χρίω
To anoint
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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What does χρίω (chríō) mean in the Bible?
χρίω (chríō) is a Greek word meaning "to anoint". χρίω to anoint (Hom. Affirms Jesus’ messianic identity. This term runs through the canonical themes of Messiah.
Meaning
Divine consecration to sacred office or empowerment by God's Spirit, not merely cosmetic anointing
to anoint (Hom., al.); [in LXX chiefly for מָשַׁח of consecration to a sacred office: priest, Exo.28:41; prophet, 3Ki.19:16; king, 1Ki.10:1; of things, Exo.40:9, Lev.8:10, al.]. In NT, metaphorically, of God's anointing,
Why This Word Matters
Affirms Jesus’ messianic identity. Luke 4:14–30
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
Indicative states a fact or reality 4×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 5 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)
Canonical Themes
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
New Testament Witnesses
Additional Occurrences
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