πιέζω (piezō)
piezō
to press down
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb piezō means to press down or squeeze something tightly, often with force. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Luke 6:38, where Jesus uses it as part of a vivid metaphor about generosity. He describes how the measure people use to give to others will be pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing when God measures back to them.
This word conveys physical pressure, like compressing grain into a container until it is packed solid. The imagery suggests abundance that cannot be contained by ordinary standards. By using piezō, the text emphasizes that divine blessing exceeds mere fairness; it is generous beyond what is expected or deserved, filling the measure to its absolute limit.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word piezō paints a picture of fullness that goes beyond simple fairness. It describes pressing something down so tightly that no more can fit, then shaking it to settle the contents further, and finally adding enough to make it run over. In Luke 6:38, Jesus uses this vivid image to describe God’s generosity toward those who give freely. It is not a transaction of equal exchange, but an overflow of grace.
When you offer help, time, or kindness without keeping score, you participate in this rhythm of abundance. The measure you use for others becomes the standard by which life returns to you, not as a rigid calculation, but as a generous outpouring. This promise encourages us to give without fear of lack, trusting that God’s provision is vast and sufficient.
May your heart be open to giving, knowing that such generosity aligns you with the abundant nature of God. Let this truth bring peace to your spirit as you navigate relationships and responsibilities, confident in the fullness that comes from a life lived in trust.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- pressed down1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πεπιεσμένον1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 6:38
“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you.”
This verse uniquely employs piezō to illustrate how divine blessing exceeds mere fairness by pressing down generosity until it overflows.