English · KJV
G1797

ἐνυπνιάζομαι

enypniázomai /en-oop-nee-ad'-zom-ahee/ Ask about this word
Meaningmiddle voice from ἐνύπνιον; to dream
KJV usagedream(-er).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of enypniázomai — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word enypniázomai, represented by G1797, means to dream. As the middle voice form of G1798 (enýpnion), it refers to the act of dreaming or to one who dreams. It is a rare term, appearing only 2 times in 2 unique verses within the Bible, but its uses present a significant contrast.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two biblical occurrences of G1797 show how the act of dreaming can be viewed in opposite ways. In Acts, it is part of a divine promise where, in the last days, God will pour out His Spirit and "your old men shall dream dreams" Acts 2:17. Here, it is a legitimate form of revelation. In stark contrast, Jude uses the term negatively to describe false teachers as "filthy dreamers" who defile the flesh and despise authority Jude 1:8.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context of dreaming as a form of spiritual communication:

  • G1798 enýpnion (something seen in sleep, i.e. a dream): This is the noun form from which G1797 is derived and appears alongside it in the phrase "dream dreams" Acts 2:17.
  • G4151 pneûma (a spirit...the Holy Spirit): The act of divinely inspired dreaming in Acts is a direct result of God pouring out his Spirit upon all flesh Acts 2:17.
  • G4395 prophēteúō (to speak under inspiration, exercise the prophetic office): Dreaming is listed alongside the act to prophesy as a sign of the Spirit's work Acts 2:17.
  • G3706 hórasis (an inspired appearance): In the same prophetic promise, young men will see visions, placing dreaming in the same category of divine revelation Acts 2:17.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G1797 is tied to its dual application, representing both divine inspiration and human corruption.

  • A Sign of the Spirit: As stated in the prophecy in Acts, dreaming is presented as a legitimate means by which God communicates with His people. It is a promised activity resulting from the outpouring of His G4151 Spirit in the last days Acts 2:17.
  • A Mark of Corruption: In Jude, the term "dreamers" is used to condemn false teachers. Their "dreams" are associated not with divine truth but with defilement, rebellion, and speaking evil of dignities, indicating a source other than God Jude 1:8.

Summary

In summary, while G1797 is used infrequently, its meaning is significant. It illustrates that the value of a dream or spiritual experience is determined entirely by its source. It can be a genuine expression of God's communication through His Spirit, as prophesied in Acts, or it can be a mark of delusion and ungodliness, as warned against in Jude. The word serves as a reminder to discern the origin of spiritual manifestations.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

  • Future Passive Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
  • Present Middle Or Passive Deponent Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Nominative
The subject of the verb.
Plural
More than one.
Masculine
Masculine grammatical gender.
3rd
Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present
Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Future
Action yet to take place.
Passive
The subject is acted upon.
Middle Or Passive
Can be read as middle or passive; context decides.
Indicative
A plain statement of fact.
Participle
A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

G1798 ἐνύπνιον from ἐν and ὕπνος; something seen in sleep, i.e. a dream (vision in a dream):--dream. G4151 πνεῦμα from πνέω; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rat G4395 προφητεύω from προφήτης; to foretell events, divine, speak under inspiration, exercise the prophetic office:--prophesy. G3706 ὅρασις from ὁράω; the act of gazing, i.e. (externally) an aspect or (internally) an inspired appearance:--sight, vision.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Acts and Jude (1 verse each); never once in the other 25.

1
Acts
1
Jude

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.