Greek · G3960 · unreviewed

πατάσσω

To knock (gently or with a weapon or fatally)

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πατάσσω G3960
Pronunciation patássō

What does πατάσσω (patássō) mean in the Bible?

πατάσσω (patássō) is a Greek word meaning "to knock (gently or with a weapon or fatally)". πατάσσω [in LXX chiefly and very frequently for נָכָה hi. Highlights direct divine intervention in judgment.

Full entry for πατάσσω (G3960) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to knock (gently or with a weapon or fatally)
Extended definition

Strike or smite with a weapon, often fatally; used metaphorically of divine judgment.

1in Hom., intrans., to beat (of the heart).
2Trans. = πλήσσω, to strike, smite: absol., ἐν μαχαίρᾳ, Luk.22:49; with accusative of person(s), Mat.26:51, Luk.22:50; with accusative of thing(s), Act.12:7; of a deadly blow, Mat.26:31, Mrk.14:27, Act.7:24. Metaphorical, of disease: Act.12:23, Rev.11:6 19:15.
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Highlights direct divine intervention in judgment. Acts 12:20-25
Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses
Aorist Future
Voices
Active
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality
Aorist Active Matt 26:51 · Acts 7:24 · Acts 12:7
Indicative states a fact or reality
Future Active Matt 26:31 · Mark 14:27 · Luke 22:49
Aorist Active Luke 22:50 · Acts 12:23
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract
Aorist Active Rev 11:6
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose
Aorist Active Rev 19:15
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 10 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 2 prospective 3 subjunctive 1 infinitive 1 participle 3
Tense
aorist 7 future 3
Voice
active 10
Mood
indicative 5 participle 3 infinitive 1 subjunctive 1

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.

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.

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

Sources