ἀποπνίγω (apopnigō)
apopnigō
to choke
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb apopnigō describes a violent, physical suffocation, meaning to choke or strangle until breath is cut off. In the New Testament, it appears only twice, both within Jesus’ Parable of the Sower in Luke 8:7. Here, it depicts thorns that grow so densely they crush and asphyxiate young plants, preventing them from reaching maturity.
Its root combines a prefix indicating intensity with a word for suffocation, creating a sense of being completely overwhelmed by an external force. While the primary meaning is literal choking, some scholars note it can extend metaphorically to things that stifle growth or potential. The imagery is stark: life is not merely ignored but actively smothered by competing pressures.
Translators typically render this word as "choked" in the parable, capturing the sudden and final nature of the plant’s demise. It serves as a powerful visual for how worldly anxieties or riches can completely inhibit spiritual vitality, leaving no room for fruit to develop.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word apopnigō describes a violent suffocation, where life is actively smothered by competing pressures. In Luke’s Parable of the Sower, it depicts thorns that crush young plants before they can mature. This image reminds us that spiritual growth requires space to breathe and reach for light.
When worldly anxieties or the pursuit of riches crowd out our focus, they do not just distract us; they choke the vitality we need to bear fruit. Recognizing these pressures allows us to clear the ground around our hearts, creating room for faith to take root and flourish without being overwhelmed by external forces.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- was drowned.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀπεπνίγη.¶1×