What does διχοτομέω (dichotoméō) mean in the Bible?
διχοτομέω (dichotoméō): Severe punishment involving cutting or division, often used metaphorically for harsh judgment or execution.
Greek · G1371
διχοτομέω
To cut in two
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through theConnect page. Screenshots are helpful.
διχοτομέωG1371
Pronunciationdichotoméō
What does διχοτομέω (dichotoméō) mean in the Bible?
διχοτομέω (dichotoméō): Severe punishment involving cutting or division, often used metaphorically for harsh judgment or execution.
Full entry for διχοτομέω (G1371) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G1371?
The BSB source-word alignment has 2 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include he will cut him to pieces (2).
Where does διχοτομέω (dichotoméō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 24:51. Its strongest book concentrations include Luke (1), Matthew (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Ithe will cut him to pieces2×Matthew 24:51, Luke 12:46
Show sample aligned rows
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowMatthew 24:51
Aligned rows2
Books represented2
Matthew1Luke1
Source forms
διχοτομήσει2xdichotomēseiMatthew 24:51, Luke 12:46
Parsing patterns
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular2xMatthew 24:51, Luke 12:46
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Severe punishment involving cutting or division, often used metaphorically for harsh judgment or execution.
Strong'sG1371
Lexical occurrences2 versesGreek text appearances2 timesWord forms1 form2 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Source Gloss
to cut in two
Extended definitionSource: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Severe punishment involving cutting or division, often used metaphorically for harsh judgment or execution.
(διχοτόμος, δίχα, τέμνω), [in LXX: Exo.29:17 (נָתַח pi.) ;] to cut in two, cut asunder: perh. metaphorically of severe scourging (but see Meyer on Mt, l.with, and cf. 1Ki.15:33, 2Ki.12:31, Heb.11:37), Mat.24:51, Luk.12:46.
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
2 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 24:51Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
διχοτομήσειdicotomhsei
I cut in two, scourge severely
Read verseLuke 12:46Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
διχοτομήσειdicotomhsei
I cut in two, scourge severely
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups1Aligned forms2TensesFutureVoicesActive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicativestates a fact or reality2×
Future ActiveMatt 24:51 · Luke 12:462×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 2 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
future2
Voice
active2
Mood
indicative2
NT Occurrences
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Witnesses
Luke 12:41–48διχοτομήσειdichotoméō
Will cut in pieces, severely punish
Showing 1 selected witness from 2 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
διχοτομέω is built from this root:
δίςG1364