# courage, courageous, encourage, encouragement, discourage, discouragement

## Facts:

The term “courage” refers to boldly facing or doing something that is difficult, frightening, or dangerous.

* The term, “courageous” describes someone who shows courage, who does the right thing even when feeling afraid or pressured to give up.
* A person shows courage when he faces emotional or physical pain with strength and perseverance.
* The expression “take courage” means “don’t be afraid” or “be assured that things will turn out well.”
* When Joshua was preparing to go into the dangerous land of Canaan, Moses exhorted him to be “strong and courageous.”
* The term “courageous” could also be translated as “brave” or “unafraid” or “bold.”
* Depending on the context, to “have courage” could also be translated as “be emotionally strong” or “be confident” or “stand firm.”
* To “speak with courage” could be translated as “speak boldly” or “speak without being afraid” or “speak confidently.”

The terms “encourage” and “encouragement” refer to saying and doing things to cause someone to have comfort, hope, confidence, and courage.

* A similar term is “exhort,” which means to urge someone to reject an activity that is wrong and to instead do things that are good and right.
* The apostle Paul and other New Testament writers taught Christians to encourage one another to love and serve others.

The term “discourage” refers to saying and doing things that cause people to lose hope, confidence, and courage and so to have less desire to keep working hard to do what they know they should do.

## Translation Suggestions

* Depending on the context, ways to translate “encourage” could include “urge” or “comfort” or “say kind things” or “help and support.”
* The phrase “give words of encouragement” means “say things that cause other people to feel loved, accepted, and empowered.”

(See also: [confidence](../other/confidence.md), [exhort](../kt/exhort.md), [fear](../kt/fear.md), [strength](../other/strength.md))

## Bible References:

* [Deuteronomy 1:37-38](rc://en/tn/help/deu/01/37)
* [2 Kings 18:19-21](rc://en/tn/help/2ki/18/19)
* [1 Chronicles 17:25](rc://en/tn/help/1ch/17/25)
* [Matthew 9:20-22](rc://en/tn/help/mat/09/20)
* [1 Corinthians 14:1-4](rc://en/tn/help/1co/14/01)
* [2 Corinthians 7:13](rc://en/tn/help/2co/07/13)
* [Acts 5:12-13](rc://en/tn/help/act/05/12)
* [Acts 16:40](rc://en/tn/help/act/16/40)
* [Hebrews 3:12-13](rc://en/tn/help/heb/03/12)
* [Hebrews 13:5-6](rc://en/tn/help/heb/13/05)

## Word Data:

* Strong’s: H0533, H0553, H1368, H2388, H2388, H2428, H3820, H3824, H7307, G21140, G21150, G21740, G22920, G22930, G22940, G38700, G38740, G39540, G43890, G48370, G51110
