What does σαλπίζω (salpízō) mean in the Bible?
G4537 is the action of sounding a trumpet. The verb can be used figuratively for ostentatious announcement or literally within resurrection and apocalyptic scenes.
Greek · G4537
σαλπίζω
To sound a trumpet
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σαλπίζωG4537
Pronunciationsalpízō
What does σαλπίζω (salpízō) mean in the Bible?
G4537 is the action of sounding a trumpet. The verb can be used figuratively for ostentatious announcement or literally within resurrection and apocalyptic scenes.
Reader summary
Full entry for σαλπίζω (G4537) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G4537?
The BSB source-word alignment has 12 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include sounded [his] trumpet (7), do not sound a trumpet (1), sound [them] (1), the trumpet will sound (1), to be sounded (1).
Where does σαλπίζω (salpízō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 6:2. Its strongest book concentrations include Revelation (10), 1 Corinthians (1), Matthew (1).
What This Word Actually Means
G4537 is the action of sounding a trumpet. The verb can be used figuratively for ostentatious announcement or literally within resurrection and apocalyptic scenes. In Matt. 6. 2, Jesus tells disciples not to sound a trumpet before their giving as hypocrites do to receive human honor. In 1Cor. 15. 52, the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable, locating Christian hope in God's decisive act rather than gradual self-improvement.
In Rev. 11. 15, the seventh angel sounds and heaven announces the everlasting reign of the Lord and His Christ. G4537 opens teaching on secret generosity, embodied resurrection, and God's final kingdom. It does not prove that ancient donors literally hired trumpeters, permit date-setting, or turn every modern trumpet sound into a prophetic sign.
How the Bible Uses It
G4537 occurs in Jesus' warning against advertised almsgiving, Paul's resurrection teaching, and Revelation's ordered trumpet judgments and kingdom announcement. The one who sounds, the audience, and the literary setting control its force.
- Matt.6.2
So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
Jesus prohibits sounding a trumpet before giving to the needy, exposing charitable performance aimed at human praise.
- 1Cor.15.52
In an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
At the last trumpet, the trumpet sounds, the dead are raised imperishable, and living believers are changed.
- Rev.11.15
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”
When the seventh angel sounds, heavenly voices declare that the world's kingdom belongs to the Lord and His Christ forever.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itsounded [his] trumpet7×Revelation 8:7, Revelation 8:8, Revelation 8:10, Revelation 8:12
do not sound a trumpet1×Matthew 6:2
sound [them]1×Revelation 8:6
the trumpet will sound1×1 Corinthians 15:52
to be sounded1×Revelation 8:13
to sound [his] trumpet1×Revelation 10:7
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 6:2σαλπίσῃςtodo not sound a trumpetVerb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular1 Corinthians 15:52σαλπίσειtothe trumpet will soundVerb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularRevelation 8:6σαλπίσωσινtosound [them]Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person PluralRevelation 8:7ἐσάλπισενtosounded [his] trumpetVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularRevelation 8:8ἐσάλπισενtosounded [his] trumpetVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularRevelation 8:10ἐσάλπισενtosounded [his] trumpetVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularRevelation 8:12ἐσάλπισενtosounded [his] trumpetVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularRevelation 8:13σαλπίζεινtoto be soundedVerb - Present Infinitive ActiveRevelation 9:1ἐσάλπισενtosounded [his] trumpetVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularRevelation 9:13ἐσάλπισενtosounded [his] trumpetVerb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowMatthew 6:2
Aligned rows12
Books represented3
Matthew11 Corinthians1Revelation10
Source forms
ἐσάλπισεν7xesalpisenRevelation 8:7, Revelation 8:8, Revelation 8:10, Revelation 8:12
σαλπίζειν2xsalpizeinRevelation 8:13, Revelation 10:7
σαλπίσει1xsalpisei1 Corinthians 15:52
σαλπίσῃς1xsalpisēsMatthew 6:2
σαλπίσωσιν1xsalpisōsinRevelation 8:6
Parsing patterns
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular7xRevelation 8:7, Revelation 8:8, Revelation 8:10, Revelation 8:12
Verb - Present Infinitive Active2xRevelation 8:13, Revelation 10:7
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular1xMatthew 6:2
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural1xRevelation 8:6
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular1x1 Corinthians 15:52
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Do not shame appropriate financial transparency, communal encouragement, or public accountability by treating every visible gift as hypocritical.
- Do not identify a contemporary trumpet, alarm, political event, or date as the final sounding on speculation alone.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that G4537 always refers to the end times; Jesus uses it for ostentatious giving.
- Do not claim that believers can cause or hasten the resurrection trumpet through ritual sounds, political action, or prophetic performance.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. to sound a trumpet
Strong'sG4537
Lexical occurrences12 versesGreek text appearances12 timesWord forms3 forms12 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Source Gloss
to sound a trumpet
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
12 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 6:2Verb Second Person Singular Aorist Active Subjunctive
σαλπίσῃςsalpishv
I sound a trumpet
Read verse1 Corinthians 15:52Verb Third Person Singular Future Active Indicative
σαλπίσειsalpisei
I sound a trumpet
Read verseRevelation 8:6Verb Third Person Plural Aorist Active Subjunctive
σαλπίσωσι.salpiswsin
I sound a trumpet
Read verseRevelation 8:7Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐσάλπισε,esalpisen
I sound a trumpet
Read verseRevelation 8:8Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐσάλπισε,esalpisen
I sound a trumpet
Read verseRevelation 8:10Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐσάλπισε,esalpisen
I sound a trumpet
Read verseRevelation 8:12Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐσάλπισε,esalpisen
I sound a trumpet
Read verseRevelation 8:13Verb Present Active Infinitive
σαλπίζειν.salpizein
I sound a trumpet
Read verseRevelation 9:1Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐσάλπισε,esalpisen
I sound a trumpet
Read verseRevelation 9:13Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐσάλπισε,esalpisen
I sound a trumpet
Read verseRevelation 10:7Verb Present Active Infinitive
σαλπίζειν,salpizein
I sound a trumpet
Read verseRevelation 11:15Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
ἐσάλπισε,esalpisen
I sound a trumpet
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.
Grammatical Forms
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.
Form groups3Aligned forms12TensesAorist, Present, FutureVoicesActive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicativestates a fact or reality8×
Aorist ActiveRev 8:7 · Rev 8:8 · Rev 8:10 · Rev 8:12 · Rev 9:1 · Rev 9:13 · Rev 11:157×
Future Active1 Cor 15:521×
Infinitiveverbal noun — the action in abstract2×
Present ActiveRev 8:13 · Rev 10:72×
Subjunctivepossibility, probability, or purpose2×
Aorist ActiveMatt 6:2 · Rev 8:62×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 12 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist9present2future1
Voice
active12
Mood
indicative8subjunctive2infinitive2
NT Occurrences
Matthew 6:2σαλπίσῃςaorist active subjunctivesubjunctive1 Corinthians 15:52σαλπίσειfuture active indicativeprospectiveRevelation 8:10ἐσάλπισενaorist active indicativecompletedRevelation 8:12ἐσάλπισενaorist active indicativecompletedRevelation 8:13σαλπίζεινpresent active infinitiveinfinitiveRevelation 8:6σαλπίσωσινaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveRevelation 8:7ἐσάλπισενaorist active indicativecompletedRevelation 8:8ἐσάλπισενaorist active indicativecompletedRevelation 9:1ἐσάλπισενaorist active indicativecompletedRevelation 9:13ἐσάλπισενaorist active indicativecompletedRevelation 10:7σαλπίζεινpresent active infinitiveinfinitiveRevelation 11:15ἐσάλπισενaorist active indicativecompleted
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)
Word Origins
σαλπίζω is built from this root:
For the Preacher and Teacher
G4537 makes announcement morally accountable. Jesus uses trumpet-sounding language to expose a giver who turns another person's need into an audience for personal honor. The remedy is not indifference to the poor but generosity directed toward the Father rather than applause. Paul uses the sounding trumpet in a different register: God's victory transforms mortal bodies, and resurrection happens by divine power in an instant.
Revelation's angelic soundings disclose judgments and finally announce the uncontested reign of God and His Christ. Human beings do not control these trumpets or schedule their fulfillment. Across the uses, the action either seeks the wrong audience or serves God's authoritative summons. Faithful practice therefore gives without spectacle, hopes for bodily renewal, and reads apocalyptic soundings with reverence rather than curiosity-driven prediction.
The verb does not make an instrument magical. It directs attention to the act of announcement, the authority behind it, and the response the passage requires: humble mercy, steadfast resurrection hope, repentance, and worship.
Anchor passage
1Cor.15.52
Doctrinal connections
- G4537: mercy should honor the Father and serve the needy rather than convert generosity into public status.
- G4537: resurrection is God's decisive transformation of the dead and living, not the soul's escape from embodied creation.
- G4537: the final sounding belongs to God's initiative and cannot be summoned, delayed, or calculated by human technique.
- G4537: Revelation's trumpet sequence places escalating judgment within the Lamb's sovereign unveiling of history.
- G4537: the announced kingdom belongs to the Lord and His Christ and exposes every rival claim to permanent rule.
- G4537: clear divine summons calls for obedience and worship, while self-announcement seeks a reward that cannot last.
G4537 is a Greek verb meaning to sound a trumpet. Its subject may be implicit, as in Paul's statement that the trumpet will sound, or explicit, as with Revelation's angels. Matthew uses the action idiomatically or hyperbolically to portray conspicuous giving.
From Old to New Testament
Israel's trumpets summoned assemblies, marked worship, warned of danger, and accompanied royal and divine appearances. The New Testament draws on that auditory world for ethical warning, resurrection, judgment, and kingdom without making every earlier trumpet scene an exact end-time schedule.