μεθύσκω (methuskō)
methuskō
to get drunk
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb methuskō describes the state of being intoxicated or made drunk. It appears in four New Testament passages, including Luke 12:45, Ephesians 5:18, and 1 Thessalonians 5:7. The word carries a clear sense of losing self-control through alcohol, serving as a direct contrast to the call for spiritual alertness.
In its most famous usage, Paul contrasts those who are drunk with wine against those who are filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). This parallel highlights that intoxication is not merely a physical condition but a state of altered consciousness. Similarly, in 1 Thessalonians 5:7, believers are urged to stay awake and be sober, while others sleep in drunkenness, framing sobriety as a key mark of Christian vigilance.
The term is causative, implying an external agent or the act of drinking that leads to this state. Its rarity in the New Testament—only four occurrences—underscores its specific role in warning against excess. Translators consistently render it as "drunk" or "intoxicated," preserving the straightforward moral and practical warning found in the original text.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word methuskō describes a state where alcohol takes control, leading to a loss of self-restraint. In Ephesians 5:18, Paul uses this term to draw a sharp line between being controlled by wine and being filled with the Spirit. This contrast shows that intoxication is not just a physical reaction but a spiritual condition where one’s mind and will are clouded.
Similarly, in 1 Thessalonians 5:7, believers are called to stay awake and sober while others remain in the dark of drunkenness. This imagery reminds us that Christian life requires alertness and clarity of thought. We are invited to live with open eyes, ready to respond to God’s guidance rather than being overwhelmed by worldly influences.
Understanding this word helps us see why sobriety is valued in Scripture. It is not about strict rules but about maintaining the freedom to hear and follow Jesus. By choosing clarity over confusion, we keep our hearts steady and our faith strong.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- were made drunk1×
- to get drunk,1×
- do be drunk1×
- becoming drunk1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐμεθύσθησαν1×
- μεθύσκεσθε1×
- μεθύσκεσθαι,1×
- μεθυσκόμενοι1×
Key Verses
-
Ephesians 5:18
Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
Paul contrasts being controlled by wine with being filled by the Spirit, showing that intoxication replaces divine guidance with physical excess.
-
I Thessalonians 5:7
For those who sleep, sleep in the night; and those who are drunk are drunk in the night.
The verse links drunkenness with sleeping in the night, framing sobriety as a necessary state for spiritual vigilance and readiness.
-
Luke 12:45
But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and to be drunken,
A servant who becomes drunk neglects his duties, illustrating how intoxication leads to moral failure and a lack of accountability.