To muzzle
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G5392 is a Greek verb for muzzling and, figuratively, silencing or becoming speechless. First Timothy 5:18 quotes the command not to muzzle an ox while it treads grain and pairs it with the worker's right to wages, applying the image to material support for elders who labor in preaching and teaching.
Reader summary
Full entry for φιμόω (G5392) · Open the biblical lexicon
G5392 is a Greek verb for muzzling and, figuratively, silencing or becoming speechless. First Timothy 5:18 quotes the command not to muzzle an ox while it treads grain and pairs it with the worker's right to wages, applying the image to material support for elders who labor in preaching and teaching.
The BSB source-word alignment has 8 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Be silent (2), Do not muzzle (2), [Jesus] had silenced (1), [the man] was speechless (1), Be still (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 22:12. Its strongest book concentrations include Mark (2), Matthew (2), 1 Corinthians (1), 1 Peter (1).
G5392 is a Greek verb for muzzling and, figuratively, silencing or becoming speechless. First Timothy 5:18 quotes the command not to muzzle an ox while it treads grain and pairs it with the worker's right to wages, applying the image to material support for elders who labor in preaching and teaching. First Peter 2:15 says doing good should silence foolish ignorance, so faithful conduct answers accusation without granting believers permission to suppress critics by force.
Mark 1:25 uses the verb when Jesus commands an unclean spirit to be silent and leave a man, and Mark 4:39 addresses the threatening wind and sea. Other uses concern opponents silenced in debate and a guest left speechless under judgment. G5392 opens labor dignity, truthful witness, spiritual authority, creation, accusation, and coercive speech. It corrects ministries that invoke biblical silence against victims, whistleblowers, workers, or responsible questions.
G5392 begins with placing a muzzle on an animal and extends to silencing a voice, hostile spiritual power, natural threat, argument, or respondent. The speaker, target, authority, and purpose distinguish protection, judgment, answered accusation, and exploitation.
For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”
Scripture's unmuzzled ox supports the principle that a worker, including a teaching elder, deserves material compensation.
For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.
Persistent good conduct is to silence foolish ignorance rather than coercive control over another person's speech.
But Jesus rebuked the spirit. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!”
Jesus silences an unclean spirit and commands it to leave the afflicted man without harming him.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. To silence or restrain someone from speaking; literally to muzzle, metaphorically to shut up forcibly.
To silence or restrain someone from speaking; literally to muzzle, metaphorically to shut up forcibly.
(φιμός, a muzzle), [in LXX: Deu.25:4 (חָסַם), Dan LXX Su 1:61, 4Ma.1:35 א R * ;] to muzzle: 1Co.9:9, 1Ti.5:18" (LXX) ; metaphorically, to put to silence: with accusative of person(s), Mat.22:34, 1Pe.2:15; pass., to be silenced, silent: Mat.22:12, Mrk.1:25 4:39, Luk.4:35.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
8 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
I muzzle, silence
Read verseI muzzle, silence
Read verseI muzzle, silence
Read verseI muzzle, silence
Read verseI muzzle, silence
Read verseI muzzle, silence
Read verseI muzzle, silence
Read verseI muzzle, silence
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.
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.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
How this verb appears across 8 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
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 passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 7 lexical occurrence verses.
Shows sovereign command over chaotic forces.
G5392 makes silencing a question of power. The law protects a working animal from being prevented from eating while it labors; Paul applies that principle to fair support for people who carry sustained teaching responsibility. The text does not create an entitlement to luxury or financial secrecy, but it refuses extraction that consumes labor without provision.
First Peter describes another silence produced by doing good. The community does not gag opponents; its conduct exposes ignorant slander. Jesus' commands to an unclean spirit and a dangerous storm arise from His unique authority to liberate and protect. Those scenes do not authorize leaders to label human critics demonic and order them quiet. Churches must distinguish malicious disruption from testimony about harm, ordinary disagreement, protected reporting, and worker advocacy.
A safeguarding disclosure should be heard and assessed, not muzzled for reputation. Christian authority can set bounded meeting rules and interrupt threats, but it remains accountable to truth, due process, care, and the Lord who protects rather than exploits.
1Tim.5.18
G5392 derives from the noun for a muzzle and can mean to muzzle literally, command silence, render an opponent speechless, or become silent. Its metaphorical uses preserve an image of restraining expression or threat.
Deuteronomy protects the threshing ox, wisdom values both timely speech and restraint, and prophets confront attempts to suppress truth. The New Testament extends labor dignity to ministry while locating final authority over evil and creation in Jesus.