Lexical Summary empneó: To breathe in, to breathe upon, to inspire Original Word: ἐμπνέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance breathe. From en and pneo; to inhale, i.e. (figuratively) to be animated by (bent upon) -- breathe. see GREEK en see GREEK pneo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom en and pneó Definition to breathe (on), to inhale NASB Translation breathing (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1709: ἐμπνέωἐμπνέω (T WH ἐνπνέω, see ἐν, III. 3); 1. to breathe in or on (from Homer down). 2. to inhale (Aeschylus, Plato, others); with partitive genitive, ἀπειλῆς καί φόνου, threatening and slaughter were so to speak the element from which he drew his breath, Acts 9:1; see Meyer at the passage, cf. Winers Grammar, § 30, 9c.; (Buttmann, 167 (146)); ἐμπνέον ζωῆς, the Sept. Joshua 10:40. Strong’s Greek 1709 appears only once, in Acts 9:1. The participle ἐμπνέων portrays Saul of Tarsus as “still breathing out threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.” The verb’s present tense stresses an ongoing atmosphere of hostility; persecution is not a passing impulse but Saul’s very air. Figurative Force of “Breathing” 1. Breath describes what fills and animates a person. To “breathe threats” implies that menace saturates Saul’s inner life and naturally flows from him. Historical Setting in Acts 9 After Stephen’s martyrdom, persecution intensifies. Saul, empowered by the Sanhedrin, seeks extradition rights in Damascus. His journey underscores: Theological Reflections on Breath 1. Life-giving breath: “The LORD God formed man… and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7). Acts 9:1 sets Saul’s murderous breath against the Creator’s and Redeemer’s breath, preparing for his dramatic conversion where divine breath will replace destructive breath. Contrast Between Deadly and Life-Giving Breath • Deadly breath disperses fear and death (Acts 9:1; Psalm 27:12). The juxtaposition magnifies grace: the Lord turns a man exhaling violence into an apostle inhaling the Spirit and exhaling the gospel (Acts 9:17–22). Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Conversion Hope: No sinner is beyond Christ’s reach; those most violently opposed may become foremost servants (1 Timothy 1:13–16). Related Biblical Themes • Persecution and Mission: Acts 8–11. Summary Strong’s Greek 1709, though occurring a single time, vividly encapsulates Saul’s pre-conversion hostility and sets the stage for one of Scripture’s most striking transformations. The word reminds readers that the God who breathes life into dust, inspiration into Scripture, and the Spirit into believers can also redirect the very breath of His enemies to declare His glory. |
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