πτύω (ptuō)
ptuō
to spit
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb ptuō means to spit, a physical action that appears only three times in the New Testament (Mark 7:33, Mark 8:23, John 9:6). In each instance, Jesus uses saliva as part of a healing touch. This is not a casual gesture but a deliberate act that engages with human bodily fluids to restore health.
While spitting was sometimes viewed in the ancient world as having medicinal or magical properties, the Gospels present it simply as a method Jesus chose for these specific miracles. The sources note its occurrence alongside other physical signs of healing, such as laying on of hands. It underscores the tangible nature of Jesus’ ministry, where divine power worked through ordinary human means.
Etymologically, ptuō is a root word with no complex derivatives in the biblical text. Its rarity highlights how unique these particular healings were. Translators consistently render it as "spit," preserving the stark, unvarnished reality of the scene. The word reminds readers that the incarnation involved Jesus interacting fully with the physical world, even in ways that might seem unusual to modern sensibilities.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ptuō, meaning to spit, appears only three times in the New Testament, and each time it is Jesus who performs the action. In Mark 7:33, He uses saliva to touch a man’s tongue; in Mark 8:23, He spits on a blind man’s eyes before laying hands on him; and in John 9:6, He mixes His spit with dust to make mud for healing. These are not casual gestures but deliberate acts that show Jesus engaging fully with our physical reality.
It is easy to feel distant from the divine when we imagine God as purely spiritual or abstract. Yet here, the Creator uses something as ordinary and even unglamorous as saliva to bring restoration. This reminds us that God is not afraid of our brokenness or our bodies. He meets us in the messy, tangible details of life, using simple means to accomplish profound healing.
When you feel like your struggles are too big or too physical for faith to reach, remember this: Jesus did not shy away from dirt or bodily fluids to heal. He entered fully into the human condition. Your pain is known to Him, and His power works through the ordinary things of life to bring wholeness.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- having spit2×
- He spat1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- πτύσας2×
- ἔπτυσεν1×
Key Verses
-
Mark 7:33
He took him aside from the multitude privately and put his fingers into his ears; and he spat and touched his tongue.
This verse shows Jesus using saliva directly on a physical ailment (tongue/ears) to restore communication, highlighting His personal engagement with the individual's specific need.
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Mark 8:23
He took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village. When he had spat on his eyes, and laid his hands on him, he asked him if he saw anything.
Here, spitting is part of a two-stage healing process where Jesus asks if the man sees anything, emphasizing patience and the gradual nature of some restorations.
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John 9:6
When he had said this, he spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, anointed the blind man’s eyes with the mud,
In this instance, Jesus creates mud with His saliva, echoing the creation narrative and signifying that He is the new Creator bringing light to spiritual darkness.