Greek word · G1706

ἐμπίπτω

empiptō

to fall into

To fall into something, such as a pit (Matt 12:11) or a snare (1 Tim 3:7; 6:9), or to fall among people, such as robbers (Luke 10:36). The picture is of losing control and landing in a situation or power you cannot get out of.

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐμ-πίπτω

[in LXX chiefly for נָפַל ;]

to fall into: before εἰς, Matthew 12:11, Luke 6:39 10:36; metaphorically, εἰς κρίμα, 1 Timothy 3:6; ὀνειδισμόν 1 Timothy 3:7; πειρασμόν, 1 Timothy 6:9; εἰς χεῖρας θεοῦ (cf. 2 Kings 24:14, 1 Chronicles 21:13, Sirach 2:18), Hebrews 10:31.†

(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 10:31

Range of meaning

To fall into something, such as a pit (Matt 12:11) or a snare (1 Tim 3:7; 6:9), or to fall among people, such as robbers (Luke 10:36). The picture is of losing control and landing in a situation or power you cannot get out of.

Against the English

All the major versions say "fall into", which is accurate. The English idiom "fall into the hands of" carries the same idea of capture.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX 2 Samuel (2 Kingdoms) 24:14: after his census, David chooses God's punishment over human enemies: "Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are very many, but let me not fall into human hands." Sirach 2:18 makes this a proverb: "Let us fall into the hands of the Lord and not into human hands, for as his majesty is, so is his mercy." Compare Susanna 23 and 2 Maccabees 6:26 ("I will not escape the hands of the Almighty").

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 12:11 ἐμπέσῃ shall fall

    He replied, “If one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out?

Luke · 2

  1. Luke 6:39 ἐμπεσοῦνται;¶ will fall in?

    Jesus also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?

    Here: Future tense: the fall is the sure outcome, not just a risk. The compound verb "fall-in" is also used for falling into a trap or into danger (Luke 10:36, 1 Tim 3:6–7).

  2. Luke 10:36 ἐμπεσόντος falling

    Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

1 Timothy · 3

  1. 1 Timothy 3:6 ἐμπέσῃ he may fall

    He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil.

    Here: A sudden, unplanned fall, like stumbling into a pit or getting caught by robbers (Luke 10:36). The same verb comes back in v.7 ("fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil"), linking the two warnings.

  2. 1 Timothy 3:7 ἐμπέσῃ he may fall

    Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.

    Here: "He may fall into". The same verb appears in 3:6 and 6:9 and is used of animals or people dropping into pits and traps. The tense views the fall as a single event.

  3. 1 Timothy 6:9 ἐμπίπτουσιν they fall

    Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

    Here: 'They fall in.' The verb is used for falling into a pit, a trap or the hands of robbers (Luke 10:36). The present tense states what typically happens: this is the regular outcome of that wanting.

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 10:31 ἐμπεσεῖν to fall

    It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

    Here: To fall into something and land in its power, as into a pit, a trap, or the hands of robbers (Luke 10:36). The person falling has no control. The tense views the fall as a single, complete event.

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