Greek word · G1590

ἐκλύω

eklyō

to faint

Literally 'to loosen, unbind'; in the passive, to become slack, go limp, give out, faint, lose heart. Used of physical collapse from hunger or exhaustion (Matt 15:32; Mark 8:3) and of courage failing.

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐκ-λύω

[in LXX for רָפָה, etc. ;]

1. to loose, release.

2. to unloose, as a bow-string, to relax, enfeeble; pass., to be faint, grow weary: Matthew 15:32, Mark 8:3; of mental weariness, Galatians 6:9, Hebrews 12:3, 5" (LXX) .†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Hebrews 12:3

Range of meaning

Literally 'to loosen, unbind'; in the passive, to become slack, go limp, give out, faint, lose heart. Used of physical collapse from hunger or exhaustion (Matt 15:32; Mark 8:3) and of courage failing.

Against the English

'Lose heart' (BSB) catches the inner side. 'Faint' (KJV, WEB, YLT) keeps the physical picture but now suggests passing out. The Greek pictures hands going slack and knees giving way, an image Hebrews uses itself in 12:12 ('strengthen your drooping hands and weak knees').

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX Deut 20:3: before battle, 'let not your heart faint'. LXX Prov 3:11, quoted in Heb 12:5: 'do not lose heart (ekluou) when he rebukes you.' 1 Maccabees uses it for troops losing nerve.

From the study of Galatians 6:9

Range of meaning

Literally to loosen or untie. In the passive, to become slack, give out, faint, collapse from exhaustion, or lose courage.

Against the English

KJV 'faint' keeps the physical picture. BSB/WEB/NIV/ESV 'give up' gives the result. NASB uses 'grow weary' here, so its 'lose heart … grow weary' reverses the usual pairing.

Used elsewhere in the period

Used of hungry crowds who might 'faint on the way' (Matt 15:32; Mark 8:3). In the LXX, Deut 20:3 tells soldiers 'let not your heart faint' (mē ekluesthō hē kardia hymōn) before battle, and 1 Sam 14:28 and 2 Sam 16:2 use it of men exhausted in the field. Heb 12:3, 5 uses it of believers 'fainting in their souls'.

From the study of Hebrews 12:5

Range of meaning

Literally "to loosen, untie." In the passive it means to become slack, give out, be exhausted, lose heart. It is used of bodies collapsing from hunger or fatigue (Matthew 15:32; Mark 8:3, "they will faint on the way") and of a will that gives up (Galatians 6:9).

Against the English

KJV, WEB and NASB "faint" now suggests passing out. BSB and NIV "lose heart" and NLT "give up" catch the inner collapse. ESV "be weary" catches the exhaustion but is a little weak.

How it drifted

Older English "faint" meant "grow weak, lose strength or courage" (as in "faint-hearted"). Today it mostly means losing consciousness.

Used elsewhere in the period

In Proverbs 3:11 it stands for Hebrew qûṣ, "to loathe, feel dread or disgust at." The translator either read the Hebrew differently or chose to interpret it, and Hebrews follows the Greek. 1 Maccabees 3:17 uses it of soldiers worn out before a battle.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 15:32 ἐκλυθῶσιν they may faint

    Then Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, “I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may faint along the way.”

    Here: 'They might give out.' The literal picture is of being 'unstrung', the body losing its strength from hunger and exhaustion. It is a real physical collapse on a long walk home, not just feeling a little weak.

Mark · 1

  1. Mark 8:3 ἐκλυθήσονται they will faint

    If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a great distance.”

    Here: 'They will give out.' Literally 'be loosened': their strength goes slack and their legs give way from lack of food. It means collapsing from exhaustion, not just a brief blackout. Future tense: Jesus states it as what will happen.

Galatians · 1

  1. Galatians 6:9 ἐκλυόμενοι. giving up.

    Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

    Here: Literally 'being loosened': strength and resolve giving way, like a worker who collapses from exhaustion or a soldier whose nerve fails. Present tense: 'as long as we do not go slack'.

Hebrews · 2

  1. Hebrews 12:3 ἐκλυόμενοι. fainting.

    Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

    Here: Literally 'to be loosened': strength giving way, limbs going slack, a runner or soldier collapsing. The present tense suggests a gradual slide into giving up, not one sudden fall. It returns in 12:5 ('do not lose heart').

  2. Hebrews 12:5 ἐκλύου do faint

    And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.

    Here: Literally "to come untied": the body or will going limp and giving out. It picks up v. 3 ("so that you do not grow weary, giving out in your souls") and the drooping hands and weak knees of v. 12. Picture a runner collapsing mid-race.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.