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Greek · G3068 · unreviewed

λούω

To wash

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λούω G3068
Pronunciation loúō

What does λούω (loúō) mean in the Bible?

λούω (loúō) is a Greek word meaning "to wash". λούω [in LXX chiefly for רָחַץ (frequently of ceremonial washing; cf.

Full entry for λούω (G3068) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to wash
Extended definition

Washing the whole body, distinct from νίπτω (parts) and πλύνω (garments); often ceremonial.

to bathe, wash the body: with accusative of person(s), Act.9:37 (of a dead body); id. before ἀπό (Deiss., BS, l.with), Act.16:33; pass. ptcp. pf., Jhn.13:10, Heb.10:22; mid., to wash oneself (Mayor, in l; M. Pr., 155 f., 238 f.), 2Pe.2:22; metaphorically, Rev.1:5, Rec., R, mg. (cf. ἀπο-λούω).

Synonymsνίπτω, used of parts of the body-hands, feet, face; πλύνω, of things, as garments, etc. (see Lev.15:11; cf. Tr., Syn., § xlv)
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Perfect Aorist
Voices
Middle Active
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 4×
Perfect Middle John 13:10 · Heb 10:22 2×
Aorist Active Acts 9:37 1×
Aorist Middle 2 Pet 2:22 1×
Indicative states a fact or reality 1×
Aorist Active Acts 16:33 1×
5 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 5 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 1 participle 4
Tense
aorist 3 perfect 2
Voice
middle 3 active 2
Mood
participle 4 indicative 1
NT Occurrences
John 13:10 λελουμένος perfect middle participle participle Acts 9:37 λούσαντες aorist active participle participle Acts 16:33 ἔλουσεν aorist active indicative completed Hebrews 10:22 λελουσμένοι perfect middle participle participle 2 Peter 2:22 λουσαμένη aorist middle participle participle

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)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

Biblical Witnesses
Acts 9:37 washed loúō Participle · Aorist Active
physical washing of a dead body in preparation for burial
Acts 16:33 washed loúō Indicative · Aorist Active
washing wounds or removing physical marks from the body
John 13:10 bathed loúō Participle · Perfect Middle
complete bathing of the entire body with spiritual significance
Hebrews 10:22 washed loúō Participle · Perfect Middle
metaphorical cleansing, purification of the body in spiritual sense
Revelation 1:5 washed loúō
metaphorical cleansing from sins through Christ's redemptive work
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Acts 16 — The Gospel Enters Macedonia: Opened Hearts, Broken Chains, and Household Faith John 13 — The Servant-Lord, the Washed Disciples, and the New Command of Love

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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