What does ἀποθνήσκω · ὑπέρ · λαός mean in the Bible?
ἀποθνήσκω · ὑπέρ · λαός is a Greek phrase meaning "die for the people".
Greek · G599, G5228, G2992
ἀποθανεῖν ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ
To die off (literally or figuratively) · above/for · a people (in general; thus differing from , which denotes one's own populace)
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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant
ἀποθνήσκωG599to die off (literally or figuratively)
Pronunciationapothnḗskō
Death as severance—natural, violent, or spiritual—often involving sacrifice or separation from life/sin.
Open lexicon entry →ὑπέρG5228above/for
Pronunciationhypér
Substitutionary sacrifice: giving one's life in place of another's redemption, especially Christ's atonement.
Open lexicon entry →λαόςG2992a people (in general; thus differing from , which denotes one's own populace)
Pronunciationlaós
A people unified by race and language, especially Israel as God's covenant people, distinct from nations.
Open lexicon entry →What does ἀποθανεῖν ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ (apothanein hyper tou laou) mean in the Bible?
ἀποθνήσκω · ὑπέρ · λαός is a Greek phrase meaning "die for the people".
Full entry for ἀποθανεῖν ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ (G599, G5228, G2992) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
Evidence Summary
Greek phrase. die for the people
Strong'sG599, G5228, G2992
Lexical occurrences0 versesSource Gloss
die for the people
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 108 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect
Tense
aorist82present21future4imperfect1
Voice
active104middle4
Mood
indicative60infinitive21subjunctive16participle11
NT Occurrences
Matthew 8:32ἀπέθανονaorist active indicativecompletedMatthew 9:24ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedMatthew 22:24ἀποθάνῃaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveMatthew 22:27ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedMatthew 26:35ἀποθανεῖνaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveMark 5:35ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedMark 5:39ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedMark 9:26ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedMark 12:19ἀποθάνῃaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveMark 12:20ἀποθνῄσκωνpresent active participleparticipleMark 12:21ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedMark 12:22ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedMark 15:44ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 8:42ἀπέθνῃσκενimperfect active indicativebackgroundLuke 8:52ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 8:53ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 16:22ἀποθανεῖνaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveLuke 16:22ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 20:28ἀποθάνῃaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveLuke 20:29ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 20:31ἀπέθανονaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 20:32ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedLuke 20:36ἀποθανεῖνaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveJohn 4:47ἀποθνῄσκεινpresent active infinitiveinfinitiveJohn 4:49ἀποθανεῖνaorist active infinitiveinfinitiveJohn 6:49ἀπέθανονaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 6:50ἀποθάνῃaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveJohn 6:58ἀπέθανονaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 8:21ἀποθανεῖσθεfuture middle indicativeprospectiveJohn 8:24ἀποθανεῖσθεfuture middle indicativeprospectiveJohn 8:24ἀποθανεῖσθεfuture middle indicativeprospectiveJohn 8:52ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 8:53ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 8:53ἀπέθανονaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 11:14ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 11:16ἀποθάνωμενaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveJohn 11:21ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompletedJohn 11:25ἀποθάνῃaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveJohn 11:26ἀποθάνῃaorist active subjunctivesubjunctiveJohn 11:32ἀπέθανενaorist active indicativecompleted+68 more 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)
Word Origins
ἀποθανεῖν ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ is built from these roots: