Lexical Summary blasphémeó: To blaspheme, to speak evil of, to slander, to revile. Original Word: βλασφημέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance blaspheme, defame, revile, speak evil. From blasphemos; to vilify; specially, to speak impiously -- (speak) blaspheme(-er, -mously, -my), defame, rail on, revile, speak evil. see GREEK blasphemos HELPS Word-studies 987 blasphēméō(from blax, "sluggish, slow" and 5345 /phḗmē, "reputation, fame") – properly, refusing to acknowledge good (worthy of respect, veneration); hence, to blaspheme which reverses moral values. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom blasphémos Definition to slander, hence to speak lightly or profanely of sacred things NASB Translation be spoken of as evil (1), blaspheme (4), blasphemed (6), blasphemers (1), blasphemes (3), blaspheming (4), dishonored (1), hurling abuse (3), malign (2), maligned (1), revile (3), reviling (1), slandered (1), slanderously reported (1), spoken against (1), utter (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 987: βλασφημέωβλασφημέω, βλασφήμω; imperfect ἐβλασφήμουν; 1 aorist ἐβλασφήμησα; passive (present βλασφημοῦμαι); 1 future βλασφημηθήσομαι; (βλάσφημος, which see); to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile, calumniate (Vulg.blasphemo); absolutely: Luke 22:65; Acts 13:45; Acts 18:6; Acts 26:11; 1 Timothy 1:20; 1 Peter 4:4; with accusative of person or thing (as in later Greek, Joseph, Plutarch, Appian, etc.): Matthew 27:39; Mark 3:28 L T Tr WH; Topical Lexicon Root Concept and Old Testament Background In Scripture the sin of blasphemy is speech that dishonors, slanders, or demeans the divine character, titles, or works of God. The Old Testament treats it with the utmost gravity (Leviticus 24:10-16), establishing the foundation upon which New Testament writers build their understanding. By the first century, Jewish tradition viewed any direct insult to the divine name, the misattribution of God’s works, or the presumptive claiming of divine prerogatives as blasphemous. New Testament Usage Overview The verb appears thirty-five times and ranges from formal accusations against Jesus Christ, to warnings issued to believers, to the final rebellion portrayed in Revelation. The contexts fall into four broad spheres: (1) charges of blasphemy leveled at Jesus; (2) warnings concerning the Holy Spirit; (3) ethical exhortations aimed at preventing outsiders from reviling God; (4) apocalyptic scenes in which hardened sinners revile God under judgment. Offense against God Romans 2:24 cites Isaiah to declare, “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” Unfaithful covenant members bring reproach on the very God they profess. The ultimate manifestation is seen in Revelation 16:9, 11, 21 where those suffering the bowl judgments “blasphemed the name of God … yet they did not repent.” Revelation 13:6 depicts the beast as opening “its mouth to speak blasphemies against God, to slander His name and His tabernacle, those who dwell in heaven.” Blasphemy thus becomes the signature of anti-God revolt. Christological Controversies and Accusations Religious authorities repeatedly accuse Jesus of blasphemy for actions that reveal His deity. When He forgives sins the scribes protest, “This man is blaspheming!” (Matthew 9:3). After He asserts unity with the Father they ask, “Do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?” (John 10:36). The high priest rends his garments and declares, “He has blasphemed!” (Matthew 26:65) just before delivering Him to death. Ironically, those charges provide the narrative setting in which Jesus’ divine identity and messianic mission are vindicated. Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit Jesus issues a singular, solemn warning: “Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven” (Luke 12:10; Mark 3:28-29). In context the Pharisees attribute Spirit-empowered miracles to Satan. Persistent, knowledgeable rejection of the Spirit’s witness hardens the heart beyond repentance, making forgiveness impossible. The warning underscores both the Spirit’s deity and the lethal danger of willful unbelief. Ethical Implications for Believers A holy lifestyle guards God’s reputation. Paul exhorts slaves “to regard their own masters as worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching will not be discredited” (1 Timothy 6:1). Similarly older women are to train younger women to live “so that the word of God will not be discredited” (Titus 2:5). In Romans 14:16 believers must avoid behavior that allows their “good to be spoken of as evil.” Peter contrasts Christian suffering “for the name of Christ” with the world’s reviling: “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed” (1 Peter 4:14). Pastoral Instructions and Church Order Church discipline serves the protection of God’s honor. Paul hands Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan “so that they will be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Timothy 1:20). Titus 3:2 commands believers “to slander no one,” reflecting the broader principle that God’s people must avoid reviling both human authorities and unseen majesties (compare 2 Peter 2:10; Jude 1:8-10). Witness and World Opposition Mission often provokes blasphemous resistance. When Paul preaches in Pisidian Antioch, the Jews oppose him “heaping abuse on him” (Acts 13:45). In Corinth they “opposed and reviled him” (Acts 18:6). Yet such hostility does not invalidate the gospel; it confirms the spiritual conflict predicted by Christ. Consequences in Eschatological Visions Revelation climaxes the theme. Despite catastrophic judgments, hardened sinners “blasphemed God who had authority over these plagues, yet they did not repent and give Him glory” (Revelation 16:9). Blasphemy thus becomes proof of impenitent hearts and a precursor to final condemnation. Theological Reflection and Ministry Application 1. God’s honor is bound to His people’s conduct; careless living invites slander on His name. The verb therefore functions not merely as a linguistic offense but as a barometer of heart attitudes toward God, culminating in either repentance and life or obduracy and wrath. Forms and Transliterations βλασφημει βλασφημεί βλασφημεῖ βλασφημειν βλασφημείν βλασφημεῖν Βλασφημεις βλασφημείς Βλασφημεῖς βλασφημεισθω βλασφημείσθω βλασφημειται βλασφημείται βλασφημεῖται βλασφημηθησεται βλασφημηθήσεται βλασφημησαι βλασφημήσαι βλασφημῆσαι βλασφημησαντι βλασφημήσαντι βλασφημηση βλασφημήση βλασφημήσῃ βλασφημησωσιν βλασφημήσωσιν βλασφημηται βλασφημήται βλασφημῆται βλασφημουμαι βλασφημούμαι βλασφημοῦμαι βλασφημουμεθα βλασφημούμεθα βλασφημούμενοι βλασφημουντας βλασφημούντας βλασφημοῦντας βλασφημουντες βλασφημούντες βλασφημοῦντες βλασφημουντων βλασφημούντων βλασφημούσι βλασφημουσιν βλασφημούσιν βλασφημοῦσιν εβλασφημει εβλασφήμει ἐβλασφήμει εβλασφημησαν εβλασφήμησαν ἐβλασφήμησαν εβλασφήμησας εβλασφήμησε Εβλασφημησεν Ἐβλασφήμησεν εβλασφημουν εβλασφήμουν ἐβλασφήμουν blasphemei blasphemeî blasphēmei blasphēmeî blasphemein blasphemeîn blasphēmein blasphēmeîn Blasphemeis Blasphemeîs Blasphēmeis Blasphēmeîs blasphemeistho blasphemeístho blasphēmeisthō blasphēmeísthō blasphemeitai blasphemeîtai blasphēmeitai blasphēmeîtai blasphemesai blasphemêsai blasphēmēsai blasphēmē̂sai blasphemesanti blasphemḗsanti blasphēmēsanti blasphēmḗsanti blasphemese blasphēmēsē blasphemḗsei blasphēmḗsēi blasphemesosin blasphemḗsosin blasphēmēsōsin blasphēmḗsōsin blasphemetai blasphemêtai blasphēmētai blasphēmē̂tai blasphemethesetai blasphemethḗsetai blasphēmēthēsetai blasphēmēthḗsetai blasphemoumai blasphemoûmai blasphēmoumai blasphēmoûmai blasphemoumetha blasphemoúmetha blasphēmoumetha blasphēmoúmetha blasphemountas blasphemoûntas blasphēmountas blasphēmoûntas blasphemountes blasphemoûntes blasphēmountes blasphēmoûntes blasphemounton blasphemoúnton blasphēmountōn blasphēmoúntōn blasphemousin blasphemoûsin blasphēmousin blasphēmoûsin eblasphemei eblasphēmei eblasphḗmei eblasphemesan eblasphēmēsan eblasphḗmesan eblasphḗmēsan Eblasphemesen Eblasphēmēsen Eblasphḗmesen Eblasphḗmēsen eblasphemoun eblasphēmoun eblasphḗmounLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 9:3 V-PIA-3SGRK: ἑαυτοῖς Οὗτος βλασφημεῖ NAS: This [fellow] blasphemes. KJV: themselves, This [man] blasphemeth. INT: themselves This [man] blasphemes Matthew 26:65 V-AIA-3S Matthew 27:39 V-IIA-3P Mark 2:7 V-PIA-3S Mark 3:28 V-ASA-3P Mark 3:29 V-ASA-3S Mark 15:29 V-IIA-3P Luke 12:10 V-APA-DMS Luke 22:65 V-PPA-NMP Luke 23:39 V-IIA-3S John 10:36 V-PIA-2S Acts 13:45 V-PPA-NMP Acts 18:6 V-PPA-GMP Acts 19:37 V-PPA-AMP Acts 26:11 V-PNA Romans 2:24 V-PIM/P-3S Romans 3:8 V-PIM/P-1P Romans 14:16 V-PMM/P-3S 1 Corinthians 10:30 V-PIM/P-1S 1 Timothy 1:20 V-PNA 1 Timothy 6:1 V-PSM/P-3S Titus 2:5 V-PSM/P-3S Titus 3:2 V-PNA James 2:7 V-PIA-3P 1 Peter 4:4 V-PPA-NMP Strong's Greek 987 |
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