2188. ephphatha

Lexicon

ephphatha: "Be opened."

Original Word: ἐφφαθά
Part of Speech: Aramaic Transliterated Word (Indeclinable)
Transliteration: ephphatha
Pronunciation: ef-fah-thah
Phonetic Spelling: (ef-fath-ah')
Definition: "Be opened."
Meaning: (Aramaic, meaning) be opened up.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Ephphatha.

Of Chaldee origin (pthach); be opened! -- Ephphatha.

see HEBREW pthach

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of Aramaic origin pethach
Definition
be opened!
NASB Translation
Ephphatha (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 2188: ἐφφαθά

ἐφφαθά, ephphatha, Aramaic אֶתְפָּתַח (the ethpaal imperative of the verb פְּתַח, Hebrew פָּתַח, to open), be thou opened (i. e. receive the power of hearing; the ears of the deaf and the eyes of the blind being considered as closed): Mark 7:34. (See Kautzsch, Gram. d. Biblical-Aram., p. 10.)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Aramaic; transliterated into Greek

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Hebrew equivalent for ἐφφαθά, as it is an Aramaic term. However, the concept of opening or being opened can be related to Hebrew words such as פָּתַח (pathach • Strong's Hebrew 6605), which means "to open."

Usage: This term is used in the New Testament to describe a command given by Jesus during a healing miracle.

Context: The term ἐφφαθά (ephphatha) appears in the New Testament in the Gospel of Mark, specifically in Mark 7:34. This Aramaic word is one of the few instances where the original language spoken by Jesus is preserved in the Greek text. In the context of the narrative, Jesus encounters a man who is deaf and has a speech impediment. After taking the man aside from the crowd, Jesus performs a series of actions: He puts His fingers into the man's ears, spits, and touches the man's tongue. Then, looking up to heaven, Jesus sighs deeply and says, "Ephphatha," which is translated as "Be opened."

This command results in the immediate healing of the man, as his ears are opened, his tongue is loosened, and he begins to speak plainly. The use of the Aramaic term highlights the authenticity and immediacy of the miracle, emphasizing Jesus' authority over physical ailments. The preservation of the original word in the Greek text serves to underscore the historical and cultural context of Jesus' ministry, providing a direct link to the language He would have commonly used.

The account of this miracle is significant in demonstrating Jesus' compassion and power, as well as His fulfillment of Messianic prophecies concerning the healing of the deaf and the mute. The use of ἐφφαθά in this passage is a testament to the transformative power of Jesus' words and actions, which bring about physical and spiritual restoration.

Forms and Transliterations

εφφαθα εφφαθά Ἐφφαθά Ephphatha Ephphathá

Englishman's Concordance

Mark 7:34 Aram
GRK: λέγει αὐτῷ Ἐφφαθά ὅ ἐστιν
NAS: He said to him, Ephphatha! that is, Be opened!
KJV: unto him, Ephphatha, that is,
INT: says to him Ephphatha that is

Strong's Greek 2188
1 Occurrence

Ἐφφαθά — 1 Occ.