Lexical Summary
apokteinó or apoktennó: To kill, to slay, to put to death
Original Word:ἀποκτείνω (or ἀποκτέννω)
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:apokteinó or apoktennó
Pronunciation:ä-pok-tā'-nō
Phonetic Spelling:(ap-ok-ti'-no)
KJV: put to death, kill, slay
NASB:kill, killed, kills, put to death, putto death, killing
Word Origin:[fromG575 (ἀπό - since) and kteino "to kill"]
1. to kill outright
2. (figuratively) to destroy
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
put to death, kill, slay.
Fromapo and kteino (to slay); to kill outright; figuratively, to destroy -- put to death, kill, slay.
see GREEKapo
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
apo and kteinó (to kill)
Definitionto kill
NASB Translationkill (33), killed (29), killing (1), kills (5), put...to death (2), put to death (4).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 615: ἀποκτείνωἀποκτείνω, and Aeolic,
ἀποκτέννω (
Matthew 10:28LTTr;
Mark 12:5GLTTr;
Luke 12:4LTTr;
2 Corinthians 3:6TTr; cf. Fritzsche on Mark, p. 507f; (
Tdf. Proleg., p. 79);
Winers Grammar, 83 (79); (
Buttmann, 61 (54))),
ἀποκτενῶ (Griesbach in
Matthew 10:28;
Luke 12:4),
ἀποκταίνω (Lachmann in
2 Corinthians 3:6;
Revelation 13:10),
ἀποκτεννυντες (
Mark 12:5WH); future
ἀποκτενῶ; 1 aorist
ἀπέκτεινα; passive, present infinitive
ἀποκτέννεσθαι (
Revelation 6:11GLTTrWH); 1 aorist
ἀπεκτάνθην (Alexander
Buttmann (1873) Ausf. Spr. ii. 227;
Winers Grammar, the passage cited; (
Buttmann, 41 (35f))); (from
Homer down);
1. properly,to kill in any way whatever (ἀπό i. e. so as to put out of the way; cf. (English to kill off), Germanabschlachten):Matthew 16:21;Matthew 22:6;Mark 6:19;Mark 9:31;John 5:18;John 8:22;Acts 3:15;Revelation 2:13, and very often; (ἀποκτενῶἐνθανάτῳ,Revelation 2:23;Revelation 6:8, cf.Buttmann, 184 (159);Winers Grammar, 339 (319)).to destroy (allow to perish):Mark 3:4 (yet others take it here absolutely,to kill).
2. metaphorically,to extinguish, abolish:τήνἐχτραν,Ephesians 2:16;to inflict moral death,Romans 7:11 (seeἀποθνῄσκω, II. 2);to deprive of spiritual life and procure eternal misery,2 Corinthians 3:6 (Lachmannἀποκταινει; see above).
Topical Lexicon
Summary of Meaning and ScopeStrong’s Greek 615 (ἀποκτείνω) describes the deliberate taking of life. In Scripture it ranges from literal murder to judicial execution, from hostile persecution to eschatological judgments, and once (Ephesians 2:16) to the spiritual “killing” of enmity at the cross. Its breadth lets the word speak to human sin, divine justice, and redemptive victory.
Roots in the Hebrew Scriptures
New-Testament writers inherit a theology that equates unlawful bloodshed with assault on the image of God (Genesis 9:6). Prophets denounced Jerusalem as “the city that kills the prophets” (compareMatthew 23:37), preparing the motif of rejected messengers in Jesus’ parables.
Usage in the Gospels
1. Prophetic Parables: Vineyard tenants “seized his servants … beat one, killed another” (Matthew 21:35). The climax anticipates the Son: “Let us kill him” (Mark 12:7).
2. Passion Predictions: “The Son of Man … will be killed, and on the third day He will be raised” (Matthew 16:21;Mark 9:31;Luke 9:22). The verb ties human violence to God’s saving plan.
3. Hostile Plots: Herodias “wanted to kill him” (Mark 6:19); the Sanhedrin sought to “kill” Jesus (John 11:53). John repeatedly notes murderous intent (John 7:1; 8:40).
4. Fear and Assurance: Jesus warns, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28), directing disciples toward eternal realities.
Apostolic Proclamation and Martyrdom
Peter charges Israel, “You killed the Author of life” (Acts 3:15). Stephen echoes: “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One” (Acts 7:52). Paul laments, “They killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets” (1 Thessalonians 2:15). The word thus crystallizes human opposition to God’s revelation.
Yet martyrdom becomes witness: Antipas “was put to death” at Pergamum (Revelation 2:13), and future saints will be “killed for the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 6:11). The vocabulary of killing is transfigured into the theology of suffering unto glory.
Doctrinal and Pastoral Themes
• Total Depravity: Repeated plots to kill Jesus unveil the depth of human rebellion.
• Sovereignty and Atonement: What sinners “killed,” God predetermined for salvation (Acts 2:23).
• Courage in Persecution: Believers may be killed, yet eternal life is secure (Luke 12:4–5).
• Judgment: Those who kill God’s servants face retributive justice (Matthew 22:7;Revelation 19:21).
• Reconciliation: Paradoxically, Christ “killed the hostility” between Jew and Gentile at the cross (Ephesians 2:16).
Eschatological Context
Revelation employs ἀποκτείνω twelve times. Demonic horsemen “were released to kill a third of mankind” (Revelation 9:15). The beast “was permitted to kill” the two witnesses (Revelation 11:7) and seeks to kill all who refuse his mark (Revelation 13:15). Final judgment reverses the violence: “The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the One on the horse” (Revelation 19:21).
Historical Ministry Significance
Early Church history confirms the word’s relevance: martyr narratives (Polycarp, Ignatius) echo biblical usage, framing death for Christ as victory. Preachers through the centuries have appealed toMatthew 10:28 andRevelation 2:10 to fortify believers facing lethal opposition.
Ethical Implications for Today
1. Sanctity of Life: The verb’s gravity reinforces Christian opposition to murder, abortion, and euthanasia.
2. Civil Authority:Romans 13 implies the state may wield the sword justly, yetActs 5:29 limits obedience when rulers “kill” righteousness.
3. Missionary Resolve: Knowing some will “kill you thinking they offer a service to God” (John 16:2) shapes preparation for cross-cultural witness.
Key Verses to Memorize
Matthew 10:28;Acts 3:15;Ephesians 2:16;Revelation 2:13.
Forms and Transliterations
απεκτάγκατε απεκτανθη απεκτάνθη ἀπεκτάνθη απεκτανθησαν απεκτάνθησαν ἀπεκτάνθησαν απέκτεινα απέκτεινά απεκτειναν απέκτειναν ἀπέκτειναν απέκτεινας απέκτεινάς απεκτεινατε απεκτείνατε ἀπεκτείνατε απέκτεινε απέκτεινέ απεκτεινεν απέκτεινεν ἀπέκτεινεν απεκτέννοντο απέκτενον αποκτανθεις αποκτανθείς ἀποκτανθεὶς αποκτανθηναι αποκτανθήναι ἀποκτανθῆναι αποκτανθώσι αποκτανθωσιν ἀποκτανθῶσιν αποκτειναι αποκτείναι αποκτείναί ἀποκτεῖναι αποκτείναντα αποκτείναντι αποκτειναντων αποκτεινάντων ἀποκτεινάντων αποκτεινας αποκτείνας ἀποκτείνας αποκτείνατε αποκτεινει αποκτείνει ἀποκτείνει αποκτείνειν αποκτείνεσθαι αποκτείνης απόκτεινον απόκτεινόν αποκτείνοντες αποκτεινοντων αποκτεινόντων ἀποκτεινόντων αποκτεινουσα ἀποκτείνουσα αποκτεινούσιν αποκτείνω αποκτεινωμεν αποκτείνωμεν ἀποκτείνωμεν αποκτείνων αποκτείνωσι αποκτεινωσιν αποκτείνωσιν ἀποκτείνωσιν αποκτενει αποκτενεί ἀποκτενεῖ αποκτενείς αποκτενειτε αποκτενείτε ἀποκτενεῖτε ἀποκτέννει αποκτεννεσθαι ἀποκτέννεσθαι ἀποκτέννοντες ἀποκτεννόντων αποκτεννυντες ἀποκτέννυντες αποκτενούσα αποκτένουσα αποκτενούσι αποκτενούσί αποκτενουσιν αποκτενούσιν ἀποκτενοῦσιν αποκτενω αποκτενώ ἀποκτενῶ apektanthe apektanthē apektánthe apektánthē apektanthesan apektanthēsan apektánthesan apektánthēsan apekteinan apékteinan apekteinate apekteínate apekteinen apékteinen apoktantheis apoktantheìs apoktanthenai apoktanthênai apoktanthēnai apoktanthē̂nai apoktanthosin apoktanthôsin apoktanthōsin apoktanthō̂sin apokteinai apokteînai apokteinanton apokteinantōn apokteinánton apokteinántōn apokteinas apokteínas apokteinomen apokteinōmen apokteínomen apokteínōmen apokteinonton apokteinontōn apokteinónton apokteinóntōn apokteinosin apokteinōsin apokteínosin apokteínōsin apokteinousa apokteínousa apoktenei apokteneî apokteneite apokteneîte apoktennei apokténnei apoktennesthai apokténnesthai apoktennontes apokténnontes apoktennonton apoktennontōn apoktennónton apoktennóntōn apokteno apoktenô apoktenō apoktenō̂ apoktenousin apoktenoûsin
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