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μαίνομαι

maínomai

G3105 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To be out of one's mind or senses; to rave in a state of ecstatic frenzy, irrationality, or apparent madness. Used to describe someone who is acting as if driven by overpowering emotion, frenzy, inspiration, or mania, whether due to divine possession, madness, or uncontrollable passion. The term can denote someone behaving irrationally or with wild, uncontrolled fervor, as well as those experiencing visionary or ecstatic states perceived by others as madness.

Semantic Range

to rave in ecstasy, to be mad or insane, to be driven by frenzy, to behave irrationally, to be accused of being out of one's mind, to act with uncontrollable passion or inspiration

Root / Etymology

From the Greek root μαίνω (mainō), meaning 'to rage, to be mad, to be furious,' in the middle form μαίνομαι suggesting a state the subject experiences. The deeper, original etymology is uncertain but likely related to Proto-Indo-European *men-, 'to think,' with a derived sense of altered or unsettled mind; cognate with Latin 'mens' (mind).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, μαίνομαι primarily referred to states of frenzy, including those associated with religious ecstasy or divine possession—such as the frenzied inspiration of the Bacchantes or Maenads, followers of Dionysus. In tragic poetry and philosophical texts, it could refer to madness induced by gods, passion, jealousy, or extreme emotion. In the Hellenistic and Koine period, including the Septuagint and New Testament, it retained connotations of madness or wild, irrational behavior, sometimes employed polemically to describe the behavior of prophets, visionaries, or individuals accused of being out of their minds. In Acts 12:15; 26:24-25; John 10:20, μαίνομαι is used to accuse someone of being insane or irrational, often regarding claims of divine or prophetic insight. English translations often render the term as 'to be mad' or 'to be out of one's mind,' but this may not fully reflect the range of possible interpretations in the ancient context, which includes perceived divine inspiration as well as insanity in the modern sense. The term is closely related to nouns like μανία (mania, madness) and μάντις (mantis, seer, from the idea of frenzied prophecy).

Translation Consistency

primary "rave" 4 occurrences

“Rave” best captures the typical sense in SILEX — to be out of one’s mind, to rave in ecstatic frenzy or act irrationally. It matches the majority attested forms (“raving”), is a single verb base (unlike the adjective “mad”), and naturally covers both delirious/possessed and wildly passionate/enthusiastic senses.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):
"mad" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

middle voice from a primary (to long for; through the idea of insensate craving); to rave as a "maniac":--be beside self (mad).

Root Family

μαίνομαι (mainomai) — to rage, to be mad, to be out of one's senses, to rave

Root μαιν- to rage, to be mad, to be out of one's senses, to rave

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G3105-01 μαίνῃ maine V PRS MID IND 2P SG mad you are raving you are raving 2
G3105-03 μαίνεται mainetai V PRS MID IND 3P SG is mad is raving in frenzy is mad 1
G3105-04 μαίνομαι mainomai V PRS MID IND 1P SG am I mad I am raving I am raving 1
G3105-02 μαίνεσθε mainesthe V PRS MID IND 2P PL you are mad you are raving you are raving 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G3105-03 John 10:20 μαίνεται mainetai V PRS MID IND 3P SG is mad is raving in frenzy is mad
G3105-01 Acts 12:15 μαίνῃ maine V PRS MID IND 2P SG mad you are raving you are raving
G3105-01 Acts 26:24 μαίνῃ maine V PRS MID IND 2P SG you are mad you are raving you are raving
G3105-04 Acts 26:25 μαίνομαι mainomai V PRS MID IND 1P SG am I mad I am raving I am raving
G3105-02 1 Corinthians 14:23 μαίνεσθε mainesthe V PRS MID IND 2P PL you are mad you are raving you are raving
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