Lexical Summary blasphémia: Blasphemy, slander, defamation, reviling Original Word: βλασφημία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance blasphemy, evil speaking, railing. From blasphemos; vilification (especially against God) -- blasphemy, evil speaking, railing. see GREEK blasphemos HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 988 blasphēmía (from blax, "sluggish/slow," and 5345 /phḗmē, "reputation, fame") – blasphemy – literally, slow (sluggish) to call something good (that really is good) – and slow to identify what is truly bad (that really is evil). Blasphemy (988 /blasphēmía) "switches" right for wrong (wrong for right), i.e. calls what God disapproves, "right" which "exchanges the truth of God for a lie" (Ro 1:25). See 987 (blasphēmeō). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom blasphémos Definition slander NASB Translation abusive language (1), blasphemies (4), blasphemous (2), blasphemy (6), railing (1), slander (3), slanders (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 988: βλασφημίαβλασφημία, βλασφημίας, ἡ, railing, reviling (Vulg.blasphemia); a. universally, slander, detraction, speech injurious to another's good name: Matthew 12:31; Matthew 15:19; Mark 3:28; Mark 7:22; Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8; 1 Timothy 6:4; Jude 1:9 (κρίσις βλασφημίας, equivalent to κρίσις βλάσφημος in 2 Peter 2:11, a judgment pronounced in reproachful terms); Revelation 2:9. b. specifically, impious and reproachful speech injurious to the divine majesty: Matthew 26:65; Mark 2:7 (R G); The noun βλασφημία (Strong’s 988) gathers every form of speech that reviles the character, reputation, or majesty of God and, by extension, defames or slanders fellow image-bearers. Ranging from careless insults to conscious repudiation of divine truth, it appears eighteen times in the Greek New Testament and functions as a moral and theological marker that separates holiness from profanity. Roots in the Old Covenant Israel first heard the gravity of blasphemy in Leviticus 24:15-16, where the penalty was death. The prohibition protected the covenant community from minimizing the LORD’s holiness and safeguarded social order, since to curse God was to undermine the entire moral fabric of the nation. This background stands behind every New Testament occurrence. Patterns of New Testament Usage 1. Gospels: βλασφημία surfaces most often when Jesus’ opponents accuse Him of usurping divine prerogatives (Matthew 9:3; Mark 2:7; Luke 5:21; John 10:33) and when the Sanhedrin condemns Him (Matthew 26:65; Mark 14:64). Jesus, for His part, warns that “every sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will never be forgiven” (Matthew 12:31). Blasphemy Against the Son The charge leveled against Jesus in the Synoptics shows how messianic claims were evaluated through the lens of Levitical law. By forgiving sins (Mark 2:5-7) and equating Himself with the Father (John 10:33), Jesus forced hearers to choose: either He truly shared divine identity or was guilty of capital offense. The resurrection vindicated His claims, exposing the real blasphemy as refusal to acknowledge Him. Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28-30 locate the unpardonable sin in attributing the unmistakable work of the Spirit to satanic power. It is not a single rash word but a settled verdict against the light, revealing a heart hardened beyond repentance. Human-to-Human Slander While the primary object is often God, the term also covers malicious talk against people. Paul lists it with “anger, rage, malice” (Colossians 3:8), teaching that any speech that destroys another’s good name violates the Creator whose image that person bears. Eschatological Blasphemy Revelation portrays a crescendo: political beasts and Babylonian religion spew blasphemy until divine judgment silences them (Revelation 17:3). This anticipates the consummation, when every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord rather than curse His name. Legal and Cultural Frame First-century Jewish law treated divine blasphemy as capital, yet Roman jurisprudence generally ignored it unless it threatened public order. This tension explains why Jewish leaders pressed Pilate for Jesus’ execution on blasphemy grounds while couching it as treason (John 19:7-12). Pastoral and Ministry Implications • Guard the tongue: “Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths” (Ephesians 4:29-31). Contemporary Application In an age where speech is instant and global, believers must weigh every word—digital or spoken—against the glory of God. Upholding His name involves both defending biblical revelation in public discourse and modeling gracious speech in private relationships. Key References Matthew 12:31-32; Mark 2:7; Mark 3:28-30; Matthew 26:65; Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8; 1 Timothy 6:4; Jude 1:9; Revelation 13:1-6; Revelation 17:3 Englishman's Concordance Matthew 12:31 N-NFSGRK: ἁμαρτία καὶ βλασφημία ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς NAS: sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven KJV: and blasphemy shall be forgiven INT: sin and blasphemy will be forgiven Matthew 12:31 N-NFS Matthew 15:19 N-NFP Matthew 26:65 N-AFS Mark 3:28 N-NFP Mark 7:22 N-NFS Mark 14:64 N-GFS Luke 5:21 N-AFP John 10:33 N-GFS Ephesians 4:31 N-NFS Colossians 3:8 N-AFS 1 Timothy 6:4 N-NFP Jude 1:9 N-GFS Revelation 2:9 N-AFS Revelation 13:1 N-GFS Revelation 13:5 N-AFP Revelation 13:6 N-AFP Revelation 17:3 N-GFS Strong's Greek 988 |
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