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Greek · G3184 · unreviewed

μεθύω

To get drunk

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μεθύω G3184
Pronunciation methýō

What does μεθύω (methýō) mean in the Bible?

μεθύω (methýō) is a Greek word meaning "to get drunk". μεθύω (μέθυ, wine, cf.

Full entry for μεθύω (G3184) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to get drunk
Extended definition

Intoxication from excessive wine; used metaphorically for spiritual intoxication or moral corruption.

(μέθυ, wine, cf. μέθη), [in LXX chiefly for שָׁכַר, רָוָה ;] to be drunken: Mat.24:49, Jhn.2:10, Act.2:15, 1Co.11:21, 1Th.5:7; metaphorically, Rev.17:2, 6.

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses
Present Aorist
Voices
Active Passive
Indicative states a fact or reality 4×
Present Active Acts 2:15 · 1 Thess 5:7 · 1 Cor 11:21 3×
Aorist Passive Rev 17:2 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 2×
Present Active Matt 24:49 · Rev 17:6 2×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 1×
Aorist Passive John 2:10 1×
7 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 7 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 1 ongoing 3 subjunctive 1 participle 2
Tense
present 5 aorist 2
Voice
active 5 passive 2
Mood
indicative 4 participle 2 subjunctive 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 24:49 μεθυόντων present active participle participle John 2:10 μεθυσθῶσιν aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Acts 2:15 μεθύουσιν present active indicative ongoing 1 Corinthians 11:21 μεθύει present active indicative ongoing 1 Thessalonians 5:7 μεθύουσιν present active indicative ongoing Revelation 17:2 ἐμεθύσθησαν aorist passive indicative completed Revelation 17:6 μεθύουσαν present active 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
Matthew 24:49 drunken methýō Participle · Present Active
literal drunkenness as a state of intoxication from wine
1 Corinthians 11:21 drunk methýō Indicative · Present Active
becoming intoxicated during communal meals, contrasted with proper conduct
1 Thessalonians 5:7 drunk methýō Indicative · Present Active
habitual drunkenness as characteristic behavior of those in darkness
Revelation 17:2 drunk methýō Indicative · Aorist Passive
metaphorical intoxication by seduction with the wine of corrupt practices
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.

Matthew 24 — The Olivet Discourse: Temple Desolation, Coming Judgment, the Son of Man, and Watchful Readiness

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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