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Greek · G987 · unreviewed

βλασφημέω

To vilify; specially, to speak impiously

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βλασφημέω G987
Pronunciation blasphēméō

What does βλασφημέω (blasphēméō) mean in the Bible?

βλασφημέω (blasphēméō) is a Greek word meaning "to vilify; specially, to speak impiously". βλασφημέω, -ῶ (βλάσφημος), [in LXX: 4Ki. Disorderly conduct can bring reproach upon God’s name and doctrine.

Full entry for βλασφημέω (G987) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to vilify; specially, to speak impiously
Extended definition

To speak irreverently of God or sacred things; revile someone's honor or name.

(βλάσφημος), [in LXX: 4Ki.19:4 (יכח hi.) ib. 6, 22 (גּדף pi.), Isa.52:5 (נאץ hith.), Dan LXX 3:29 (96) (אמר שׁלח), Tob.1:18, Da TH Bel 9, 2Ma.2 * ;]

1to speak lightly or profanely of sacred things (in cl., opp. of εὐφημέω), esp. to speak impiously of God, to blaspheme, speak blasphemously: absol., Mat.9:3 26:65, Mrk.2:7, Jhn.10:36, Act.26:11, 1Ti.1:20, 2Pe.2:12; τ. θεόν, Act.19:37, Rev.16:11, 21; τὸ ὄνομα τ. θεοῦ, Rev.13:6 16:9; δόξας, Ju 3, 2Pe.2:10; εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, Mrk.3:29, Luk.12:10.
2to revile, rail at, slander: absol., Luk.22:65, Act.13:45 18:6, 1Pe.4:4; with accusative, Mat.27:39, Mrk.3:28 15:29, Luk.23:39, Tit.3:2, Jas.2:7, Ju 10. Pass.: Rom.2:24 3:8 14:16, 1Co.10:30, 1Ti.6:1, Tit.2:5, 2Pe.2:2 (Cremer, 570).
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Disorderly conduct can bring reproach upon God’s name and doctrine. 1 Timothy 6:1-2
Grammatical Forms

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

Tenses
Present Aorist Imperfect Future
Voices
Active Passive
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 8×
Present Active Luke 22:65 · Acts 13:45 · 1 Pet 4:4 · 2 Pet 2:10 · 2 Pet 2:12 · Acts 18:6 · Acts 19:37 7×
Aorist Active Luke 12:10 1×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 4×
Present Active Acts 26:11 · 1 Tim 1:20 · Titus 3:2 3×
Aorist Active Rev 13:6 1×
Indicative states a fact or reality 17×
Present Active Jas 2:7 · Jude 1:8 · Jude 1:10 · Matt 9:3 · Mark 2:7 · John 10:36 6×
Aorist Active Rev 16:9 · Rev 16:11 · Rev 16:21 · Matt 26:65 4×
Imperfect Active Matt 27:39 · Mark 15:29 · Luke 23:39 3×
Present Passive Rom 2:24 · Rom 3:8 · 1 Cor 10:30 3×
Future Passive 2 Pet 2:2 1×
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 4×
Present Passive 1 Tim 6:1 · Titus 2:5 2×
Aorist Active Mark 3:28 · Mark 3:29 2×
Imperative command or strong request 1×
Present Passive Rom 14:16 1×
34 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 35 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 4 ongoing 9 prospective 1 imperative 1 background 3 subjunctive 4 infinitive 4 participle 9
Tense
present 23 aorist 8 imperfect 3 future 1
Voice
active 27 passive 8
Mood
indicative 17 participle 9 infinitive 4 subjunctive 4 imperative 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 9:3 βλασφημεῖ present active indicative ongoing Matthew 26:65 Ἐβλασφήμησεν aorist active indicative completed Matthew 27:39 ἐβλασφήμουν imperfect active indicative background Mark 2:7 βλασφημεῖ present active indicative ongoing Mark 3:28 βλασφημήσωσιν aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 3:29 βλασφημήσῃ aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 15:29 ἐβλασφήμουν imperfect active indicative background Luke 12:10 βλασφημήσαντι aorist active participle participle Luke 22:65 βλασφημοῦντες present active participle participle Luke 23:39 ἐβλασφήμει imperfect active indicative background John 10:36 Βλασφημεῖς present active indicative ongoing Acts 13:45 βλασφημοῦντες present active participle participle Acts 18:6 βλασφημούντων present active participle participle Acts 19:37 βλασφημοῦντας present active participle participle Acts 26:11 βλασφημεῖν present active infinitive infinitive Romans 2:24 βλασφημεῖται present passive indicative ongoing Romans 3:8 βλασφημούμεθα present passive indicative ongoing Romans 14:16 βλασφημείσθω present passive imperative imperative 1 Corinthians 4:13 δυσφημούμενοι present passive participle participle 1 Corinthians 10:30 βλασφημοῦμαι present passive indicative ongoing 1 Timothy 1:20 βλασφημεῖν present active infinitive infinitive 1 Timothy 6:1 βλασφημῆται present passive subjunctive subjunctive Titus 2:5 βλασφημῆται present passive subjunctive subjunctive Titus 3:2 βλασφημεῖν present active infinitive infinitive James 2:7 βλασφημοῦσιν present active indicative ongoing 1 Peter 4:4 βλασφημοῦντες present active participle participle 2 Peter 2:10 βλασφημοῦντες present active participle participle 2 Peter 2:12 βλασφημοῦντες present active participle participle 2 Peter 2:2 βλασφημηθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Jude 1:10 βλασφημοῦσιν present active indicative ongoing Jude 1:8 βλασφημοῦσιν present active indicative ongoing Revelation 13:6 βλασφημῆσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Revelation 16:11 ἐβλασφήμησαν aorist active indicative completed Revelation 16:21 ἐβλασφήμησαν aorist active indicative completed Revelation 16:9 ἐβλασφήμησαν aorist active indicative completed

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.

New Testament Witnesses
1 Timothy 6:1-2 slander blasphēméō Subjunctive · Present Passive
To defame or dishonor.
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.

ἀναγκάζω · βλασφημέω G315, G987
Force to blaspheme
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.

Acts 18 — The Lord Strengthens the Mission in Corinth and Beyond Acts 26 — Paul Before Agrippa: The Risen Christ Sends Light to Jews and Gentiles Luke 12 — Fear God, Confess Christ, Seek the Kingdom, and Be Ready Mark 15 — The Crucified King: Condemnation, Mockery, Death, Confession, and Burial Mark 2 — The Son of Man Has Authority: Forgiveness, Fellowship, and Lordship Matthew 9 — Authority to Forgive, Mercy for Sinners, and Compassion for the Harvest

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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