νεκρόω (nekroō)
nekroō
to put to death
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb nekroō means to put to death or render lifeless. Derived from the word for "dead body," it carries a forceful sense of making something dead rather than simply describing a state of being. In Scripture, this action is often applied metaphorically to human experience rather than physical execution.
Paul uses this term in Colossians 3:5 to command believers to "put to death" the earthly parts of their nature, treating sinful impulses as things that must be actively killed rather than merely managed. The imagery suggests a decisive, final action against internal desires that oppose spiritual life.
The sources also note its use for physical weakness. Hebrews 11:12 describes Abraham’s body as being "as good as dead" due to old age, highlighting how the word can describe the loss of vitality or impotence. This usage bridges the gap between literal death and the gradual fading of strength in aging.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word nekroō carries a sharp, decisive edge. It does not mean to manage or tolerate, but to kill. When Paul uses it in Colossians, he is not suggesting we negotiate with our sinful habits. He commands us to put them to death. This is a spiritual reality that requires active resistance against the impulses that pull us away from God.
Yet this same word also appears in Hebrews to describe Abraham’s aged body. Here, it speaks of natural decline and weakness. It reminds us that physical frailty is part of our human condition. God sees both the internal battle with sin and the external weariness of our bodies. He does not ask us to be superhuman, but faithful.
Understanding this word helps us see that spiritual growth involves two sides: killing what harms us and enduring what weakens us. We do not have to fight alone. God’s grace covers both our moral failures and our physical limits. You can trust Him with the parts of you that feel too worn out to keep going.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- expired,1×
- do put to death1×
- as good as dead,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- νενεκρωμένου,1×
- νενεκρωμένον,1×
- Νεκρώσατε1×
Key Verses
-
Colossians 3:5
Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
This verse uses the word as a direct command to actively eliminate sinful behaviors rather than merely suppressing them.
-
Hebrews 11:12
Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.
Here the term describes Abraham’s physical decline, showing how the word applies to natural loss of vitality in old age.
-
Romans 4:19
Without being weakened in faith, he didn’t consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
The text uses a related form to describe Sarah’s womb as 'dead,' highlighting total infertility rather than just weakness.