Greek word · G2134
εὐνουχίζω
eunouchizō
to become a eunuch
'To castrate, to make a eunuch of.' In the passive, 'to be castrated'. In secular Greek it is literal and physical (e.g. Lucian; Josephus Antiquities 10.33 of Daniel's companions). Christian writers soon used it figuratively for chosen celibacy.
Appears 2 times in 1 verses of the Greek New Testament.
What it means
εὐνουχίζω
(εὐνοῦχος),
to make a eunuch of, castrate: pass., Matthew 19:12; metaphorically, εὐ. έαυτόν, ib.†
(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 Matthew 19:12
- Range of meaning
'To castrate, to make a eunuch of.' In the passive, 'to be castrated'. In secular Greek it is literal and physical (e.g. Lucian; Josephus Antiquities 10.33 of Daniel's companions). Christian writers soon used it figuratively for chosen celibacy.
- Against the English
KJV/WEB/ESV/NASB 'made themselves eunuchs' is accurate and leaves the figure for the reader to interpret. YLT 'kept themselves eunuchs' is already interpretive: it softens the act into staying single. NIV/NLT drop the verb's imagery altogether.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Its only NT uses are the two in this verse. The literal practice was well known. The galli, priests of the goddess Cybele, castrated themselves. Domitian banned castration within the empire in the 80s–90s AD (Suetonius, Domitian 7). Justin Martyr (1 Apology 29) tells of a young Christian in Alexandria who asked the governor's permission to be castrated and was refused. Eusebius (Church History 6.8) reports that the young Origen took this verse literally. Later Origen himself (Commentary on Matthew 15.1–4) argued for a figurative reading. The Council of Nicaea (AD 325, canon 1) barred self-castrated men from the clergy.
Similar words
Where it appears
Matthew · 2
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Matthew 19:12 εὐνουχίσθησαν εὐνούχισαν were made eunuchs, made eunuchs of
For there are eunuchs who were born that way; others were made that way by men; and still others live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
Here: Aorist passive: 'were castrated.' Someone else did this to them. The plain physical sense of the verb.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.