1720. emphusaó

Lexicon

emphusaó: To breathe into, to blow upon

Original Word: ἐμφυσάω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: emphusaó
Pronunciation: em-foo-SAH-oh
Phonetic Spelling: (em-foo-sah'-o)
Definition: To breathe into, to blow upon
Meaning: I breathe into, breathe upon.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

breathe on.

From en and phusao (to puff) (compare phuo); to blow at or on -- breathe on.

see GREEK en

see GREEK phuo

HELPS Word-studies

1720 emphysáō (from 1722 /en, "in" and physaō, "breathe, blow") – properly, breathe (blow) in. 1720 (emphysáō) is only used in Jn 20:22 where Christ breathed into the apostles. By "breathing in Christ's inbreathing," 1720 (emphysáō) prefigures "the promise of the Father," fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (Lk 24:49; Ac 1:4; Ac 2:1f).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from en and phusaó (to blow)
Definition
to breathe into or upon
NASB Translation
breathed (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 1720: ἐμφυσάω

ἐμφυσάω, ἐμφύσω (see ἐν, III. 3): 1 aorist ἐνεφύσησα; to blow or breathe on: τινα, John 20:22, where Jesus, after the manner of the Hebrew prophets, expresses by the symbolic act of breathing upon the apostles the communication of the Holy Spirit to them — having in view the primary meaning of the words רוּחַ and πνεῦμα (cf. e. g. Ezekiel 37:5). (the Sept.; Dioscorides (?), Aretaeus (?), Geoponica, others; (to inflate, Aristotle, others).)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek preposition "ἐν" (en, meaning "in" or "into") and the verb "φυσάω" (physaō, meaning "to blow" or "to breathe").

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - H5301 נָפַח (naphach): To breathe, blow, or give up (the spirit).
- H5397 נְשָׁמָה (neshamah): Breath, spirit, often used to denote the breath of life given by God.

These Hebrew terms reflect similar themes of life and spirit, providing a rich background for understanding the significance of ἐμφυσάω in the New Testament context.

Usage: The verb ἐμφυσάω is used in the New Testament to describe the act of breathing upon someone, often with the implication of imparting life or spirit. It is notably used in the context of Jesus breathing on His disciples.

Context: The Greek verb ἐμφυσάω appears in the New Testament in John 20:22, where it describes a significant post-resurrection event involving Jesus and His disciples. In this passage, Jesus breathes on His disciples and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit." This act is symbolic of imparting the Holy Spirit to them, echoing the creation narrative where God breathes life into Adam (Genesis 2:7). The use of ἐμφυσάω in this context underscores the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and the new life that Jesus imparts to His followers.

The act of breathing upon the disciples can be seen as a commissioning, equipping them for the mission ahead with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. This moment is pivotal in the transition from Jesus' earthly ministry to the establishment of the early Church, highlighting the continuity of divine breath as a source of life and empowerment.

In the broader biblical narrative, the concept of breath is often associated with life and spirit. The Hebrew equivalent, found in the Old Testament, frequently connects breath with the life-giving power of God. Thus, ἐμφυσάω in John 20:22 serves as a theological bridge between the Old and New Testaments, emphasizing the continuity of God's life-giving presence through His Spirit.

Forms and Transliterations

εμφύσησον εμφυσήσω εμφυσών ενεφύσησε ενεφυσησεν ενεφύσησεν ἐνεφύσησεν enephusesen enephusēsen enephysesen enephysēsen enephýsesen enephýsēsen

Englishman's Concordance

John 20:22 V-AIA-3S
GRK: τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐνεφύσησεν καὶ λέγει
NAS: this, He breathed on them and said
KJV: this, he breathed on [them], and
INT: this having said he breathed into [them] and says

Strong's Greek 1720
1 Occurrence

ἐνεφύσησεν — 1 Occ.