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Greek · G4687 · unreviewed

σπείρω

To sow

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σπείρω G4687
Pronunciation speírō

What does σπείρω (speírō) mean in the Bible?

σπείρω (speírō) is a Greek word meaning "to sow". σπείρω [in LXX chiefly for זָרַע ;] to sow (seed): absol.

Full entry for σπείρω (G4687) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to sow
Extended definition

Literal sowing of seeds; metaphorically, initiating actions whose consequences will inevitably be reaped.

to sow (seed): absol., Mat.6:26 13:3-4, 18 25:24, 26, Mrk.4:3-4, Luk.8:5 12:24, Jhn.4:36, 2Co.9:10; with accusative of thing(s), Mat.13:24, 27 13:37, 39, Mrk.4:32, Luk.8:5, 1Co.15:36-37; before εἰς, Mat.13:22, Mrk.4:18; ἐν, Mat.13:24, 31; ἐπί, with genitive, Mrk.4:31; ἐπί, with accusative, Mat.13:20, 23, Mrk.4:16, 20; παρά, with accusative, Mat.13:19. Metaphorical: 1Co.9:11 15:42-44, Gal.6:7-8, Jas.3:18; in proverbial sayings, Mat.25:24, 26, Luk.19:21-22, Jhn.4:37, 2Co.9:6, Gal.6:7; in interpretation of parables, Mat.13:19-23 Mrk.4:14-20

Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses
Present Aorist Perfect
Voices
Active Passive
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 24×
Present Active Matt 13:3 · Matt 13:37 · Mark 4:3 · Mark 4:14 · Luke 8:5 · John 4:36 · John 4:37 · 2 Cor 9:6 · Gal 6:8 · 2 Cor 9:10 12×
Aorist Passive Matt 13:19 · Matt 13:20 · Matt 13:22 · Matt 13:23 · Mark 4:20 5×
Aorist Active Matt 13:18 · Matt 13:24 · Matt 13:39 3×
Present Passive Mark 4:16 · Mark 4:18 2×
Perfect Passive Matt 13:19 · Mark 4:15 2×
Indicative states a fact or reality 19×
Aorist Active Matt 13:27 · Matt 25:24 · Luke 19:21 · Matt 25:26 · Luke 19:22 · Matt 13:31 · 1 Cor 9:11 7×
Present Passive Mark 4:15 · 1 Cor 15:42 · 1 Cor 15:43 · 1 Cor 15:44 · Jas 3:18 6×
Present Active 1 Cor 15:36 · 1 Cor 15:37 · Matt 6:26 · Luke 12:24 · Mark 4:14 6×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 6×
Present Active Matt 13:3 · Matt 13:4 · Mark 4:4 · Luke 8:5 4×
Aorist Active Mark 4:3 · Luke 8:5 2×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 3×
Aorist Passive Mark 4:31 · Mark 4:32 2×
Present Active Gal 6:7 1×
52 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 53 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 8 ongoing 12 subjunctive 3 infinitive 6 participle 24
Tense
present 31 aorist 20 perfect 2
Voice
active 36 passive 17
Mood
participle 24 indicative 20 infinitive 6 subjunctive 3
NT Occurrences
Matthew 6:26 σπείρουσιν present active indicative ongoing Matthew 13:18 σπείραντος aorist active participle participle Matthew 13:19 ἐσπαρμένον perfect passive participle participle Matthew 13:19 σπαρείς aorist passive participle participle Matthew 13:20 σπαρείς aorist passive participle participle Matthew 13:22 σπαρείς aorist passive participle participle Matthew 13:23 σπαρείς aorist passive participle participle Matthew 13:24 σπείραντι aorist active participle participle Matthew 13:25 ἐπέσπειρεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 13:27 ἔσπειρας aorist active indicative completed Matthew 13:3 σπείρων present active participle participle Matthew 13:3 σπείρειν present active infinitive infinitive Matthew 13:31 ἔσπειρεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 13:37 σπείρων present active participle participle Matthew 13:39 σπείρας aorist active participle participle Matthew 13:4 σπείρειν present active infinitive infinitive Matthew 25:24 ἔσπειρας aorist active indicative completed Matthew 25:26 ἔσπειρα aorist active indicative completed Mark 4:14 σπείρων present active participle participle Mark 4:14 σπείρει present active indicative ongoing Mark 4:15 σπείρεται present passive indicative ongoing Mark 4:15 ἐσπαρμένον perfect passive participle participle Mark 4:16 σπειρόμενοι present passive participle participle Mark 4:18 σπειρόμενοι present passive participle participle Mark 4:20 σπαρέντες aorist passive participle participle Mark 4:3 σπείρων present active participle participle Mark 4:3 σπεῖραι aorist active infinitive infinitive Mark 4:31 σπαρῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Mark 4:32 σπαρῇ aorist passive subjunctive subjunctive Mark 4:4 σπείρειν present active infinitive infinitive Luke 8:5 σπείρων present active participle participle Luke 8:5 σπεῖραι aorist active infinitive infinitive Luke 8:5 σπείρειν present active infinitive infinitive Luke 12:24 σπείρουσιν present active indicative ongoing Luke 19:21 ἔσπειρας aorist active indicative completed Luke 19:22 ἔσπειρα aorist active indicative completed John 4:36 σπείρων present active participle participle John 4:37 σπείρων present active participle participle 1 Corinthians 9:11 ἐσπείραμεν aorist active indicative completed 1 Corinthians 15:36 σπείρεις present active indicative ongoing +13 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)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

Biblical Witnesses
Luke 8:4-15 sowed speírō Participle · Present Active
Literal sowing of seed in the Parable of the Sower with spiritual interpretation
Matthew 13:24-39 sows speírō Participle · Present Active
Literal agricultural sowing in parables about kingdom of heaven with metaphorical meaning
1 Corinthians 15:42-44 sown speírō Indicative · Present Passive
Metaphorical usage describing the body's mortality and resurrection transformation
Galatians 6:7-8 sows speírō Participle · Present Active
Proverbial saying about reaping consequences of one's actions or moral choices
2 Corinthians 9:6 sows speírō Participle · Present Active
Proverbial statement about generous giving and receiving spiritual blessings in return
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.

σπείρω · ἐγείρω G4687, G1453
is sown / is raised
σπείρω · θερίζω G4687, G2325
they do not sow or reap
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 15 — Christ Is Risen, the Dead Will Be Raised, and Death Will Be Destroyed Galatians 6 — Boasting Only in the Cross: Spirit-Shaped Community and New Creation Mark 4 — The Mystery of the Kingdom: Hearing, Fruitfulness, and the Lord over the Storm Matthew 13 — The Kingdom in Parables: Hearing, Hiddenness, Growth, Worth, and Judgment

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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