Lexical Summary rhipteó: To throw, to cast, to hurl Original Word: ῥιπτέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cast off. From a derivative of rhipto; to toss up -- cast off. see GREEK rhipto NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originsee rhiptó. Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4495: ῤιπτέωῤιπτέω, see ῤίπτω. Topical Lexicon Greek background and semantic range Strong’s Greek 4495 (ῥιπτέω) denotes a vigorous act of throwing, flinging, or hurling. In Classical literature it can describe anything from soldiers hurling spears to peasants tossing grain. In Scripture the verb retains the sense of an energetic, deliberate motion intended either to get rid of something or to vent emotion. Biblical occurrence The verb appears once in the New Testament, in Acts 22:23, during the riot that followed Paul’s testimony on the steps of the Antonia Fortress: “As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,” (Acts 22:23). Luke portrays the crowd’s fury with three coordinated participles—shouting, throwing, flinging—of which ῥιπτούντων describes the casting aside of garments. The picture is of unrestrained, almost primal, rage. Cultural setting in Acts 22 Casting off clothing in the Ancient Near East could be a sign of grief (Job 1:20), lament (2 Samuel 13:19), or protest. Here, however, it functions as violent repudiation. By discarding their outer garments the crowd frees its arms for possible stone-throwing and displays contempt for Paul’s words about his Gentile mission (Acts 22:21). The simultaneous dust-flinging amplifies the scene, evoking images of curses and judicial condemnation. Thematic significance – rejection of the messenger Throughout Acts, strong verbs of motion mark decisive responses to the gospel: ῥιπτέω fits this pattern, capturing the visceral hostility that often greets faithful witness. The crowd’s action fulfills Jesus’ prediction that His messengers would be hated “because of My name” (Matthew 10:22) and confirms Luke’s theme that God’s servants must enter the kingdom “through many tribulations” (Acts 14:22). Old Testament echoes The scene recalls the symbolic rejection of God’s prophets when hearers “shook out” garments (Nehemiah 5:13) or “threw” dust upon their heads in rage (2 Samuel 16:13). Such gestures underscore a moral verdict: the hearers deem the message intolerable and cast it away—along with the messenger. Typology of cast-off garments Conversely, the gospel portrays salvation as a change of garments (Isaiah 61:10; Zechariah 3:4; Revelation 7:14). The mob’s self-stripping becomes an ironic counter-sign: in rejecting Paul, they cling to the old order and refuse the “robe of righteousness” offered in Christ. Teaching for the Church 1. Expect vigorous opposition. Faithful proclamation may provoke furious reactions (2 Timothy 3:12). Personal application Believers today face moments when culture “throws off” biblical truth with equal vehemence. ῥιπτέω reminds us that rejection of the message often feels abrupt and forceful, yet it is never final. God used the uproar in Jerusalem to send Paul to Rome (Acts 23:11; 27:24), turning violent opposition into a vehicle for wider witness. Trust that the Lord still weaves hostile moments into redemptive outcomes. Forms and Transliterations ερριμμένη ερριμμένην ερριμμένοι ερριμμένον έρριπται έρριπτεν ερρίφη έρριψα έρριψά ερρίψαμεν έρριψαν έρριψας έρριψε έρριψέ ερριψεν έρριψεν ριπτούμεν ριπτούντος ριπτουντων ριπτούντων ῥιπτούντων ρίπτουσιν ρίπτω ριφήσεται ριφήση ριφήσονται ρίψαν ρίψαντες ρίψας ρίψατε ρίψει ρίψεις ρίψον ρίψωμεν rhiptounton rhiptountōn rhiptoúnton rhiptoúntōn riptounton riptountōnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 22:23 V-PPA-GMPGRK: αὐτῶν καὶ ῥιπτούντων τὰ ἱμάτια KJV: and cast off [their] clothes, INT: they and casting off the garments |
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