Brief Overview of ἀσεβέω (G764: asebeo)

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: asebeo

Root Words:

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• ἀσεβέω (asebeo) comes from the root ἀσέβεια (asebeia), which means “impiety” or “ungodliness.” The verb form ἀσεβέω means “to act impiously” or “to be irreverent.”

Primary Meanings:

• To Act Impiously: To engage in actions that show a lack of reverence or respect for the divine or sacred.
• To Be Irreverent: To display disrespect or disregard for God or religious principles.
• To Violate Religious Laws: To act in a way that is contrary to divine commands or religious norms.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG: BDAG defines ἀσεβέω as “to act impiously” or “to be irreverent,” focusing on behaviors or actions that show disrespect towards God or sacred laws. It is used to describe actions that contradict religious or divine expectations.

Thayer’s: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes ἀσεβέω as “to act impiously” or “to be irreverent,” emphasizing the violation of divine or sacred laws. It involves behavior that is contrary to the reverence due to the divine.

Vines: Vines’ Expository Dictionary aligns with BDAG, defining ἀσεβέω as “to act impiously” or “to be irreverent,” and notes that it involves behavior that disregards divine authority.

LSJ: LSJ describes ἀσεβέω as “to act irreverently” or “to show disrespect,” particularly in a religious or divine context.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Strong’s defines ἀσεβέω as “to be impious” or “to be irreverent,” focusing on actions that demonstrate a lack of respect for the divine.

Bible Verses:

• 1 Timothy 1:9 (KJV): “Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,”
• “Ungodly” here relates to ἀσεβέω.
• 1 Timothy 1:10 (KJV): “For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;”
• “Contrary to sound doctrine” may involve actions described by ἀσεβέω.
• 2 Timothy 3:2 (KJV): “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,”
• “Unholy” corresponds to ἀσεβέω in its sense of irreverence.

3. Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

• Plato’s Laws: Contains discussions on religious and moral behavior, often referring to irreverent actions, which align with the concept of ἀσεβέω.
• Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics: Explores moral virtues and vices, touching on themes of piety and irreverence, relevant to the meaning of ἀσεβέω.
• Sophocles’ Antigone: Examines the conflict between divine law and human law, addressing actions that can be seen as irreverent or impious, akin to the idea of ἀσεβέω.

4. Summary:

ἀσεβέω (G764: asebeo) denotes “to act impiously” or “to be irreverent,” reflecting behaviors or actions that lack respect for the divine or sacred principles. It is used in the New Testament to describe actions contrary to divine expectations and religious norms. In classic Greek literature, similar themes of irreverence and impiety appear, although the term ἀσεβέω may not always be used directly. The concept broadly encompasses actions and attitudes that violate divine or sacred laws.