Greek word · G1592
ἐκμυκτηρίζω
ekmyktērizō
to ridicule
From μυκτήρ, 'nose, nostril', with the strengthening prefix ἐκ-. To turn up one's nose at, sneer, scoff, treat with open contempt. The word refers to a visible, bodily gesture of derision as well as to mocking speech.
Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
ἐκ-μυκτηρίζω
[in LXX: Psalms 2:4 22:7 35:16 (לָעַג), I Est.1:51 A* ;]
to hold up the nose in derision at, scoff at: with accusative, Luke 16:14 23:35.†
(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
From μυκτήρ, 'nose, nostril', with the strengthening prefix ἐκ-. To turn up one's nose at, sneer, scoff, treat with open contempt. The word refers to a visible, bodily gesture of derision as well as to mocking speech.
- Against the English
'Scoffing' (BSB, WEB) and 'derided' (KJV, YLT) are accurate. 'Sneering' (NIV) keeps the bodily, facial side of the word best. 'Ridiculed' (ESV) is accurate but loses the picture of the nose.
- Used elsewhere in the period
In the NT the word occurs only twice, both times in Luke: here, and at 23:35, where 'the rulers sneered' at Jesus on the cross. In the Septuagint it is a psalm word: Psalm 21:8 LXX (22:7), 'All who see me sneer at me'; Psalm 34:16 LXX (35:16); and Psalm 2:4 LXX, where it is God who 'will sneer at' the rebellious kings. It also appears in 1 Esdras 1:49 (1:51 in some numberings), of the people mocking God's messengers before the exile.
- Range of meaning
Built on myktēr, 'nostril'. It means to turn up one's nose at someone: to sneer, scoff, or ridicule with contempt. It is contempt shown on the face and in the voice, more than ordinary joking.
- Against the English
'Sneered' (BSB, NIV, NASB) and 'scoffed' (ESV, WEB, NLT) both fit. KJV 'derided' is accurate but colourless. The bodily picture of a lifted nose and curled lip is lost in all of them.
- Used elsewhere in the period
The verb is rare. In the Greek Old Testament, Psalm 21:8 (= Hebrew/English Psalm 22:7) reads: 'All who watch me sneer at me (exemyktērisan); they speak with their lips, they shake the head.' In the New Testament it appears only here and in Luke 16:14, where the Pharisees sneer at Jesus' teaching about money.
Where it appears
Luke · 2
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Luke 16:14 ἐξεμυκτήριζον they were ridiculing
The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus.
Here: Built on μυκτήρ, 'nostril'. It is open, physical contempt: the snort and turned-up nose of people who think the speaker is beneath them. The imperfect tense means they 'kept sneering' or 'began to sneer'.
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Luke 23:35 ἐξεμυκτήριζον Were deriding [Him]
The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
Here: Literally 'to turn up the nose at'. The tense pictures sneering that keeps going, not a single remark. It is the very verb of Psalm 22:7 in the Greek Old Testament.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.