ἐντυλίσσω (entulissō)
entulissō
to wrap up
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb entulisso describes the physical act of wrapping or rolling something up, such as a cloth or garment. It appears only three times in the New Testament, specifically in the accounts of Jesus’ burial and resurrection. In Matthew 27:59 and Luke 23:53, it details how Joseph of Arimathea wrapped Jesus’ body in a clean linen shroud before placing it in his own tomb.
The word’s meaning is rooted in motion, derived from elements suggesting twisting or coiling. This distinguishes it from simple covering; it implies enclosing something tightly for safekeeping or transport. The final occurrence in John 20:7 uses the passive form to describe how the face cloth, which had been wrapped around Jesus’ head, was found lying separately after the resurrection, no longer bound to the body.
Translators typically render this word as "wrapped" or "rolled up," capturing the tactile nature of the action. The usage highlights the care taken in burial practices and the specific arrangement of the grave clothes, providing a concrete detail that underscores the reality of the physical events described in the Gospels.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word entulisso describes the careful act of wrapping or rolling something up, often using cloth. In the Gospels, it appears during the burial of Jesus and the discovery of His empty tomb. This specific verb suggests a tight, secure winding, rather than a simple covering. It highlights the deliberate care taken by Joseph of Arimathea to prepare Jesus’ body for rest.
When we read that Jesus was wrapped in linen, we see the dignity given to Him even in death. The physical reality of these actions grounds our faith in history, not just myth. The separate wrapping of the face cloth in John 20:7 further emphasizes that the resurrection was a tangible event, with grave clothes left behind in an orderly manner.
These details remind us that God cares about the concrete realities of human life. The careful preparation of Jesus’ body shows respect for His humanity and fulfills the patterns of Jewish burial customs. We can find comfort in knowing that our faith rests on real events witnessed by real people, recorded with specific attention to detail.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- wrapped1×
- he wrapped1×
- folded up1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐνετύλιξεν2×
- ἐντετυλιγμένον1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 27:59
Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth
This verse uses the word to describe Joseph’s act of wrapping Jesus’ body in linen, highlighting the respectful preparation before burial.
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Luke 23:53
He took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no one had ever been laid.
Here the term emphasizes the complete encasing of the body in cloth, underscoring the finality and care of the burial process.
-
John 20:7
and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.
The passive form describes the face cloth being rolled up separately, providing specific evidence of the orderly nature of the empty tomb.