περιπείρω (peripeirō)
peripeirō
to pierce
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb peripeirō literally means to put something on a spit for roasting, which involves piercing it with a skewer. In Scripture, this physical image is used metaphorically to describe a deep, penetrating pain that affects the inner person. It conveys a sense of being pierced through by sorrow or distress, rather than just superficial discomfort.
This word appears only once in the New Testament, in 1 Timothy 6:10. Paul describes how the love of money leads people to "pierce themselves through with many sorrows." The choice of this vivid verb suggests that the resulting pain is not fleeting but deeply embedded, much like a skewer holding meat on a fire. It emphasizes the severe, internal torment caused by such misplaced desires.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word peripeirō paints a striking picture: piercing something on a spit for roasting. In 1 Timothy 6:10, Paul uses this vivid image to describe how the love of money can pierce a person with many sorrows. This is not a surface-level annoyance but a deep, penetrating pain that affects the inner self. The imagery suggests a torment that is both severe and enduring, much like a skewer holding meat over fire.
When we chase wealth as our ultimate security, we often find ourselves entangled in anxiety, greed, and spiritual drift. This word reminds us that such desires do not just distract us; they wound us from within. The pain is real and internal, cutting through our peace and leading us away from the faith.
Yet, this warning also points us toward freedom. By recognizing the deep harm of misplaced love for money, we can turn back to what truly sustains us. God’s provision is enough. His grace covers our needs without the crushing weight of greed. May we find rest in His sufficiency rather than in the sorrows that wealth brings.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- pierced1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- περιέπειραν1×
Key Verses
-
I Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
This is the only occurrence of peripeirō in the New Testament, where Paul uses it to vividly describe how greed pierces a person with deep, internal sorrows.