Greek word · G5080

τήκω

tēkō

to melt

To melt, to dissolve. Used of wax, metal and snow, and figuratively of wasting away or a heart melting in fear.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

τήκω

[in LXX for מָסַס ni., מָקַק ni., מוּג ni., etc. ;]

trans.,

to melt, melt down; pass., to melt, melt away: 2 Peter 3:12.†

(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 Peter 3:12

Range of meaning

To melt, to dissolve. Used of wax, metal and snow, and figuratively of wasting away or a heart melting in fear.

Against the English

All the major English versions say 'melt.' The Greek present tense ('are melting') is usually turned into a future in English.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Greek Old Testament uses it for creation in the presence of God: Isaiah 34:4 ('the powers of the heavens will melt'), Isaiah 63:19-64:1 ('the mountains will melt... as wax melts before fire'), Micah 1:4, Psalm 97:5 (96:5 in the Greek), Judith 16:15.

Where it appears

2 Peter · 1

  1. 2 Peter 3:12 τήκεται; are melting?

    as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat.

    Here: Present tense, 'melt' or 'are melting.' It presents the future event as if it were happening in front of the reader. The verb echoes the Greek of Isaiah 34:4. The Greek question mark closes the question that began in v. 11.

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