Menu

1 Corinthians 7:18 — Word Study

Depth

N1904Περιτετμημένος τις ἐκλήθη; μὴ ἐπισπάσθω· ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ κέκληταί τις; μὴ περιτεμνέσθω.

BSAcircumcisedperitemnō [in a Jewish covenant context] anyonetis was called?kaleō [invited by God] Not he should become uncircumcised;epispaō [reverse his circumcision, attempt to undo it] Inen uncircumcisionakrobustia [in a state of uncircumcision, without the Jewish sign] has been calledkaleō [summoned by God] anyone Not he should d be circumcise.peritemnō [undergo the Jewish rite, take on the physical sign]

Word
Listen & take away1 Corinthians 7
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 18 is in this chapter.
Greek ↓ Download MP3 Nestle 1904 — the very text on this page — read by Andy Martin in Erasmian pronunciation.
Say the word Each Greek word carries its transliteration (peritemnō) — no per-word recordings of the Greek exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Corinthians 7:18quick helps
In a sentencePaul addresses the status of circumcision for believers, emphasizing that their spiritual calling supersedes physical rites.
Who is speakingThe Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthian church about practical issues of faith.
Where we areThis verse is part of Paul's instructions regarding various life situations and their implications for believers.
The hard wordπεριτετμημένος
Take awayBelievers should remain in their current state, whether circumcised or uncircumcised, as their faith is what truly matters.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectπεριτέμνω verbπεριτέμνω The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the New Testament

1 of 11 occurs nowhere else in the New Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

Bars are logarithmic — , the commonest word in the Greek New Testament, stands 19,867 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — 1 Corinthians 7:18

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — Instructions on Circumcisiongenerated

17Regardless, each one should lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is what I prescribe in all the churches.
18Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man still uncircumcised when called? He should not be circumcised.
19Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.
20Each one should remain in the situation he was in when he was called.

1 Corinthians 7:18 discusses the implications of circumcision for those who have been called to faith. Paul argues that one's physical state at the time of calling does not affect their relationship with God. He emphasizes that the essence of faith and obedience to God's commandments is what truly counts, regardless of cultural or religious practices. This theme resonates with the broader teachings found in Acts 15:1-5 and Galatians 5:1-3.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Acts 15:1–5Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2Galatians 5:1–3It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.
3Colossians 3:11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and is in all.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word περιτετμημένος, peritemnōgenerated

The word περιτετμημένος is a perfect passive participle of περιτέμνω, meaning to circumcise. It specifically refers to the Jewish practice of circumcision, which is a significant cultural and religious marker.

In this context, it indicates a man who is already circumcised at the time of his calling to faith. The perfect aspect indicates a completed action with ongoing relevance, emphasizing that this status should not change.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In comparing translations, the Berean Standard Bible uses circumcised for περιτετμημένος, which is also seen in the KJV and ASV. This reflects a consistent understanding of the term as it relates to the Jewish rite.

The translations differ on the phrasing of περιτεμνέσθω, with the BSB opting for he should be circumcised, while the KJV and ASV phrase it as let him not become uncircumcised. This highlights a divergence in how the imperative is rendered across versions.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of two main clauses, each presenting a question about circumcision, followed by an imperative. The finite verbs are ἐκλήθη (was called) and περιτεμνέσθω (he should be circumcised). Each clause addresses a different state of being — either circumcised or uncircumcised.

The structure is straightforward: the first clause asks about a man who is circumcised, and the second addresses one who is uncircumcised. The use of the imperative in the second part provides clear instruction based on the state of the subject.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

περιτέμνω appears in the Septuagint, where it translates the Hebrew word מוּל (H4135), which also means to circumcise. This connection underscores the continuity of the practice within Jewish tradition.

In the LXX, the term is used in various contexts, emphasizing its significance in the covenant relationship between God and His people, which is foundational to understanding Paul's argument in this verse.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Corinthians 7:18 addresses the question of circumcision for believers. Paul teaches that whether a person is circumcised or uncircumcised when they come to faith, it does not change their standing with God. Instead, what matters is keeping God’s commandments.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Paul mean by saying a man should not become uncircumcised?

Paul is emphasizing that once a person has undergone circumcision, they should not try to reverse that action, as it does not affect their relationship with God.

Why does Paul address the issue of circumcision in this letter?

Paul addresses this issue to clarify that physical rites do not determine one's faith or standing before God, especially in a diverse church where Jewish and Gentile believers coexisted.

What is the significance of being called?

Being called refers to God's invitation to faith, which is a transformative experience that transcends cultural practices like circumcision.

How does this teaching apply to modern believers?

Modern believers can understand that their relationship with God is based on faith and obedience rather than cultural or religious rituals.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I ensure that I focus on my relationship with God rather than cultural or religious practices?
  2. In what ways can I encourage others to embrace their identity in Christ, regardless of their background?
  3. What does it mean for me to keep God's commandments in my daily life?
  4. How can I support fellow believers who may feel pressured to conform to certain practices?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

The early Church Fathers provide insights on this verse, discussing its implications for the practice of circumcision among believers.

Theodore of MopsuestiaPAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH c. 350–428
It is not possible to replace flesh which has been cut off in this way, although the blessed Epiphanius of Cyprus says that it is. Those who want to know more about the subject can consult what he has to say about it.
Early Church Fathers on 1 Corinthians 7 →
PelagiusCOMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 7 c. 354–418
Someone who has been circumcised should not think that this is going too far, or regret it, because in its own day it was necessary. But neither should he seek to convert the uncircumcised to that practice.
Early Church Fathers on 1 Corinthians 7 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Corinthians 7:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Is any man called being circumcised?.... That is, if any man that is a Jew, who has been circumcised in his infancy, is called by the grace of God, as there were many in those days, and many of them

Read John Gill on 1 Corinthians 7 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised Is any called in uncircumcision? Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision?

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Corinthians 7 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Is any one who was a native Jew, and so circumcised according to the Jewish law, converted (while he is in that state) to the faith of Christ? Let him not affect the state of him that, having been formerly a Gentile, was never circumcised. On the other side, is any, being a native Gentile, and so not circumcised, converted to Christianity? Let not him affect the state of one converted from Judaism, who was circumcised. This is, doubtless, the sense of the verse, not, (as some would have it), let him not endeavour by art to make himself uncircumcised, which was the wicked practice of some, (for a better compliance with the Gentiles), of whom we read, /Apc .

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Corinthians 7 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. Ver. 18. Let him not become uncircumcised] Some Jews, for fear of Antiochus, made themselves uncircumcised, RAPC 1Ma 1:15. Others for shame after they were gained to the knowledge of Christ, as here. This was done by drawing up the foreskin with a sergeon’ s instrument. And of this wicked invention Esau is said to be the first author and practiser. (Godw. Antiq. Hebr.)

Read John Trapp on 1 Corinthians 7 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(18) Is any man called being circumcised?—Better, Was any one called having been circumcised? The previous general rule is now illustrated by, and applied to, two conditions of life— (1 Corinthians 7:18-20) and SLAVERY (1 Corinthians 7:20-24). If any man was converted after having been circumcised, he was not, as some over-zealous Christians might have been anxious to do, to remove every trace of his external connection with Judaism (Galatians 5:2).

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Corinthians 7 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 18. Is any man called being circumcised?] Is any man who was formerly a Jew converted to Christianity? Let him not become circumcised.] Let him not endeavour to abolish the sign of the old covenant, which he bears in his flesh. The Greek words μηεπισπασθω, let him not draw over, are evidently an elliptical expression: the word τηνακροβυστιαν, the fore-skin, being understood; which, indeed, is added by the Armenian and the Itala, and several of the Latin fathers. It is a fact that it was possible by the assistance of art to do this; and Celsus himself prescribes the mode, De Medic. vii. 25. By frequent stretching, the circumcised skin could be again so drawn over, as to prevent the…

Read AdamClarke on 1 Corinthians 7 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

18. Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised] Many Jews, we are assured, were ashamed of their Judaism, and were desirous to obliterate all the outward signs of it. (1Ma 1:15.) This feeling would receive an additional impulse from conversion to Christianity. But St Paul believed that, once a Jew, a man was ‘a debtor to do the whole law’ (Galatians 5:3). He acted upon this view of the case himself (Acts 18:21; Acts 21:26) in marked contrast to the Judaizing teachers (Galatians 6:13), but with one exception under special circumstances (Acts 16:3). Therefore he urged those who were called in Judaism not to abandon the customs of their nation.Is any called in…

Read Cambridge on 1 Corinthians 7 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Is any man called? - Does anyone become a Christian? See the note at 1 Corinthians 1:26.

Read Albert Barnes on 1 Corinthians 7 →

The verse in English, compared — 16 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man still uncircumcised when called? He should not be circumcised.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Was anyone called having been circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man still uncircumcised when called? He should not be circumcised.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Was anyone called after he had been circumcised? He should not try to undo his circumcision. Was anyone called who is uncircumcised? He should not get circumcised.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Was any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Hath any been called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Was any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Hath any been called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not become circumcised.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Is any man called being circumcised? let him not gather his vncircumcision: is any called vncircumcised? let him not be circumcised.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Has any one been called circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised: has any one been called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

being circumcised — was any one called? let him not become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision was any one called? let him not be circumcised;

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

being circumcised—was anyone called? Do not let him become uncircumcised; in uncircumcision was anyone called? Do not let him be circumcised;

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Was anyone circumcised when he was called to believe? He should not try to appear uncircumcised. Was anyone uncircumcised when he was called to faith? He should not be circumcised.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Is any man called, being circumcised? let him not procure uncircumcision. Is any man called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Were you circumcised when you were converted? Don't become uncircumcised. Were you uncircumcised when you were converted? Don't become circumcised.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

If any man who is a Christian has had circumcision, let him keep so; and if any man who is a Christian has not had circumcision, let him make no change.

Word by word, the decisions they made

Περιτετμημένοςperitemnō circumcised G4059 3 different renderings
being circumcisedASV DRA GNV KJV LSV NWB RVA YLT
be circumcisedBSB DBY MSB ULB WEB
circumcisedFBV NETB
περιτεμνέσθω.peritemnō he should d be circumcise. G4059 3 different renderings
being circumcisedASV DRA GNV KJV LSV NWB RVA YLT
be circumcisedBSB DBY MSB ULB WEB
circumcisedFBV NETB

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the Nestle 1904 treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseadverbialπεριτετμημένοςHaving been circumcisedsubjectτιςanyoneverbἐκλήθηwas calledclauseadverbialμὴNotverbἐπισπάσθωlet him be uncircumcisedclauseprepositional phrase · adverbialἐνInἀκροβυστίᾳuncircumcisionverbκέκληταίwas calledsubjectτιςanyoneclauseadverbialμὴNotverbπεριτεμνέσθωlet Him be circumcised

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The earliest translations — Latin and Syriac

Every translation is an argument about meaning made by someone who had to commit to one. These two were made while the Greek was still a living language, and they are the oldest opinions we have about what this verse says.

Latin VulgateAD 382–405

Circumcisus aliquis vocatus est ? non adducat præputium. In præputio aliquis vocatus est ? non circumcidatur.

Jerome revised the Old Latin against the Greek from AD 382; the Latin west read this text for a thousand years.

Syriac Peshittaby AD 400

ܐܢ ܟܕ ܓܙܝܪ ܐܢܫ ܐܬܩܪܝ ܠܐ ܢܗܦܘܟ ܠܗ ܠܥܘܪܠܘܬܐ ܘܐܢ ܒܥܘܪܠܘܬܐ ܐܬܩܪܝ ܠܐ ܢܓܙܘܪ

The Bible of the Syriac-speaking church, in the language nearest to the Aramaic Jesus spoke.

Shown verse by verse rather than word by word: aligning a Greek word to its Latin or Syriac counterpart automatically would be guesswork, and a wrong alignment is worse than none.


The Greek editions compared — what the manuscripts actually say

Eight printed editions of the Greek New Testament, side by side. Where they agree the wording is settled; where a word is missing from an edition it is marked, so you can see the difference rather than take it on trust.

Nestle-Aland 28th edition2012 · Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft

Περιτετμημένος τις ἐκλήθη; μὴ ἐπισπάσθω· ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ κέκληταί τις; μὴ περιτεμνέσθω.

The standard critical text of the New Testament.

Nestle-Aland 27th edition1993 · Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft

Περιτετμημένος τις ἐκλήθη; μὴ ἐπισπάσθω· ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ κέκληταί τις; μὴ περιτεμνέσθω.

The previous edition, still widely cited.

SBL Greek New Testament2010 · Michael Holmes

Περιτετμημένος τις ἐκλήθη; μὴ ἐπισπάσθω· ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ κέκληταί τις; μὴ περιτεμνέσθω.

The Society of Biblical Literature edition, freely licensed.

Westcott–Hort1881 · Westcott and Hort

Περιτετμημένος τις ἐκλήθη; μὴ ἐπισπάσθω· ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ κέκληταί τις; μὴ περιτεμνέσθω.

The edition that turned scholarship toward the earliest manuscripts.

Tregelles1857–1879 · Samuel Prideaux Tregelles

Περιτετμημένος τις ἐκλήθη; μὴ ἐπισπάσθω· ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ κέκληταί τις; μὴ περιτεμνέσθω.

An independent critical text built from the oldest witnesses then known.

Tyndale House Greek NT2017 · Tyndale House, Cambridge

Περιτετμημένος τις ἐκλήθη; μὴ ἐπισπάσθω· ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ κέκληταί τις; μὴ περιτεμνέσθω.

A recent critical edition following documentary evidence closely.

Byzantine majority text2018 · Robinson–Pierpont

Περιτετμημένος τις ἐκλήθη; μὴ ἐπισπάσθω· ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ τις; μὴ περιτεμνέσθω.

The reading of the majority of surviving manuscripts.

Textus Receptus1550/1894 lineage

Περιτετμημένος τις ἐκλήθη; μὴ ἐπισπάσθω· ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ τις; μὴ περιτεμνέσθω.

The printed tradition behind the King James Version.

Every witness on this verse they differ
Critical editions
Nestle-Aland 28th edition2012Nestle-Aland 27th edition1993SBL Greek New Testament2010Westcott–Hort1881Tregelles1857–1879Tyndale House Greek NT2017
Byzantine / Majority
Byzantine majority text2018
Received Text
Textus Receptus1550/1894

A witness that read differently would show its variant word here, marked.

Word by word, across the editions

WordEditions carrying itMissing from
κέκληταί has been calledNA28, NA27, Tyn, SBL, WH, TregTR, Byz

The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Greek New Testament — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

1 Corinthians 7:18περιτέμνωcircumcisedcircumcisedπεριτέμνωτὶςanyoneanyoneτὶςκαλέωwas called?was called?καλέωμήNotNotμήἐπισπάομαιhe should bhe should becomἐπισπάομαιἐνInInἐνἀκροβυστίαuncircumcisuncircumcisionἀκροβυστίακαλέωhas been cahas been calledκαλέωτὶςanyoneanyoneτὶςμήNotNotμήπεριτέμνωhe should dhe should d be περιτέμνωπερίPrep. abouPrep. about, coπερίκελεύωv. I commav. I command, oκελεύωοὐNeg.prt. nNeg.prt. no, noοὐἐπίPrep. on, Prep. on, to, aἐπίἄκρονn.n. the en.n. the end, eἄκρονεἰςPrep. intoPrep. into, in,εἰςἐκPrep. fromPrep. from out,ἐκἀναγκάζωv. I forcev. I force, comἀναγκάζωκαλέωv. I call,v. I call, inviκαλέωτολμάωv. I dare,v. I dare, enduτολμάωδοκέωv. I thinkv. I think, seeδοκέωτίκτωv. I bear,v. I bear, brinτίκτωἁμαρτωλόςAdj sinninAdj sinning, siἁμαρτωλόςπότεIrg.prt. wIrg.prt. when, πότεφοβέωv. I fear,v. I fear, am tφοβέωσυναγωγήn.f. an asn.f. an assemblσυναγωγήἔρημοςAdj desertAdj deserted, dἔρημοςπεριτομήn.f. circun.f. circumcisiπεριτομή
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in 1 Corinthians 7:18

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Greek lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. Imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, the full Liddell-Scott-Jones, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate LSJ, Robinson and Packard on the Greek, Webster and Cawdrey on the English the translators were using. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

circumcised anyone was called? Not he should become uncircumcised; In uncircumcision has been called anyone Not he should d be circumcise.
Περιτετμημένοςperitemnō circumcised G4059 Verb · perfect · passive · participle · nominative · singular · masculine
17× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to circumcise, or cut around, specifically referring to the Jewish practice of circumcising males. It is used in Luke 1:59 to describe the circumcision of John the Baptist. In Acts 15:1, it describes the controversy over whether Gentile Christians must be circumcised.
Amplified meaning
in a Jewish covenant context
Tyndale gloss
to circumcise
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

περιτέμνω is a verb meaning to cut around, specifically to circumcise. It appears in various contexts in the New Testament, notably in Luke and Acts, referring to the Jewish rite of circumcision. The term can also be used metaphorically, as seen in Colossians, where it signifies a spiritual cutting away of sin. The word is derived from the combination of a prefix meaning 'around' and a root meaning 'to cut'.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

περι-τέμνω,

[in LXX chiefly for מוּל;]

(Ion., Epic. and late writers),

to cut around (Hdt.), hence, to circumcise (π. τὰ αἰδοῖα, Hdt.): Lk 1:59 2:21, Jo 7:22, Ac 7:8 15:5 16:3 21:21. Pass. and mid., to be circumcised, receive circumcision: Ac 15:1, I Co 7:18, Ga 2:3 5:2, 3 6:12, 13. Metaph. (cf. De 10:16, Je 4:4, al.), Col 2:11 (v. Deiss., BS, 151 f.; MM, xix).†

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

περι-τέμνω (lon. περιτάμνω) ; 2 pres. περιτέμνομαι; pf. ptep. περιτετμημένος ; 1 aor. περιεἐτμήθην; [fr. Hes. down]; Sept. chiefly for 539; to cut around (cf. περί, III. 1]: τινά, to circumcise, cut off one’s prepuce (used of that well-known rite by which not only the male children of the Israelites, on the eighth day after birth, but subsequently also ‘proselytes of righteousness’ were consecrated to Jehovah and introduced into the number of his people; [ef. BB. DD. s. v. Circumcision; Oehler’s O. T. Theol. (ed. Day) 88 87, 88; Miller, Barnabasbrief, p. 227 sq.]), Lk. i. 59; ii. 21; Jn. vii. 22; Acts vii. 8; xv.53 xvi. 3; xxi. 21; of the same rite, Diod. 1,28; pass. and mid. to get one’s self circumcised, present one’s self to be circumcised, receive circumcision [ef. W. § 38, 3]: Acts xv. 1, 24 Rec.; 1 Co. vii. 18; Gal. ii. 3; v.2sq.; vi. 12sq.; with ra αἰδοῖα added, Hat. 2, 36 and…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

περιτέμνω is always used in the LXX for the ceremonial act of circumcision, and Deissmann (4S p. 151 ff.) has suggested that the choice of this particular compound by the LXX translators may have been due to the fact that it was ‘‘in common use as a technical term for an Egyptian custom similar to the Old Testament cércumczsion.” He cites by , περιτρέπω way of illustration P Lond 2413 (B.c. 163) (=I. p. 32, UPZ i. p. 117) ὡς ἔθος ἐστὶν] τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις περι[[τε]]τέμνεσθαι (see further below), and BGU I. 3471} (a.p. 171) where we read of a boy—rrepit]pnOqvat [kata] τὸ ἔθος. To this evidence we can now add a series of documents dealing with the priests of Soknebtunis, P Tebt II. 291-3: see especially 292 (a.p. 189-190), where a priest makes request to the strategus that κατὰ τὸ ἔθος ἐπιϊστολὴν.. .7 γραφῆναι ὑπὸ σοῦ t[¢ κρατίστῳ ἀρχιερεῖ ἵνα] συνχωρήσαντος αὐτοῦ δυν[ηθῶσιν οἱ παῖδες]…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

περιτέμνω (peritemnō) — to circumcise.

περιτέμνω,

Epic dialect and Ionic dialect περι-τάμνω, cut or clip round about, οἴνας περιταμνέμεν prune them, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of a goldsmith, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] —middle, βραχίονας περιτάμνονται make incisions all over their arms, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, to be cut up, of fish, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

2. of circumcision, τῶν ἐπιγινομένων οὐ περιτάμνουσι τὰ αἰδοῖα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. τοὺς παῖδας [LXX+3rd c.BC+], etc.:— middle, περιτάμνονται τὰ αἰδοῖα [LXX+5th c.BC+]: absolutely, practise circumcision, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, [LXX]

3. cut off the extremities, τὰ ὦτα καὶ τὴν ῥῖνα [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, περιτάμνεσθαι γῆν to be curtailed of certain land, [Refs 5th…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

περιτέμνω

peritemno

from 4012 and the base of 5114; to cut around, i.e. (specially) to

circumcise:--circumcise.

see GREEK for 4012

see GREEK for 5114

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

περιτέμνω

v.

I circumcise

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

περιτέμνω peritemnō 17x

to cut around; to circumcise, remove the prepuce, Lk. 1:59; 2:21; met. Col. 2:11; mid. to submit to circumcision, Acts 15:1

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

περιτέμνω ionic -τάμνω fut. -τεμῶ perf. -τέτμηκα aor2 -έτεμον to cut or clip round about, Lat. circumcidere, οἰνὰς περιταμνέμεν to prune them, Hes.; τὴν κεφαλὴν π. κύκλῳ περὶ τὰ ὦτα Hdt.:—Mid., περιτάμνεσθαι βραχίονας to make incisions all round one's arms, id. Hdt.

of circumcision, id. Hdt.: and in Mid., περιτάμνονται τὰ αἰδοῖα they practise circumcision, id. Hdt.

to cut off the extremities, τὰ ὦτα καὶ τὴν ῥῖνα id. Hdt.:—Pass., περιτάμνεσθαι γῆν to be curtailed of certain land, id. Hdt.

to cut off and hem in all round, cut off, Lat. intercipere; hence in Mid., βοῦς περιταμνόμενος cutting off cattle for oneself, "lifting" cattle, Od.:—Pass. to be cut off, intercepted, Xen.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-RPP-NSM — Verb · perfect · passive · participle · nominative · singular · masculine
nominative — the one doing it — the subject.
Agrees with anything else marked singular masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-RPP-NSM Part of Speech: Verb Tense: peRfect Voice: Passive Mood: Participle Case: Nominative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
22%circumcise
circumcise22% · 4×be circumcised22% · 4×circumcised11% · 2×you shall become circumcised11% · 2×being circumcised11% · 2×he circumcised6% · 1×he should d be circumcise6% · 1×you were circumcised6% · 1×other renderings6% · 1×

18 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 9 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
verb82%adverbial6%object6%indirect object6%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 17 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
μήNeg
ἐάνCondλέγωI say, speakτὶς
Article the
ὀκτώIndecγάρfor
καίand, even, also, nam
ἸσαάκPropὅς
σύ
ἀναγκάζωI force, compelθέλωI will, wish, de
ἔρχομαιI come, go
ὄγδοοςeighth
περιτέμνωcircumcised17×
what comes after →
αὐτός
Article theκαίand, even, also,παραγγέλλωI notify, comman
Article the
παιδίονa little child, ἔθοςa custom
ἄνθρωποςa man, one of the hu
τὶς
καλέωI call, invite,
Χριστόςanointed, the Messia
σύ

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceπεριτέμνω · 17× in the New Testament
Galatians Acts 1 Corinthians Luke Colossians John
Across the New Testament6 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 22 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus The Epistle of Barnabas Philo of Alexandria
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Migration of Abraham 92c. AD 40

μηδ’ ὅτι τὸ περιτέμνεσθαι ἡδονῆς καὶ παθῶν πάντων ἐκτομὴν καὶ δόξης ἀναίρεσιν ἀσεβοῦς ἐμφαίνει, καθ’ ἣν ὑπέλαβεν ὁ νοῦς ἱκανὸς εἶναι γεννᾶν δι’ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀνέλωμεν τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ περιτομῇ τεθέντα νόμον·

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.192c. AD 75–95

προσέταξέ τε βουλόμενος τὸ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ γένος μένειν τοῖς ἄλλοις οὐ συμφυρόμενον περιτέμνεσθαι τὰ αἰδοῖα καὶ τοῦτο ποιεῖν ὀγδόῃ ἡμέρᾳ μετὰ τὸ γεννηθῆναι.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 9.1c. AD 100

Λέγει γὰρ πάλιν περὶ τῶν ὠτίων, πῶς περιέτεμεν ἡμῶν τὴν καρδίαν.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD 2nd c. BC 4th c. AD
Chrest.Wilck. 77Soknopaiu Nesos (Arsinoites)AD 149

καὶ τῶν συννάων θεῶν ἱεροῦ λογίμου κώμης Σοκνοπαίου Νήσου ἐπέδωκάν μοι βιβλίδιον βουλόμενοι ἱερατικῶς περιτεμεῖν οἱ μὲν υἱοὺς ἑαυτῶν, οἱ δὲ συνγενεῖς ἐκ μητέρων τῶν ὑπογεγραμμένων καὶ παρέθεντο ἀντίγραφα

Stud.Pal. 22 51Soknopaiu Nesos (Arsinoites)AD 153

Κλαύδιος Ἀγαθοκλῆς ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερέων σημειωσάμενος τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐπέτρεψε τὸν Στοτοῆν περιτμηθῆναι κατὰ τὸ ἔθος.

P.Rain.Cent. 58Soknopaiu Nesos (Arsinoites)AD 156

θεῶν ἱεροῦ λογίμου τοῦ ὄντος ἐν κώμῃ Σοκνοπαίου Νήσου ἐπέδωκέ μοι βιβλίδιον βουλόμενος ἱερατικῶς περιτεμεῖν υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ δύο Πακῦσιν καὶ Στοτοῆτιν ἐκ μητρὸς Ταφιώμιος ἱερείας τῶν αὐτῶν θεῶν· εἰς

circumcised anyone was called? Not he should become uncircumcised; In uncircumcision has been called anyone Not he should d be circumcise.
τιςtis anyone G5100 Indefinite pronoun · nominative · singular · masculine
529× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This pronoun refers to a person or thing in a general sense, as seen in Luke 9:49 and John 11:1. It can mean someone, anyone, or anything. This term is often used to describe an unspecified individual or object.
Tyndale gloss
one
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

τὶς is an enclitic indefinite pronoun meaning 'someone' or 'something.' It can refer to a certain person or object and appears in both singular and plural forms, such as τινός and τινες. The New Testament uses it in various contexts, including Luke 9:49 and Acts 5:25. It is related to the interrogative pronoun τίς, indicating its flexible use in questions and statements.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

τις, neut., τι, gen., τινός,

enclitic indefinite pron., related to interrog. τίς as πού, πως, ποτέ to ποῦ, πῶς, πότε.

As subst.,

one, a certain one: Lk 9:49, Jo 11:1, Ac 5:25, al.; pl., τίνες, certain, some: Lk 13:1, Ac 15:1, Ro 3:8, al.

someone, anyone, something, anything: Mt 12:29, Mk 9:30, Lk 8:46, Jo 2:25, Ac 17:25, Ro…

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

τὶς, τὶ. ἘΣ what follows, εἰ καί lays less emphasis upon it; although it is evident that εἰ καί can often be substituted for καὶ ei.” Cf. Herm. Vig. p. 829 sq.; W. 444 (413); Ellic. on Phil. ii. 17; Schmalfeld, Griech. Syntax, § 41; Paley, Grk. Particles, p. 31]. 8. εἰ μή, a. in a conditional protasis, with the same sequence of moods and tenses as the simple εἰ, see 1. above, if not, unless, except, [W. 477 (444) sqq.; B. 345 (297)]: Mt. xxiv. 22; Jn. ix. 33; | xv. 22, 24; Ro. vii. 7, ete. b. it serves, with the entire. following sentence, to limit or correct what has just been said, only, save that, (Lat. nisi quod), [B. 359 (308) ]: Mk. vi. 5; 1 Co. vii. 17 (where Paul by the addition εἰ μὴ ἑκάστῳ κτλ. strives to prevent any one in applying what had been said a little while before, viz. οὐ δεδούλωται . . ἐν τοιούτοις to his own case, from going too far) ; in ironical answers, unless…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

τις (indef. pron.), ‘* someone, something’’: P Vat ΑἸ (B.c. 168) (= UPZi. p. 303) πᾶς τις πειρᾶται. . ., P Lond 421° (B.C. 168) (= Selections, p. 10) εἰς πᾶν τι ἐληλυθυῖα διὰ, τὴν τοῦ σίτου τιμήν, ‘having come to the last extremity because of the high price of corn,’’ P Oxy IV. 7421° (B.c. 2) ἐάν τι δύνῃ... δὸς ἐργασίαν, “if you can, give your attention to it’’ (Edd.), 2d. I. 120% (iv/a.D.) τινα ὁρῶντα αἱαυτὸν (/. ἑαυτὸν) ἐν δυστυχίᾳ, ““α man finding himself in adversity,’ 13 ἀποστῖλόν pot τινα ἢ Γοῦνθον ἢ ᾿Αμμώνιον, “send someone to me, either Gunthus or Ammonius” (Edd.). P Oxy VI. 937°" (ili/A.D.) γ]ράψον ἐκεῖ TO kat’ εἶδος ὅτι τι kal τι εἴληφας is translated by the editors ‘* write the list there, that you have received so and so.” They 3) ες remark that it is simpler to take τι καί τι as analogous to τὸ καὶ τό than ‘‘to take τί kal τί as an indirect interrogative, ὅτι being…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

τις (tis) — one.

τις,

τι, Indef. pronoun any one, any thing, enclitic through all cases (for exceptions see below):—but τί; τί; Interrog. pronoun who? what?, oxytone in the monosyllable cases, paroxytone in the others:—Dialectal forms: [Refs 5th c.AD+] σις (si se) [Refs 4th c.AD+] σις (with ?? for σ) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Thess. κις [Refs], neuter κι in διεκί, ποκκί (which see); neuter plural Doric dialect σά, Boeotian dialect τά, Aeolic dialect dative τίω, τίοισι (see. infr. B). (I.-[Refs 5th c.BC+] q[uglide]i-, cf. Latin quis, quid, etc.; for σά, τά, see at {ἄσσα}, σά μά; with τέο (see. infr. B) cf. OSlav. genitive česo)

__A Indef. pronoun τις, τι, genitive Ionic dialect τεο [Refs 8th c.BC+]; more frequently τευ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Trag. and Attic dialect του [Refs 5th c.BC+]; του is rare after [NT+4th…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

τὶς

tis

an enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object:--a (kind

of), any (man, thing, thing at all), certain (thing), divers, he

(every) man, one (X thing), ought, + partly, some (man, -body, -

thing, -what), (+ that no-)thing, what(-soever), X wherewith,

whom(-soever), whose(-soever).

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

τις, τι

Indef.pr.

any one, some one

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

τις tis 534x

enclitic, indefinite pronoun, a certain one, someone, Mt. 12:47; pl. some, certain, several, Lk. 8:2; Acts 9:19; 2 Pet. 3:16; one, a person, Mt. 12:29; Lk. 14:8; Jn. 6:50; combined with the name of an individual, one, Mk. 15:21; as it were in a manner, a kind of, Heb. 10:27; Jas. 1:18; any whatever, Read the full entry →

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Indef-NSM — Indefinite pronoun · nominative · singular · masculine
nominative — the one doing it — the subject.
Agrees with anything else marked singular masculine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

X-NSM Part of Speech: indefinite pronoun Case: Nominative Number: Singular Gender: Masculine

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
27%anyone
anyone27% · 144×some19% · 102×certain17% · 93×anything9% · 48×any9% · 47×one6% · 34×someone4% · 19×something3% · 18×other renderings7% · 37×

542 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 35 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
subject66%object20%adverbial9%predicate3%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 530 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
εἰCond
καίand, even, also,αὐτόςὅτιthat, since, bec
δέbut, on the other ha
εἰCondεἰμίI am, existλέγωI say, speak
ἐάνCond
καίand, even, also,λέγωI say, speakἐγώ
μήNeg
ἵναin order that, sἐάνCondβλέπωI look, see
καίand, even, also, nam
αὐτόςΦαρισαῖοςa Phariseeὁδόςa way, road, jou
τὶςanyone529×
what comes after →
Article the
γραμματεύςa scribe, town-cμαθητήςa learner, disciἀπό
σύ
λέγωI say, speakπλανάωI lead astray, dἐρωτάωI ask, question,
αὐτός
ἐκὁράωI see, look uponἀπό
ἐκ
αὐτόςArticle theἐγώ
εἰμίI am, exist
ἐνπλούσιοςrichὑδρωπικόςafflicted with d

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceτὶς · 529× in the New Testament
Acts Luke John 1 Corinthians Mark 2 Corinthians Hebrews Matthew 1 Timothy Romans James Revelation

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 121 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Philo of Alexandria Josephus The Shepherd of Hermas Clement of Rome Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 4c. AD 40

καὶ γὰρ λόγον καὶ ἀκοὴν ὑπερβάλλει μείζω καὶ σεμνότερα ὄντα ἢ ὡς θνητοῦ τινος ὀργάνοις ἐναρμοσθῆναι.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.argc. AD 75–95

ὅτι λιμοῦ τὴν Χαναναίαν καταλαβόντος εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἀπῆρε καὶ διατρίψας ἐν αὐτῇ τινα χρόνον ὑπέστρεψεν ὀπίσω.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 2.5c. AD 100

πλήρης εἰμὶ ὁλοκαυτωμάτων, καὶ στέαρ ἀρνῶν καὶ αἷμα ταύρων καὶ τράγων οὐ βούλομαι, οὐδ̓ ἂν ἔρχησθε ὀφθῆναί μοι, τίς γὰρ ἐξεζήτησεν ταῦτα ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν;

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 3rd c. BC 3rd c. AD 4th c. AD 6th c. AD

ἂν ὦσι γείτονες πάντοθεν· μὴ ἐξέστω δὲ τῷ καθόλου ἐπὶ τὴν διαθήκην ταύτην ἄλλῳ τινὶ ἐπέρχεσθαι, εἰ δὲ μὴ ἄκυρον ἔστω καὶ προσαποτεισάτω ὁ ἐπιφέρων ὕστερον … ἄλλον τῆς

P.Cair. Cat. 10364 descr.Pathyris126 BC–102 BC

προγεγραμμένου ἵππου, καὶ μὴ ἐπελεύσεσθαί σοι ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ. ἐὰν δὲ ἐπέλθωμεν ἢ ἄλλος τις ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἥ τʼ ἔφοδος ἄκυρος ἔσται καὶ προσαποτείσομέν σοι χαλκοῦ τάλαντα πέντε.

BGU 6 1260Pathyris102 BC

σημαινομένης ἀρούρης μιᾶς , καὶ μὴ ἐπελεύσασθαι Νεχθανοῦπιν καὶ τοὺς τούτου υἱοὺς μηδʼ ἄλλον τινὰ τῶν παρʼ αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὸν Πετεαρσεμθεία μηδʼ ἐπʼ ἄλλον τινὰ τῶν παρʼ αὐτοῦ περὶ

circumcised anyone was called? Not he should become uncircumcised; In uncircumcision has been called anyone Not he should d be circumcise.
ἐκλήθη;kaleō was called? G2564 Verb · aorist · passive · indicative · third person · singular
148× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to call or invite someone, like calling out to them loudly. It's used in Matthew 20:8 and Mark 3:31 to describe calling people to come and follow. This word can also mean to invite someone to a special event or to join in something.
Amplified meaning
invited by God
Tyndale gloss
to call: call
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

καλέω is a Greek verb meaning 'to call' or 'to summon.' It encompasses a range of uses, including inviting someone to a meal or event, calling someone by name, and metaphorically inviting people to partake in spiritual blessings. The New Testament frequently employs this term, notably in Matthew and Romans. Notably, Liddell-Scott mentions its use in legal contexts, which is not highlighted in other entries.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

καλέω, -ῶ,

[in LXX chiefly for קרא;]

to call, summon: c. acc. pers., Mt 20:8 25:14, Mk 3:31, Lk 19:13, Ac 4:18; seq. ἐκ, Mt 2:15(LXX); metaph., I Pe 2:9.

to call to one's house, invite: Lk 14:16, I Co 10:27, Re 19:9; εἰς τ. γάμους, Mt 22:3, 9, Lk 14:8, 9, Jo 2:2; ὁ καλέσας,

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

καλέω, -@; impf. ἐκάλουν; fut. καλέσω (W. § 13, 3c.); 1 aor. ἐκάλεσα; pi. κέκληκα; Pass., pres. καλοῦμαι; pf. 3 pers. sing. κέκληται (1 Co. vii. 18 LT Tr WH; [Rev. xix. 13 L T Tr WH)), ptep. κεκλημένος ; 1 aor. ἐκλήθην ; 1 fut. κληθήσομαι ; [fr. Hom. down]; Hebr. xp; Lat. voco; i. e. 1. to call (Germ. rufen τὰ βοάω, fin.]) ; a. to call aloud, utter in a loud voice: ἄχρις οὗ τὸ σήμερον καλεῖται, as long as the word ‘to-day’ is called out or proclaimed, Heb. iii. 13; τινά, to call one to approach or stand before one, Mt. xx. 8; xxii. 3 (where εἰς τοὺς γάμους seems to belong to τοὺς κεκλημένους) : Mt. xxv. 14; [Mk. iii. 31 LT Tr WH]; Lk. xix. 13; τὰ ἴδια πρόβατα κατ᾽ ὄνομα, his own sheep each by its name, Jn. x. 3 (where LT Tr WH φωνεῖ); used of Christ, calling certain persons to be his disciples and constant companions, Mt. iv. 21 (note what precedes in 19: δεῦτε ὀπίσω pov); Mk. i. 20; to…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

καλέω. For this verb = ‘‘summon,” “invite,” as in Mt 22° a/., see P Oxy XII. 1487" (iv/A.D.) καλῖ σε Θέων vids ᾿Ωριγένους εἰς τοὺς γάμους THs ἀδελφῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἐν τῇ αὔριον, and similarly 26. 14861 (iv/A.p.). In both instances it is noticeable that καλῖ takes the place of the earlier ἐρωτᾷ, cf. 73. 1484, 1485. See also P Hamb I. 295 (A.D. 89) κληθέντων τινῶν . καὶ μὴ ὑπακουσάντων. The participle is common = “‘called,’’ ‘‘named,”’ as in Lk 7 a/., e.g. P Petr 11. 4531 20 (B.C. 246) els φρούριον τὸ καλούμενον [ΠΠἸοσιδέον, Osty , καλος 1210 (Roman) Πασήμιο(ς) ΠΠκῶτο(ς) καλ(ούμενος), BGU I. 3497 (A.D. 313) ἐν κλήρῳ καλουμένου (1. — évw) ᾿Αφρικιανός and P Oxy X. 12737 (A.D. 260) περιτραχήλιον μανιάκην,. καλούμενον, ‘a necklace of the kind called maniaces’’ (Edd.). With the usage in Gal 115 we may compare CP Herm I. 251-7’ Αντωνῖνος κληθήσεται and 24. 261: εἰ δοκεῖ σίοι] κληθῆναι... αὐτούς, where…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

καλέω (kaleō) — to call: call.

κᾰλέω,

Aeolic dialect κάλημι (which see), Epic dialect infinitive καλήμεναι [Refs 8th c.BC+]: Ionic dialect imperfect καλέεσκον [Refs]; 3rd.pers. singular κάλεσκε [Refs 3rd c.BC+]: future, Ionic dialect καλέω [Refs 8th c.BC+], Attic dialect καλῶ [LXX+5th c.BC+]aorist 1 subjunctive): aorist 1 ἐκάλεσα, Epic dialect ἐκάλεσσα, κάλεσσα, [Refs 8th c.BC+] (late Epic dialect ἔκλησα [Refs 2nd c.BC+]: perfect κέκληκα [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—middle, Attic dialect future καλοῦμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; later καλέσομαι (ἐκ-, ἐπι-) uncertain reading in [Refs 4th c.BC+]: aorist 1 ἐκαλεσάμην [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Epic dialect καλεσσάμην [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—passive, future κεκλήσομαι [LXX+8th c.BC+]: aorist ἐκλήθην [Refs 7th c.BC+]perfect κέκλημαι, Epic dialect 3rd.pers. plural κεκλήαται [Refs 3rd c.BC+], Ionic dialect κεκλέαται [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Epic dialect 3rd.pers. plural…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

καλέω

kaleo

akin to the base of 2753; to "call" (properly, aloud, but used in a

variety of applications, directly or otherwise):--bid, call (forth),

(whose, whose sur-)name (was (called)).

see GREEK for 2753

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

καλέω

v.

I call, invite, name

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

καλέω kaleō 148x

to call, call to, Jn. 10:3; to call into one’s presence, send for a person, Mt. 2:7; to summon, Mt. 2:15; 25:14; to invite, Mt. 22:9; to call to the performance of a certain thing, Mt. 9:13; Heb. 11:8; to call to a participation in the privileges of the Gospel, Rom. 8:30; 9:24; 1 Cor. 1:9; 7:18; to call to an office or dignity, Heb. 5:4; to name, style, Read the full entry →

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

καλέω καλέσω is aor1 subj. to call, summon, Hom., etc.: Mid. to call to oneself, id. Hom.

to call to a repast, to invite, Od.; κ. ἐπὶ δεῖπνον Hdt., Xen.; κληθέντες πρός τινα invited to his house, Dem.

to call on, invoke, τοὺς θεούς Hdt., attic; so in Mid., Aesch., etc.:—but ἀράς, ἅς σοι καλοῦμαι curses, which I call down on thee, Soph.:—in Pass., of the god, to be invoked, Aesch.

as law-term, of the judge, to cite or summon before the court, Ar., Dem.; πρὶν τὴν ἐμὴν [δίκην] καλεῖσθαι before it is called on, Ar.

of the plaintiff, in Mid., καλεῖσθαί τινα to sue at law, Lat. vocare in jus, id. Ar., etc.

to call by name, to call, name, Il., Trag.:— ὄνομα καλεῖν τινά to call him a name (i. e. by name), Od.; so, without ὄνομα, τί νιν καλοῦσα τύχοιμ᾽ ἄν; Aesch.:—Pass., τύμβωι δ᾽…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-API-3S — Verb · aorist · passive · indicative · third person · singular
aorist passive indicative — a completed action, viewed as a whole.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-API-3S Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Aorist Voice: Passive Mood: Indicative Person: third Number: Singular

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
16%being called
being called16% · 24×called10% · 15×having called7% · 10×invited7% · 10×calling5% · 7×will be called5% · 7×call4% · 6×you were called4% · 6×other renderings42% · 62×

147 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 45 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
verb59%linking verb40%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 148 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
ὄροςa mountainλέγωI say, speakἸούδαςJudah, Judas, Ju
καίand, even, also, nam
υἱόςa son, descendenὅςαὐτός
αὐτός
ἐπίτροποςa steward, guardδοῦλος (II)πρός
ὅς
κλῆσιςa calling, summoσύκαίand, even, also,
θεόςGod, a god
υἱόςa son, descendenφίλοςτέκνονa child, descend
καλέωwas called?148×
what comes after →
Article the
ὄνομαname, character,μάγοςa sorcerer, magiυἱόςa son, descenden
σύ
σπέρμαseed, offspringArticle theεἰς
αὐτός
κύριοςlord, Lord, mastκαίand, even, also,ἐπί
καίand, even, also, nam
δίδωμιI offer, giveπῶςὅς
ἐν
Article theεἷςoneοὗτος

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceκαλέω · 148× in the New Testament
Luke Matthew Acts 1 Corinthians Romans Revelation 1 Peter Hebrews Galatians Mark 1 Thessalonians Ephesians

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament20 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 254 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria Clement of Rome The Shepherd of Hermas Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 15c. AD 40

ἑκάστῃ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀπένειμεν ἔνια τῶν τοῦ παντὸς τμημάτων τὴν πρώτην ὑπεξελόμενος, ἣν αὐτὸς οὐδὲ πρώτην, ἵνα μὴ ταῖς ἄλλαις συγκαταριθμῆται, καλεῖ, μίαν δ’ ὀνομάσας ὀνόματι εὐθυβόλῳ προσαγορεύει, τὴν μονάδος φύσιν καὶ πρόσρησιν ἐνιδών τε καὶ…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.argc. AD 75–95

ὡς πύργος, ὃν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ἐφ' ὕβρει τοῦ θεοῦ ᾠκοδόμησαν, καὶ ὡς τὰς φωνὰς αὐτῶν μετέβαλε καὶ ὁ τόπος, ἐν ᾧ τοῦτο γέγονε, Βαβυλὼν ἐκλήθη.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 5.9c. AD 100

ὅτε δὲ τοὺς ἰδίους ἀποστόλους τοὺς μέλλοντας κηρύσσειν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον αὐτοῦ ἐξελέξατο, ὄντας ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν ἁμαρτίαν ἀνομωτέρους, ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι οὐκ ἦλθεν καλέσαι δικαίους, ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλούς, τότε ἐφανέρωσεν ἑαυτὸν εἶναι υἱὸν θεοῦ.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
6th c. AD 3rd c. AD 2nd c. AD 5th c. AD 4th c. AD
P.Cair. Goodspeed 9Pathyris100 BC–99 BC

παρὰ Πατῆτος τοῦ Πανεβχώνιος. ἐκμισθωθείσης μοι τῆς νήσου καλουμένης Περχμασσινηιτ εἰς τὸ ιϛ ἔτος πυροῦ ἀρτάβας τεσσαράκοντα πέντε γίνονται πυροῦ ἀρτάβαι με ὄρνιθας

BGU 3 1000Pathyris99 BC

ὅλης τῆς γῆς· νότου γῆ Πατοῦτος τοῦ Ψεμμώνθου βορρᾶ γῆ Φαμούνιος ἀπηλιώτου κοιλὰς διῶρυξ καλούμενος πλα … Παθύρεως λιβὸς ὄρος ἢ οἳ ἂν ὦσι γείτονες πάντοθεν. ἐπρίατο Εὔνους Ἀσκληπιάδου

P.Corn. 40Theadelphia (Arsinoites)AD 105

αὐτῇ … … ὡς ἐτῶν τριάκοντα τριῶν οὐλὴ … μηδὲν τὴν Ἀθηνάριον μηδὲν … καλεῖν μηδὲν καλέσειν τῶι Φιλιππωι … … πωαι ἐπεγράφη α … π … … ἑαυτῆς

circumcised anyone was called? Not he should become uncircumcised; In uncircumcision has been called anyone Not he should d be circumcise.
μὴ Not G3361 Particle · negative
1,060× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Not is a word used to show that something is not true or is not happening, like in phrases that say 'lest' or 'God forbid', as seen in various parts of the New Testament.
Tyndale gloss
not
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

μή () is a Greek negative particle used to express subjective negation, often in conditional or hypothetical contexts. It contrasts with οὐ (ou), which indicates absolute denial. μή can function as an adverb meaning 'not' or as a conjunction meaning 'lest.' It appears in various grammatical constructions, including prohibitions and deliberative questions, and is referenced in verses like Matthew 5:29 and John 3:18.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

μή,

subjective negative particle,

used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic., μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין, אַיִן, אַל.]

As a neg. adv., not;

with ref. to thought or opinion: Jo 3:18, Tit 1:11, II Pe 1:9.

In delib. questions, c. subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mk 12:14, Ro 3:8.

In conditional and final sentences, after εἰ, ἐάν, ἄν, ἵνα, ὅπως: Mt 10:14,

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

μή, Sept. for Ox, |X, PN, ἃ particle of negation, which differs from οὐ (which is always an adverb) in that ov denies the thing itself (orto speak technically, denies simply, absolutely, categorically, directly, objectively). but μή denies the thought of the thing, or the thing according to the judgment, opinion, will, purpose, preference, of some one (hence, as we say technically, indirectly, hypothetically, subjectively). This distinction holds also of the compounds οὐδείς, μηδείς, οὐκέτι, μηκέτι, ete. But pris either an ad verb of negation, not (Lat. non, ne); or aconjunction, that... not, lest, (Lat. ne); or an interrogative particle, (Lat. num) [i. e. (generally) implying aneg. ans.; in indir. quest. whether nol (suggesting apprehension) ]. Cf. Herm. ad Vig. § 267 p- 802 sqq-; Matthiae § 608; Bitm. Gram. § 148 (cf. Alex. Bttm. N. T. Gr. p. 344 (296) sqq.); Kiihner ii. §§ 512 sq. p.…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

μή Grenf II. 384 (mid. 1.8.6.) καλῶς οὖ]ν ποιήσις μὴ ἀμελήσ[α]ς α[. . ἀγο]ράσαι. .. , P Oxy I. 3815 (a.p. 49--50) (= Selections, p. 53) τοῦ δὲ Σύρου μὴ βουλομένου ἐνμεῖναι τοῖς κεκριμένοις, “45 Syrus does not wish to abide by what has been decided,” 2d. II. 2755 (A.D. 66) (= Selections, p. 58) ἔγραψα ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ μὴ ἰδότος γράμματα, “1 wrote for him seeing that he was unlettered,” BGU I. 22° (a.p. 114) (= Selections, p. 74) TappovOios . . . τὸ παρὸν μὴ ἔχουσα κύριον, ‘ Tarmuthis at present without a guardian,’ and P Grenf II. 779 (iii/iv A.D.) (= Sedections, p. 120) θαυμάζω πάνυ [ὅτι] ἀλόγως ἀπέστητε μὴ ἄραντες [τὸ σ]ῶμα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ὑμῶν, “1 wonder exceedingly that you went off so unreasonably, without taking the body of your brother”; cf. P Tor 1. 1¥8-4 (νον 116) εἰ δὲ kal τις θείηι τὸ μὴ ὄν (cf. 1 Cor 1°8)—acc. and inf. follow, P Ryl II. 144°? (Α.Ὁ. 38) ἐπαγαγεῖν αἰτίας τοῦ μὴ ὄντος, ‘‘…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

μή (mē) — not.

μή,

Elean μά [ᾱ] [Refs 6th c.BC+]. (Cf. Sanskrit mā´, Armenian mi [from I.-[Refs 5th c.BC+] mē´], negative used in prohibitions):—not, the negative of the will and thought, as οὐ of fact and statement; μή rejects, οὐ denies; μή is relative, οὐ absolute; μή subjective, οὐ objective. (A few examples of μηδέ and μηδείς have been included.)

__A in INDEPENDENT sentences, used in expressions of will or wish, command, entreaty, warning,

__A.1 with present imperative, 2 person, μή μ᾽ ἐρέθιζε [Refs 8th c.BC+]: rarely with aorist imperative, μὴ.. ἔνθεο τιμῇ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; in Attic dialect, μὴ ψεῦσον, ὦ Ζεῦ, τῆς.. ἐλπίδος [Refs 8th c.BC+]perfect imperative [Refs 8th c.BC+] person when perfect = present, μὴ κεκράγετε [Refs 5th c.BC+]

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

μή

me

a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an

absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an

interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an

affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, +

lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not,

nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in

substantially the same relations. See also 3362, 3363, 3364, 3372,

3373, 3375, 3378.

see GREEK for 3756

see GREEK for 3362

see GREEK for 3363

see GREEK for 3364

see GREEK for 3372

see GREEK for 3373

see GREEK for 3375

see GREEK for 3378

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

μή

Neg.prt.

not, lest

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

μή mē 1x

a negative particle, can function as a conj, not, for the particulars of its usage, especially as distinguished from that of οὐ, consult a grammar; as a conj., lest, that not, Mt. 5:29, 30; 18:10; 24:6; Mk. 13:36; μή, or μήτι, or μήποτε, when prefixed to an interrogative clause, it expresses an intimation either of the reality of the matters respecting which the question is asked, Mt. 12:23; or the contrary, Jn. 4:12

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Particle-N — Particle · negative
particle — a small word colouring the clause; it does not decline.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

PRT-N PaRTicle, disjunctive particle Negative

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
71%not
not71% · 772×except9% · 95×unless5% · 58×surely not4% · 41×lest3% · 32×otherwise2% · 23×other renderings4% · 48×other renderings1% · 16×

1,085 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 23 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial84%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 1,060 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
οὐNeg
καίand, even, also,σύἐγώ
ἵναin order that, so th
αὐτόςσύπροσεύχομαιI pray, pray for
καίand, even, also, nam
ἐγώαὐτόςεἰμίI am, exist
εἰCond
αὐτόςυἱόςa son, descendenκαίand, even, also,
Article the
καίand, even, also,εἰςδιά
μήNot1060×
what comes after →
Article the
πατήρfather, Father, υἱόςa son, descendenσημεῖονa sign, miracle,
ἔχωI have, hold, posses
καίand, even, also,ποιμήνa shepherdβάθοςdepth, a depth,
εἰμίI am, exist
δίδωμιI offer, giveἐνμετά
τὶς
σύὑστερέωI am lacking, faγεννάωI beget, bring f
φοβέωI fear, am terrified
ἀπόArticle theμόνοςalone, but, only

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceμή · 1,060× in the New Testament
Luke Matthew John 1 Corinthians Romans Mark Acts Revelation 2 Corinthians Hebrews 1 Timothy Galatians

2 inflected forms — one of the commonest words in the New Testament. Full distribution →

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 1,321 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

circumcised anyone was called? Not he should become uncircumcised; In uncircumcision has been called anyone Not he should d be circumcise.
ἐπισπάσθω·epispaō he should become uncircumcised; G1986 Verb · present · no voice stated · imperative · third person · singular
1× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
To uncircumcise means to reverse the physical sign of circumcision, as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 7:18. This was a significant issue in the early Christian church, as some tried to blend Jewish and Gentile practices. The term is used to describe those who tried to hide their Jewish heritage.
Amplified meaning
reverse his circumcision, attempt to undo it
Tyndale gloss
to uncircumcise
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἐπισπάομαι (i.e., *epispaomai*) is derived from the components meaning 'upon' and 'to draw.' It primarily refers to the act of becoming uncircumcised, particularly in a context where individuals sought to conceal their Jewish identity. This term appears in the New Testament, specifically in 1 Corinthians 7:18, where it describes the act of drawing the foreskin forward to hide the circumcision.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἐπι-σπάω, -ῶ

[in LXX: Is 5:18 (מָשַׁךְ), etc. ;]

to draw on: mid., in peculiar sense of effacing signs of Judaism (cf. I Mac 1:15, FlJ, Ant., xii, 5, i; v. Thayer, s.v.), to become as uncircumcised: I Co 7:18.†

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

ἐπι-σπάω, -@: fr. Aeschyl. down; to draw on: μὴ ἐπισπάσθω, sc. ἀκροβυστίαν, let him not draw on his foreskin (Hesych. μὴ ἐπισπάσθω - μὴ ἑλκυέτω τὸ δέρμα) [ A. V. let him not become uncircumcised], 1 Co. vii. 18. From the days of Antiochus Epiphanes [B. c. 175-164] down (1 Mace. i. 15; Joseph. antt. 12, 5, 1), there had been Jews who, in order to conceal from heathen persecutors or scoffers the external sign of their nationality, sought artificially to compel nature to reproduce the prepuce, by extending or drawing forward with an iron instrument the remnant of it still left, so as to cover the glans. The Rabbins called such persons 0°31w, from 2 to draw out, see Buxtorf, Lex. Talm. p. 1274 [(ed. Fischer ii. 645 sq.). Cf. BB.DD. s. v. Circumcision, esp. McC. and S. ibid. 11. 2.]

Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ἐπισπάω. For this strong verb cf. P Magd 245 (B.c. 218) (as completed Archiv vi. p. 274) of an assault—WevoBaotis τῆι αὐτῆι δεξιᾶι χειρὶ ἐπισπασαμένη τῆς ἀναβολῆς τοῦ ἱματίου. Cf. P Tebt I. 274 (B.c. 113) περὶ τῶν ἐπισπασθησομ[ένων] els τὰς γενημ[α]τοφυλακίας, ‘concerning the persons to be made to undertake the custody of the crops” (Edd.), so 15, and Sy/Z 929° (ii/B.c.) where the mid. ἐπεσπάσαντο = “brought in to help.” In P Par 461° (B.c. 153) (= Witkowski?, p. 86) ἀλλὰ σὲ αὐτὸν μάρτυρα ἐπισπάφῳ, the verb =‘‘to subpoena’: cf. P Lond 1164 (/)8 (A.D. 212) (= III. p- 161) μετὰ κυρίου οὗ ἑκοῦσα ἐπεσπάσατο πρὸς μόνην ταύτην τὴν οἰκονομίαν κτλ. For the meaning “ persuade " cf. OGZS 22518 (iii/B.c.) καὶ νῦν πολύ τι μᾶλλον ἐπεσπάσμεθα, κατανοοῦντες τὸ εὐγενὲὲ ὑμῶν. The compound προσεπισπάω occurs in P Tor I. 1°99 (B.C. 117) πολυπραγμόνως δὲ προσεπισπώμενον τὴν τῶι στρατηγῶι καθήκουσαν…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἐπισπάω (epispaō) — to uncircumcise.

ἐπι-σπάω,

draw or drag after one, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἦγ᾽ ἐπισπάσας κόμης by the hair, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:— middle, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, ἐπισπασθῆναι τῇ χειρί with the hand, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

2. metaphorically, bring on, cause, τοσόνδε πλῆθος πημάτων [Refs 4th c.BC+]

3. pull to, τὴν θύραν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; compare ἐπισπαστήρ: ἐπισπασθέντος τοῦ βρόχου being drawn tight, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

4. attract, gain, win, πέποιθα τοῦτ᾽ ἐπισπάσειν κλέος [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—frequently in middle, ἐπισπᾶσθαι κέρδος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἔχθραν [Refs 6th c.AD+]; welcome, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; ἐπισπᾶσθαι πώγωνα get one a beard, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; induce, ὕπνον ἐκπώμασιν [Refs 4th c.AD+]; attract, σίδηρον [Refs 1st…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἐπισπάομαι

epispaomai

from 1909 and 4685; to draw over, i.e. (with 203 implied) efface the

mark of circumcision (by recovering with the foreskin):--become

uncircumcised.

see GREEK for 1909

see GREEK for 4685

see GREEK for 203

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἐπισπάομαι

v.

I become uncircumcised

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἐπισπάομαι epispaomai 1x

to draw upon or after; in NT mid. to obliterate circumcision by artificial extension of the foreskin, 1 Cor. 7:18*

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-PNM-3S — Verb · present · no voice stated · imperative · third person · singular
present no voice stated imperative — an action in progress.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-PNM-3S Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Present Voice: middle or passive depoNent Mood: iMperative Person: third Number: Singular

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
100%he should become uncircumcised
he should become uncircumcised100% · 1×

1 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 1 different way. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

Concordanceἐπισπάομαι · 1× in the New Testament
1 Corinthians
Across the New Testament1 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
circumcised anyone was called? Not he should become uncircumcised; In uncircumcision has been called anyone Not he should d be circumcise.
ἐνen In G1722 Preposition
2,743× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
about as common in 1 Corinthians as anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a preposition that means in, on, or among something. It's used in many places, like Matthew 7:3 and Luke 7:37, to describe a location or relationship. It can also mean by, with, or during.
Tyndale gloss
in/on/among
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The most frequent preposition in the New Testament, 2,752 occurrences. In, on, at, among, within — its force comes almost entirely from the word it is attached to. What it does here is put the events inside a community rather than at a distance: they were fulfilled among us.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

ἐν,

prep, (the most freq. of all in NT), c. dat. (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, c. abl.).

Of place, c. dat. rei, pers., in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Lk 7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mt 7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mt 12:40; τ. ὄρει, II Pe 1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Re 3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Ro 8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν , Lk 1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Ga 3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mt 12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103)…

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

ἐν Χριστῷ, ἐν Χριστῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ, ἐν κυρίῳ, (οἴ. Fritzsche, Com. on Rom. vol. ii. p. 82 544.; W. 389 (364); Weiss, Bibl. Theol. des N. T. §§ 84 b., 149 c.), ingrafied as it were in Christ, in fellowship and union with Christ, with the Lord: Ro. iii. 24; vi. 11, 23; viii. 39; 1Co.i.4; 2 Co. iii. 14; Gal. ii. 4; iii. 14, 26, 28; v. 6; Eph.i. 3 [Rec. om. ἐν]; ii. 6 sq. 10,13; 1 Tim.i.14; 2 Tim.i. 1,13; ii-1; 1 Pet. iii. 16; v.10; στήκειν ἐν κυρίῳ, Phil. iv. 1; iva εὑρεθῶ ἐν αὐτῷ, that I may be found (by God and Christ) most intimately united to him, Phil. iii. 9; εἶναι ἐν Χριστῷ "Inc. 1 Co. i. 30; οἱ ἐν Xp. "Ina. Ro. viii. 1; 1 Pet. v. 14; κοιμᾶσθαι ἐν Χριστῷ, θνήσκειν ἐν κυρίῳ, to fall asleep, to die, mindful of relationship to Christ and confiding in it [W. u.s.], 1 Co. xv. 18; Rey. xiv. 13. Since such union with Christ is the basis on which actions and virtues rest, the expression is…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ἐν 210 contract—time of Augustus) ἱμάτια γυναικεῖα ἐν apyv(plov) δραχμαῖς ἑκατόν, P Oxy IV. 7247 (A.D. 155) ἐξ ὧν ἔσχες τὴν πρώτην δόσιν ἐν δραχμαῖς τεσσαράκοντα, 70. I. 565 (A.D. 211) δανειζομένη. .. ἀργύριον ἔντοκον ἐν δραχμαῖς ἑξακισχειλίαις, and P Grenf II. 778 (iii/iv a.p.) (=Selections, Pp. 120) το]ὺς μισθοὺς. . ὄντας ἐν δραχμαῖς τριακοσίαις τεσσαράκοντα. Similar are P Oxy IV. 7084 (a.p. 188) yopou . . ἐν (1vpod)(apraBats) ’B, BGU 1. 724 (a.p. 191) ἐξέκοψαν πλεῖστον τόπον ἐν ἀρούραις πέντε: with which may be compared Eph 2!° τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν, “consisting in.” In P Lond 9215 (ii/iii a.p.) (ΞΞ 111. P- 134) γεγονέναι ἐν ἀμπέλῳ = ‘to be planted with vines.” A predicative use of ἐν is seen in P Hib I. 421° (B.c. 262) δώσομεν Λευκίωι ἐν ὀφειλήματι, ‘asa debt,” P Petr I. 1215 (cf. II. p. 22) ὅσα δὲ ᾿Αξιοθέα προσενήνεγκται ἐμ φερνῆι, “ἐᾷς dowry,” and P Tebt I. 120 135…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἐν (en) — in/on/among.

ἐν,

poetry ἐνί, εἰν, εἰνί [Refs 8th c.BC+], forms used by Epic dialect and Lyric Poets as the metre requires, but only as falsa lectio in Trag., εἰν [Refs 5th c.BC+] ἰν [Refs]

__PREP. WITH DAT. AND ACC. Radical sense, in, into.

__A WITH DAT.

__A.I OF PLACE,

__A.I.1 in, νήσῳ ἐν ἀμφιρύτῃ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; with names of cities or islands, as ἐν Ἀθήνῃς, ἐν Τροίῃ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; where ἐν is used, it = in the district of.., ὲν Ἐλευσῖνι [Refs] in my arms, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐν αὑτῷ εἶναι to be in one's senses, be oneself, ἔτ᾽ ἐν σαυτῷ (variant -τοῦ) γενοῦ [Refs 5th c.BC+]

__A.I.1.b ἐν τοῖς ἰχθύσιν in the fish-market, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; so ἐν τοῖν δυοῖν ὀβολοῖν ἐθεώρουν ἄν in the two-obol seats, [Refs 4th…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἐν

en

a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or

state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or

constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519

and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, +

almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+

all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to,

-wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly,

one, X quickly,

X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on),

through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while,

with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same

import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate

direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different)

preposition.

see GREEK for 1519

see GREEK for 1537

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἐν

Prep.

in, on, among

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἐν en 2x

followed by the dat., in, Mt. 8:6; Mk. 12:26; Rev. 6:6,; upon, Lk. 8:32; among, Mt. 11:11; before, in the presence of, Mk. 8:38; in the sight, estimation of, 1 Cor. 14:11; before, judicially, 1 Cor. 6:2; in, of state, occupation, habit, Mt. 21:22; Lk. 7:25; Rom. 4:10; in the case of, Read the full entry →

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἐν

e)nprepe)ni/prep ei)nprep ei)ni/prep in, among. c. dat.

Lat. in.

PREP. WITH DAT.:

OF PLACE

in, ἐν νήσῳ, ἐν Τροίῃ, etc., Hom., etc.:—elliptic, ἐν Ἀλκινόοιο (sc. οἴκῳ) Od.; εἰν Ἀΐδαο Il.; ἐν παιδοτρίβου at the school of the training master, Ar.

in, upon, ἐν οὔρεσι Hom., etc.

in the number of, amongst, ἐν Δαναοῖς, etc., Hom.; and with Verbs of ruling, ἄρχειν, ἀνάσσειν ἐν πολλοῖς to be first or lord among many, i. e. over them, id. Hom.; cf. ὁ, τό B. III. 3.

in one's hands, within one's reach or power, Lat. penes, Hom., etc.; ἐν σοὶ γάρ ἐσμεν Soph.; ἐν τῷ θεῷ τὸ τέλος ἦν Dem.

in respect of, ἐν γήρᾳ in point of age, Soph.

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
preposition — its sense depends on the case of the word it governs.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

PREP PREPosition

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

A principal thing to notice about this preposition, which in the King James Version represents about 16 Hebrew and as many Greek words and prepositions, is that, in hundreds of cases (especially in the Old Testament, but frequently also in the New Testament) in the Revised Version (British and American) the rendering is changed to more exact forms ("to," "unto," "by," "upon," "at," "with," "among," "for," "throughout," etc.; compare e.g. Ge 6:16; 13:8; 17:7,9,12; 18:1; Ex 8:17; Le 1:9, etc.); while, nearly as often, "in" is substituted for divergent forms of the King James Version (e.g. Ge 2:14; 17:11; 31:54; 40:7; 49:17; Ex…

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
circumcised anyone was called? Not he should become uncircumcised; In uncircumcision has been called anyone Not he should d be circumcise.
ἀκροβυστίᾳakrobustia uncircumcision G203 Noun · dative · singular · feminine
20× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Uncircumcision refers to not being circumcised, often used to describe non-Jewish people. It appears in Romans 2:25-27 and Galatians 5:6.
Amplified meaning
in a state of uncircumcision, without the Jewish sign
Tyndale gloss
uncircumcision
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Greek word ἀκροβυστία refers to the foreskin and, by extension, the state of uncircumcision. It is derived from components related to the male anatomy and is used in the New Testament to denote both the physical condition and metaphorically to refer to Gentiles. Key references include Romans 2:25-27 and Galatians 5:6.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

† ἀκροβυστία, -ας, ή

(perh. an Alexandrian form of cl. ἀκροποσθία; cf. MM, VGT, s.v.)

[in LXX for עׇרְלָה;]

the prepuce, foreskin (LXX), hence abstr., uncircumcision: Ac 11:3, Ro 2:25-27 3:30 4:10-12, I Co 7:18-19, Ga 5:6 6:15, Col 2:13 3:11. By meton., the uncircumcised: Ro 4:9, Ga 2:7, Eph 2:11.†

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

ἀκροβυστία, -as, 7, (a word unknown to the Greeks, who used ἡ ἀκροποσθία and τὸ ἀκροπόσθιον, fr. πόσθη i. 6. membrum virile. Accordingly it is likely that τὴν πόσθην of the Greeks was pronounced τὴν βύστην by the Alexandrians, and ἀκροβυστία said instead of ἀκροποσθία --i. 6. τὸ ἄκρον τῆς πόσθης ; cf. the acute remarks of Fritzsche, Com. on Rom. vol. i. 136, together with the opinion which Winer prefers 99 (94), [and Cremer, 3te Aufl. s. v.]), in the Sept. the equiv. of mw the prepuce, the skin covering the glans penis; a. prop.: Acts xi. 8; Ro. ii. 25, 26°; 1 Co. vii. 19; Gal. v. δ: vi. 15; Col. iii. 11; (Judith xiv. 10; 1 Mace. i. 15); ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ ὧν having the foreskin ( Tertull. praeputiatus), uncircumcised i.e. Gentile, Ro. iv. 10; ἐν ἀκρ. sc. dv, 1 Co. vii. 18; equiv. to the same is δ ἀκροβυστίας, Ro. iv. 11; ἡ ἐν τῇ ἀκροβ. πίστις the faith which one has while he is…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

ἀκροβυστία. We have (naturally enough) no citations to illustrate this technical word of Jewish ritual, but a note on its formation might be given (from J. H. Moulton’s forthcoming Grammar of NT Greek, vol. 11.}: ““᾿Ακροποσθϑία, a normal descriptive cpd. from ἄκρος and πόσθη with a fresh suffix, is found in Hippocrates, and is obviously the original of the LXX word. When a word containing a vox obscaena was taken from medical vocabulary into popular religious speech, it was natural to disguise it: a rare word βύστρα = βύσμα may supply the model.

Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

ἀκροβυστία (akrobustia) — uncircumcision.

ἀκρο-βυστία, ἡ,

foreskin, [LXX+1st c.AD+]

II. state of having the foreskin, uncircumcision, [NT]

II.2. collective, the uncircumcised, [Refs]buśtu 'pudenda', Heb. bōsheth 'shame': wrongly derived from ἄκρος, βύω by [Refs]

Strong's Greek Dictionary

ἀκροβυστία

akrobustia

from 206 and probably a modified form of posthe (the penis or male

sexual organ); the prepuce; by implication, an uncircumcised (i.e.

gentile, figuratively, unregenerate) state or person:--not

circumcised, uncircumcised (with 2192), uncircumcision.

see GREEK for 206

see GREEK for 2192

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

ἀκροβυστία, ας, ἡ

n.f.

foreskin

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

ἀκροβυστία akrobystia 20x

foreskin; uncircumcision, the state of being uncircumcised, Rom. 4:10; the abstract being put for the concrete, uncircumcised men, i.e., Gentiles, Rom. 4:9, et al

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

ἀκροβυστία (Deriv. uncertain.) the foreskin, NTest.

circumcision, id. NTest.;—and as collect. the uncircumcision, i. e. the uncircumcised, id. NTest.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Noun-DSF — Noun · dative · singular · feminine
dative — to, for, with — the one it is done to or by.
Agrees with anything else marked singular feminine.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

N-DSF Part of Speech: Noun Case: Dative Number: Singular Gender: Feminine

Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Nave's Topical Bible

→ General scriptures concerning Eph 2:11

→ Uncircumcised heart (metaphorically) Eze 28:10; 44:7,9

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
90%uncircumcision
uncircumcision90% · 18×uncircumcision?10% · 2×

20 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 2 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
subject35%predicate25%object20%adverbial20%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 20 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
καίand, even, also,οὖνtherefore, thenοὐNeg
ἐν
Disjἀλλάbut, exceptArticle the
καίand, even, also, nam
πίστιςfaith, belief, tπεριτομήcircumcision
οὔτεNeg
ἰσχύωI am strong, ablεἰμίI am, exist
ἀνήρa male human being,
πρός
ἀκροβυστίαuncircumcision20×
what comes after →
Article the
δικαίωμαa thing pronouncνόμοςa law, the Mosaiσάρξflesh, body
εἰς
Article the
ἀλλάbut, except
πίστιςfaith, belief, tκαινόςfresh, new
ἔχωI have, hold, posses
καίand, even, also,
γίνομαιI come into being, a

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceἀκροβυστία · 20× in the New Testament
Romans Galatians 1 Corinthians Colossians Acts Ephesians
Across the New Testament6 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 10 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
The Epistle of Barnabas
The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 9.5c. AD 100

λάβε πάλιν: Ἰδού, λέγει κύριος, πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἀπερίτμητα ἀκροβυστίαν, ὁ δὲ λαὸς οὗτος ἀπερίτμητος καρδίας.

circumcised anyone was called? Not he should become uncircumcised; In uncircumcision has been called anyone Not he should d be circumcise.
κέκληταίkaleō has been called G2564 Verb · aorist · passive · indicative · third person · singular
148× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to call or invite someone, like calling out to them loudly. It's used in Matthew 20:8 and Mark 3:31 to describe calling people to come and follow. This word can also mean to invite someone to a special event or to join in something.
Amplified meaning
summoned by God
Tyndale gloss
to call: call
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

καλέω is a Greek verb meaning 'to call' or 'to summon.' It encompasses a range of uses, including inviting someone to a meal or event, calling someone by name, and metaphorically inviting people to partake in spiritual blessings. The New Testament frequently employs this term, notably in Matthew and Romans. Notably, Liddell-Scott mentions its use in legal contexts, which is not highlighted in other entries.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

καλέω, -ῶ,

[in LXX chiefly for קרא;]

to call, summon: c. acc. pers., Mt 20:8 25:14, Mk 3:31, Lk 19:13, Ac 4:18; seq. ἐκ, Mt 2:15(LXX); metaph., I Pe 2:9.

to call to one's house, invite: Lk 14:16, I Co 10:27, Re 19:9; εἰς τ. γάμους, Mt 22:3, 9, Lk 14:8, 9, Jo 2:2; ὁ καλέσας,

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

καλέω, -@; impf. ἐκάλουν; fut. καλέσω (W. § 13, 3c.); 1 aor. ἐκάλεσα; pi. κέκληκα; Pass., pres. καλοῦμαι; pf. 3 pers. sing. κέκληται (1 Co. vii. 18 LT Tr WH; [Rev. xix. 13 L T Tr WH)), ptep. κεκλημένος ; 1 aor. ἐκλήθην ; 1 fut. κληθήσομαι ; [fr. Hom. down]; Hebr. xp; Lat. voco; i. e. 1. to call (Germ. rufen τὰ βοάω, fin.]) ; a. to call aloud, utter in a loud voice: ἄχρις οὗ τὸ σήμερον καλεῖται, as long as the word ‘to-day’ is called out or proclaimed, Heb. iii. 13; τινά, to call one to approach or stand before one, Mt. xx. 8; xxii. 3 (where εἰς τοὺς γάμους seems to belong to τοὺς κεκλημένους) : Mt. xxv. 14; [Mk. iii. 31 LT Tr WH]; Lk. xix. 13; τὰ ἴδια πρόβατα κατ᾽ ὄνομα, his own sheep each by its name, Jn. x. 3 (where LT Tr WH φωνεῖ); used of Christ, calling certain persons to be his disciples and constant companions, Mt. iv. 21 (note what precedes in 19: δεῦτε ὀπίσω pov); Mk. i. 20; to…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

καλέω. For this verb = ‘‘summon,” “invite,” as in Mt 22° a/., see P Oxy XII. 1487" (iv/A.D.) καλῖ σε Θέων vids ᾿Ωριγένους εἰς τοὺς γάμους THs ἀδελφῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἐν τῇ αὔριον, and similarly 26. 14861 (iv/A.p.). In both instances it is noticeable that καλῖ takes the place of the earlier ἐρωτᾷ, cf. 73. 1484, 1485. See also P Hamb I. 295 (A.D. 89) κληθέντων τινῶν . καὶ μὴ ὑπακουσάντων. The participle is common = “‘called,’’ ‘‘named,”’ as in Lk 7 a/., e.g. P Petr 11. 4531 20 (B.C. 246) els φρούριον τὸ καλούμενον [ΠΠἸοσιδέον, Osty , καλος 1210 (Roman) Πασήμιο(ς) ΠΠκῶτο(ς) καλ(ούμενος), BGU I. 3497 (A.D. 313) ἐν κλήρῳ καλουμένου (1. — évw) ᾿Αφρικιανός and P Oxy X. 12737 (A.D. 260) περιτραχήλιον μανιάκην,. καλούμενον, ‘a necklace of the kind called maniaces’’ (Edd.). With the usage in Gal 115 we may compare CP Herm I. 251-7’ Αντωνῖνος κληθήσεται and 24. 261: εἰ δοκεῖ σίοι] κληθῆναι... αὐτούς, where…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

καλέω (kaleō) — to call: call.

κᾰλέω,

Aeolic dialect κάλημι (which see), Epic dialect infinitive καλήμεναι [Refs 8th c.BC+]: Ionic dialect imperfect καλέεσκον [Refs]; 3rd.pers. singular κάλεσκε [Refs 3rd c.BC+]: future, Ionic dialect καλέω [Refs 8th c.BC+], Attic dialect καλῶ [LXX+5th c.BC+]aorist 1 subjunctive): aorist 1 ἐκάλεσα, Epic dialect ἐκάλεσσα, κάλεσσα, [Refs 8th c.BC+] (late Epic dialect ἔκλησα [Refs 2nd c.BC+]: perfect κέκληκα [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—middle, Attic dialect future καλοῦμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]; later καλέσομαι (ἐκ-, ἐπι-) uncertain reading in [Refs 4th c.BC+]: aorist 1 ἐκαλεσάμην [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Epic dialect καλεσσάμην [Refs 8th c.BC+]:—passive, future κεκλήσομαι [LXX+8th c.BC+]: aorist ἐκλήθην [Refs 7th c.BC+]perfect κέκλημαι, Epic dialect 3rd.pers. plural κεκλήαται [Refs 3rd c.BC+], Ionic dialect κεκλέαται [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Epic dialect 3rd.pers. plural…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

καλέω

kaleo

akin to the base of 2753; to "call" (properly, aloud, but used in a

variety of applications, directly or otherwise):--bid, call (forth),

(whose, whose sur-)name (was (called)).

see GREEK for 2753

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

καλέω

v.

I call, invite, name

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

καλέω kaleō 148x

to call, call to, Jn. 10:3; to call into one’s presence, send for a person, Mt. 2:7; to summon, Mt. 2:15; 25:14; to invite, Mt. 22:9; to call to the performance of a certain thing, Mt. 9:13; Heb. 11:8; to call to a participation in the privileges of the Gospel, Rom. 8:30; 9:24; 1 Cor. 1:9; 7:18; to call to an office or dignity, Heb. 5:4; to name, style, Read the full entry →

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

καλέω καλέσω is aor1 subj. to call, summon, Hom., etc.: Mid. to call to oneself, id. Hom.

to call to a repast, to invite, Od.; κ. ἐπὶ δεῖπνον Hdt., Xen.; κληθέντες πρός τινα invited to his house, Dem.

to call on, invoke, τοὺς θεούς Hdt., attic; so in Mid., Aesch., etc.:—but ἀράς, ἅς σοι καλοῦμαι curses, which I call down on thee, Soph.:—in Pass., of the god, to be invoked, Aesch.

as law-term, of the judge, to cite or summon before the court, Ar., Dem.; πρὶν τὴν ἐμὴν [δίκην] καλεῖσθαι before it is called on, Ar.

of the plaintiff, in Mid., καλεῖσθαί τινα to sue at law, Lat. vocare in jus, id. Ar., etc.

to call by name, to call, name, Il., Trag.:— ὄνομα καλεῖν τινά to call him a name (i. e. by name), Od.; so, without ὄνομα, τί νιν καλοῦσα τύχοιμ᾽ ἄν; Aesch.:—Pass., τύμβωι δ᾽…

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-API-3S — Verb · aorist · passive · indicative · third person · singular
aorist passive indicative — a completed action, viewed as a whole.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-API-3S Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Aorist Voice: Passive Mood: Indicative Person: third Number: Singular

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
16%being called
being called16% · 24×called10% · 15×having called7% · 10×invited7% · 10×calling5% · 7×will be called5% · 7×call4% · 6×you were called4% · 6×other renderings42% · 62×

147 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 45 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
verb59%linking verb40%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 148 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
Article the
ὄροςa mountainλέγωI say, speakἸούδαςJudah, Judas, Ju
καίand, even, also, nam
υἱόςa son, descendenὅςαὐτός
αὐτός
ἐπίτροποςa steward, guardδοῦλος (II)πρός
ὅς
κλῆσιςa calling, summoσύκαίand, even, also,
θεόςGod, a god
υἱόςa son, descendenφίλοςτέκνονa child, descend
καλέωhas been called148×
what comes after →
Article the
ὄνομαname, character,μάγοςa sorcerer, magiυἱόςa son, descenden
σύ
σπέρμαseed, offspringArticle theεἰς
αὐτός
κύριοςlord, Lord, mastκαίand, even, also,ἐπί
καίand, even, also, nam
δίδωμιI offer, giveπῶςὅς
ἐν
Article theεἷςoneοὗτος

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceκαλέω · 148× in the New Testament
Luke Matthew Acts 1 Corinthians Romans Revelation 1 Peter Hebrews Galatians Mark 1 Thessalonians Ephesians

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament20 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 254 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus Philo of Alexandria Clement of Rome The Shepherd of Hermas Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 15c. AD 40

ἑκάστῃ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀπένειμεν ἔνια τῶν τοῦ παντὸς τμημάτων τὴν πρώτην ὑπεξελόμενος, ἣν αὐτὸς οὐδὲ πρώτην, ἵνα μὴ ταῖς ἄλλαις συγκαταριθμῆται, καλεῖ, μίαν δ’ ὀνομάσας ὀνόματι εὐθυβόλῳ προσαγορεύει, τὴν μονάδος φύσιν καὶ πρόσρησιν ἐνιδών τε καὶ…

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.argc. AD 75–95

ὡς πύργος, ὃν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ἐφ' ὕβρει τοῦ θεοῦ ᾠκοδόμησαν, καὶ ὡς τὰς φωνὰς αὐτῶν μετέβαλε καὶ ὁ τόπος, ἐν ᾧ τοῦτο γέγονε, Βαβυλὼν ἐκλήθη.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 5.9c. AD 100

ὅτε δὲ τοὺς ἰδίους ἀποστόλους τοὺς μέλλοντας κηρύσσειν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον αὐτοῦ ἐξελέξατο, ὄντας ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν ἁμαρτίαν ἀνομωτέρους, ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι οὐκ ἦλθεν καλέσαι δικαίους, ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλούς, τότε ἐφανέρωσεν ἑαυτὸν εἶναι υἱὸν θεοῦ.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
6th c. AD 3rd c. AD 2nd c. AD 5th c. AD 4th c. AD
P.Cair. Goodspeed 9Pathyris100 BC–99 BC

παρὰ Πατῆτος τοῦ Πανεβχώνιος. ἐκμισθωθείσης μοι τῆς νήσου καλουμένης Περχμασσινηιτ εἰς τὸ ιϛ ἔτος πυροῦ ἀρτάβας τεσσαράκοντα πέντε γίνονται πυροῦ ἀρτάβαι με ὄρνιθας

BGU 3 1000Pathyris99 BC

ὅλης τῆς γῆς· νότου γῆ Πατοῦτος τοῦ Ψεμμώνθου βορρᾶ γῆ Φαμούνιος ἀπηλιώτου κοιλὰς διῶρυξ καλούμενος πλα … Παθύρεως λιβὸς ὄρος ἢ οἳ ἂν ὦσι γείτονες πάντοθεν. ἐπρίατο Εὔνους Ἀσκληπιάδου

P.Corn. 40Theadelphia (Arsinoites)AD 105

αὐτῇ … … ὡς ἐτῶν τριάκοντα τριῶν οὐλὴ … μηδὲν τὴν Ἀθηνάριον μηδὲν … καλεῖν μηδὲν καλέσειν τῶι Φιλιππωι … … πωαι ἐπεγράφη α … π … … ἑαυτῆς

circumcised anyone was called? Not he should become uncircumcised; In uncircumcision has been called anyone Not he should d be circumcise.
τις; anyone G5100
529× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This pronoun refers to a person or thing in a general sense, as seen in Luke 9:49 and John 11:1. It can mean someone, anyone, or anything. This term is often used to describe an unspecified individual or object.
Tyndale gloss
one
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

τὶς is an enclitic indefinite pronoun meaning 'someone' or 'something.' It can refer to a certain person or object and appears in both singular and plural forms, such as τινός and τινες. The New Testament uses it in various contexts, including Luke 9:49 and Acts 5:25. It is related to the interrogative pronoun τίς, indicating its flexible use in questions and statements.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

τις, neut., τι, gen., τινός,

enclitic indefinite pron., related to interrog. τίς as πού, πως, ποτέ to ποῦ, πῶς, πότε.

As subst.,

one, a certain one: Lk 9:49, Jo 11:1, Ac 5:25, al.; pl., τίνες, certain, some: Lk 13:1, Ac 15:1, Ro 3:8, al.

someone, anyone, something, anything: Mt 12:29, Mk 9:30, Lk 8:46, Jo 2:25, Ac 17:25, Ro…

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

τὶς, τὶ. ἘΣ what follows, εἰ καί lays less emphasis upon it; although it is evident that εἰ καί can often be substituted for καὶ ei.” Cf. Herm. Vig. p. 829 sq.; W. 444 (413); Ellic. on Phil. ii. 17; Schmalfeld, Griech. Syntax, § 41; Paley, Grk. Particles, p. 31]. 8. εἰ μή, a. in a conditional protasis, with the same sequence of moods and tenses as the simple εἰ, see 1. above, if not, unless, except, [W. 477 (444) sqq.; B. 345 (297)]: Mt. xxiv. 22; Jn. ix. 33; | xv. 22, 24; Ro. vii. 7, ete. b. it serves, with the entire. following sentence, to limit or correct what has just been said, only, save that, (Lat. nisi quod), [B. 359 (308) ]: Mk. vi. 5; 1 Co. vii. 17 (where Paul by the addition εἰ μὴ ἑκάστῳ κτλ. strives to prevent any one in applying what had been said a little while before, viz. οὐ δεδούλωται . . ἐν τοιούτοις to his own case, from going too far) ; in ironical answers, unless…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

τις (indef. pron.), ‘* someone, something’’: P Vat ΑἸ (B.c. 168) (= UPZi. p. 303) πᾶς τις πειρᾶται. . ., P Lond 421° (B.C. 168) (= Selections, p. 10) εἰς πᾶν τι ἐληλυθυῖα διὰ, τὴν τοῦ σίτου τιμήν, ‘having come to the last extremity because of the high price of corn,’’ P Oxy IV. 7421° (B.c. 2) ἐάν τι δύνῃ... δὸς ἐργασίαν, “if you can, give your attention to it’’ (Edd.), 2d. I. 120% (iv/a.D.) τινα ὁρῶντα αἱαυτὸν (/. ἑαυτὸν) ἐν δυστυχίᾳ, ““α man finding himself in adversity,’ 13 ἀποστῖλόν pot τινα ἢ Γοῦνθον ἢ ᾿Αμμώνιον, “send someone to me, either Gunthus or Ammonius” (Edd.). P Oxy VI. 937°" (ili/A.D.) γ]ράψον ἐκεῖ TO kat’ εἶδος ὅτι τι kal τι εἴληφας is translated by the editors ‘* write the list there, that you have received so and so.” They 3) ες remark that it is simpler to take τι καί τι as analogous to τὸ καὶ τό than ‘‘to take τί kal τί as an indirect interrogative, ὅτι being…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

τις (tis) — one.

τις,

τι, Indef. pronoun any one, any thing, enclitic through all cases (for exceptions see below):—but τί; τί; Interrog. pronoun who? what?, oxytone in the monosyllable cases, paroxytone in the others:—Dialectal forms: [Refs 5th c.AD+] σις (si se) [Refs 4th c.AD+] σις (with ?? for σ) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Thess. κις [Refs], neuter κι in διεκί, ποκκί (which see); neuter plural Doric dialect σά, Boeotian dialect τά, Aeolic dialect dative τίω, τίοισι (see. infr. B). (I.-[Refs 5th c.BC+] q[uglide]i-, cf. Latin quis, quid, etc.; for σά, τά, see at {ἄσσα}, σά μά; with τέο (see. infr. B) cf. OSlav. genitive česo)

__A Indef. pronoun τις, τι, genitive Ionic dialect τεο [Refs 8th c.BC+]; more frequently τευ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; Trag. and Attic dialect του [Refs 5th c.BC+]; του is rare after [NT+4th…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

τὶς

tis

an enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object:--a (kind

of), any (man, thing, thing at all), certain (thing), divers, he

(every) man, one (X thing), ought, + partly, some (man, -body, -

thing, -what), (+ that no-)thing, what(-soever), X wherewith,

whom(-soever), whose(-soever).

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

τις, τι

Indef.pr.

any one, some one

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

τις tis 534x

enclitic, indefinite pronoun, a certain one, someone, Mt. 12:47; pl. some, certain, several, Lk. 8:2; Acts 9:19; 2 Pet. 3:16; one, a person, Mt. 12:29; Lk. 14:8; Jn. 6:50; combined with the name of an individual, one, Mk. 15:21; as it were in a manner, a kind of, Heb. 10:27; Jas. 1:18; any whatever, Read the full entry →

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Into Englishhow translators actually render it
27%anyone
anyone27% · 144×some19% · 102×certain17% · 93×anything9% · 48×any9% · 47×one6% · 34×someone4% · 19×something3% · 18×other renderings7% · 37×

542 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 35 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
subject66%object20%adverbial9%predicate3%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 530 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
εἰCond
καίand, even, also,αὐτόςὅτιthat, since, bec
δέbut, on the other ha
εἰCondεἰμίI am, existλέγωI say, speak
ἐάνCond
καίand, even, also,λέγωI say, speakἐγώ
μήNeg
ἵναin order that, sἐάνCondβλέπωI look, see
καίand, even, also, nam
αὐτόςΦαρισαῖοςa Phariseeὁδόςa way, road, jou
τὶςanyone529×
what comes after →
Article the
γραμματεύςa scribe, town-cμαθητήςa learner, disciἀπό
σύ
λέγωI say, speakπλανάωI lead astray, dἐρωτάωI ask, question,
αὐτός
ἐκὁράωI see, look uponἀπό
ἐκ
αὐτόςArticle theἐγώ
εἰμίI am, exist
ἐνπλούσιοςrichὑδρωπικόςafflicted with d

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceτὶς · 529× in the New Testament
Acts Luke John 1 Corinthians Mark 2 Corinthians Hebrews Matthew 1 Timothy Romans James Revelation

Every reference is on the Strong's page.

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 121 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Philo of Alexandria Josephus The Shepherd of Hermas Clement of Rome Ignatius of Antioch
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Creation of the World 4c. AD 40

καὶ γὰρ λόγον καὶ ἀκοὴν ὑπερβάλλει μείζω καὶ σεμνότερα ὄντα ἢ ὡς θνητοῦ τινος ὀργάνοις ἐναρμοσθῆναι.

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.argc. AD 75–95

ὅτι λιμοῦ τὴν Χαναναίαν καταλαβόντος εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἀπῆρε καὶ διατρίψας ἐν αὐτῇ τινα χρόνον ὑπέστρεψεν ὀπίσω.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 2.5c. AD 100

πλήρης εἰμὶ ὁλοκαυτωμάτων, καὶ στέαρ ἀρνῶν καὶ αἷμα ταύρων καὶ τράγων οὐ βούλομαι, οὐδ̓ ἂν ἔρχησθε ὀφθῆναί μοι, τίς γὰρ ἐξεζήτησεν ταῦτα ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν;

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 3rd c. BC 3rd c. AD 4th c. AD 6th c. AD

ἂν ὦσι γείτονες πάντοθεν· μὴ ἐξέστω δὲ τῷ καθόλου ἐπὶ τὴν διαθήκην ταύτην ἄλλῳ τινὶ ἐπέρχεσθαι, εἰ δὲ μὴ ἄκυρον ἔστω καὶ προσαποτεισάτω ὁ ἐπιφέρων ὕστερον … ἄλλον τῆς

P.Cair. Cat. 10364 descr.Pathyris126 BC–102 BC

προγεγραμμένου ἵππου, καὶ μὴ ἐπελεύσεσθαί σοι ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ. ἐὰν δὲ ἐπέλθωμεν ἢ ἄλλος τις ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἥ τʼ ἔφοδος ἄκυρος ἔσται καὶ προσαποτείσομέν σοι χαλκοῦ τάλαντα πέντε.

BGU 6 1260Pathyris102 BC

σημαινομένης ἀρούρης μιᾶς , καὶ μὴ ἐπελεύσασθαι Νεχθανοῦπιν καὶ τοὺς τούτου υἱοὺς μηδʼ ἄλλον τινὰ τῶν παρʼ αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὸν Πετεαρσεμθεία μηδʼ ἐπʼ ἄλλον τινὰ τῶν παρʼ αὐτοῦ περὶ

circumcised anyone was called? Not he should become uncircumcised; In uncircumcision has been called anyone Not he should d be circumcise.
μὴ Not G3361 Particle · negative
1,060× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
Not is a word used to show that something is not true or is not happening, like in phrases that say 'lest' or 'God forbid', as seen in various parts of the New Testament.
Tyndale gloss
not
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

μή () is a Greek negative particle used to express subjective negation, often in conditional or hypothetical contexts. It contrasts with οὐ (ou), which indicates absolute denial. μή can function as an adverb meaning 'not' or as a conjunction meaning 'lest.' It appears in various grammatical constructions, including prohibitions and deliberative questions, and is referenced in verses like Matthew 5:29 and John 3:18.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

μή,

subjective negative particle,

used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic., μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין, אַיִן, אַל.]

As a neg. adv., not;

with ref. to thought or opinion: Jo 3:18, Tit 1:11, II Pe 1:9.

In delib. questions, c. subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mk 12:14, Ro 3:8.

In conditional and final sentences, after εἰ, ἐάν, ἄν, ἵνα, ὅπως: Mt 10:14,

Read the full entry →
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

μή, Sept. for Ox, |X, PN, ἃ particle of negation, which differs from οὐ (which is always an adverb) in that ov denies the thing itself (orto speak technically, denies simply, absolutely, categorically, directly, objectively). but μή denies the thought of the thing, or the thing according to the judgment, opinion, will, purpose, preference, of some one (hence, as we say technically, indirectly, hypothetically, subjectively). This distinction holds also of the compounds οὐδείς, μηδείς, οὐκέτι, μηκέτι, ete. But pris either an ad verb of negation, not (Lat. non, ne); or aconjunction, that... not, lest, (Lat. ne); or an interrogative particle, (Lat. num) [i. e. (generally) implying aneg. ans.; in indir. quest. whether nol (suggesting apprehension) ]. Cf. Herm. ad Vig. § 267 p- 802 sqq-; Matthiae § 608; Bitm. Gram. § 148 (cf. Alex. Bttm. N. T. Gr. p. 344 (296) sqq.); Kiihner ii. §§ 512 sq. p.…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

μή Grenf II. 384 (mid. 1.8.6.) καλῶς οὖ]ν ποιήσις μὴ ἀμελήσ[α]ς α[. . ἀγο]ράσαι. .. , P Oxy I. 3815 (a.p. 49--50) (= Selections, p. 53) τοῦ δὲ Σύρου μὴ βουλομένου ἐνμεῖναι τοῖς κεκριμένοις, “45 Syrus does not wish to abide by what has been decided,” 2d. II. 2755 (A.D. 66) (= Selections, p. 58) ἔγραψα ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ μὴ ἰδότος γράμματα, “1 wrote for him seeing that he was unlettered,” BGU I. 22° (a.p. 114) (= Selections, p. 74) TappovOios . . . τὸ παρὸν μὴ ἔχουσα κύριον, ‘ Tarmuthis at present without a guardian,’ and P Grenf II. 779 (iii/iv A.D.) (= Sedections, p. 120) θαυμάζω πάνυ [ὅτι] ἀλόγως ἀπέστητε μὴ ἄραντες [τὸ σ]ῶμα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ὑμῶν, “1 wonder exceedingly that you went off so unreasonably, without taking the body of your brother”; cf. P Tor 1. 1¥8-4 (νον 116) εἰ δὲ kal τις θείηι τὸ μὴ ὄν (cf. 1 Cor 1°8)—acc. and inf. follow, P Ryl II. 144°? (Α.Ὁ. 38) ἐπαγαγεῖν αἰτίας τοῦ μὴ ὄντος, ‘‘…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

μή (mē) — not.

μή,

Elean μά [ᾱ] [Refs 6th c.BC+]. (Cf. Sanskrit mā´, Armenian mi [from I.-[Refs 5th c.BC+] mē´], negative used in prohibitions):—not, the negative of the will and thought, as οὐ of fact and statement; μή rejects, οὐ denies; μή is relative, οὐ absolute; μή subjective, οὐ objective. (A few examples of μηδέ and μηδείς have been included.)

__A in INDEPENDENT sentences, used in expressions of will or wish, command, entreaty, warning,

__A.1 with present imperative, 2 person, μή μ᾽ ἐρέθιζε [Refs 8th c.BC+]: rarely with aorist imperative, μὴ.. ἔνθεο τιμῇ [Refs 8th c.BC+]; in Attic dialect, μὴ ψεῦσον, ὦ Ζεῦ, τῆς.. ἐλπίδος [Refs 8th c.BC+]perfect imperative [Refs 8th c.BC+] person when perfect = present, μὴ κεκράγετε [Refs 5th c.BC+]

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

μή

me

a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an

absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an

interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an

affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, +

lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not,

nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in

substantially the same relations. See also 3362, 3363, 3364, 3372,

3373, 3375, 3378.

see GREEK for 3756

see GREEK for 3362

see GREEK for 3363

see GREEK for 3364

see GREEK for 3372

see GREEK for 3373

see GREEK for 3375

see GREEK for 3378

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

μή

Neg.prt.

not, lest

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

μή mē 1x

a negative particle, can function as a conj, not, for the particulars of its usage, especially as distinguished from that of οὐ, consult a grammar; as a conj., lest, that not, Mt. 5:29, 30; 18:10; 24:6; Mk. 13:36; μή, or μήτι, or μήποτε, when prefixed to an interrogative clause, it expresses an intimation either of the reality of the matters respecting which the question is asked, Mt. 12:23; or the contrary, Jn. 4:12

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Particle-N — Particle · negative
particle — a small word colouring the clause; it does not decline.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

PRT-N PaRTicle, disjunctive particle Negative

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
71%not
not71% · 772×except9% · 95×unless5% · 58×surely not4% · 41×lest3% · 32×otherwise2% · 23×other renderings4% · 48×other renderings1% · 16×

1,085 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 23 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
adverbial84%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 1,060 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
οὐNeg
καίand, even, also,σύἐγώ
ἵναin order that, so th
αὐτόςσύπροσεύχομαιI pray, pray for
καίand, even, also, nam
ἐγώαὐτόςεἰμίI am, exist
εἰCond
αὐτόςυἱόςa son, descendenκαίand, even, also,
Article the
καίand, even, also,εἰςδιά
μήNot1060×
what comes after →
Article the
πατήρfather, Father, υἱόςa son, descendenσημεῖονa sign, miracle,
ἔχωI have, hold, posses
καίand, even, also,ποιμήνa shepherdβάθοςdepth, a depth,
εἰμίI am, exist
δίδωμιI offer, giveἐνμετά
τὶς
σύὑστερέωI am lacking, faγεννάωI beget, bring f
φοβέωI fear, am terrified
ἀπόArticle theμόνοςalone, but, only

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceμή · 1,060× in the New Testament
Luke Matthew John 1 Corinthians Romans Mark Acts Revelation 2 Corinthians Hebrews 1 Timothy Galatians

2 inflected forms — one of the commonest words in the New Testament. Full distribution →

Across the New Testament27 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 1,321 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

circumcised anyone was called? Not he should become uncircumcised; In uncircumcision has been called anyone Not he should d be circumcise.
περιτεμνέσθω.peritemnō he should d be circumcise. G4059 Verb · present · passive · imperative · third person · singular
17× in the NT scale is logarithmic — ὁ, the commonest word, appears 19,867×
commoner in 1 Corinthians than anywhere else in the New Testament
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to circumcise, or cut around, specifically referring to the Jewish practice of circumcising males. It is used in Luke 1:59 to describe the circumcision of John the Baptist. In Acts 15:1, it describes the controversy over whether Gentile Christians must be circumcised.
Amplified meaning
undergo the Jewish rite, take on the physical sign
Tyndale gloss
to circumcise
Greek lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

περιτέμνω is a verb meaning to cut around, specifically to circumcise. It appears in various contexts in the New Testament, notably in Luke and Acts, referring to the Jewish rite of circumcision. The term can also be used metaphorically, as seen in Colossians, where it signifies a spiritual cutting away of sin. The word is derived from the combination of a prefix meaning 'around' and a root meaning 'to cut'.

Abbott-Smith, Manual Greek Lexicon of the NT

περι-τέμνω,

[in LXX chiefly for מוּל;]

(Ion., Epic. and late writers),

to cut around (Hdt.), hence, to circumcise (π. τὰ αἰδοῖα, Hdt.): Lk 1:59 2:21, Jo 7:22, Ac 7:8 15:5 16:3 21:21. Pass. and mid., to be circumcised, receive circumcision: Ac 15:1, I Co 7:18, Ga 2:3 5:2, 3 6:12, 13. Metaph. (cf. De 10:16, Je 4:4, al.), Col 2:11 (v. Deiss., BS, 151 f.; MM, xix).†

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament from a scan

περι-τέμνω (lon. περιτάμνω) ; 2 pres. περιτέμνομαι; pf. ptep. περιτετμημένος ; 1 aor. περιεἐτμήθην; [fr. Hes. down]; Sept. chiefly for 539; to cut around (cf. περί, III. 1]: τινά, to circumcise, cut off one’s prepuce (used of that well-known rite by which not only the male children of the Israelites, on the eighth day after birth, but subsequently also ‘proselytes of righteousness’ were consecrated to Jehovah and introduced into the number of his people; [ef. BB. DD. s. v. Circumcision; Oehler’s O. T. Theol. (ed. Day) 88 87, 88; Miller, Barnabasbrief, p. 227 sq.]), Lk. i. 59; ii. 21; Jn. vii. 22; Acts vii. 8; xv.53 xvi. 3; xxi. 21; of the same rite, Diod. 1,28; pass. and mid. to get one’s self circumcised, present one’s self to be circumcised, receive circumcision [ef. W. § 38, 3]: Acts xv. 1, 24 Rec.; 1 Co. vii. 18; Gal. ii. 3; v.2sq.; vi. 12sq.; with ra αἰδοῖα added, Hat. 2, 36 and…

Read the full entry →
Moulton & Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament from a scan

περιτέμνω is always used in the LXX for the ceremonial act of circumcision, and Deissmann (4S p. 151 ff.) has suggested that the choice of this particular compound by the LXX translators may have been due to the fact that it was ‘‘in common use as a technical term for an Egyptian custom similar to the Old Testament cércumczsion.” He cites by , περιτρέπω way of illustration P Lond 2413 (B.c. 163) (=I. p. 32, UPZ i. p. 117) ὡς ἔθος ἐστὶν] τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις περι[[τε]]τέμνεσθαι (see further below), and BGU I. 3471} (a.p. 171) where we read of a boy—rrepit]pnOqvat [kata] τὸ ἔθος. To this evidence we can now add a series of documents dealing with the priests of Soknebtunis, P Tebt II. 291-3: see especially 292 (a.p. 189-190), where a priest makes request to the strategus that κατὰ τὸ ἔθος ἐπιϊστολὴν.. .7 γραφῆναι ὑπὸ σοῦ t[¢ κρατίστῳ ἀρχιερεῖ ἵνα] συνχωρήσαντος αὐτοῦ δυν[ηθῶσιν οἱ παῖδες]…

Read the full entry →
Liddell-Scott-Jones, full edition

περιτέμνω (peritemnō) — to circumcise.

περιτέμνω,

Epic dialect and Ionic dialect περι-τάμνω, cut or clip round about, οἴνας περιταμνέμεν prune them, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of a goldsmith, [Refs 2nd c.AD+] —middle, βραχίονας περιτάμνονται make incisions all over their arms, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, to be cut up, of fish, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

2. of circumcision, τῶν ἐπιγινομένων οὐ περιτάμνουσι τὰ αἰδοῖα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; π. τοὺς παῖδας [LXX+3rd c.BC+], etc.:— middle, περιτάμνονται τὰ αἰδοῖα [LXX+5th c.BC+]: absolutely, practise circumcision, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, [LXX]

3. cut off the extremities, τὰ ὦτα καὶ τὴν ῥῖνα [Refs 5th c.BC+] —passive, περιτάμνεσθαι γῆν to be curtailed of certain land, [Refs 5th…

Read the full entry →
Strong's Greek Dictionary

περιτέμνω

peritemno

from 4012 and the base of 5114; to cut around, i.e. (specially) to

circumcise:--circumcise.

see GREEK for 4012

see GREEK for 5114

Dodson Greek-English Lexicon

περιτέμνω

v.

I circumcise

Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary

περιτέμνω peritemnō 17x

to cut around; to circumcise, remove the prepuce, Lk. 1:59; 2:21; met. Col. 2:11; mid. to submit to circumcision, Acts 15:1

Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones

περιτέμνω ionic -τάμνω fut. -τεμῶ perf. -τέτμηκα aor2 -έτεμον to cut or clip round about, Lat. circumcidere, οἰνὰς περιταμνέμεν to prune them, Hes.; τὴν κεφαλὴν π. κύκλῳ περὶ τὰ ὦτα Hdt.:—Mid., περιτάμνεσθαι βραχίονας to make incisions all round one's arms, id. Hdt.

of circumcision, id. Hdt.: and in Mid., περιτάμνονται τὰ αἰδοῖα they practise circumcision, id. Hdt.

to cut off the extremities, τὰ ὦτα καὶ τὴν ῥῖνα id. Hdt.:—Pass., περιτάμνεσθαι γῆν to be curtailed of certain land, id. Hdt.

to cut off and hem in all round, cut off, Lat. intercipere; hence in Mid., βοῦς περιταμνόμενος cutting off cattle for oneself, "lifting" cattle, Od.:—Pass. to be cut off, intercepted, Xen.

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Verb-PPM-3S — Verb · present · passive · imperative · third person · singular
present passive imperative — an action in progress.
Robinson's Morphological Analysis Codes

V-PPM-3S Part of Speech: Verb Tense: Present Voice: Passive Mood: iMperative Person: third Number: Singular

Into Englishhow translators actually render it
22%circumcise
circumcise22% · 4×be circumcised22% · 4×circumcised11% · 2×you shall become circumcised11% · 2×being circumcised11% · 2×he circumcised6% · 1×he should d be circumcise6% · 1×you were circumcised6% · 1×other renderings6% · 1×

18 occurrences in the New Testament, rendered 9 different ways. The commonest English word for it is not its meaning — it is one translator's decision, repeated.

What it does in the sentencefrom the Nestle 1904 treebank
verb82%adverbial6%object6%indirect object6%

Parsing tells you the form; the treebank tells you the job. Counted over all 17 occurrences — a word inside a phrase counts towards whatever that phrase is doing.

The phrases it lives inwhat stands either side of it, across the New Testament
← what comes before
μήNeg
ἐάνCondλέγωI say, speakτὶς
Article the
ὀκτώIndecγάρfor
καίand, even, also, nam
ἸσαάκPropὅς
σύ
ἀναγκάζωI force, compelθέλωI will, wish, de
ἔρχομαιI come, go
ὄγδοοςeighth
περιτέμνωhe should d be circumcise.17×
what comes after →
αὐτός
Article theκαίand, even, also,παραγγέλλωI notify, comman
Article the
παιδίονa little child, ἔθοςa custom
ἄνθρωποςa man, one of the hu
τὶς
καλέωI call, invite,
Χριστόςanointed, the Messia
σύ

branches are dictionary forms, so endings do not split one phrase into five; the number on a branch is how many times the New Testament takes that path

Concordanceπεριτέμνω · 17× in the New Testament
Galatians Acts 1 Corinthians Luke Colossians John
Across the New Testament6 of 27 books
MtMkLkJnAcRo1Co2CoGaEphPhpCol1Th2Th1Ti2TiTitPhmHebJas1Pe2Pe1Jn2Jn3JnJudRev
The Hebrew behind itwhat the Septuagint translators were rendering

Counted over the 22 Old Testament verses where this Greek word stands: which Hebrew word keeps standing there too. A correspondence of verses rather than a word-by-word alignment, so read the percentage as strength of evidence, not as a claim about any single verse.

Outside the New Testamentthe same word in the Greek of its own century
Josephus The Epistle of Barnabas Philo of Alexandria
Philo of AlexandriaOn the Migration of Abraham 92c. AD 40

μηδ’ ὅτι τὸ περιτέμνεσθαι ἡδονῆς καὶ παθῶν πάντων ἐκτομὴν καὶ δόξης ἀναίρεσιν ἀσεβοῦς ἐμφαίνει, καθ’ ἣν ὑπέλαβεν ὁ νοῦς ἱκανὸς εἶναι γεννᾶν δι’ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀνέλωμεν τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ περιτομῇ τεθέντα νόμον·

JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1.192c. AD 75–95

προσέταξέ τε βουλόμενος τὸ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ γένος μένειν τοῖς ἄλλοις οὐ συμφυρόμενον περιτέμνεσθαι τὰ αἰδοῖα καὶ τοῦτο ποιεῖν ὀγδόῃ ἡμέρᾳ μετὰ τὸ γεννηθῆναι.

The Epistle of BarnabasThe Epistle of Barnabas 9.1c. AD 100

Λέγει γὰρ πάλιν περὶ τῶν ὠτίων, πῶς περιέτεμεν ἡμῶν τὴν καρδίαν.

In the everyday Greek (the secular world, not the church)letters, leases, receipts — nobody writing one is trying to sound biblical
2nd c. AD 3rd c. AD 2nd c. BC 4th c. AD
Chrest.Wilck. 77Soknopaiu Nesos (Arsinoites)AD 149

καὶ τῶν συννάων θεῶν ἱεροῦ λογίμου κώμης Σοκνοπαίου Νήσου ἐπέδωκάν μοι βιβλίδιον βουλόμενοι ἱερατικῶς περιτεμεῖν οἱ μὲν υἱοὺς ἑαυτῶν, οἱ δὲ συνγενεῖς ἐκ μητέρων τῶν ὑπογεγραμμένων καὶ παρέθεντο ἀντίγραφα

Stud.Pal. 22 51Soknopaiu Nesos (Arsinoites)AD 153

Κλαύδιος Ἀγαθοκλῆς ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἱερέων σημειωσάμενος τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐπέτρεψε τὸν Στοτοῆν περιτμηθῆναι κατὰ τὸ ἔθος.

P.Rain.Cent. 58Soknopaiu Nesos (Arsinoites)AD 156

θεῶν ἱεροῦ λογίμου τοῦ ὄντος ἐν κώμῃ Σοκνοπαίου Νήσου ἐπέδωκέ μοι βιβλίδιον βουλόμενος ἱερατικῶς περιτεμεῖν υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ δύο Πακῦσιν καὶ Στοτοῆτιν ἐκ μητρὸς Ταφιώμιος ἱερείας τῶν αὐτῶν θεῶν· εἰς

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate