λούω
loúō
G3068 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To wash or bathe, especially to cleanse the entire body with water. In various contexts, can refer to ritual or physical washing, including bathing for purification, preparation for entry into sacred spaces, or normal bodily cleanliness. Distinct from terms meaning to wash part of the body (νίπτω) or to wash objects or garments (πλύνω).
Semantic Range
to bathe the body, to wash oneself, to perform ritual washing or purification, to cleanse for ceremonial purposes, to wash away defilement, (in later usage) to cleanse spiritually or morally
Root / Etymology
From the Greek root λου- (lou-); the verb λούω is common in classical and Hellenistic Greek for the act of washing or bathing, especially of the entire person.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb λούω is attested from Homeric Greek onward, typically denoting bathing with water, often for reasons of cleanliness, refreshment, or ritual purification. In classical sources it can refer both to personal hygiene and ceremonial cleansing. In the Septuagint and New Testament, λούω is especially used for ritual immersion or washing for the purpose of legal or cultic purity (e.g., Leviticus 14:8, Acts 9:37). It frequently appears in contrast with νίπτω (to wash a part, especially hands or feet) and πλύνω (to wash clothing or vessels). English translations sometimes obscure this distinction by rendering all terms as 'wash.' In Hellenistic Greek, public and private bathing (reflected in λουτρόν, 'bath') was a social and hygienic custom, influencing some metaphorical uses of λούω for moral or spiritual cleansing. In New Testament usage, the term retains its broad physical sense, sometimes with ritual connotations. Early Christian writers extend λούω metaphorically to refer to spiritual or baptismal cleansing.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primary verb; to bathe (the whole person; whereas νίπτω means to wet a part only, and πλύνω to wash, cleanse garments exclusively):--wash.
Root Family
λούω (louō) — to wash, to bathe, to cleanse with water
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3068-02 |
ἔλουσεν | elousen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
washed | he bathed | 1 |
G3068-04 |
λελουμένος | leloumenos | V PRF PASS PTCP NOM M SG |
having been bathed | having been bathed | 1 |
G3068-05 |
λουσαμένη | lousamene | V AOR MID PTCP NOM F SG |
after washing | having bathed herself | 1 |
G3068-03 |
λελουμένοι | leloumenoi | V PRF PASS PTCP NOM M PL |
having been bathed | 1 | |
G3068-01 |
ἐλούετο | eloueto | V IMPF MID IND 3P SG |
went down | was bathing himself | 1 |
G3068-06 |
λούσαντες | lousantes | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
having washed | having bathed | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3068-01 |
John 5:4 | ἐλούετο | eloueto | V IMPF MID IND 3P SG |
went down | was bathing himself |
G3068-04 |
John 13:10 | λελουμένος | leloumenos | V PRF PASS PTCP NOM M SG |
having been bathed | having been bathed |
G3068-06 |
Acts 9:37 | λούσαντες | lousantes | V AOR ACT PTCP NOM M PL |
having washed | having bathed |
G3068-02 |
Acts 16:33 | ἔλουσεν | elousen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
washed | he bathed |
G3068-03 |
Hebrews 10:22 | λελουμένοι | leloumenoi | V PRF PASS PTCP NOM M PL |
having been bathed | |
G3068-05 |
2 Peter 2:22 | λουσαμένη | lousamene | V AOR MID PTCP NOM F SG |
after washing | having bathed herself |