λιθάζω

I stone

Definition

The verb λιθάζω means to throw stones at someone, specifically as a form of execution or violent mob punishment. In the New Testament, it almost exclusively refers to the act of stoning as a capital punishment, often driven by religious accusation and mob violence. For example, in John 10:31-33, the Jewish leaders take up stones to execute Jesus for blasphemy, illustrating its use as a judicial penalty under Mosaic Law (Leviticus 24:16). The term can also describe severe persecution, as when Paul recounts being stoned and left for dead in Acts 14:19 and 2 Corinthians 11:25.

Biblical Usage

This verb is used eight times in the New Testament, primarily in the Gospels of John and the book of Acts. It consistently depicts attempted or actual executions by stoning. In John's Gospel, it is used in the context of confrontations with Jesus (John 10:31-33, 11:8). In Acts, it describes persecution against the apostles (Acts 5:26, 14:19). The usage in Hebrews 11:37 summarizes the fate of some prophets, placing it in a historical context of martyrdom. The pattern shows it as a violent, public act of religious and judicial condemnation.

Etymology

The word λιθάζω is derived from the noun λίθος (lithos, G3037), meaning 'stone.' It is a verb formed directly from this root, meaning 'to do with stones' or 'to stone.' This formation is straightforward, indicating the action of throwing or pelting with stones. Cognate words include λιθόβολος (lithobolos, a stone's throw) and λιθάζομαι (the passive form, 'to be stoned').

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it highlights the theme of prophetic rejection and martyrdom. The stoning of prophets is a recurring biblical motif (Hebrews 11:37), and its use against Jesus (John 10:31-33) and the apostles (Acts 14:19) identifies them within this prophetic tradition. Understanding λιθάζω enriches reading by connecting these violent rejections to the cost of faithfulness and the world's hostility toward God's messengers, culminating in the crucifixion of Christ, who was also 'cast out' and killed.

In the first-century Jewish and Greco-Roman world, stoning was a communal form of capital punishment prescribed for certain offenses in the Mosaic Law, such as blasphemy or adultery. It was often a spontaneous, mob-driven act, though it could have judicial oversight. This contrasts with modern, state-controlled executions. The public, brutal nature of stoning served as a severe communal deterrent and a means of purging evil from the community, as seen in the attempted stoning of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11) and the accusations against Stephen (Acts 7:58-59).

καταλιθάζω (katalithazō, G2642) — to stone thoroughly or overwhelm with stones; a more intensive form. λιθοβολέω (lithoboleō, G3036) — to pelt with stones, often used interchangeably but can imply a more general throwing of stones, not necessarily as formal execution.

Word Details

Scripture References