verb
ekplēssomō
Strong’sG1605
I am thunderstruck, astounded
stem ekplēss-13 times in the New Testamentin 4 of 27 books5 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
Ekplēssomai means to be struck with amazement or astonishment, thrown into a state of panic-struck wonder — thunderstruck 4. It describes people overwhelmed by shock, especially at teaching, a miracle, or an unexpected turn of events, and is used of crowds or individuals amazed at what they see or hear 123. The word can carry the sense of amazement shading into fear, being panic-struck as well as simply astounded 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
ἐκ-πλήσσω
(Attic -ττω, Ac 13:12), [in LXX: (pass.) Ec 7:16, (שָׁמֵם hithp.), Wi 13:4, II Mac 7:12, IV Mac 8:4 17:16 *;]
SYN.: " πτωεῖν, to terrify, agitate with fear;
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1605 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
Attic dialect ἐκπλήττω, strike out of, drive away from, expel, ἐκ δ᾽ ἔπληξέ μου τὴν αἰδῶ Refs 4th c.BC+; ὃς (i.e. κεραυνὸς) αὐτὸν ἐξέπληξε τῶν.. κομπασμάτωνRefs 5th c.BC+: absolutely,drive away, ἡ τέρψις τὸ λυπηρὸν ἐκπλήσσει Refs 5th c.BC+
II drive out of one's senses by a sudden shock, amaze, astound, Refs 8th c.BC+; ὅ μ᾽ ἐκπλήσσει λόγου frightens me in speaking, Refs 5th c.BC+ — in this sense most frequently in aorist 2 passive, Epic dialect ἐξεπλήγην (see. below), Attic dialect ἐξεπλάγην [ᾰ] (also aorist I ἐξεπλήχθην Refs: perfect participle ἐκπεπληγμένος Refs 5th c.BC+; to be panic-struck, amazed, especially by fear, ἐκ γὰρ πλήγη φρένας Refs 8th c.BC+: with participle, ἐκπεπληγμένον κεῖνον βλέποντες Refs 5th c.BC+; ἐκπλαγῆναί τινι to be astonished at a thing, Refs 5th c.BC+ to be struck with panic fear of.., Refs 5th c.BC+
II.2 generally, of any sudden, overpowering passion, to be struck with desire, Refs 5th c.BC+; with love, Refs 5th c.BC+; χαρᾷ, ἡδονῇ, Refs 5th c.BC+; with admiration, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.3 εἰς ὁμολογίαν ἐκπλήττειν frighten one into.., falsa lectio in Refs 2nd c.BC+
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ekplēssoteἐξεπλήσσετο | was happening · he/she/itimperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular | astonished | 1× |
| ekplēssoleἐξεπλήσσοντο | was happening · theyimperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person plural | astonished | 9× |
| ekplēssilaἐξεπλάγησαν | happened · theyaorist passive indicative 3rd person plural | astonished | 1× |
| ekplēssorōἐκπλήσσεσθαι | happening now · the “to …” formpresent middle or passive infinitive | astonished | 1× |
| ekplēssorōntosἐκπλησσόμενος | happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine | astonished | 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 86, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 11 occurrences
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 | ekplēssomō | ekplēssome | ekplēssomē | ekplēssomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | ekplēssosō | ekplēssose | ekplēssosē | ekplēssoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ekplēssotō | ekplēssote1×ἐξεπλήσσετο | ekplēssotē | ekplēssotelē |
| we 1st person plural | ekplēssonō | ekplēssone | ekplēssonē | ekplēssonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | ekplēssovō | ekplēssove | ekplēssovē | ekplēssovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | ekplēssolō | ekplēssole9×ἐξεπλήσσοντο | ekplēssolē | ekplēssolelē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ekplēssimi | ekplēssima |
| you 2nd person singular | ekplēssisi | ekplēssisa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ekplēssiti | ekplēssita |
| we 1st person plural | ekplēssini | ekplēssina |
| ye 2nd person plural | ekplēssivi | ekplēssiva |
| they 3rd person plural | ekplēssili | ekplēssila1×ἐξεπλάγησαν |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ekplēssomeiō | ekplēssomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | ekplēssoseiō | ekplēssoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ekplēssoteiō | ekplēssoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | ekplēssoneiō | ekplēssoneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | ekplēssoveiō | ekplēssoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | ekplēssoleiō | ekplēssoleiē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ekplēssimeia |
| you 2nd person singular | ekplēssiseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ekplēssiteia |
| we 1st person plural | ekplēssineia |
| ye 2nd person plural | ekplēssiveia |
| they 3rd person plural | ekplēssileia |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | ekplēssosōr | ekplēssosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ekplēssotōr | ekplēssotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | ekplēssovōr | ekplēssovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | ekplēssolōr | ekplēssolēr |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | ekplēssisar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ekplēssitar |
| ye 2nd person plural | ekplēssivar |
| they 3rd person plural | ekplēssilar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ekplēssomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | ekplēssosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ekplēssotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | ekplēssonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | ekplēssovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | ekplēssoloiō |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | ekplēssimoia |
| you 2nd person singular | ekplēssisoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | ekplēssitoia |
| we 1st person plural | ekplēssinoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | ekplēssivoia |
| they 3rd person plural | ekplēssiloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | ekplēssorō1×ἐκπλήσσεσθαι | ekplēssorē | ||
| acted on passive voice | ekplēssiri | ekplēssira |
Used as an adjective — participle, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | ekplēssorōntos1×ἐκπλησσόμενος | ekplēssorēntos | ||
| acted on passive voice | ekplēssirintos | ekplēssirantos |
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
ekplēss 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
Where it appears
Every verse the word appears in, filed under the form it takes there.
13 occurrences, every one of them listed
ekplēssote“astonished”was happening · he/she/itimperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
Mark 11:18… gar auton, pantos gar tos ochlos ekplēssote epi ta didacha autou.… Him, because the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
ekplēssole“astonished”was happening · theyimperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person plural9×
Matthew 7:28… telata tos Iēsus toin logoin houtoin, ekplēssole tois ochlois epi ta didacha autou;… saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,
Matthew 19:25akouarantois de tois mathētois ekplēssole sfodra legarōntois; Tinos ara dunotō sōzira?… disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be …
Matthew 22:33kai akouarantois tois ochlois ekplēssole epi ta didacha autou.… the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.
Mark 1:22kai ekplēssole epi ta didacha autou, ate gar …The people were astonished at His teaching, because He taught …
Mark 6:2… ta sunagōga; kai tois pollois akouarōntois ekplēssole legarōntois; Pothen houto houteim, kai tinas …… and many who heard Him were astonished. “Where did this man get these …
Mark 7:37kai huperperissōs ekplēssole legarōntois; Kalōs panteim poiatē, kai toin …The people were utterly astonished and said, “He has done all …
Mark 10:26tois de perissōs ekplēssole legarōntois pros heautoin; Kai tinos dunotō …They were even more astonished and said to one another, “Who …
Luke 4:32kai ekplēssole epi ta didacha autou, hoti en …They were astonished at His teaching, because His message …
Luke 9:43“amazed”ekplēssole de pantois epi ta megaleiota tou …And they were all astonished at the greatness of God …
ekplēssila“astonished”happened · theyaorist passive indicative 3rd person plural1×
Luke 2:48kai horarantois auton ekplēssila, kai legata pros auton tas mētēras …… His parents saw Him, they were astonished. “Child, why have You done this …
ekplēssorō“astonished”happening now · the “to …” formpresent middle or passive infinitive1×
Matthew 13:54… autoin en ta sunagōga autoiu, hōste ekplēssorō autoin kai legarō; Pothen houto tas …… in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such …
ekplēssorōntos“astonished”happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine1×
Acts 13:12… horarantos tos anthupatos tem genarēntem pisteuata ekplēssorōntos epi ta didacha tou kuriou.… happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.