Greek word · G3034

λιθάζω

lithazō

to stone

To stone, meaning to throw stones at a person, usually in order to kill. The usual biblical verb for stoning is lithoboleō. Lithazō is a less common equivalent.

Appears 8 times in 8 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

λιθάζω

(λίθος), [in LXX (before ἐν λίθοις): 2 Kings 16:6 16:13 (סָקַל pi.)* ;]

1. to throw stones (Arist., Polyb., al.).

2. = λιθοβολέω (LXX, NT), to pelt with stones, to stone: with accusative of person(s), John 8:6 10:31-31 11:8, Acts 14:10; pass., Acts 5:26, 2 Corinthians 11:25, Hebrews 11:37 (see DB, Art., " Crimes and punish­ments," and cf. κατα-λιθάζω).†

(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 John 10:31

Range of meaning

To stone, meaning to throw stones at a person, usually in order to kill. The usual biblical verb for stoning is lithoboleō. Lithazō is a less common equivalent.

Against the English

English "stone" is accurate. Modern readers may not realise that in this setting stoning was the specific punishment the Torah prescribed for blasphemy and for leading people into idolatry. It was not random violence.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) it appears in 2 Samuel (2 Kingdoms) 16:6, 13, where Shimei throws stones at David. Most legal texts use lithoboleō (for example Leviticus 24:16 on the blasphemer and Deuteronomy 13:10 on the enticer to other gods). In the New Testament: John 10:31–33; 11:8; Acts 5:26; 14:19; 2 Corinthians 11:25; Hebrews 11:37. The Mishnah, a later collection of rabbinic law (tractate Sanhedrin 6–7), describes formal court stoning and limits the death penalty for blasphemy to someone who pronounces the divine Name itself (Sanhedrin 7:5). That rule is probably later than Jesus' day and may not reflect first-century practice.

From the study of John 11:8

Range of meaning

To throw stones at, to stone to death. In Jewish law the usual word for the community carrying out a death sentence.

Against the English

Every English version says "stone." The word itself is clear. What a modern reader may miss is that stoning carried a specific legal and religious charge.

Used elsewhere in the period

Leviticus 24:16 commands stoning by the congregation for blasphemy. Deuteronomy 13:6–10 commands it for someone who leads Israel after other gods. The Mishnah (tractate Sanhedrin 6–7, written down c. 200 CE) sets out how stoning was to be done. John 18:31 says the Jerusalem authorities could not lawfully carry out executions under Rome. Stonings still happened when a crowd took matters into its own hands or Roman oversight lapsed: Stephen (Acts 7), and James the brother of Jesus in 62 CE (Josephus, Antiquities 20.200).

From the study of Acts 14:19

Range of meaning

To throw stones at, to stone. Used both of legal execution and of spontaneous mob violence.

Against the English

'Stoned' is right, but modern readers often picture the formal execution of the Law of Moses: a court verdict, witnesses throwing first, outside the camp. Nothing in Lystra suggests a trial.

How it drifted

Most people know stoning from the legal texts of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, so the English word suggests a judicial procedure. In the Greek and Roman world, stones were also simply what an angry mob had to hand.

Used elsewhere in the period

2 Cor 11:25: 'once I was stoned' (ἐλιθάσθην, the same verb), which is Paul's own memory of this event. John 10:31–33 and Acts 5:26 use it of threatened mob stoning. Acts 7:58–59 uses the related λιθοβολέω for Stephen. The Mishnah (Sanhedrin 6) describes the formal Jewish procedure, which began outside the city.

Where it appears

John · 4

  1. John 10:31 λιθάσωσιν they may stone

    At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him.

    Here: "They might stone." Killing by stoning was the Torah's penalty for blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16), and 10:33 names that charge. The verb repeats the root of "stones" (lithous … lithasōsin), so the Greek has a blunt echo: stones, to stone.

  2. John 10:32 λιθάζετε;¶ do you stone

    But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?”

    Here: A present tense describing an action under way but not yet carried out: ‘are you trying to stone / about to stone me?’ Stoning was the Torah’s penalty for blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16).

  3. John 10:33 λιθάζομέν we do stone

    “We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, make Yourself out to be God.”

    Here: The present tense describes an action under way but not completed: "we are about to stone / are trying to stone you." They are holding the stones (10:31) but have not thrown them, and Jesus slips away (10:39).

  4. John 11:8 λιθάσαι to stone

    “Rabbi,” they replied, “the Jews just tried to stone You, and You are going back there?”

    Here: To kill someone by throwing stones. In the Law of Moses this was the penalty for blasphemy. In John 10:31–33 this is exactly what the crowd tried to do, accusing him of making himself God.

Acts · 2

  1. Acts 5:26 λιθασθῶσιν.¶ they may be stoned.

    At that point, the captain went with the officers and brought the apostles—but not by force, for fear the people would stone them.

  2. Acts 14:19 λιθάσαντες having stoned

    Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, presuming he was dead.

    Here: 'Having stoned'. Here this is mob violence, not a court sentence. It is the same verb Paul uses for this event in 2 Corinthians 11:25, 'once I was stoned'.

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 11:25 ἐλιθάσθην, I was stoned,

    Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea.

Hebrews · 1

  1. Hebrews 11:37 ἐλιθάσθησαν, They were stoned,

    They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated.

    Here: 'They were stoned.' A single past event, passive: something done to them. Stoning was the Torah's penalty for blasphemers and false prophets, so these faithful people died by the punishment meant for the faithless.

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