2979. laktizo
Lexical Summary
laktizo: To kick

Original Word: λακτίζω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: laktizo
Pronunciation: lak-TID-zo
Phonetic Spelling: (lak-tid'-zo)
KJV: kick
Word Origin: [from adverb lax (heelwise)]

1. to recalcitrate

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
kick.

From adverb lax (heelwise); to recalcitrate -- kick.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2979: λακτίζω

λακτίζω; (from adverb λάξ, with the heel); (fr. Homer down); to kick, strike with the heel: Acts 26:14, and Rec. in ; see κέντρον, 2.

Topical Lexicon
Semantic Range and Figurative Force

While literally describing the action of “kicking,” the verb conveys stubborn resistance to rightful authority. In ancient agrarian imagery, an ox that kicked the pointed goad only injured itself; thus the expression portrays self-destructive rebellion against divine direction. The metaphor assumes a moral order in which God sets the path and any defiance ultimately harms the rebel, not the Ruler.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Acts 9:5 TR/MT text records the risen Christ’s reproof to Saul on the Damascus road: “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
2. Acts 26:14 universally attested: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

Both contexts depict a persecutor confronted by Christ’s sovereign initiative, underscoring that resistance to the Lord’s redemptive purposes is futile.

Old Testament and Intertestamental Echoes

Although the precise idiom does not appear in the Hebrew canon, the concept of futile opposition to God saturates the Psalter (for example, Psalm 2:1–3) and prophetic warnings (Isaiah 45:9). The Apocrypha echoes the motif (Wisdom of Solomon 12:14), preparing Jewish readers for the New Testament application.

Greco-Roman Literary Background

The proverb surfaces in Euripides (Bacchae 795) and other classical sources, where mortals who “kick against the goads” challenge the gods to their own hurt. Luke’s preservation of the saying (especially in Paul’s courtroom defense before Agrippa) bridges familiar Hellenistic imagery with biblical revelation, illustrating Scripture’s capacity to engage every culture while maintaining theological truth.

Theological Significance in Acts

1. Divine Sovereignty: The statement confirms that Saul’s conversion was not the result of human persuasion but of Christ’s irresistible call (compare Romans 9:16).
2. Human Accountability: Saul is held responsible for resisting evident truth (“Why do you persecute Me?”). Grace confronts, convicts, and converts, yet the warning remains: persistent rebellion inflicts spiritual injury.
3. Ecclesiology: Persecution of believers is equated with assaulting Christ Himself (“Me”), reinforcing the mystical union of the Head with His body (1 Corinthians 12:12–27).
4. Missional Paradigm: Paul’s subsequent apostolic ministry grows directly out of surrendered resistance. The imagery thus frames the book’s movement from Jewish opposition to Gentile mission.

Pastoral and Practical Implications

• Conviction: Believers may recall the proverb when tempted to resist the Spirit’s prompting (Ephesians 4:30).
• Discipline: Church leaders can appeal to this imagery to warn against obstinate sin that damages both the sinner and the fellowship.
• Assurance: The same Lord who conquers rebellion also commissions service; past resistance does not preclude future usefulness (1 Timothy 1:12–16).

Missionary Application

Paul’s testimony before Agrippa models contextualized evangelism: he employs a familiar proverb to confront a royal audience with universal accountability. Modern missionaries likewise translate eternal truths into local idioms without diluting the gospel.

Christological Focus

The risen Christ speaks with Old Testament Yahweh authority, identifying Himself as the one ultimately opposed in every act of persecution. The proverb therefore magnifies His deity and ongoing involvement in the spread of the gospel.

Doctrine and Consistency of Scripture

The harmony between the Acts narrative and Pauline epistles (Galatians 1:11–16; Philippians 3:4–9) demonstrates inspired coherence: the persecutor turned apostle embodies the principle that God overrules human defiance for His glory (Genesis 50:20).

Homiletical Suggestions

Text: Acts 26:12–18

Theme: “When Resistance Meets Grace”

Outline:

1. The Goads of Providence (v. 14)
2. The Voice of the Lord (v. 14b–15)
3. The Call to Service (v. 16–18)

Application: Invite hearers to cease self-injurious striving and yield to Christ’s saving and commissioning work.

In sum, Strong’s Greek 2979 serves as a vivid, cross-cultural emblem of the futility of resisting God and the triumph of redeeming grace that redirects even the fiercest opponent into fruitful ministry.

Forms and Transliterations
λακτιζειν λακτίζειν laktizein laktízein
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Acts 9:5 V-PNA
GRK: πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν
KJV: for thee to kick against
INT: against [the] goads to kick

Acts 26:14 V-PNA
GRK: πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν
NAS: Me? It is hard for you to kick against
KJV: for thee to kick against
INT: against goads to kick

Strong's Greek 2979
2 Occurrences


λακτίζειν — 2 Occ.

2978
Top of Page
Top of Page