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βλασφημέω

blasphēméō

G987 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To speak in a way that slanders, abuses, or shows irreverence towards another, especially in reference to speech or acts that insult, dishonor, or show contempt for someone or something considered worthy of respect or reverence; in religious contexts, to speak or act in a way that insults what is regarded as sacred or divine. Broader usage includes defamatory, abusive, or insulting speech against persons, reputations, or institutions.

Semantic Range

to slander, to speak abusively, to revile, to speak irreverently (especially of the divine), to defame, to rail against, to show contempt through speech or action

Root / Etymology

From the adjective βλάσφημος (blásphemos, 'slanderous, abusive'), itself likely from βλάπτω ('to injure, harm') + φήμη ('speech, report'); thus originally 'injurious speech.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, βλασφημέω is used for slanderous or abusive speech against any person, deity, or institution. Over time, especially in Jewish and later Christian Greek contexts (including the Septuagint and the New Testament), the term acquires specialized religious meanings—referring specifically to speech or actions showing contempt for the divine or what is deemed sacred. In the Septuagint, it frequently renders Hebrew חילל (profaning, desecrating) and גידף (to revile, especially God). In the New Testament, it is used for both human and divine subjects—e.g., slandering people (Mt 15:19), maligning God's name (Mk 3:29), or reviling the way of Christ (Acts 13:45). English 'blaspheme' reflects later theological usage, but the full range includes both irreverent speech against the divine and general abusive or defamatory language. Other Greek terms such as λοιδορέω ('to revile, abuse') overlap in non-religious contexts. Note that the verb is not limited to religious speech and can refer to any act of serious defamation or insult.

Translation Consistency

primary "blaspheme" 18 occurrences

Blaspheme precisely captures the central sense in the SILEX entry—speech or acts that insult, dishonor, or show irreverence (especially toward the divine). It is the conventional English word used in biblical contexts for G987 and preserves the term’s specific religious and abusive connotations better than broader verbs like “speak” or “insult.”

Alternatives (16 occurrences):
"speak abusively" (4x) "slandered" (4x) "spoke abusively" (3x) "speaking abusively" (2x) "might slander" (1x) "he/she was speaking abusively" (1x) "reviled" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from βλάσφημος; to vilify; specially, to speak impiously:--(speak) blaspheme(-er, -mously, -my), defame, rail on, revile, speak evil.

Root Family

βλασφημ- (blasphēméō) — to injure with words, to abuse verbally, to slander, to speak irreverently

Root βλασφημ- to injure with words, to abuse verbally, to slander, to speak irreverently
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G988 βλασφημία abusive speech
G989 βλάσφημος abusive things

Word Forms

21 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G987-15 βλασφημοῦντες blasphemountes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL blaspheming slandering those blaspheming 5
G987-02 βλασφημεῖν blasphemein V PRS ACT INF to blaspheme to speak abusively to blaspheme 3
G987-17 βλασφημοῦσιν blasphemousin V PRS ACT IND 3P PL blaspheme they speak abusively they speak abusively 3
G987-19 ἐβλασφήμησαν eblasphemesan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they blasphemed they spoke abusively they spoke abusively 3
G987-01 βλασφημεῖ blasphemei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG blasphemes he/she slanders he/she blasphemes 2
G987-10 βλασφημῆται blasphemetai V PRS PASS SUBJ 3P SG be blasphemed may be slandered may be blasphemed 2
G987-21 ἐβλασφήμουν eblasphemoun V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL were blaspheming they were speaking abusively they were speaking abusively 2
G987-03 βλασφημεῖς blasphemeis V PRS ACT IND 2P SG You blaspheme you speak abusively you speak abusively 1
G987-04 βλασφημείσθω blasphemeistho V PRS PASS IMP 3P SG be spoken evil of let him be slandered be slandered 1
G987-05 βλασφημεῖται blasphemeitai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG is blasphemed is being slandered is being slandered 1

Occurrences in Scripture

34 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G987-01 Matthew 9:3 βλασφημεῖ blasphemei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG blasphemes he/she slanders he/she blasphemes
G987-20 Matthew 26:65 ἐβλασφήμησεν eblasphemesen V AOR ACT IND 3P SG He has blasphemed he slandered he blasphemed
G987-21 Matthew 27:39 ἐβλασφήμουν eblasphemoun V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL were blaspheming they were speaking abusively they were speaking abusively
G987-01 Mark 2:7 βλασφημεῖ blasphemei V PRS ACT IND 3P SG blasphemes he/she slanders he/she blasphemes
G987-09 Mark 3:28 βλασφημήσωσιν blasphemesosin V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P PL they shall blaspheme they might slander they might slander
G987-08 Mark 3:29 βλασφημήσῃ blasphemese V AOR ACT SUBJ 3P SG blasphemes might slander blasphemes
G987-21 Mark 15:29 ἐβλασφήμουν eblasphemoun V IMPF ACT IND 3P PL were blaspheming they were speaking abusively they were speaking abusively
G987-07 Luke 12:10 βλασφημήσαντι blasphemesanti V AOR ACT PTCP DAT M SG blasphemes to the one who slandered blasphemed
G987-15 Luke 22:65 βλασφημοῦντες blasphemountes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL blaspheming slandering those blaspheming
G987-18 Luke 23:39 ἐβλασφήμει eblasphemei V IMPF ACT IND 3P SG was blaspheming he/she was speaking abusively he/she was speaking abusively
G987-03 John 10:36 βλασφημεῖς blasphemeis V PRS ACT IND 2P SG You blaspheme you speak abusively you speak abusively
G987-15 Acts 13:45 βλασφημοῦντες blasphemountes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL blaspheming slandering those blaspheming
G987-16 Acts 18:6 βλασφημούντων blasphemounton V PRS ACT PTCP GEN M PL blaspheming of those slandering of those blaspheming
G987-14 Acts 19:37 βλασφημοῦντας blasphemountas V PRS ACT PTCP ACC M PL blasphemers slandering ones blaspheming
G987-02 Acts 26:11 βλασφημεῖν blasphemein V PRS ACT INF to-blaspheme to speak abusively to blaspheme
G987-05 Romans 2:24 βλασφημεῖται blasphemeitai V PRS PASS IND 3P SG is blasphemed is being slandered is being slandered
G987-13 Romans 3:8 βλασφημούμεθα blasphemoumetha V PRS PASS IND 1P PL we are slanderously reported we are being slandered we are being slandered
G987-04 Romans 14:16 βλασφημείσθω blasphemeistho V PRS PASS IMP 3P SG be spoken evil of let him be slandered be slandered
G987-12 1 Corinthians 10:30 βλασφημοῦμαι blasphemoumai V PRS PASS IND 1P SG am evil spoken of I am being slandered I am being slandered
G987-02 1 Timothy 1:20 βλασφημεῖν blasphemein V PRS ACT INF to blaspheme to speak abusively to blaspheme
G987-10 1 Timothy 6:1 βλασφημῆται blasphemetai V PRS PASS SUBJ 3P SG be blasphemed may be slandered may be blasphemed
G987-10 Titus 2:5 βλασφημῆται blasphemetai V PRS PASS SUBJ 3P SG be blasphemed may be slandered may be blasphemed
G987-02 Titus 3:2 βλασφημεῖν blasphemein V PRS ACT INF to speak evil of to speak abusively to blaspheme
G987-17 James 2:7 βλασφημοῦσιν blasphemousin V PRS ACT IND 3P PL blaspheme they speak abusively they speak abusively
G987-15 1 Peter 4:4 βλασφημοῦντες blasphemountes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL blaspheming slandering those blaspheming
G987-11 2 Peter 2:2 βλασφημηθήσεται blasphemethesetai V FUT PASS IND 3P SG will be maligned will be reviled will be reviled
G987-15 2 Peter 2:10 βλασφημοῦντες blasphemountes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL blaspheming slandering those blaspheming
G987-15 2 Peter 2:12 βλασφημοῦντες blasphemountes V PRS ACT PTCP NOM M PL they speak evil of slandering those blaspheming
G987-17 Jude 1:8 βλασφημοῦσιν blasphemousin V PRS ACT IND 3P PL blaspheme they speak abusively they speak abusively
G987-17 Jude 1:10 βλασφημοῦσιν blasphemousin V PRS ACT IND 3P PL slander they speak abusively they speak abusively
G987-06 Revelation 13:6 βλασφημῆσαι blasphemesai V AOR ACT INF to blaspheme to slander to blaspheme
G987-19 Revelation 16:9 ἐβλασφήμησαν eblasphemesan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they blasphemed they spoke abusively they spoke abusively
G987-19 Revelation 16:11 ἐβλασφήμησαν eblasphemesan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL they blasphemed they spoke abusively they spoke abusively
G987-19 Revelation 16:21 ἐβλασφήμησαν eblasphemesan V AOR ACT IND 3P PL blasphemed they spoke abusively they spoke abusively
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