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ἐμπτύω

emptýō

G1716 verb

SILEX Entry

Root πτύ- to spit, eject saliva

Definition

To spit upon; in particular, to eject saliva directly onto someone, typically as a gesture of insult or humiliation. The action itself refers specifically to forcibly expelling saliva onto another person, usually accompanied by a sense of public disgrace or contempt. In some contexts, the verb may denote the broader act of spitting upon an object or person as an act of derision or mockery.

Semantic Range

to spit upon, to spit in the face, to perform an act of public insult or humiliation by spitting

Root / Etymology

From ἐν ('in, on, upon') and πτύω ('to spit'); formed as a compound verb with the sense of 'to spit upon.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

The verb ἐμπτύω is not commonly attested outside the Hellenistic and Koine periods and rarely appears in earlier classical literature. In the New Testament, it consistently describes the act of spitting upon someone as a deliberate insult, notably in accounts of mockery during judicial or punitive proceedings (e.g., the treatment of Jesus; cf. Matthew 26:67, Mark 10:34, 14:65, 15:19, Luke 18:32). In the Septuagint, occurrences are rare and often reflect Semitic expressions of contempt. The semantic field is distinct from general terms for spitting (πτύω), as ἐμπτύω invariably connotes a directed, often personal, act of social or ritual humiliation. Later translation tradition often renders it as 'to spit upon' or 'to spit in someone's face,' but these may not fully capture the gesture's cultural resonance as an act of profound dishonoring.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἐν and πτύω; to spit at or on:--spit (upon).

Root Family

ἐμπτύω (emptýō) — to spit, eject saliva, spit upon in contempt

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
G1716-04 ἐμπτυσθήσεται emptusthesetai V FUT PASS IND 3P SG will be spit upon will be spat upon 1
G1716-05 ἐνέπτυον eneptuon V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL spitting they were spitting upon 1
G1716-01 ἐμπτύειν emptuein V PRS ACT INF to spit to spit upon 1
G1716-02 ἐμπτύσαντες emptusantes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL having spat upon 1
G1716-06 ἐνέπτυσαν eneptusan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they spat upon 1
G1716-03 ἐμπτύσουσιν emptusousin V FUT ACT IND 3P PL spit on him they will spit upon 1

Occurrences in Scripture

6 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
G1716-06 Matthew 26:67 ἐνέπτυσαν eneptusan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they spat upon
G1716-02 Matthew 27:30 ἐμπτύσαντες emptusantes V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL having spat upon
G1716-03 Mark 10:34 ἐμπτύσουσιν emptusousin V FUT ACT IND 3P PL spit on him they will spit upon
G1716-01 Mark 14:65 ἐμπτύειν emptuein V PRS ACT INF to spit to spit upon
G1716-05 Mark 15:19 ἐνέπτυον eneptuon V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL spitting they were spitting upon
G1716-04 Luke 18:32 ἐμπτυσθήσεται emptusthesetai V FUT PASS IND 3P SG will be spit upon will be spat upon
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