Greek · G3538 · unreviewed

νίπτω

To wash

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νίπτω G3538

Pronunciation níptō

What does νίπτω (níptō) mean in the Bible?

νίπτω (níptō) is a Greek word meaning "to wash". νίπτω late form of νίζω, [in LXX chiefly for רָחַץ ;] to wash, usually of a part of the body: with accusative of person(s), Jhn.

Full entry for νίπτω (G3538) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to wash

Extended definition

Washing a specific body part, contrasting with λούω which means bathing the whole body.

to wash, usually of a part of the body: with accusative of person(s), Jhn.13:8; τ. πόδας, Jhn.13:5-6, 8 13:12, 14, 1Ti.5:10; mid., reflexive, to wash oneself: Jhn.9:7, 11 9:15; τ. χεῖρας, Mat.15:2, Mrk.7:3; τ. πόδας, Jhn.13:10; τ. πρόσωπον, Mat.6:17 (in cl. Att.. prose, used only in compounds; cf. ἀπο-νίπτω). νίζω, see: νίπτω

Synonymsλούω (which see), πλύνω

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses

Aorist Present

Voices

Middle Active

Imperative command or strong request 3×

Aorist Middle Matt 6:17 · John 9:7 · John 9:11 3×

Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 3×

Present Active John 13:5 · John 13:14 2×

Aorist Middle John 13:10 1×

Indicative states a fact or reality 7×

Aorist Active John 13:12 · 1 Tim 5:10 · John 13:14 3×

Aorist Middle John 9:7 · John 9:15 2×

Present Middle Matt 15:2 1×

Present Active John 13:6 1×

Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 3×

Aorist Active John 13:8 2×

Aorist Middle Mark 7:3 1×

Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 1×

Aorist Middle John 9:11 1×

Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 17 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect

completed 5 ongoing 2 imperative 3 subjunctive 3 infinitive 3 participle 1

Tense

aorist 13 present 4

Voice

middle 9 active 8

Mood

indicative 7 imperative 3 infinitive 3 subjunctive 3 participle 1

NT Occurrences

Matthew 6:17 νίψαι aorist middle imperative imperative Matthew 15:2 νίπτονται present middle indicative ongoing Mark 7:3 νίψωνται aorist middle subjunctive subjunctive John 9:11 νίψαι aorist middle imperative imperative John 9:11 νιψάμενος aorist middle participle participle John 9:15 ἐνιψάμην aorist middle indicative completed John 9:7 νίψαι aorist middle imperative imperative John 9:7 ἐνίψατο aorist middle indicative completed John 13:10 νίψασθαι aorist middle infinitive infinitive John 13:12 ἔνιψεν aorist active indicative completed John 13:14 ἔνιψα aorist active indicative completed John 13:14 νίπτειν present active infinitive infinitive John 13:5 νίπτειν present active infinitive infinitive John 13:6 νίπτεις present active indicative ongoing John 13:8 νίψῃς aorist active subjunctive subjunctive John 13:8 νίψω aorist active subjunctive subjunctive 1 Timothy 5:10 ἔνιψεν aorist active indicative completed

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)

Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

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.

John 13 — The Servant-Lord, the Washed Disciples, and the New Command of Love John 9 — The Man Born Blind, the Light of the World, and the Blindness of Religious Unbelief Mark 7 — True Defilement and Boundary-Crossing Mercy Matthew 15 — Tradition, the Heart, Gentile Faith, and the Compassionate Bread of the Messiah

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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