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G4155 (πνίγω)

Summary

Quick facts

Strong’s Number: G4155
Original Word: πνίγω
Transliteration: pnígō
Pronunciation: pnee'-go
Part of Speech: verb
Root / Etymology: strengthened from G4154 (πνέω);
Frequency: 2×
Gematria: 943

Where it appears

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Definition

Strong 1890 to wheeze, i.e. (causative, by implication) to throttle or strangle (drown)

choketake by the throat

strengthened from G4154 (πνέω);

Commentary

Contributors:

Strong's G4155: A primary verb meaning "to choke, strangle, or suffocate." Used literally of physical choking and metaphorically in parables to describe how worldly concerns can suffocate spiritual growth. The word carries strong imagery of constriction and the prevention of life-sustaining breath.

U- Unveiling the Word

Πνίγω primarily denotes the act of choking or strangling, whether literally or metaphorically. In the New Testament, it appears in both physical contexts and in Jesus' parables, where it powerfully illustrates how worldly concerns can suffocate spiritual life. The early church understood this term as a warning against allowing temporal matters to obstruct spiritual growth. Today, it serves as a sobering reminder of how various pressures and preoccupations can impede our spiritual development and relationship with God.

N - Necessary Information

Greek Word: πνίγω, pnigō, /pnee'-go/
Detailed Pronunciation: p (plosive) + n (nasal) + ee (long vowel) + go (final syllable)
Part of Speech: Verb

Etymology:

Root: πνιγ- (pnig-) - primary verbal root
Ending: -ω (-ō) - present active indicative ending
Function: Primary verb expressing the action of choking or constricting

D - Defining Meanings

To choke
To strangle
To suffocate
To drown
To suppress

Translation Options:

Choke - Best captures both literal and metaphorical uses
Strangle - Emphasizes the intentional aspect of the action
Suffocate - Highlights the prevention of breathing

E - Exploring Similar Words

ἄγχω (anchō) /ang'-kho/ - refers specifically to strangling - See G43
καταπνίγω (katapnigō) /kat-ap-nee'-go/ - refers to complete suffocation - See G2666
συμπνίγω (sympnigō) /soom-pnee'-go/ - refers to crowding/choking together - See G4846

R - Reviewing the Word's Morphology

Tense: Present, Future, Aorist
Voice: Active, Passive
Mood: Indicative, Subjunctive, Imperative
Person: First, Second, Third
Number: Singular, Plural
Aspect: Progressive/Punctiliar

Examples:
Present: πνίγω (I choke)
Future: πνίξω (I will choke)
Aorist: ἔπνιξα (I choked)

S - Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes both literal and metaphorical uses. Thayer's notes its use in drowning contexts. LSJ traces its development in classical Greek. Vine's highlights its figurative use in parables. Strong's emphasizes the basic meaning of constriction. LEH notes Septuagint usage. Moulton and Milligan document its use in legal contexts regarding debt collection.

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T - Tracing the Scriptures

First Appearance:
Matthew 18:28: "But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke [ἔπνιγεν] him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.'"

Additional References:
Mark 5:13, Luke 8:33

A - Analyzing Classical Usage

Author: Work	Text
Aeschylus: Persians	"The sailors were choked [πνίγω] by the crushing waves"
Aristophanes: Clouds	"He nearly strangled [πνίγω] himself with anger"
Xenophon: Anabasis	"The dust choked [πνίγω] the soldiers as they marched"

N - Noteworthy Summary

Πνίγω serves as a powerful warning about what can strangle our spiritual life, while simultaneously highlighting the freedom found in Christ. The good news is that Jesus liberates us from the choking effects of sin, worldly concerns, and spiritual oppression, enabling us to breathe freely in His grace.

D - Did You Know?

Πνίγω appears in significant judicial contexts in ancient Greek papyri
It's used in all three Synoptic Gospels' accounts of the Gadarene swine
The word influenced medical terminology related to asphyxiation

Part of speech: Verb

Tags: choke, strangle, suffocate, parables, worldly concerns, spiritual growth, persecution, oppression, Biblical Greek, New Testament terminology, metaphorical language, warnings

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