Greek word · Strong's G5479

χαρά

chará · noun · “joy”

In a sentence

Chara is joy — a deep gladness rooted in God rather than circumstances. It is a fruit of the Spirit and survives even in trial.

Chara shares a root with charis (grace): biblical joy is the glad response to God’s grace. It is not the same as happiness, which depends on what happens; joy can persist “in all our affliction” because its source is God himself.

Jesus speaks of his joy being “in you, that your joy may be full,” and James can even tell believers to “count it all joy” when trials come — not because pain is pleasant, but because God is at work through it. Joy is therefore a fruit the Spirit grows, not a mood we manufacture.

Strong's reference

Definition: cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight

KJV usage: gladness, X greatly, (X be exceeding) joy(-ful, -fully, -fulness, -ous)

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

Key verses BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

John 15:11 “I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” James 1:2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,”

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