To flog (literally or figuratively)
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.
G3146 is a verb for flogging, scourging, or severe chastisement. Seven governed forms describe disciples and messengers being flogged in synagogues, Jesus predicting that He will be flogged before His death and resurrection, Pilate having Jesus flogged, and Hebrews quoting an exhortation that depicts the Lord's discipline with this severe verb.
Reader summary
Full entry for μαστιγόω (G3146) · Open the biblical lexicon
G3146 is a verb for flogging, scourging, or severe chastisement. Seven governed forms describe disciples and messengers being flogged in synagogues, Jesus predicting that He will be flogged before His death and resurrection, Pilate having Jesus flogged, and Hebrews quoting an exhortation that depicts the Lord's discipline with this severe verb.
The BSB source-word alignment has 7 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include flog (1), flog [Him] (1), flogged (1), had [Him] flogged (1), He chastises (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 10:17. Its strongest book concentrations include Matthew (3), Hebrews (1), John (1), Luke (1).
G3146 is a verb for flogging, scourging, or severe chastisement. Seven governed forms describe disciples and messengers being flogged in synagogues, Jesus predicting that He will be flogged before His death and resurrection, Pilate having Jesus flogged, and Hebrews quoting an exhortation that depicts the Lord's discipline with this severe verb. The Gospel occurrences name inflicted bodily violence without supplying graphic procedural or medical detail.
John places Jesus' flogging between Pilate's declarations that he finds no basis for a charge, but the verb alone does not state Pilate's motive. Hebrews 12 uses the word within a scriptural quotation and an extended father-and-son discipline analogy ordered toward holiness and peace. It is not a command for parents, churches, or leaders to strike people, and it must never be used to excuse abuse, silence reports, or label every suffering as God's direct punishment.
The seven-form G3146 witness spans persecution warnings, Jesus' repeated passion predictions, John's report of the flogging, and Hebrews' severe discipline metaphor.
But beware of men, for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues.
Jesus prepares sent disciples for hostile treatment without commending the violence.
And will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. And on the third day He will be raised to life.”
The verb belongs to Jesus' passion prediction and is followed by resurrection.
Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged.
John states the violent action plainly within a trial narrative that repeatedly records no basis for a charge.
For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”
The severe image belongs to the quotation and the chapter's analogy of divine formation, not an instruction to inflict bodily punishment.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. Divine discipline through suffering; literal flogging or metaphorical correction signifying God's paternal correction.
Divine discipline through suffering; literal flogging or metaphorical correction signifying God's paternal correction.
(μάστιξ) [in LXX chiefly for נָכָה hi. ;] to scourge: with accusative, Mat.10:17 20:19 23:34, Mrk.10:34, Luk.18:33, Jhn.19:1; metaphorically, Heb.12:6 (cf. Pro.3:12, Jer.5:3, Jdth.8:27).
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
7 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
I flog, scourge
Read verseI flog, scourge
Read verseI flog, scourge
Read verseI flog, scourge
Read verseI flog, scourge
Read verseI flog, scourge
Read verseI flog, scourge
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.
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.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
How this verb appears across 7 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
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 passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 7 lexical occurrence verses.
μαστιγόω is built from this root:
G3146 names real violence in the Gospels and a severe image in Hebrews, so faithful teaching requires both honesty and restraint. Jesus warns disciples that hostile authorities may flog them and repeatedly predicts His own flogging before death and resurrection. John reports that Pilate has Jesus flogged despite the surrounding declarations that no charge is established.
Hebrews uses the verb in a quotation about divine discipline and then describes formation toward holiness, righteousness, and peace. None of these texts authorizes parents or church leaders to strike people, demands that victims remain in danger, or lets an abuser rename harm as discipline. Churches should lament violence, protect those at risk, report wrongdoing appropriately, and teach God's fatherly formation without confusing it with human cruelty.
John.19.1
Six surface forms realize six parsing patterns across the seven governed tokens. Gospel contexts describe literal flogging, while Hebrews uses the severe verb within a discipline analogy.
Hebrews itself supplies the direct scriptural connection by quoting the exhortation about the Lord's discipline. Other suffering texts may illuminate Jesus' passion, but they should not be presented as direct citations where the Gospel does not cite them.