ἀπάγχω (apagchō)
apagchō
to strangle
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb apagchō means to strangle or throttle someone to death. In the New Testament, it appears only once in Matthew 27:5, describing how Judas Iscariot ended his own life after betraying Jesus. The text states that he went away and hanged himself, using this specific term for the act of choking or strangling.
While the root word agchō generally means to press or choke tightly, the compound form apagchō carries the distinct sense of putting someone out of the way by killing them. In this particular instance, the middle voice is used to describe self-inflicted death by hanging. This rare usage highlights the finality and brutality of Judas’s despair, marking a stark contrast to the mercy offered elsewhere in the Gospel narrative.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ἀπάγχω appears only once in the New Testament, found in Matthew 27:5. It describes the tragic end of Judas Iscariot, who took his own life after betraying Jesus. This single occurrence stands as a sobering reminder of the depth of human despair and the heavy burden of guilt when one turns away from grace.
While the verse records a moment of profound loss, it also highlights the vast contrast between Judas’s path and the mercy offered to others. His story invites us to consider the seriousness of our choices and the importance of seeking forgiveness rather than giving in to hopelessness.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- hanged himself.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀπήγξατο.¶1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 27:5
He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary and departed. Then he went away and hanged himself.
This is the only New Testament occurrence of ἀπάγχω, where it specifically denotes Judas’s self-inflicted death by hanging.