ἀποψύχω (apopsuchō)
apopsuchō
to faint
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb apopsuchō describes a physical collapse caused by extreme stress or exhaustion, literally meaning to "breathe out" one’s life force. While it can refer to natural death, in the New Testament it carries a stronger sense of fainting or swooning away due to overwhelming pressure. This usage highlights the sheer intensity of the situation, where human endurance reaches its absolute limit.
The word appears only once in the Gospels, in Luke 21:26, describing people whose hearts fail them from fear and anticipation of the coming events. Here, it captures a state of paralysis rather than just sadness; the subjects are so overwhelmed that their bodies literally shut down. Translators often render this as "faint" or "lose heart," emphasizing the physical manifestation of spiritual dread.
Its root combines apo ("away") and psuchē ("soul" or "life breath"), suggesting a separation from one’s vital energy. This etymology reinforces the image of life literally leaving the body through exhalation, whether in final death or temporary collapse. The term serves as a vivid marker of human vulnerability before divine action.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word apopsuchō paints a stark picture of human fragility. It describes a physical collapse where fear and anticipation become so overwhelming that the body simply stops. In Luke 21:26, it captures people fainting not from illness, but from the sheer weight of what is coming upon the world. This image reminds us that there are moments when our own strength is completely insufficient.
Yet this vulnerability is not a dead end. When human endurance reaches its limit, we are reminded that God’s power does not depend on our stamina. The shaking of heavenly powers signals a divine intervention that surpasses human capacity. In times of deep anxiety or uncertainty, you do not need to manufacture courage. Your weakness is the very place where reliance on God becomes natural and necessary.
This word invites you to lay down the burden of trying to control the uncontrollable. When fear threatens to paralyze you, look toward the One who holds history. There is peace in admitting that we cannot bear it all alone, and trust in knowing that God remains steady when everything else shakes.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- when are fainting1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀποψυχόντων1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 21:26
men fainting for fear and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
This verse uses apopsuchō to describe the physical paralysis of people overwhelmed by fear and anticipation, highlighting the intensity of the coming events.