ἐνέχω (enechō)
enechō
to oppose
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb enechō literally means to hold something within, but in Scripture it describes being held fast by an external force. This creates a sense of entanglement or constraint, as seen when Paul warns against being "entangled again" with the yoke of slavery in Galatians 5:1. The image is not merely physical restraint but a spiritual or moral binding that restricts freedom.
In other contexts, the word shifts to describe an internal state of hostility. It conveys holding a grudge or setting oneself against someone, reflecting a heart fixed in opposition. This usage appears when religious leaders are described as opposing Jesus (Mark 6:19) and when they plot against him (Luke 11:53). Here, the "holding within" is resentment that fuels active resistance.
Its root combines en ("in") and echō ("to have"). This structure suggests that what holds a person back or drives them to conflict originates from within their own condition. Whether it is the snare of sin or the anger of enemies, enechō portrays a power that grips the individual from the inside out.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word enechō paints a vivid picture of being held fast or constrained. In Galatians 5:1, Paul uses it to warn against the heavy burden of legalism. He describes this as a yoke of bondage that restricts the freedom Christ has secured for us. This imagery reminds us that true liberty is not just about doing what we want, but about being released from forces that seek to control our hearts and actions.
Conversely, Mark 6:19 shows enechō in a different light, describing Herodias’s internal hostility toward Jesus. Here, the word reflects a heart fixed in opposition, where resentment fuels active resistance. This highlights how internal attitudes can lead to external conflict. Recognizing these dynamics helps us understand the power of sin and anger to entangle us.
Understanding enechō invites us to examine what might be holding us back or driving us into conflict. It encourages a reliance on Christ’s freedom rather than our own efforts to manage relationships or burdens. This awareness fosters a deeper trust in God’s ability to free us from both external pressures and internal struggles.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- was holding it1×
- to press upon [Him]1×
- do be entangled.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐνέχεσθε.¶1×
- ἐνέχειν1×
- ἐνεῖχεν1×
Key Verses
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Galatians 5:1
Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Paul uses this word to describe the restrictive nature of legalism, contrasting it with the freedom Christ provides.
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Mark 6:19
Herodias set herself against him and desired to kill him, but she couldn’t,
Herodias’s internal resentment is described as a force that holds her in opposition to Jesus, leading to her desire for his death.
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Luke 11:53
As he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly angry, and to draw many things out of him,
The scribes and Pharisees are depicted as being held fast by hostility, which drives them to oppose Jesus aggressively.