741. artuó
Lexical Summary
artuó: To season, to prepare, to arrange

Original Word: ἁρτύω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: artuó
Pronunciation: ar-TOO-oh
Phonetic Spelling: (ar-too'-o)
KJV: season
NASB: seasoned, make salty
Word Origin: [from a presumed derivative of G142 (αἴρω - take)]

1. to prepare, i.e. spice (with stimulating condiments)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
to season.

From a presumed derivative of airo; to prepare, i.e. Spice (with stimulating condiments) -- season.

see GREEK airo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
probably akin to same as harmos
Definition
to make ready, to season (food)
NASB Translation
make...salty (1), seasoned (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 741: ἀρτύω

ἀρτύω: future ἀρτύσω; passive, perfect ἠρτυμαι; 1 future ἀρτυθήσομαι; (ἈΡΩ to fit); to prepare, arrange; often so in Homer In the comic writers and epigrammatists used of preparing food, to season, make savory ((τά ὄψα, Aristotle, eth. Nic. 3, 13, p. 1118a, 29); ἠρτυμένος οἶνος, Theophrastus, de odor. § 51 (fragment 4, c. 11)); so Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34; metaphorically, λόγος ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος, full of wisdom and grace and hence, pleasant and wholesome, Colossians 4:6.

Topical Lexicon
Overview of Meaning and Imagery

Strong’s Greek 741 speaks of adding savor, making food palatable, and by extension making anything wholesome, winsome, and spiritually beneficial. Like salt itself, the verb portrays preventive purity (warding off decay), positive flavor (enhancing what is good), and covenant loyalty (cf. Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 18:19).

Occurrences in the New Testament

1. Mark 9:50 – Jesus warns that if salt loses its capacity to season, “with what will you season it?” The seasoned life is contrasted with useless salt, pressing disciples to preserve peace and purity.
2. Luke 14:34 – “Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its savor, with what will it be seasoned?” Here the verb heightens the cost-of-discipleship discourse: nominal followers become tasteless; true disciples retain transforming impact.
3. Colossians 4:6 – “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer each person.” Paul applies the culinary image to conversation, calling for gracious words that restrain corruption and provide appetizing truth.

Old Testament Background

Salt symbolizes permanence and faithfulness (“a covenant of salt,” Numbers 18:19) and is mandated in every grain offering (Leviticus 2:13). Seasoning therefore carried sacrificial and covenantal undertones: what is offered to God or shared with neighbor must be uncontaminated and pleasing.

Theological Implications

• Discipleship Integrity: A disciple’s influence is judged by whether he continues to season his surroundings. Loss of savor equates to spiritual uselessness and impending judgment (Matthew 5:13 parallels).
• Speech Ethics: The apostolic call makes seasoning a daily discipline—words flavored by truth and grace defend faith without bitterness.
• Missional Witness: Seasoned believers preserve society from moral spoilage while making the gospel inviting (cf. 1 Peter 3:15).

Historical and Cultural Context

In the first-century Mediterranean world, salt was indispensable for preserving fish, meat, and harvested vegetables. Roman soldiers sometimes received a “salarium,” an allowance for salt. The audience readily grasped that unsalty salt was not merely bland but dangerously deceptive, promising preservation yet delivering rot. Likewise, speech or life without sanctifying power threatened communal stability.

Practical Application for Believers

• Examine personal “savor” through ongoing repentance and Spirit-filled obedience.
• Guard the tongue: gracious yet pointed proclamation protects against doctrinal decay and relational rancor.
• Model covenant loyalty: reliability in commitments seasons families, churches, and workplaces.
• Engage culture redemptively: preserving what is good, exposing corruption, and making righteousness attractive.

Ministry Significance

Pastoral leaders must cultivate seasoned preaching—truth uncompromised, delivered winsomely—so hearers taste and see the Lord’s goodness. Discipleship programs should train believers to engage conversations with doctrinal depth and gracious tone, fulfilling Colossians 4:6. In evangelism, seasoned testimony bridges truth and audience, preventing either bland accommodation or harsh bitterness.

Related Biblical Motifs

• Purity (Exodus 30:35; Ezekiel 43:24)
• Covenant fidelity (2 Chronicles 13:5)
• Speech controlled by wisdom (Proverbs 15:23; Ecclesiastes 10:12)

Thus Strong’s 741 presents a compact yet far-reaching summons: remain spiritually potent, preserve holiness, and communicate the gospel with attractive, life-giving flavor.

Forms and Transliterations
ἅλατι αρτυθησεται αρτυθήσεται ἀρτυθήσεται αρτυσετε ἀρτύσετε ηρτυμενος ηρτυμένος ἠρτυμένος alati artusete artuthesetai artuthēsetai artysete artýsete artythesetai artythēsetai artythḗsetai ertumenos ērtumenos ertymenos ertyménos ērtymenos ērtyménos
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Mark 9:50 V-FIA-2P
GRK: τίνι αὐτὸ ἀρτύσετε ἔχετε ἐν
NAS: with what will you make it salty [again]? Have
KJV: wherewith will ye season it?
INT: what it will you season Have in

Luke 14:34 V-FIP-3S
GRK: ἐν τίνι ἀρτυθήσεται
NAS: with what will it be seasoned?
KJV: wherewith shall it be seasoned?
INT: with what will it be seasoned

Colossians 4:6 V-RPM/P-NMS
GRK: χάριτι ἅλατι ἠρτυμένος εἰδέναι πῶς
NAS: be with grace, [as though] seasoned with salt,
KJV: grace, seasoned with salt,
INT: grace with salt seasoned to know how

Strong's Greek 741
3 Occurrences


ἀρτύσετε — 1 Occ.
ἀρτυθήσεται — 1 Occ.
ἠρτυμένος — 1 Occ.

740
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