Word Study for G4155 (πνίγω) | Strong's Concordance

pnígō /pnee'-go/ Ask about this word

Meaningstrengthened from πνέω; to wheeze, i.e. (causative, by implication) to throttle or strangle (drown)

KJV usagechoke, take by the throat.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of pnígō — 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 pnígō, represented by G4155, means to throttle or strangle. It is derived from a word meaning to wheeze, and by implication describes a fatal action of choking or drowning. This specific term appears only 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible, carrying the translations "choke" and "take by the throat."

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of G4155 occur in distinct narrative contexts. In the Gospel of Matthew, it describes a violent, personal act. An unforgiving servant, having just been forgiven a massive debt, finds his own debtor and "took him by the throat" Matthew 18:28, demanding payment. In Mark's Gospel, the word describes a mass casualty event. After Jesus casts unclean spirits into a herd of swine, the herd runs into the sea and "were choked" Mark 5:13, illustrating the word's use for drowning.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for the actions surrounding G4155:

G2902 kratéō: Meaning "to use strength, i.e. seize or retain," this word describes the action immediately preceding the choking in Matthew's parable, where the servant first "laid hands on him" before escalating the violence Matthew 18:28.
G4889 sýndoulos: This term for a "fellowservant" identifies the victim of the choking. It highlights the nature of the relationship, as the attack was perpetrated not on a stranger, but on a peer who served the same master Matthew 18:28.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G4155 is seen in the powerful imagery it conveys in its limited usage.

The Violence of Unforgiveness: In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the act to "take by the throat" is a visceral depiction of a merciless spirit. It physically manifests the spiritual state of a man who, having received immense grace, refuses to show any mercy Matthew 18:28.
The Consequence of Evil: The end of the demon-possessed swine is to be "choked" in the sea Mark 5:13. This use of G4155 portrays the ultimate, destructive end that comes as a consequence of demonic influence, leading to a swift and total demise.

Summary

In summary, G4155 is a rare but potent word used to describe death by constriction or suffocation. While appearing only twice, it vividly illustrates two key biblical themes: the brutal nature of human cruelty fueled by an unforgiving heart, and the final, destructive outcome of evil. Whether used to describe a personal assault or a mass drowning, it conveys a sense of fatal finality.

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 3 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Imperfect Passive Indicative 3rd Plural 1×

Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.

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 Matthew and Mark (1 verse each); never once in the other 25.

Matthew

Mark

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.