Word Study for G911 (βάπτω) | Strong's Concordance

báptō /bap'-to/ Ask about this word

Meaninga primary verb; to whelm, i.e. cover wholly with a fluid; in the New Testament only in a qualified or special sense, i.e. (literally) to moisten (a part of one's person), or (by implication) to stain (as with dye)

KJV usagedip.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of báptō — 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 báptō, represented by G911, is a primary verb meaning to whelm, or cover wholly with a fluid. In the New Testament, it is used in a more qualified sense to literally moisten a part of one's person or, by implication, to stain something, as with dye. This specific term appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, G911 is applied in distinct literal contexts that carry significant weight. In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, a request is made for Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to provide a moment of relief Luke 16:24. At the Last Supper, Jesus uses the act of dipping a sop to identify his betrayer John 13:26. Finally, in a vision of divine judgment, John describes a figure called "The Word of God" wearing a vesture dipped in blood Revelation 19:13.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words appear in connection with G911, particularly in the account of the Last Supper:

G1686 embáptō (to whelm on, i.e. wet by contact with a fluid): This word is used in parallel with G911, describing the one who "dippeth his hand" in the dish, identifying the betrayer (Matthew 26:23, John 13:26).
G1929 epidídōmi (to give over by hand or surrender): This verb describes the action that follows the dipping, as Jesus states he will give the sop after he has dipped it John 13:26.
G1325 dídōmi (to give): This general verb for giving is used to describe the final action of Jesus handing the dipped sop to Judas Iscariot John 13:26.

Theological Significance

The significance of G911 is derived entirely from its specific, potent contexts rather than from a broad theological definition.

A Sign of Betrayal: The act of dipping the sop is not a casual mealtime gesture but a deliberate sign from Jesus to identify his betrayer, setting in motion the events of his passion John 13:26.
An Image of Mercy: In Luke's parable, the request to dip a finger in water highlights the desperation of the tormented and the desire for even the smallest act of mercy Luke 16:24.
A Symbol of Judgment: The vision of a vesture dipped in blood provides a powerful image of a conquering divine figure, "The Word of God," suggesting a connection to judgment and victory Revelation 19:13.

Summary

In summary, G911 is a precise verb whose meaning is illustrated through its rare but impactful occurrences. While it literally means to dip, its use in scripture elevates it to mark moments of profound human and divine drama: identifying a betrayer, pleading for relief from torment, and symbolizing the authority of a divine warrior. Its significance is found not in its frequency, but in the gravity of the scenes it depicts.

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 4 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×
Aorist Active Subjunctive 3rd Singular 1×
Future Active Indicative 1st Singular 1×
Perfect Passive Participle Accusative Singular Neuter 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Neuter: Neuter grammatical gender.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Future: Action yet to take place.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Perfect: A completed act whose results continue.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

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 3 verses across 3 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Luke, John, and Revelation (1 verse each); never once in the other 24.

Luke

John

Revelation

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.