ἱλάσκομαι
To propitiate
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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 ἱλάσκομαι (hiláskomai) mean in the Bible?
ἱλάσκομαι (hiláskomai) is a Greek word meaning "to propitiate". ἱλάσκομαι (ἵλαος = ἵλεως) [in LXX (cf. Points to atonement fulfilled in Christ. This term runs through the canonical themes of Messiah, Priesthood.
Full entry for ἱλάσκομαι (G2433) · Browse the biblical lexicon
Meaning
To expiate sin and make God propitious; shifts from appeasing anger to removing defilement.
(ἵλαος = ἵλεως) [in LXX (cf. Westc., Epp. Jo., 85 f.) for סָלַח, 4Ki.5:18 24:4, Psa.25:11, La 3:42, Da TH Dan.9:19; כָּפַר pi., Psa.65:3 78:38 79:9; נָחַם ni., Exo.32:14, Est.4:17 * ;]
Why This Word Matters
Points to atonement fulfilled in Christ. Luke 18:9–14
Grammatical Forms
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Discourse Aspect
How this verb appears across 2 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