Greek · G907 · unreviewed

βαπτίζω

To baptize

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βαπτίζω G907

Pronunciation baptízō

What does βαπτίζω (baptízō) mean in the Bible?

βαπτίζω (baptízō) is a Greek word meaning "to baptize". βαπτίζω (βάπτω), [in LXX: 4Ki. Describes union with Christ in his death and resurrection. This term runs through the canonical themes of Messiah.

Full entry for βαπτίζω (G907) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to baptize

Extended definition

Immersion as religious rite signifying identification with Christ's death and entrance into his community.

(βάπτω), [in LXX: 4Ki.5:14 (טבל), Isa.21:4, Jdth.12:7, Sir.31 (34)30 * ;] to dip, immerse, sink;

1generally (in Polyb., iii, 72, of soldiers wading breast-deep; in i, 51, of the sinking of ships); metaphorically, to overwhelm (Is, l.with; cf. MM, Exp., x); with cogn. accusative, βάπτισμα β., Mrk.10:38, 39 Luk.12:50. Mid.,

2to perform ablutions, wash oneself, bathe (Ki, Jth, Si, ll. with): Mrk.7:4; aor. pass, in same sense, Luk.11:38.

3Of ablution, immersion, as a religious rite, to baptize;

a(a) absol.; Mrk.1:4, Jhn.1:25, 26 28 3:22, 23, 26 4:2 10:40, 1Co.1:17; ὁ βαπτίζων (= ὁ βαπτιστής, M, Pr., 127), Mrk.6:14, 24; with accusative, Jhn.4:1, Act.8:38, I Co.1.14, 16; with cogn. accusative, τὸ βάπτισμα, Act.19:4 (cf. Mrk.10:38, supr.); pass., to be baptized, receive baptism: Mat.3:13, 14, 16, Mrk.16:16, Luk.3:7, 12 21 7:29 (τ. βάπτισμα) ib. 30, Act.2:41 8:12, 13 36 9:18 10:47 16:15, 33 18:8; mid., 22:16 (M, Pr., 163);

bwith prepositions: ἐν, of the element, Mat.3:6, 11 Mrk.1:4, 5 8, Luk.3:16, Jhn.1:26, 31 33 3:23, Act.1:5 2:38 10:48 11:16, 1Co.10:2; εἰς, of the element, purpose or result (Lft., Notes, 155), Mat.3:1 28:19, Mrk.1:9, Act.8:16 19:3, 5 Rom.6:3, 1Co.1:13, 15 10:2 12:13, Gal.3:27; with dative, ὕδατι, Luk.3:16, Act.1:5 11:16; ὑπὲρ τῶν νεκρῶν, perh. to fulfil the wish of a dead friend, 1Co.15:29 (see ICC, in l.; cf. DB, i, 238ff.; DCG, i, 169a; ii, 605b; Cremer, 126).

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith

Why This Word Matters

Describes union with Christ in His death and resurrection. Acts 8:26-40

Baptism marks public allegiance to Jesus following belief. Romans 6:1-14

Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses

Aorist Present Imperfect Future Perfect

Voices

Passive Active Middle

Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 12×

Aorist Passive Matt 3:13 · Matt 3:14 · Mark 10:38 · Luke 3:7 · Luke 3:12 · Luke 3:21 · Luke 12:50 · Acts 8:36 · Acts 10:47 · Acts 10:48 10×

Present Active John 1:33 · 1 Cor 1:17 2×

Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 17×

Present Active Mark 1:4 · Mark 6:14 · John 1:28 · John 1:31 · John 1:33 · John 3:23 · John 10:40 · Matt 28:19 · Mark 6:24 9×

Aorist Passive Matt 3:16 · Mark 16:16 · Acts 8:13 · Luke 7:29 · Luke 7:30 · Luke 3:21 6×

Perfect Passive Acts 8:16 1×

Present Passive 1 Cor 15:29 1×

Indicative states a fact or reality 45×

Aorist Passive Mark 1:9 · Luke 11:38 · Acts 9:18 · Acts 16:15 · Acts 16:33 · Acts 19:3 · 1 Cor 1:13 · 1 Cor 1:15 · Gal 3:27 · Rom 6:3 · 1 Cor 12:13 · Acts 2:41 · Acts 19:5 14×

Aorist Active Mark 1:8 · 1 Cor 1:14 · 1 Cor 1:16 · Acts 1:5 · Acts 8:38 · Acts 11:16 · Acts 19:4 8×

Present Active Matt 3:11 · Luke 3:16 · John 1:26 · John 3:26 · John 4:1 · John 1:25 6×

Imperfect Passive Matt 3:6 · Mark 1:5 · John 3:23 · Acts 8:12 · Acts 18:8 5×

Future Active Matt 3:11 · Mark 1:8 · Luke 3:16 3×

Future Passive Mark 10:39 · Acts 1:5 · Acts 11:16 3×

Present Passive Mark 10:38 · Mark 10:39 · 1 Cor 15:29 3×

Imperfect Active John 3:22 · John 4:2 2×

Aorist Middle 1 Cor 10:2 1×

Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 1×

Aorist Middle Mark 7:4 1×

Imperative command or strong request 2×

Aorist Passive Acts 2:38 1×

Aorist Middle Acts 22:16 1×

Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 72 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect

completed 23 ongoing 8 prospective 6 imperative 2 background 7 subjunctive 1 infinitive 12 participle 13

Tense

aorist 42 present 17 imperfect 7 future 6

Voice

passive 43 active 26 middle 3

Mood

indicative 44 participle 13 infinitive 12 imperative 2 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)

Canonical Themes

Messiah

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

Acts 8:26-40 Baptize baptízō Infinitive · Aorist Passive

To immerse or wash as a sign of identification.

Romans 6:1-14 βαπτίζω baptízō Indicative · Aorist Passive

To immerse, to identify with.

Additional Occurrences

Luke 3:15–18 βαπτίσει baptízō

Will baptize

Luke 3:21–22 βαπτισθῆναι baptízō

To be baptized

Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

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.

1 Corinthians 12 — One Spirit, Many Gifts, and One Body in Christ 1 Corinthians 15 — Christ Is Risen, the Dead Will Be Raised, and Death Will Be Destroyed Acts 10 — God Opens the Gospel Door to the Gentiles Acts 16 — The Gospel Enters Macedonia: Opened Hearts, Broken Chains, and Household Faith Acts 18 — The Lord Strengthens the Mission in Corinth and Beyond Acts 2 — The Spirit Comes and Christ Is Proclaimed Acts 22 — Paul’s Defense: Christ Appears, Sends, and Preserves His Witness Acts 8 — The Scattered Church Carries Christ Beyond Jerusalem Acts 9 — The Risen Christ Converts His Fiercest Persecutor Galatians 3 — Faith, Promise, and the Curse-Bearing Christ Mark 1 — The Beginning of the Gospel: The Servant-King Appears with Authority Mark 6 — Rejected Prophet, Sending Lord, Wilderness Shepherd, and Divine Son on the Sea Matthew 28 — The Resurrection of Jesus and the Great Commission of the Risen King Matthew 3 — The Forerunner, the Kingdom, and the Beloved Son Romans 6 — Dead to Sin and Alive to God in Christ Jesus

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

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

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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