Greek word · G1089
γεύω
geuō
to taste
γεύομαι means literally 'to taste, eat'. Figuratively it means 'to come to know by experience', and you can taste good or bad things (Heb 6:4–5: 'tasted the heavenly gift').
Appears 15 times in 15 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
γεύω, γεύομαι,
[in LXX chiefly for טעם ;]
to make to taste. Mid., to taste eat: absol., Acts 10:10 20:11, Colossians 2:21; with genitive, Matthew 27:34, Luke 14:24, Acts 23:14; with accusative (not cl., but see Westc, Heb., l.with; M, Pr., 66, 245), John 2:9. Metaphorical, Hebrews 6:4; ῥῆμα θεοῦ, Hebrews 6:5 (on case, see supr., and cf. Milligan, NTD, 68) θανάτου (cf. Talmudic טַעַם מִיתָה), Matthew 16:28, Mark 9:1, Luke 9:27, John 8:52, Hebrews 2:9; before ὅτι, 1 Peter 2:3 (Cremer, 148).†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
γεύομαι means literally 'to taste, eat'. Figuratively it means 'to come to know by experience', and you can taste good or bad things (Heb 6:4–5: 'tasted the heavenly gift').
- Against the English
In modern English 'taste' suggests a small sample or a sip, the opposite of the idiom's meaning. 'Experience death' or 'undergo death' captures it better.
- How it drifted
English 'taste' has narrowed toward 'try a little'. The Semitic idiom 'taste death' was lost to English readers, who now hear 'just a taste'.
- Used elsewhere in the period
The Gospels use it for real, physical death: Mark 9:1, Matthew 16:28, Luke 9:27 ('will not taste death'), and John 8:52. 4 Ezra 6:26 speaks of those 'who have not tasted death'. Later rabbinic texts use 'taste the taste of death'. Behind it lies the Aramaic and Hebrew idiom טְעַם מוֹתָא, 'taste of death'.
- Range of meaning
Literally, to taste food or drink, whether a sip to test it (Matt 27:34; John 2:9) or a real meal (Acts 10:10; 20:11). Figuratively, to come to know something by direct personal experience, good or bad: 'taste death' (Mark 9:1; Heb 2:9), 'taste the heavenly gift… the goodness of God's word' (Heb 6:4–5).
- Against the English
Every major version says 'tasted', which is accurate. The risk is the English idiom 'just a taste', meaning a small sample. The Greek figure is about knowing something firsthand, not about how much was taken.
- How it drifted
English 'have a taste of' leans toward 'sample'. Greek γεύομαι in its figurative use leans toward 'experience'.
- Used elsewhere in the period
LXX Ps 33:9 (= Hebrew Ps 34:8), 'γεύσασθε καὶ ἴδετε', 'taste and see', translating Hebrew ṭaʿămû ('taste!'). The Hebrew root ṭ-ʿ-m also means judgment or discernment (1 Sam 25:33, Ps 119:66), so 'tasting' as a way of knowing is native to the psalm. Heb 2:9 uses 'taste death' of Jesus' full, real death. BDAG gives both the literal and the 'come to know' senses.
- Range of meaning
To taste (food); to eat; by extension to experience, come to know something for yourself, whether good or bad. It takes a genitive or accusative object.
- Against the English
English "taste" can suggest a small sample, a nibble without a meal. That sense is not built into the Greek word in this kind of usage.
- How it drifted
Partly ordinary English idiom ("just a taste") and partly an interpretive tradition that argues from "taste" to "only sampled."
- Used elsewhere in the period
Heb 2:9: Jesus "tasted death for everyone," meaning he fully died. Mark 9:1 ("will not taste death"); John 8:52; 1 Pet 2:3 ("if you have tasted that the Lord is good," echoing Ps 34:8); Acts 20:11 (Paul ate, geusamenos, after breaking bread); Acts 10:10 (Peter wanted to eat). In Greek writers generally the verb is a common metaphor for experiencing something.
Where it appears
Matthew · 2
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Matthew 16:28 γεύσωνται shall taste
Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
Here: Part of the Semitic idiom "taste death": to go through death, to die. It does not mean a small sample.
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Matthew 27:34 γευσάμενος having tasted
they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.
Here: 'Having tasted.' He did put it to his lips, so he knew what it was, and then decided against it. Matthew alone mentions the tasting. Mark says only that he did not take it.
Mark · 1
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Mark 9:1 γεύσωνται may taste
Then Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God arrive with power.”
Here: In the idiom 'taste death' it means to undergo death, that is, to die. It does not mean a light or partial taste.
Luke · 2
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Luke 9:27 γεύσωνται may taste
But I tell you truly, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
Here: Aorist subjunctive in the emphatic denial. Used with 'death' it is a Semitic idiom for simply 'to die'.
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Luke 14:24 γεύσεταί will taste
For I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will taste my banquet.’”
John · 2
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John 2:9 ἐγεύσατο tasted
and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not know where it was from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside
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John 8:52 γεύσηται shall he taste
“Now we know that You have a demon!” declared the Jews. “Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet You say that anyone who keeps Your word will never taste death.
Here: A Jewish idiom meaning to actually experience death. Jesus had said 'see death'; they say 'taste', which makes the claim sound even more physical and absurd.
Acts · 3
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Acts 10:10 γεύσασθαι. to eat.
He became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
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Acts 20:11 γευσάμενος, having eaten,
Then Paul went back upstairs, broke bread, and ate. And after speaking until daybreak, he departed.
Here: Literally "having tasted", but in Luke's usage it means simply to eat a meal (compare Acts 10:10). Paul himself eats, perhaps his last food before setting out on foot (v. 13).
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Acts 23:14 γεύσασθαι to eat
They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.
Colossians · 1
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Colossians 2:21 γεύσῃ you may taste
“Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”?
Hebrews · 3
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Hebrews 2:9 γεύσηται He may taste
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.
Here: 'He might taste'. In the Jewish idiom 'taste death' this means actually going through death, in full. It is not a brief sample.
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Hebrews 6:4 γευσαμένους having tasted
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
Here: To taste, and by extension to experience something for yourself. Hebrews 2:9 uses the same verb for Jesus "tasting death," which means really dying, not sampling death. These people had first-hand experience of God's gift.
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Hebrews 6:5 γευσαμένους having tasted
who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age—
1 Peter · 1
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1 Peter 2:3 ἐγεύσασθε you have tasted
now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Here: 'You tasted.' The past tense points back to a definite experience, their coming to faith and new birth (1:3, 1:23). It carries on the baby-and-milk picture of v. 2: they have already had the milk, so they know it is good and should want more.
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