Greek word · G4846

συμπνίγω

sympnigō

to choke

To choke, smother, crowd closely. It is pnigō ('choke, strangle') intensified by syn- ('together, all around'). Used of plants being smothered and of crowds crushing a person.

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

συν-πνίγω (Rec. συμπ-),

to choke: of thronging by a crowd, Luke 8:42. Fig., of seed, τ. λόγον, Matthew 13:22, Mark 4:7, 19, Luke 8:14.†

(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 Mark 4:19

Range of meaning

To choke, smother, crowd closely. It is pnigō ('choke, strangle') intensified by syn- ('together, all around'). Used of plants being smothered and of crowds crushing a person.

Against the English

'Choke' (most versions) is accurate. NLT's 'crowded out' catches the gradual competition well, but loses some of the violence of 'strangle'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Mark 4:7 (thorns 'choked it'). Luke 8:14 (parallel). Luke 8:42 ('the crowds were pressing in on him'). Theophrastus uses the related verb for plants smothered by competing growth.

From the study of Matthew 13:22

Range of meaning

To choke or strangle completely. The prefix syn- ('together, all around') strengthens it into 'crowd in on, press around'. Luke 8:42 uses it of the crowds pressing in on Jesus almost to crushing.

Against the English

'Choke' (KJV, BSB, NIV, ESV, NASB, WEB, YLT) is accurate. NLT's 'crowded out' captures the slow pressure but loses the image of strangling.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the parable Matthew uses the simpler compound apopnigō ('the thorns came up and choked them', 13:7). Mark 4:19 has sympnigousin. Greek writers on plants used the pnigō verb family for crops smothered by weeds.

From the study of Luke 8:14

Range of meaning

To choke, to smother completely, to crowd so tightly that something cannot breathe or grow. The prefix syn- ('together, all around') suggests being pressed in from every side.

Against the English

'Choked' (most versions) is accurate. NLT 'crowded out' captures the farming picture well, though it loses some of the violence of 'choke'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Used of weeds smothering crops in Greek botanical writing (Theophrastus, cited in BDAG). In the parable itself (8:7) the thorns 'grew up with it and choked it'. In 8:42 the crowds 'were pressing in on (synepnigon)' Jesus, a deliberate or at least striking verbal echo a few lines later.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 13:22 συμπνίγει choke

    The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

    Here: 'Chokes', literally 'chokes together' or 'crowds in on all sides'. The verb is singular even though it has two subjects, so worry and wealth act as one combined force. The present tense pictures the strangling as gradual and ongoing, like weeds overgrowing a crop.

Mark · 2

  1. Mark 4:7 συνέπνιξαν choked

    Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings, and they yielded no crop.

  2. Mark 4:19 συμπνίγουσιν they choke

    but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

    Here: Present tense, describing an ongoing process. The same verb is used of the thorns in the parable (4:7). It means to press in on all sides and smother, the way weeds starve a crop of light, water and space.

Luke · 2

  1. Luke 8:14 συμπνίγονται are choked

    The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does not mature.

    Here: Present passive: they are being slowly smothered and hemmed in, the way thorns overrun young grain. Luke uses the same verb in 8:42 for the crowds pressing in on Jesus.

  2. Luke 8:42 συνέπνιγον were pressing around

    because his only daughter, who was about twelve, was dying. As Jesus went with him, the crowds pressed around Him,

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