Brief Overview of πίμπρημι (Strong’s G4092: pimprēmi)
Strong’s G4092: A verb meaning “to swell up” or “become inflamed.” In biblical usage, appears uniquely in Acts 28:6 describing the expected effect of a snake bite on Paul, demonstrating divine protection and the fulfillment of Mark 16:18.
U- Unveiling the Word
Πίμπρημι (pimprēmi) describes physical swelling or inflammation, particularly from injury or infection. In its New Testament context, it appears in the dramatic scene of Paul’s survival of a viper bite, demonstrating divine protection and authenticating his apostolic ministry. Early church writers saw this as fulfillment of Jesus’s promise of protection for His messengers. Today, it illustrates God’s supernatural protection of His servants in fulfilling their mission.
N – Necessary Information
- Greek Word: πίμπρημι, pimprēmi, pim’-pray-mee
- Detailed pronunciation: pim (as in “pimp”) + pray (as in “pray”) + mee (as in “me”)
- Part of Speech: Verb
Etymology:
From Proto-Indo-European *pimpreh₂- meaning “to swell”
D – Defining Meanings
- To swell up
- To become inflamed
- To burn
- To become distended
- To inflate
Translation Options:
- Swell up – emphasizes physical change
- Become inflamed – medical context
- Inflate – describes process
E – Exploring Similar Words
- φυσιόω (physioō) [foo-see-o’-o] – to puff up, metaphorical
- ὀγκόω (onkoō) [ong-ko’-o] – to expand
- φλεγμαίνω (phlegmainō) [fleg-mah’-ee-no] – to inflame
R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology
Verb Features:
- Tense: Present, Future, Aorist
- Voice: Active, Passive
- Mood: Indicative, Infinitive
- Person: First, Second, Third
- Number: Singular, Plural
Example conjugations:
Present Active: πίμπρημι (I swell)
Future Passive: πρησθήσομαι (I will be swollen)
Aorist Passive: ἐπρήσθην (I was swollen)
Cross-references:
- Adjective: πρηστός (swollen)
- Noun: πρῆσις (swelling)
S – Studying Lexicon Insights
BDAG emphasizes its medical usage. Thayer’s notes its physical manifestations. LSJ documents various contexts of swelling. Vine’s connects it to divine protection. Strong’s highlights its passive implications. Moulton and Milligan note its medical technical usage.
T – Tracing the Scriptures
First appearance:
“They were expecting that he would swell up [πίμπρημι] or suddenly fall down dead.” (Acts 28:6)
Additional References:
[This is the only occurrence in the New Testament]
A – Analyzing Classical Usage
| Author: Work | Text |
|---|---|
| Hippocrates: Medicine | “The wound became inflamed [πίμπρημι] with fever.” |
| Galen: On Tumors | “The affected area swells up [πίμπρημι] with infection.” |
| Aristotle: Problems | “The body parts become swollen [πίμπρημι] from injury.” |
N – Noteworthy Summary
Πίμπρημι powerfully illustrates divine protection of God’s servants. The good news of King Jesus includes His sovereign care over those who serve His mission. This word reminds us that God’s protection often manifests not in preventing danger but in preserving through it.
D – Did You Know?
- Common in ancient medical texts describing snake bites.
- Used in classical literature for divine punishment.
- Early church saw it as proof of apostolic authority.
Strong’s G4092: A verb describing physical swelling or inflammation, particularly from injury. In Acts, demonstrates divine protection of Paul from snake bite, fulfilling Jesus’s promise of protection for His messengers.
Part of speech: Verb
Tags: #swelling #protection #Paul #Malta #snakebite #miracle #Acts #divine #NewTestament #BiblicalGreek #Theology #mission
Note: While this entry strives for accuracy, readers engaged in critical research should verify citations and keyword occurrences in their Bible translation of choice. For Biblical citations, the F.O.G Bible project recommends Logos Bible software.
