χλευάζω

I mock, scoff

Definition

The Greek verb χλευάζω means to mock, scoff, or jeer, carrying a strong sense of contemptuous and dismissive ridicule. In its two New Testament occurrences, it describes the reaction of listeners who reject a divine message as foolish or absurd. In Acts 2:13, onlookers at Pentecost accuse the Spirit-filled disciples of being drunk, using mockery to dismiss a supernatural event. In Acts 17:32, some Athenian philosophers respond to Paul's preaching about the resurrection with scoffing, treating the core Christian doctrine as intellectually laughable.

Biblical Usage

This verb is used only twice, both in the Book of Acts, to describe the hostile or dismissive reaction of a crowd to apostolic preaching. In both instances (Acts 2:13 and Acts 17:32), it depicts a public, verbal rejection of a central Christian truth—the work of the Holy Spirit and the resurrection of Jesus—by those who consider such ideas ridiculous. The usage highlights a pattern of intellectual or spiritual arrogance meeting divine revelation.

Etymology

Derived from the noun χλεύη (chleuē), meaning 'jest' or 'mockery.' It is related to verbs expressing scorn and light, dismissive speech. The root conveys the idea of treating something serious as a joke, indicating a development from simple jesting to contemptuous ridicule.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it captures a specific human response to divine truth: not just disbelief, but active, scornful rejection. It appears in pivotal moments of gospel proclamation (Pentecost and the Areopagus), marking the division between those who receive the message and those who deride it. Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by highlighting the gravity of scoffing at God's work, contrasting faith with arrogant dismissal.

In the Greco-Roman world, public debate and philosophical discourse were common. Scoffing (χλευάζω) was a recognized rhetorical tactic to discredit an opponent's argument by making it seem absurd, often to win public favor. In Acts 17:32, the Athenian philosophers' mockery reflects this cultural practice of intellectual one-upmanship, treating Paul's message not as a serious theological claim but as an object of derision in the marketplace of ideas.

ἐμπαίζω (empaizō, G1702) — to mock, often with a sense of physical insult or deceit (e.g., the soldiers mocking Jesus). καταγελάω (katagelaō, G2606) — to laugh down at, deride; implies laughing someone to scorn.

Word Details

Scripture References