Greek word · G1629

ἐκφοβέω

ekphobeō

to terrify

To frighten thoroughly, terrify, alarm. Sometimes it means to scare someone off or away (drive them off through fear). It is the simple verb φοβέω ('make afraid') with the prefix ἐκ- ('out'), which in compounds often makes the action stronger or complete.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament.

What it means

ἐκ-φοβέω, -ῶ

[in LXX chiefly for חָרֵד hi. ;]

to frighten away, terrify: with accusative of person(s), 2 Corinthians 10:9.†

(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 2 Corinthians 10:9

Range of meaning: To frighten thoroughly, terrify, alarm. Sometimes it means to scare someone off or away (drive them off through fear). It is the simple verb φοβέω ('make afraid') with the prefix ἐκ- ('out'), which in compounds often makes the action stronger or complete.
Against the English: KJV, WEB, YLT and NASB use 'terrify'; BSB, NIV, ESV and NLT use 'frighten'. 'Terrify' is closer to the force of the compound. 'Frighten' is accurate but milder.
Used elsewhere in the period: Used often in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) for the promise of undisturbed security: 'none shall make you afraid' (οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἐκφοβῶν, Lev 26:6; Mic 4:4; Zeph 3:13), and for scaring off animals or birds from corpses (Deut 28:26; Jer 7:33). Common in classical and later Greek for intimidation. The related adjective ἔκφοβος ('terrified') appears in Mark 9:6 and Heb 12:21. The verb itself occurs only here in the New Testament.

Similar words

ἔκφοβος ekphobos · terrified

Where it appears

2 Corinthians · 1

2 Corinthians 10:9 ἐκφοβεῖν to frighten

I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters.

Here: A strong, intensified 'frighten' (ἐκ- adds force: 'scare out of one's wits'). The present tense pictures an ongoing campaign of intimidation by letter. This is the only place the verb appears in the New Testament.

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