verb
blasfēmamō
Strong’sG987
I speak evil against, blaspheme
stem blasfēm-34 times in the New Testamentin 14 of 27 books21 forms occur
What it means
A plain-English reading of the word, with the lexicons it draws on — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, and Liddell-Scott-Jones — right below it, in full.
AI Summary
βλασφημέω means to speak impiously or irreverently about God or sacred things, that is, to blaspheme 1234. This includes speaking against God himself, against his name, against glorious beings, and specifically against the Holy Spirit 1.
It also carries a distinct, more general sense: to speak evil of a person, to revile, slander, or defame them 123. In the passive it describes someone being spoken evil of or having their name maligned 13.
Sources: 1 Abbott-Smith 2 Strong's 3 LSJ 4 Dodson. Condensed by anthropic/claude-sonnet-5 on 2026-09-23 — it may still misstate what these say; check them yourself if it matters to you.
The lexicons it was drawn from, in full:
Abbott-Smith — the 1922 lexicon entry, in full
βλασφημέω, -ῶ
(< βλάσφημος), [in LXX: IV Ki 19:4 (יכח hi.) ib. 6, 22 (גּדף pi.), Is 52:5 (נאץ hith.), Da LXX 3:29 (96) (אמר שׁלח), To 1:18, Da TH Bel 9, II Mac 2 *;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G987 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidblas-fay-meh'-o
to vilify; specially, to speak impiously
Fromfrom G989;
King James(speak) blaspheme(-er, -mously, -my), defame, rail on, revile, speak evil.
James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1890 — public domain. The numbers in it link to the entries here.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
perfect βεβλασφήμηκα Refs 4th c.BC+:—speak profanely of sacred things, εἰς θεούς Refs 5th c.BC+; offer rash prayers, Refs; β. κατά τινος utter imprecations against, Refs 4th c.BC+
2 speak ill or to the prejudice of one, slander, περὶ τῆς ἐμῆς διατριβῆς NT+5th c.BC+ O.:—passive, to have evil spoken of one, βεβλασφημημένους NT+1st c.AD+
3 speak impiously or irreverently of God, blaspheme, εἰς τὸν Κύριον LXX+NT; εἰς τὰ θεῖα Vett.LXX+NT
H. G. Liddell, R. Scott, H. S. Jones, A Greek-English Lexicon (9th ed., 1925–1940) — digitised by the Perseus Digital Library and corrected and expanded by Tyndale House, Cambridge, via STEPBible-Data's TFLSJ table, CC BY 4.0. Covers all of Greek literature, not just the Bible.
Translated as
Every occurrence, sorted by the English it was actually given — the evidence for what the word means, not a gloss of it.
5 rarer renderings are not shown; every occurrence below carries the English it was given there.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB), dedicated to the public domain — berean.bible.
Biblang forms
What the New Testament actually uses, first — the whole system this verb is built from is one click further down.
| Form and the Greek behind it | What it is | Usually | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| blasfēmasōΒλασφημεῖς | happening now · youpresent active indicative 2nd person singular | blaspheming | 1× |
| blasfēmatōβλασφημεῖ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | blaspheming | 2× |
| blasfēmalōβλασφημοῦσιν | happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural | blaspheme | 3× |
| blasfēmomōβλασφημοῦμαι | happening now · Ipresent middle or passive indicative 1st person singular | denounced | 1× |
| blasfēmotōβλασφημεῖται | happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular | blasphemed | 1× |
| blasfēmonōβλασφημούμεθα | happening now · wepresent middle or passive indicative 1st person plural | slanderously | 1× |
| blasfēmateἐβλασφήμει | was happening · he/she/itimperfect active indicative 3rd person singular | kept deriding | 1× |
| blasfēmaleἐβλασφήμουν | was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural | derided | 2× |
| blasfēmitiβλασφημηθήσεται | will happen · he/she/itfuture passive indicative 3rd person singular | maligned | 1× |
| blasfēmataἘβλασφήμησεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | blasphemed | 1× |
| blasfēmalaἐβλασφήμησαν | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | blasphemed | 3× |
| blasfēmoteiōβλασφημῆται | happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive subjunctive 3rd person singular | slandered | 2× |
| blasfēmateiaβλασφημήσῃ | happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular | blasphemes | 1× |
| blasfēmaleiaβλασφημήσωσιν | happened · theyaorist active subjunctive 3rd person plural | utter | 1× |
| blasfēmotōrβλασφημείσθω | happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive imperative 3rd person singular | spoken of as evil | 1× |
| blasfēmarōβλασφημεῖν | happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive | blaspheme | 3× |
| blasfēmaraβλασφημῆσαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | blaspheme | 1× |
| blasfēmarōntoisβλασφημοῦντες | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine | blaspheming | 5× |
| blasfēmarōntoinβλασφημοῦντας | happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine | blasphemers | 1× |
| blasfēmarōntoiuβλασφημούντων | happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine | reviled | 1× |
| blasfēmarantoβλασφημήσαντι | happened · to, foraorist active participle dative singular masculine | blasphemes | 1× |
Every form the New Testament uses, in paradigm order. What the system can build beyond them — the whole of this verb, whether the text happens to use it or not — is in the tables below.
Every form the system can build — all 172, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 17 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | blasfēmamō | blasfēmame | blasfēmami | blasfēmama | blasfēmamē | blasfēmamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | blasfēmasō1×Βλασφημεῖς | blasfēmase | blasfēmasi | blasfēmasa | blasfēmasē | blasfēmaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | blasfēmatō2×βλασφημεῖ | blasfēmate1×ἐβλασφήμει | blasfēmati | blasfēmata1×Ἐβλασφήμησεν | blasfēmatē | blasfēmatelē |
| we 1st person plural | blasfēmanō | blasfēmane | blasfēmani | blasfēmana | blasfēmanē | blasfēmanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | blasfēmavō | blasfēmave | blasfēmavi | blasfēmava | blasfēmavē | blasfēmavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | blasfēmalō3×βλασφημοῦσιν | blasfēmale2×ἐβλασφήμουν | blasfēmali | blasfēmala3×ἐβλασφήμησαν | blasfēmalē | blasfēmalelē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | was happening imperfect | has happened perfect | had happened pluperfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | blasfēmomō1×βλασφημοῦμαι | blasfēmome | blasfēmomē | blasfēmomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | blasfēmosō | blasfēmose | blasfēmosē | blasfēmoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | blasfēmotō1×βλασφημεῖται | blasfēmote | blasfēmotē | blasfēmotelē |
| we 1st person plural | blasfēmonō1×βλασφημούμεθα | blasfēmone | blasfēmonē | blasfēmonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | blasfēmovō | blasfēmove | blasfēmovē | blasfēmovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | blasfēmolō | blasfēmole | blasfēmolē | blasfēmolelē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | blasfēmimi | blasfēmima |
| you 2nd person singular | blasfēmisi | blasfēmisa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | blasfēmiti1×βλασφημηθήσεται | blasfēmita |
| we 1st person plural | blasfēmini | blasfēmina |
| ye 2nd person plural | blasfēmivi | blasfēmiva |
| they 3rd person plural | blasfēmili | blasfēmila |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 4 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | blasfēmameiō | blasfēmameia | blasfēmameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | blasfēmaseiō | blasfēmaseia | blasfēmaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | blasfēmateiō | blasfēmateia1×βλασφημήσῃ | blasfēmateiē |
| we 1st person plural | blasfēmaneiō | blasfēmaneia | blasfēmaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | blasfēmaveiō | blasfēmaveia | blasfēmaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | blasfēmaleiō | blasfēmaleia1×βλασφημήσωσιν | blasfēmaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | blasfēmomeiō | blasfēmomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | blasfēmoseiō | blasfēmoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | blasfēmoteiō2×βλασφημῆται | blasfēmoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | blasfēmoneiō | blasfēmoneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | blasfēmoveiō | blasfēmoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | blasfēmoleiō | blasfēmoleiē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | blasfēmimeia |
| you 2nd person singular | blasfēmiseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | blasfēmiteia |
| we 1st person plural | blasfēmineia |
| ye 2nd person plural | blasfēmiveia |
| they 3rd person plural | blasfēmileia |
Commands — imperative mood, 1 occurrence
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | blasfēmasōr | blasfēmasar | blasfēmasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | blasfēmatōr | blasfēmatar | blasfēmatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | blasfēmavōr | blasfēmavar | blasfēmavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | blasfēmalōr | blasfēmalar | blasfēmalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | blasfēmosōr | blasfēmosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | blasfēmotōr1×βλασφημείσθω | blasfēmotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | blasfēmovōr | blasfēmovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | blasfēmolōr | blasfēmolēr |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | blasfēmisar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | blasfēmitar |
| ye 2nd person plural | blasfēmivar |
| they 3rd person plural | blasfēmilar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | blasfēmamoiō | blasfēmamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | blasfēmasoiō | blasfēmasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | blasfēmatoiō | blasfēmatoia |
| we 1st person plural | blasfēmanoiō | blasfēmanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | blasfēmavoiō | blasfēmavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | blasfēmaloiō | blasfēmaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | blasfēmomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | blasfēmosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | blasfēmotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | blasfēmonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | blasfēmovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | blasfēmoloiō |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | blasfēmimoia |
| you 2nd person singular | blasfēmisoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | blasfēmitoia |
| we 1st person plural | blasfēminoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | blasfēmivoia |
| they 3rd person plural | blasfēmiloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 4 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | blasfēmarō3×βλασφημεῖν | blasfēmari | blasfēmara1×βλασφημῆσαι | blasfēmarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | blasfēmorō | blasfēmorē | ||
| acted on passive voice | blasfēmiri | blasfēmira |
Used as an adjective — participle, 8 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | blasfēmarōntos7× | blasfēmarintos | blasfēmarantos1× | blasfēmarēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | blasfēmorōntos | blasfēmorēntos | ||
| acted on passive voice | blasfēmirintos | blasfēmirantos |
Each is given in the form it takes as a subject. From there a participle carries the ordinary noun endings, in every case, number and gender — so these four columns are the whole of what the verb contributes.
How every form is built — the slots that make them
blasfēm is this word in every one of its forms. The slots after it make all the rest.
same in every form varies — every value shown
Words built on the same stem
Other words sharing the exact same stem — not merely related in meaning.
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
34 occurrences, every one of them listed
blasfēmasō“blaspheming”happening now · youpresent active indicative 2nd person singular1×
John 10:36“blaspheming”… eis ton kosmon vis legavō hoti Blasfēmasō, hoti legama; Huios tou theou amō?… and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God?
blasfēmatō“blaspheming”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular2×
Matthew 9:3… toiu grammatevoiu legala en heautoi; Houtos blasfēmatō.… said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!”
Mark 2:7Tinem houtos houtōs lalatō? blasfēmatō; tinos dunotō afiēkarō hamartain ei mē …… man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God …
blasfēmalō“blaspheme”happening now · theypresent active indicative 3rd person plural3×
James 2:7ouk autois blasfēmalō tem kalem onomem tem epikalirantem epi …Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you …
Jude 1:8… mianalō, kuriotan de athetalō, doxain de blasfēmalō.… defile their bodies, reject authority, and slander glorious beings.
Jude 1:10“blaspheme”houtois de hoseim men ouk oidalē blasfēmalō, hoseim de fusikōs hōs teim alogeim …These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they …
blasfēmomō“denounced”happening now · Ipresent middle or passive indicative 1st person singular1×
1 Corinthians 10:30ei mis charita metechamō, tinem blasfēmomō huper heu mis eucharistamō?… meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I …
blasfēmotō“blasphemed”happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
Romans 2:24… gar onomem tou theou dia vin blasfēmotō en tei ethnei, kathōs grafotē.… it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
blasfēmonō“slanderously”happening now · wepresent middle or passive indicative 1st person plural1×
Romans 3:8kai mē kathōs blasfēmonō kai kathōs fēalō tinois nin legarō …Why not say, as some slanderously claim that we say, “Let us …
blasfēmate“kept deriding”was happening · he/she/itimperfect active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Luke 23:39“kept deriding”Henos de toiu kremannuirantoiu kakourgoiu blasfēmate auton legarōntos; Ouchi sis asō tos …One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he …
blasfēmale“derided”was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural2×
Matthew 27:39“derided”tois de paraporeuorōntois blasfēmale auton kinarōntois tain kefalain autoiuAnd those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads
Mark 15:29“derided”Kai tois paraporeuorōntois blasfēmale auton kinarōntois tain kefalain autoiu kai …And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha …
blasfēmiti“maligned”will happen · he/she/itfuture passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
2 Peter 2:2“maligned”… dia hoin tas hodas tau alētheiau blasfēmiti;… depravity, and because of them the way of truth will be …
blasfēmata“blasphemed”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular1×
Matthew 26:65… archierevos diarrēgata teim himatieim autou legarōntos; Blasfēmata; tinem ēti chreian echanō marturoiu? ide …… his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more …
blasfēmala“blasphemed”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural3×
Revelation 16:9“blasphemed”… kaumatizila tois anthrōpois kaumem megem; kai blasfēmala tem onomem tou theou tou echarōntou …And the people were scorched by intense heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had …
Revelation 16:11“blasphemed”kai blasfēmala ton theon tou ouranou ek toiu …and curse the God of heaven for their …
Revelation 16:21“blasphemed”… tou ouranou epi toin anthrōpoin; kai blasfēmala tois anthrōpois ton theon ek tau …… from above. And men cursed God for the plague …
blasfēmoteiō“slandered”happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive subjunctive 3rd person singular2×
1 Timothy 6:1“blasphemed”… onomem tou theou kai tas didaskalias blasfēmoteiō.… that God’s name and our teaching will not …
Titus 2:5“slandered”… hina mē tos logos tou theou blasfēmoteiō.… own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited.
blasfēmateia“blasphemes”happened · he/she/itaorist active subjunctive 3rd person singular1×
Mark 3:29hos de an blasfēmateia eis tem pneumem tem hagiem, ouk …But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never …
blasfēmaleia“utter”happened · theyaorist active subjunctive 3rd person plural1×
Mark 3:28… hamartēmeim kai tais blasfēmiais hoseim ean blasfēmaleia;… and blasphemies, as many as they utter.
blasfēmotōr“spoken of as evil”happening now · he/she/itpresent middle or passive imperative 3rd person singular1×
Romans 14:16mē blasfēmotōr oun vu tem agathem.… you consider good, then, to be spoken of as evil.
blasfēmarō“blaspheme”happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive3×
Acts 26:11… tain sunagōgain pollakis timōrarōntos autoin anankazame blasfēmarō, perissōs tē emmainorōntos autoi diōkame heōs …… and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them …
1 Timothy 1:20… paradōama to Satano hina paideuileia mē blasfēmarō.… Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
Titus 3:2“speak evil of”mēdenon blasfēmarō, amachoin arō, epieikoin, pantan endeikorōntoin prautan …to malign no one, and to be peaceable and gentle, showing full consideration …
blasfēmara“blaspheme”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive1×
Revelation 13:6“blaspheme”… auteu eis blasfēmiain pros ton theon, blasfēmara tem onomem autou kai tan skēnan …… to speak blasphemies against God and to slander His name and His tabernacle — those …
blasfēmarōntois“blaspheming”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine5×
Luke 22:65“blaspheming”kai hetereim polleim blasfēmarōntois legale eis auton.And they said many other blasphemous things against Him.
Acts 13:45“blaspheming”… kai antilegale tei hupo Paulou lalorōntei blasfēmarōntois.… with jealousy, and they blasphemously contradicted what Paul was saying.
1 Peter 4:4“malign”… eis tan autan tau asōtiau anachusian, blasfēmarōntois;… them into the same flood of reckless …
2 Peter 2:10… katafronarōntoin. Tolmētois, authadois, doxain ouk tremalō, blasfēmarōntois,… and self-willed, they are unafraid to slander glorious beings.
2 Peter 2:12“blaspheming”… halōsian kai fthoran, en hei agnoalō blasfēmarōntois, en ta fthora autoiu kai ftherili,… be captured and destroyed. They blaspheme in matters they do not understand, and like such creatures, they too will be destroyed.
blasfēmarōntoin“blasphemers”happening now · objectpresent active participle accusative plural masculine1×
Acts 19:37“blasphemers”… toin androin houtoin oute hierosuloin oute blasfēmarōntoin tan thean nu.… have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.
blasfēmarōntoiu“reviled”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine1×
Acts 18:6“reviled”antitassorōntoiu de autoiu kai blasfēmarōntoiu ektinasserantos teim himatieim legata pros autoin; …But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood …
blasfēmaranto“blasphemes”happened · to, foraorist active participle dative singular masculine1×
Luke 12:10… to de eis tem hagiem pneumem blasfēmaranto ouk afiēkiti.… Man will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not …