ξυράω (xuraō)
xuraō
to shave
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb xuraō means to shave or shear off hair. It appears only three times in the New Testament, with two occurrences in Acts and one in First Corinthians. In these texts, it describes the physical act of removing hair from the scalp or beard.
In Acts 18:18 and 21:24, Paul participates in a Jewish purification ritual by having his head shaved. This specific action marked the completion of a vow, serving as a public sign of religious devotion and compliance with Mosaic law. The word points to a literal, bodily practice rather than a metaphorical concept.
The term derives from a root related to the razor itself. Its usage is straightforward and concrete, focusing on the external act of grooming within a specific cultural or religious context. Translators consistently render it simply as "shave," reflecting its clear, physical meaning without additional theological nuance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word xuraō describes the simple, physical act of shaving hair. In the New Testament, it appears in contexts where outward appearance signals a person’s standing before God and their community. Paul’s decision to shave his head was not about earning salvation but about showing respect for Jewish customs and removing unnecessary barriers to the Gospel.
Pauline instructions regarding women’s heads also touch on this practice. The cultural norm linked uncovered hair or shaved heads with shame or disorder. Paul uses these familiar signs to teach that worship should reflect order and mutual respect, honoring both divine design and local sensibilities.
This word reminds us that faith is lived out in tangible ways. Sometimes we adjust our outward behavior not because the act itself saves us, but because love for others and clarity in witness matter deeply. God sees the heart, yet He often uses visible actions to communicate truth within a specific culture.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to be shaven,1×
- they will shave1×
- shaven.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐξυρημένῃ.1×
- ξυρᾶσθαι,1×
- ξυρήσονται1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 21:24
Take them and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses for them, that they may shave their heads. Then all will know that there is no truth in the things that they have been informed about you, but that you yourself also walk keeping the law.
Paul shaves his head to publicly demonstrate that he respects Jewish law and dispels rumors about his teachings.
-
I Corinthians 11:5
But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonors her head. For it is one and the same thing as if she were shaved.
Paul compares a woman praying with an uncovered head to the shame associated with being shaved.
-
I Corinthians 11:6
For if a woman is not covered, let her hair also be cut off. But if it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or be shaved, let her be covered.
The text links the shame of being shaved directly to the requirement for women to wear a covering during worship.