Greek word · G875

ἀφρίζω

aphrizō

to foam

'To foam,' from ἀφρός, 'foam, froth'. Used of a sea foaming or a mouth foaming. In the New Testament it occurs only in Mark 9:18 and 9:20. Luke 9:39 has 'with foam' (μετὰ ἀφροῦ).

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

What it means

ἀφρίζω

(ἀφρός),

to foam at the mouth: Mark 9:18, 20.†

(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 9:20

Range of meaning

'To foam,' from ἀφρός, 'foam, froth'. Used of a sea foaming or a mouth foaming. In the New Testament it occurs only in Mark 9:18 and 9:20. Luke 9:39 has 'with foam' (μετὰ ἀφροῦ).

Against the English

Most versions add 'at the mouth', which is implied. The Greek participle is a single word: 'foaming'.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Hippocratic treatise On the Sacred Disease (around 400 BC) lists foam from the mouth, falling, convulsions and grinding of the teeth among the signs of the illness popularly blamed on gods or demons. The treatise argues it has a natural cause. The father's list in Mark 9:18 (throws him down, foams, grinds his teeth, goes rigid) closely matches these signs.

Where it appears

Mark · 2

  1. Mark 9:18 ἀφρίζει he foams

    Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable.”

  2. Mark 9:20 ἀφρίζων. foaming.

    So they brought him, and seeing Jesus, the spirit immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

    Here: 'Foaming.' The present tense means the foaming goes on while he rolls. It repeats the father's word in 9:18 ('he foams'), so the father's account is now happening in front of Jesus.

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