Lexical Summary piptó: To fall, to descend, to perish, to fail Original Word: πίπτω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fail, fall downA reduplicated and contracted form of peto (pet'-o); (which occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses); probably akin to petomai through the idea of alighting; to fall (literally or figuratively) -- fail, fall (down), light on. see GREEK petomai NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom a redupl. of the prim. root pet Definition to fall NASB Translation beat down (1), fail (1), fails (1), fall (15), fall down (2), fallen (8), falling (3), falls (8), fell (46), fell down (6). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4098: πίπτωπίπτω; (imperfect ἔπιπτον (Mark 14:35 T Tr marginal reading WH)); future πεσοῦμαι; 2 aorist ἔπεσον and according to the Alex. form (received everywhere by Lachmann (except Luke 23:30), Tdf. (except Revelation 6:16), Tr (except ibid.), WH; and also used by R G in Revelation 1:17; Revelation 5:14; Revelation 6:13; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 17:10) ἔπεσα (cf. (WHs Appendix, p. 164; Tdf. Proleg., p. 123); Lob. ad Phryn., p. 724f; Alexander Buttmann (1873) Ausf. Spr. ii., p. 277f, and see ἀπέρχομαι at the beginning); perfect πέπτωκα, 2 person singular πεπτωκες (Revelation 2:5 T WH; see κοπιάω), 3 person plural πεπτωκαν (Revelation 18:3, Lachmann's stereotyped edition; Tr text WH text; see γίνομαι); (from ΠΑΤΩ, as τίκτω from ΤΑΚΩ (cf. Curtius, Etymol. § 214; Verbum, ii., p. 398)); from Homer down; the Sept. chiefly for נָפַל; to fall; used: 1. of descent from a higher place to a lower; a. properly, to fall (either from or upon, equivalent to Latinincido, decido): ἐπί with the accusative of place, Matthew 10:29; Matthew 13:5,( b. metaphorically: οὐ πίπτει ἐπί τινα ὁ ἥλιος, i. e. the heat of the sun does not strike upon them or incommode them, Revelation 7:16; (ἀχλύς καί σκότος, Acts 13:11 L T Tr WH); ὁ κλῆρος πίπτει ἐπί τινα, the lot falls upon one, Acts 1:20; φόβος πίπτει ἐπί τινα, falls upon or seizes one (Acts 19:17 L Tr); Revelation 11:11 Rec.; (τό πνεῦμα τό ἅγιον, Acts 10:44 Lachmann); πίπτω ὑπό κρίσιν, to fall under judgment, come under condemnation, James 5:12 (where Rec.st εἰς ὑπόκρισιν). 2. of descent from an erect to a prostrate position (Latinlabor, ruo; prolabor, procido; collabor, etc.); a. properly; α. to fall down: ἐπί λίθον, Luke 20:18; λίθος πίπτει ἐπί τινα, Matthew 21:44 (T omits; L WH Tr marginal reading brackets the verse); Luke 20:18; τό ὄρος ἐπί τινα, Luke 23:30; Revelation 6:16. β. to be prostrated, fall prostrate; of those overcome by terror or astonishment or grief: χαμαί, John 18:6; εἰς τό ἔδαφος, Acts 22:7; ἐπί τήν γῆν, Acts 9:4; (ἐπί πρόσωπον, Matthew 17:6); or under the attack of an evil spirit: ἐπί τῆς γῆς, Mark 9:20; or falling dead suddenly: πρός τούς πόδας τίνος ὡς νεκρός, Revelation 1:17; πεσών ἐξέψυξε, Acts 5:5; ἔπεσεν παρά (L T Tr WH πρός) τούς πόδας τίνος, Acts 5:10; absolutely, 1 Corinthians 10:8; στόματι μαχαριας, Luke 21:24; absolutely of the dismemberment of corpses by decay, Hebrews 3:17 (Numbers 14:29, 32). γ. to prostrate oneself; used now of suppliants, now of persons rendering homage or worship to one: ἐπί τῆς γῆς, Mark 14:35; participle with προσκυνεῖν, as finite verb, Matthew 2:11; Matthew 4:9; Matthew 18:26; πίπτειν καί προσκυνεῖν, Revelation 5:14; Revelation 19:4; ἔπεσα προσκυνῆσαι, Revelation 22:8; πεσών εἰς τούς πόδας (αὐτοῦ), Matthew 18:29 Rec.; εἰς (T Tr WH πρός) τούς πόδας τίνος, John 11:32; πρός τούς πόδας τίνος, Mark 5:22; (παρά τούς πόδας τίνος, Luke 8:41); ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ποδῶν τίνος, Revelation 19:10; ἐνώπιον τίνος, Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:8; ἐπί πρόσωπον, Matthew 26:39; Luke 5:12; ἐπί πρόσωπον παρά τούς πόδας τίνος, Luke 17:16; πεσών ἐπί τούς πόδας προσεκύνησε, Acts 10:25; πεσών ἐπί πρόσωπον προσκυνήσει, 1 Corinthians 14:25; ἐπί τά πρόσωπα καί προσκυνεῖν, Revelation 7:11 (ἐπί πρόσωπον Rec.); Revelation 11:16. δ. to fall out, fall from: θρίξ ἐκ τῆς κεφαλῆς πεσεῖται, equivalent to shall perish, be lost, Acts 27:34 Rec. ε. to fall down, fall in ruin: of buildings, walls, etc., Matthew 7:25,(27); Luke 6:49 (where T Tr WH συνεπεσε); Hebrews 11:30; οἶκος ἐπ' οἶκον πίπτει, Luke 11:17 (see ἐπί, C. I. 2 c.); πύργος ἐπί τινα, Luke 13:4; σκηνή ἡ πεπτωκυῖα, the tabernacle that has fallen down, a figurative description of the family of David and the theocracy as reduced to extreme decay (cf. σκηνή, at the end), Acts 15:16. of a city: ἔπεσε, i. e. has been overthrown, destroyed, Revelation 11:13; Revelation 14:8; Revelation 16:19; Revelation 18:2 (Jeremiah 28:8 b. metaphorically, α. to be cast down from a state of prosperity: πόθεν πέπωκας, from what a height of Christian knowledge and attainment thou hast declined, Revelation 2:5 G L T Tr WH (see above at the beginning). β. to fall from a state of uprightness, i. e. to sin: opposed to ἑστάναι, 1 Corinthians 10:12; opposed to στήκειν, with a dative of the person whose interests suffer by the sinning (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 31, 1 k.), Romans 14:4; to fall into a state of wickedness, Revelation 18:3; Lachmann's stereotyped edition; Tr WH text (see πίνω). γ. to perish, i. e. to come to an end, disappear, cease: of virtues, 1 Corinthians 13:8 L T Tr WH (R. V. fail); to lose authority, no longer have force, of sayings, precepts, etc., Luke 16:17 (ὥστε οὐ χαμαί πεσεῖται ὁ τί ἄν εἴπῃς, Plato, Euchyphr. § 17; irrita cadunt promissa, Livy 2, 31). equivalent to to be removed from power by death, Revelation 17:10; to fail of participating in, miss a share in, the Messianic salvation, Romans 11:11,(22); Hebrews 4:11 ((yet see ἐν, I. 5 f.). Compare: ἀναπίπτω, ἀντιπίπτω, ἀποπίπτω, ἐκπίπτω ἐνπίπτω, ἐπιπίπτω, καταπίπτω, παραπίπτω, περιπίπτω, προσπίπτω, συμπίπτω.) The Greek verb behind Strong’s 4098 spans an impressive spectrum—from seeds dropping to earth, to walls collapsing, to worshipers throwing themselves at the Lord’s feet. Ninety-one New Testament occurrences show both literal descent and richly figurative applications that warn, comfort, and instruct the church. Literal Descent of Persons and Objects 1. Accidental or sudden falls 2. Structural collapse 3. Natural objects 4. Seed imagery Prostration in Awe or Worship The most theologically charged uses depict voluntary falling before supreme authority. • At Jesus’ transfiguration “the disciples fell facedown in terror” (Matthew 17:6). Figurative Spiritual or Moral Collapse The verb frequently warns of moral downfall. • “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Divine Judgment and Eschatological Cataclysm Repeated prophetic oracles announce the downfall of evil powers. • “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!” (Revelation 14:8; 18:2). Falling within God’s Redemptive Plan The verb also expresses surrender that leads to life. • Saul of Tarsus “fell to the ground and heard a voice” (Acts 9:4), marking the start of his apostleship. Pastoral and Practical Implications 1. Humility in Worship The heavenly pattern of falling before God invites believers to embody reverence, resisting casual familiarity with the Holy One. 2. Vigilance against Apostasy Texts such as Hebrews 3:17 and 1 Corinthians 10:8 remind the church that previous generations “fell in the wilderness” through unbelief and immorality. Past grace does not guarantee future faithfulness. 3. Evangelistic Expectation When Christ is rightly proclaimed, sinners may be brought to their knees, as happened in John 18:6 when arresting soldiers “fell to the ground.” Gospel proclamation carries inherent power. 4. Comfort in Providence The Father’s detailed care even for a sparrow that “falls to the ground” assures believers that no setback escapes divine oversight. Historical and Theological Reflection Early Christian writers often linked Adam’s “fall” (a term not used in Genesis Greek but conceptually related) with the verb’s New Testament warnings. Augustine traced a parallel between Israel’s collapse in the wilderness and the church’s need for perseverance. Medieval liturgy adopted bodily prostration (Latin prosternere) during penitential seasons, echoing Revelation’s heavenly worship scenes. Reformers emphasized 1 Corinthians 10:12—standing by grace alone keeps one from falling. Puritans saw Revelation 14 and 18 as prophetic of Rome’s eventual ruin, reinforcing hope amid persecution. Modern missions literature frequently cites John 12:24: the seed must fall and die for a harvest to come, underscoring sacrificial service. Connections to Old Testament Usage The Septuagint often employs the same Greek verb for Hebrew nāpal. Goliath “fell” face-down (1 Samuel 17:49); fire “fell” from heaven on Sodom (Genesis 19:24); the walls of Jericho “fell” (Joshua 6:20; echoed in Hebrews 11:30). These antecedents enrich New Testament resonance: defeat of giants, judgment of wickedness, and miraculous victory all converge in Christ. Christological Significance Jesus is both the stone on whom some “fall and are broken” and the One who causes the proud to stumble (Matthew 21:44; Luke 20:18). Conversely, He is also the seed that falls, dies, and bears much fruit (John 12:24). Thus the verb frames the paradox of judgment and salvation centered in Him. Eschatological Hope and Assurance While cosmic bodies and earthly powers will fall, believers who build on the rock of Christ will stand (Matthew 7:25). Even death’s apparent victory is only a seed falling into the ground, destined for resurrection glory. Until that day, the church follows the elders’ pattern—falling before the throne in worship, confident that “salvation belongs to our God, and to the Lamb” (Revelation 7:11). Englishman's Concordance Matthew 2:11 V-APA-NMPGRK: αὐτοῦ καὶ πεσόντες προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ NAS: His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped KJV: and fell down, and worshipped INT: of him and having fallen down worshipped him Matthew 4:9 V-APA-NMS Matthew 7:25 V-AIA-3S Matthew 7:27 V-AIA-3S Matthew 10:29 V-FIM-3S Matthew 13:4 V-AIA-3S Matthew 13:5 V-AIA-3S Matthew 13:7 V-AIA-3S Matthew 13:8 V-AIA-3S Matthew 15:14 V-FIP-3P Matthew 15:27 V-PPA-GNP Matthew 17:6 V-AIA-3P Matthew 17:15 V-PIA-3S Matthew 18:26 V-APA-NMS Matthew 18:29 V-APA-NMS Matthew 21:44 V-APA-NMS Matthew 21:44 V-ASA-3S Matthew 24:29 V-FIP-3P Matthew 26:39 V-AIA-3S Mark 4:4 V-AIA-3S Mark 4:5 V-AIA-3S Mark 4:7 V-AIA-3S Mark 4:8 V-AIA-3S Mark 5:22 V-PIA-3S Mark 9:20 V-APA-NMS Strong's Greek 4098 |
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