ἐκτινάσσω

I shake off

Definition

The verb ἐκτινάσσω means to shake something off vigorously, often with a sense of forceful rejection or cleansing separation. In its literal sense, it describes the physical act of shaking dust from one's feet, as commanded by Jesus to his disciples when leaving an unwelcoming town (Matthew 10:14, Mark 6:11). Figuratively, this action symbolizes a complete disassociation from a place or people and a transfer of responsibility for judgment to God. In Acts, the apostles Paul and Barnabas perform this gesture against Jewish opponents, dramatizing their turning to the Gentiles (Acts 13:51, 18:6).

Biblical Usage

This word is used exclusively in contexts of mission and rejection. It appears in Jesus's instructions to the Twelve (Matthew, Mark) and in the recorded actions of the early church apostles (Acts). In every instance, it is a responsive action taken after a message is explicitly rejected. The pattern shows it as a formal, prophetic act signifying the end of obligation to a particular audience.

Etymology

Derived from the preposition ἐκ (ek), meaning 'out of' or 'from,' and the verb τινάσσω (tinassō), meaning 'to shake' or 'to agitate.' The compound form intensifies the action to mean 'to shake out' or 'to shake off completely.' Its root conveys a sense of violent motion to remove something adherent.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it visualizes a serious covenantal warning. The act of shaking dust off one's feet was a symbolic gesture understood from Jewish custom, where shaking off the dust of a pagan city showed separation from its impurity and guilt. When used by Jesus and the apostles, it becomes a enacted parable of divine judgment, showing that the rejection of the gospel message has eternal consequences and that the messenger's duty is complete. It underscores the themes of human responsibility, the seriousness of rejecting God's word, and the turning of the gospel to new audiences.

In first-century Jewish culture, dust from Gentile lands was considered unclean. When Jewish travelers re-entered Jewish territory, they would often shake off this dust to avoid defiling the holy land. Jesus and his disciples repurpose this cultural practice. For their audience, the act was a powerfully recognizable symbol of treating a rejecting Jewish town as if it were a pagan, unclean place, thus issuing a severe warning.

σείω (seiō, G4579) — a more general term for shaking or agitating, often of physical objects or the earth, without the specific connotation of 'shaking off.' ἀποτίνασσω (apotinassō, G660) — a near synonym also meaning 'to shake off,' used in Luke 9:5 and Acts 28:5, with very similar meaning and usage.

Word Details

Scripture References