What does σκορπίζω (skorpízō) mean in the Bible?
Skorpizo means to scatter or disperse. In the New Testament it appears in concentrated theological settings.
Greek · G4650
σκορπίζω
To scatter
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σκορπίζω G4650
Pronunciation skorpízō
What does σκορπίζω (skorpízō) mean in the Bible?
Skorpizo means to scatter or disperse. In the New Testament it appears in concentrated theological settings.
Reader summary
Full entry for σκορπίζω (G4650) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render G4650?
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include scatters (2), He has scattered abroad (1), scatters [the flock] (1), you will be scattered (1).
Where does σκορπίζω (skorpízō) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 12:30. Its strongest book concentrations include John (2), 2 Corinthians (1), Luke (1), Matthew (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Skorpizo means to scatter or disperse. In the New Testament it appears in concentrated theological settings. Jesus contrasts gathering with scattering: whoever is not with Him scatters. In John 10, the hired hand abandons the sheep, the wolf attacks, and the flock is scattered. In John 16, Jesus tells His disciples that they will be scattered, each to his own home, leaving Him alone, yet He is not alone because the Father is with Him.
Paul uses the verb in a quotation about generous giving scattered abroad to the poor. The word can therefore describe opposition to Jesus' gathering work, failure under pressure, predatory danger, or generous distribution.
How the Bible Uses It
Skorpizo marks scattering or dispersing. It can oppose Jesus' gathering, describe a flock endangered by a wolf, expose the disciples' coming failure, or picture generous distribution.
- Matt.12.30
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
Jesus contrasts being with Him and gathering with Him against scattering. The word marks opposition to His kingdom work.
- Luke.11.23
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
Luke preserves the same gathering-versus-scattering saying. Neutrality toward Jesus is not presented as safe middle ground.
- John.10.12
The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock.
The wolf attacks and scatters the flock when the hired hand runs. Scattering reveals failed shepherding and predatory threat.
- John.16.32
“Look, an hour is coming and has already come when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and you will leave Me all alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
Jesus foretells that the disciples will be scattered to their own homes. Their failure does not leave the Son abandoned by the Father.
- 2Cor.9.9
As it is written: “He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”
Paul quotes Scripture about gifts scattered to the poor. Here scattering is generous distribution, not spiritual failure.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It scatters 2× Matthew 12:30, Luke 11:23
He has scattered abroad 1× 2 Corinthians 9:9
scatters [the flock] 1× John 10:12
you will be scattered 1× John 16:32
Show sample aligned rows
Matthew 12:30 σκορπίζει to scatters Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Luke 11:23 σκορπίζει to scatters Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular John 10:12 σκορπίζει to scatters [the flock] Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular John 16:32 σκορπισθῆτε to you will be scattered Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 2nd Person Plural 2 Corinthians 9:9 Ἐσκόρπισεν to He has scattered abroad Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Matthew 12:30
Aligned rows 5
Books represented 4
Matthew 1 Luke 1 John 2 2 Corinthians 1
Source forms
σκορπίζει 3x skorpizei Matthew 12:30, Luke 11:23, John 10:12
Ἐσκόρπισεν 1x Eskorpisen 2 Corinthians 9:9
σκορπισθῆτε 1x skorpisthēte John 16:32
Parsing patterns
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 3x Matthew 12:30, Luke 11:23, John 10:12
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular 1x 2 Corinthians 9:9
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 2nd Person Plural 1x John 16:32
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Use scattering language to examine allegiance and shepherding care without ignoring Jesus' gathering mercy.
- Let generosity texts remain generosity texts rather than forcing a negative scattering theme.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that skorpizo is always negative.
- Do not claim that scattered disciples in John 16 are abandoned by Christ.
Evidence Summary
Greek word. Scatter with dispersive force; opposite of gathering or unity, often implying loss of cohesion.
Strong's G4650
Lexical occurrences 5 verses Greek text appearances 5 times Word forms 2 forms 5 references Verse guides 0 guides
Source Gloss
to scatter
Extended definition Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Scatter with dispersive force; opposite of gathering or unity, often implying loss of cohesion.
in vernac. and in Ion, and late writers for σκεδάννυμι (see MM, xxiii; Rutherford, NPhr., 295), to scatter: ὁ λύκος, Jhn.10:12; ὁ μὴ συνάγων μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ σκορπίζει, Mat.12:30, Luk.11:23; pass., before εἰς, with accusative loc., Jhn.16:32; of one who dispenses blessings, 2Co.9:9 (LXX) (of. δια-σκορπίζομαι).
Greek Text Appearances
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
5 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
Matthew 12:30 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
σκορπίζει. skorpizei
I disperse
Read verse Luke 11:23 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
σκορπίζει. skorpizei
I disperse
Read verse John 10:12 Verb Third Person Singular Present Active Indicative
σκορπίζει skorpizei
I disperse
Read verse John 16:32 Verb Second Person Plural Aorist Passive Subjunctive
σκορπισθῆτε skorpisqhte
I disperse
Read verse 2 Corinthians 9:9 Verb Third Person Singular Aorist Active Indicative
Ἐσκόρπισεν, eskorpisen
I disperse
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 groups 2 Aligned forms 5 Tenses Present, Aorist Voices Active, Passive
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
Tenses
Voices
Indicative states a fact or reality 4×
Present Active Matt 12:30 · Luke 11:23 · John 10:12 3×
Aorist Active 2 Cor 9:9 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 1×
Aorist Passive John 16:32 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 5 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
present 3 aorist 2
Voice
active 4 passive 1
Mood
indicative 4 subjunctive 1
NT Occurrences
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 Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Witnesses
Luke 11:14–23 σκορπίζει skorpízō
Scatters
Showing 1 selected witness from 5 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
σκορπίζω is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Skorpizo sharpens the contrast between gathering and dispersing. Jesus will not allow neutrality to hide opposition: those not with Him scatter. Bad shepherding leaves the flock exposed, and the wolf scatters what the true Shepherd protects. Even the disciples will scatter under pressure, yet Jesus' fellowship with the Father remains unbroken. At the same time, Paul can use scattering language for generous distribution to the poor.
The word therefore helps teachers speak carefully. Scattering can be the fruit of unbelief, fear, predation, or generosity. The passage decides whether dispersal is a wound, a warning, or a gift. Gathering language should remain close at hand.
Anchor passage
John.16.32
Doctrinal connections
- Matthew 12:30: scattering stands opposed to Jesus' gathering kingdom work.
- Luke 11:23: neutrality toward Jesus is exposed as participation in scattering.
- John 10:12: the wolf's scattering reveals the danger of hireling care.
- John 16:32: the disciples' scattering exposes weakness but not the Son's abandonment.
- 2 Corinthians 9:9: scattering gifts to the poor displays righteousness in generous distribution.
- The gathering contrast across the Gospels shows why scattering language must be read under Jesus' shepherding mission.
Skorpizo means to scatter or disperse, but the moral force depends on what is dispersed. A flock, disciples, kingdom work, or gifts to the poor do not carry the same meaning.
From Old to New Testament
The Bible often sets God's gathering mercy against the scattering effects of sin, failed leadership, exile, and fear. The New Testament uses skorpizo within that broader pattern while also allowing generous scattering as righteous distribution.
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
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain