσία

thysía · noun · “sacrifice”

In a sentence

Thysia means sacrifice — both the Old Testament offerings and the new-covenant kind: Christ’s own sacrifice for sin, and the “living sacrifice” of our whole lives.

Thysia is the word for animal sacrifice in the Old Testament and the New. Hebrews shows how Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice fulfilled and ended the system: “he offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins.”

Paul then redirects the language: in light of God’s mercy, present your bodies as “a living sacrifice (thysia), holy and acceptable to God” (Romans 12:1). Our lives become our worship, made possible by Christ’s sacrifice for us.

Strong's reference

Definition: sacrifice (the act or the victim, literally or figuratively)

KJV usage: sacrifice

Reference gloss from Strong's Concordance (1890, public domain).

Key verses BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” Hebrews 10:12 “But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.” Philippians 4:18 “I have all I need and more, now that I have received your gifts from Epaphroditus. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.”

Original BibleDawn word study. Original-language data and the public-domain Strong's (1890) gloss are referenced; see sources.