μοιχάω
moicháō
G3429 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To engage in unlawful sexual intercourse with the spouse of another, to commit adultery; by extension, to violate a marital or covenant relationship through sexual infidelity. The primary sense is directed toward the act of adultery, but in certain contexts, it can more broadly denote marital unfaithfulness or betrayal of a committed relationship.
Semantic Range
to commit adultery, to be sexually unfaithful, to violate a marriage covenant
Root / Etymology
Derived from μοιχός (moichós), meaning 'adulterer.' The verb is formed with the verbal ending -άω, indicating action associated with the noun, thus 'to act as an adulterer.' Attested with this form especially in Hellenistic and Koine Greek.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, μοιχάω is rare, with a preference for μοιχεύω. By the Hellenistic and Koine periods, both μοιχάω and μοιχεύω are attested, though μοιχεύω becomes the dominant form in most literature, including the New Testament. The middle voice (μοιχᾶσθαι) typically refers to a person committing adultery for their own interest or benefit; both the active and middle forms focus on the act rather than the status. In the Septuagint and New Testament, the term generally corresponds to Hebrew נאף (naʾaf), 'to commit adultery.' Some English translations use 'adultery' narrowly, but the Greek term can denote any sexual infidelity that breaks a marriage or betrothal contract. Use of μοιχάω does not by itself specify the gender of the perpetrator, though context often does. The verb rarely occurs outside biblical or Hellenistic-Jewish Greek. Contrast with πορνεύω ('to engage in sexual immorality' more broadly); μοιχάω is specifically focused on the violation of a marriage bond. The translation 'commit adultery' is common in English Bibles but may not fully convey the range of unfaithfulness underlying the Greek.
Translation Consistency
The primary sense of μοιχάω is the act of adultery or sexual unfaithfulness. Using the phrase “commit adultery” preserves the specific sexual/marital violation and matches common English usage in biblical contexts better than a generic verb like “commit” or a colloquial term like “cheat.” This phrase will allow consistent rendering across all forms while conveying the full SILEX range (adultery, sexual unfaithfulness, violation of a marriage covenant).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from μοιχός; (middle voice) to commit adultery:--commit adultery.
Root Family
μοιχ- (moichalís) — to commit adultery, to violate marital fidelity
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G3428 | μοιχαλίς | an adulteress |
| G3430 | μοιχεία | in adultery |
| G3431 | μοιχεύω | he/she committed adultery |
| G3432 | μοιχός | male adulterers |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3429-01 |
μοιχᾶται | moichatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
commits adultery | is committing adultery | is committing adultery | 5 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3429-01 |
Matthew 5:32 | μοιχᾶται | moichatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
commits adultery | is committing adultery | is committing adultery |
G3429-01 |
Matthew 19:9 | μοιχᾶται | moichatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
commits adultery | is committing adultery | is committing adultery |
G3429-01 |
Matthew 19:9 | μοιχᾶται | moichatai-2 | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
commits adultery | is committing adultery | is committing adultery |
G3429-01 |
Mark 10:11 | μοιχᾶται | moichatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
commits adultery | is committing adultery | is committing adultery |
G3429-01 |
Mark 10:12 | μοιχᾶται | moichatai | V PRS MID IND 3P SG |
she commits adultery | is committing adultery | is committing adultery |