Greek word · G5294

ὑποτίθημι

hypotithēmi

to lay

Active: to place something under, to put down or risk (Rom 16:4, 'risked their own necks', literally 'laid down'). Middle: to set before someone as counsel; to suggest, advise, remind, point out.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ὑπο-τίθημι

[in LXX for שׂוּם, etc. ;]

to place under, lay down. Metaphorical, τ. τράχηλον ὑποθεῖναι, to risk one's life (see Deiss., LAE, 119 f.): Romans 16:4; mid., to suggest: 1 Timothy 4:6.†

(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 1 Timothy 4:6

Range of meaning

Active: to place something under, to put down or risk (Rom 16:4, 'risked their own necks', literally 'laid down'). Middle: to set before someone as counsel; to suggest, advise, remind, point out.

Against the English

KJV 'put … in remembrance' and BSB/NIV 'point out' catch the gentle, advisory tone. WEB 'instruct' is a little stronger than the Greek. YLT 'placing before' is closest to the picture in the word.

Used elsewhere in the period

From Homer on, the middle voice is used for offering advice: one 'lays a suggestion before' someone (e.g. Iliad 8.36; Herodotus; Xenophon). Its only other New Testament use is Romans 16:4, in the active and literal sense. In 4:11 the letter switches to the much firmer παράγγελλε, 'command'.

Where it appears

Romans · 1

  1. Romans 16:4 ὑπέθηκαν, laid down,

    who have risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

1 Timothy · 1

  1. 1 Timothy 4:6 ὑποτιθέμενος laying before

    By pointing out these things to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of faith and sound instruction that you have followed.

    Here: Literally 'placing under'; in the middle voice it means to set something before someone as counsel, to suggest or remind. The tone is gentle and persuasive, not commanding. The participle gives the condition or means: 'if / by laying these things before…'.

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