αἰχμαλωτίζω (aichmalōtizō)
aichmalōtizō
to capture
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb aichmalōtizō means to take someone prisoner or lead them away as a captive. In its literal sense, it describes the physical act of capturing people in war, a meaning reflected in its use in Luke 21:24 where Jesus predicts Jerusalem’s destruction and the subsequent exile of its inhabitants.
Paul employs this word metaphorically to describe the struggle against sin and false teaching. In Romans 7:23, he speaks of the law of sin capturing his inner members, while in 2 Corinthians 10:5, he urges believers to take every thought captive to obey Christ. This usage shifts the focus from physical chains to mental and spiritual submission.
The word derives from aichmalōtos, meaning "prisoner taken by spear." Its theological weight lies in this imagery of total subjugation; whether describing the historical fate of Jerusalem or the internal battle for the mind, it conveys the idea of being overcome and led away against one’s initial will.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word aichmalōtizō paints a vivid picture of being taken prisoner. In Luke 21:24, it describes the historical tragedy of Jerusalem’s inhabitants being led away as captives. This raw reality reminds us that sin and broken systems can overpower human freedom, leaving people bound against their will.
Yet the New Testament turns this image inward. Paul uses it in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to urge believers to take every thought captive for Christ’s obedience. Here, we are not victims but active participants in guarding our minds. We bring our inner dialogues under the Lordship of Jesus, refusing to let false ideas rule us.
This shift from physical chains to mental submission offers hope. Even when circumstances feel overwhelming, your mind remains a place where Christ can reign. By inviting Him into your thoughts, you reclaim the freedom He purchased on the cross.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- will be led captive1×
- taking captive1×
- making captive1×
- being captured1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- αἰχμαλωτίζοντες2×
- αἰχμαλωτίζοντά1×
- αἰχμαλωτισθήσονται1×
Key Verses
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Luke 21:24
They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
This verse uses the word literally to describe the historical exile of Jerusalem's people, grounding the term in real-world suffering.
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II Corinthians 10:5
throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
Paul transforms the military imagery into a spiritual discipline, commanding believers to actively arrest thoughts that oppose God.
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Romans 7:23
but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.
Here the word illustrates the internal struggle where sin temporarily gains control over the believer's physical nature.