λιθοβολέω (lithoboleō)
lithoboleō
to stone
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 9 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb lithoboleō describes the act of killing someone by pelting them with stones. It is a compound word combining lithos (stone) and ballō (to throw), literally meaning "to stone-throw." In the New Testament, it appears nine times, primarily in the Gospels and Acts, reflecting its use as a legal or mob execution method in ancient Jewish society.
Jesus uses this term to describe the fate of prophets. In Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34, He laments that Jerusalem kills the prophets sent to it, using the passive form to show how the city rejected divine messengers. The word also appears in Acts 7:58-59, where Stephen is stoned, marking him as the first Christian martyr. This usage highlights the violent opposition faced by early followers of Jesus.
The term carries heavy theological weight. It connects Jesus’ ministry to the long history of Israel’s rejection of God’s messengers. By using lithoboleō, the New Testament writers emphasize the cost of faithfulness and the severity of spiritual blindness. The word serves as a stark reminder of the persecution that accompanied the spread of the Gospel.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word lithoboleō describes a violent act of killing by throwing stones. In the New Testament, it appears nine times, primarily in the Gospels and Acts. It reflects a harsh reality of ancient Jewish society where stoning was a legal or mob execution method. Jesus uses this term to describe the fate of prophets, showing how Jerusalem rejected divine messengers.
This word carries heavy theological weight. It connects Jesus’ ministry to the long history of Israel’s rejection of God’s messengers. By using lithoboleō, the New Testament writers emphasize the cost of faithfulness and the severity of spiritual blindness. The term serves as a stark reminder of the persecution that accompanied the spread of the Gospel.
When we read about Stephen being stoned in Acts 7:59, we see the first Christian martyr calling out to Jesus. This highlights the violent opposition faced by early followers of Jesus. It reminds us that following Christ can come with great cost, but also with profound hope and faithfulness.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 9 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- stoning3×
- to stone1×
- to be stoned;1×
- they were stoning [him].1×
- they were stoning1×
- they stoned.1×
- it will be stoned1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- λιθοβολοῦσα2×
- ἐλιθοβόλουν.1×
- ἐλιθοβόλουν1×
- ἐλιθοβόλησαν.1×
- λιθοβολῆσαι1×
- λιθοβολήσαντες1×
- λιθοβοληθήσεται1×
- λιθοβολεῖσθαι·1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 23:37
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!
Jesus uses the active form to lament Jerusalem's history of rejecting and killing the prophets He sent.
-
Acts 7:59
They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is stoned while praying for his executioners, showing the cost of faithfulness.
-
John 8:5
Now in our law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. What then do you say about her?”
The religious leaders cite Mosaic law to justify stoning a woman caught in adultery, testing Jesus' authority.