Quick Definition
σπείρω v. I sow, spread, scatter
Strong's Definition
probably strengthened from 4685 (through the idea of extending); to scatter, i.e. sow (literally or figuratively)
KJV Usage: sow(- er), receive seed
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | σπείρω
43.8 · Agriculture
to sow in addition, to sow on top of to sow in addition to a previous sowing
verb | aor.pass.ptc. σπαρείς · pf.pass. ἔσπαρμαι | διασπείρω · διασπορά · ἐπισπείρω · σπέρμα · σπερμολόγος · σπορά · σπόριμα · σπόρος
43.6 · Agriculture
to sow to scatter seed over tilled ground In many languages there is a problem of translating σπείρω literally as ‘to scatter seed,’ since this is interpreted as an exceedingly wasteful manner of sowing, but unless one translates more or less literally and then provides some explanatory footnote, the parable loses much of its significance for many cultures.
MAT 6:26 · MAT 13:3 · MAT 13:3 · MAT 13:4 · MAT 13:18 · MAT 13:19 · MAT 13:19 · MAT 13:20 · MAT 13:22 · MAT 13:23 · MAT 13:24 · MAT 13:27 · MAT 13:31 · MAT 13:37 · MAT 13:39 · MAT 25:24 · MAT 25:26 · MRK 4:3 · MRK 4:3 · MRK 4:4 · MRK 4:14 · MRK 4:14 · MRK 4:15 · MRK 4:15 · MRK 4:16 · MRK 4:18 · MRK 4:20 · MRK 4:31 · MRK 4:32 · LUK 8:5 · LUK 8:5 · LUK 8:5 · LUK 12:24 · LUK 19:21 · LUK 19:22 · JHN 4:36 · JHN 4:37 · 1CO 9:11 · 1CO 15:36 · 1CO 15:37 · 1CO 15:37 · 1CO 15:42 · 1CO 15:43 · 1CO 15:43 · 1CO 15:44 · 2CO 9:6 · 2CO 9:6 · 2CO 9:10 · GAL 6:7 · GAL 6:8 · GAL 6:8 · JAS 3:18
1 In MRK 4:26 the phrase σπόρον βάλλω (literally ‘to throw seed’) has the same meaning as σπείρω.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
σπείρω ; [impf. 2 pers. sing. ἔσπειρες, Mt. xiii. 27 Tr]; 1 aor. ἔσπειρα; Pass., pres. σπείρομαι; pf. pass. ptep. éorappévos; 2 aor. ἐσπάρην ; [derived fr. the quick, jerky, motion of the hand; cf. our spurn (of the foot); Curtius § 389]; fr. Hesiod down; Sept. for p11; to sow, scatter seed; a. prop.: absol., Mt. vi. 26; xiii. 3 sq. 18sq.; Mk. iv. 3sq. 14; Lk. viii. 5; xii. 24; [Jn. v. 36 sq. (see in b.)]; 2Co.ix.10; with an ace. of the thing, as σπέρμα, ζιζάνια, κόκκον, [ef. B. §131, 5]: Mt. xiii. 24 sq. [but in 25 L T Tr WH have ἐπισπ.], 27, 37,39; Mk. iv. 32; Lk. viii.5; 1 Co.xv. 36sq.; with specifications of place: εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας, Mt. xiii. 22; Mk. iv. 18; ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, Mt. xiii. 24, [31]; ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, MK. iv. 31; ἐπί ν΄. an ace. of place, Mt. xiii. 20, 23; Mk. iv. 16, 20; mapa τὴν ὁδόν, Mt. xiii. 19. absol., Mt. xxv. 24,26; Lk. xix. 21 sq.; Jn. ἵν. 31; 2Co. ix. 6; τί, Gal. vi. 7, (on these sayings see θερίζω, b.). in comparisons: σπείρειν εἰς τὴν σάρκα, εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα, (σάρξ and πνεῦμα are likened to fields to be sown), to do those things which satisfy the nature and promptings of the σάρξ or of the πνεῦμα, Gal. vi. 8; τὸν λόγον, to scatter the seeds of instruction, i. e. to impart instruction, Mk. iv. 14 sq.; ὁ λόγος 6 ἐσπαρμένος ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν, the ideas and precepts that have been implanted like seed in their hearts, i. e. received in their hearts, ibid. 15 (where Tr txt. WH eis αὐτούς into their hearts, T Lmrg. ἐν αὐτοῖς) ; οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν σπαρείς, this one experiences the fate of the seed sown by the wayside, Mt. xiii. 19; add, 20-23; Mk. iv.16, 18,20. τὸ σῶμα, the body, which after death is committed like seed to the earth, 1 Co. xv. 42-44; καρπὸν δικαιοσύνης, i. 6. that seed which produces καρπὸν δικαιοσύνης [see καρπός, 2 b.], Jas. iii. 18; σπείρειν τινί τι, to give, manifest, something to one, from whom we may subsequently receive something else akin to a harvest (θερίζομεν), 1 Co. ix.11. [Comp.: δια-, ἐπι- σπείρω.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
σπείρω speirō 52x
to sow seed, Mt. 6:26; 13:3, 4, 18, 24, 25, 27, 37, 3
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
* σπείρω
[in LXX chiefly for זרע ;]
to sow (seed): absol., Mt 6:26 13:3, 4, 18 25:24, 26, Mk 4:3, 4, Lk 8:5 12:24, Jo 4:36, II Co 9:10; c. acc. rei, Mt 13:24, 27, 37, 39, Mk 4:32, Lk 8:5, I Co 15:36, 37; seq. εἰς, Mt 13:22, Mk 4:18; ἐν, Mt 13:24, 31; ἐπί, c. gen., Mk 4:31; ἐπί, c. acc, Mt 13:20, 23, Mk 4:16, 20; παρά, c. acc., Mt 13:19. Metaph.: I Co 9:11 15:42-44, Ga 6:7, 8, Ja 3:18; in proverbial sayings, Mt 25:24, 26, Lk 19:21, 22, Jo 4:37, II Co 9:6, Ga 6:7; in interpretation of parables, Mt 13:19-23, Mk 4:14-20 †
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
σπείρω, “ρον ἦ: cf. P Hamb I. 247 (B.c. 222) ἐσπαρκέναι ἐν τῶι ἰδίωι [κλήρωι, P Oxy II. 277° (B.C. 19) ὥστε σπεῖραι εἰς τὸ δωδέκατον ἔτος πυρῶι, ὁ. 2801" (A.D. 88-0) σπεῖραι καὶ ξυλαμῆσαι (“‘reap”), BGU I. 1017 (A.D. 114-5) σπείρειν καὶ καρπίζεσθαι kal ἀποφέρειν εἰς τὸ ἴδιον, P Ry! II. 2439 (ii/A.D.) ἐλπίζοντες σὺν θεῷ τὸ πεδείον σπαρῆναι, P Fay 339 (ii/A.D.) ἐσπίαρμένου) ἐδ(άφους), P Flor I. 2115 (A.D. 239) εἰς THY ἐν TupH σπειρομέν[η]ν γῆν, and the late 76. 13127 (vi/vii A.D.) καθ᾽ ἐνιαυτὸν σπείρω τὴν οὐσίαν pov.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
σπείρω (speirō) — to sow. σπείρω, Aeolic dialect σπέρρω[Refs]: Ionic dialect imperfect σπείρεσκον [Refs 5th c.BC+]: future σπερῶ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Aeolic dialect σπέρσω [Refs 5th c.BC+]: aorist ἔσπειρα [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect ἔσπαρκα [Refs 2nd c.AD+]:—middle, aorist infinitive σπείρασθαι [Refs 3rd c.BC+]; aorist 2 σπαρέσθαι uncertain reading in [Refs 2nd c.AD+]:—passive, future σπᾰρήσομαι [LXX+1st c.BC+]aorist ἐσπάρην [ᾰ] [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect ἔσπαρμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]:— sow,
I. sow seed, with accusative, [κέγχρους] [Refs 8th c.BC+]; of Cadmus, σ. γηγενῆ στάχυν [Refs] (so in middle, σπείρασθαι ὀδόντας [Refs 3rd c.BC+]: absolutely, sow, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; opposed to θερίζω, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; καρπὸν ὧν ἔσπειρε θερίζειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; σ. κατὰ πετρῶν, i.e. εἰς πέλαγος [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
I.2. engender, beget offspring [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οἱ σπείραντες the parents, [Refs]; ἄθυτα παλλακῶν σπέρματα σ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, spring or be born, ὅθενπερ αὐτὸς ἐσπάρη [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πρὸ τοῦ Ζήνωνα.. σπαρῆναι before Z. was begotten, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
I.3. scatter like seed, strew, χρυσὸν καὶ ἄργυρον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of liquids, scatter or sprinkle, ἐκ τευχέων σ. δρόσον [Refs 5th c.BC+]; spread abroad, extend, σ. ἀγλαΐαν νάς ῳ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; spread rumour, σ. ματαίαν βάξιν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μὴ σπεῖρε πολλοῖς τὸν παρόντα δαίμονα do not speak of it indiscriminately, [Refs]:—passive, to be scattered or dispersed, ἐσπαρμένος κατὰ.. πόλιν, of the ashes of Solon scattered over Salamis, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; of persons, ἐσπάρησαν καθ᾽ Ἑλλάδα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κατὰ χώραν[Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. sow a field, νειόν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; γῆν, τέμενος, πεδιάδα, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἡ σπειρομένη Αἴγυπτος the arable part of Egypt, [Refs 5th c.BC+], of lost labour, [Refs 6th c.BC+]
II.2. of procreation, ματρὸς.. σ. ἄρουραν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἣν ἔσπειρε, i.e. his wife, [Refs 4th c.AD+]