verb
empaizamō
Strong’sG1702
I mock
stem empaiz-13 times in the New Testamentin 3 of 27 books9 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
To mock, mock at, deride — to make fun of someone, treat them with scornful ridicule 1234. It can be used with a dative object naming the person mocked, used without any stated object, or in the passive to describe someone being mocked 13.
In one passive use, the word describes being deluded, that is, deceived or led astray, rather than simply being laughed at 3.
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
ἐμ-παίζω
[in LXX for עָלַל hithp., שָׂחַק, etc.;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G1702 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Liddell-Scott-Jones — the classical dictionary this word appears in
future -ξομαιLXXperfect ἐμπέπαιχαLXX:— mock at, mock, τινί Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, ψυχὴ ὑπό.. σωμάτων καὶ πραγμάτων ἐμπαιζομένη Refs 1st c.AD+
2 euphemistic in mal. participle, LXX
3 passive, to be deluded, NT+2nd c.AD+; to be defrauded, of the revenues, Refs
II sport in or on, ὡς νεβρὸς χλοεραῖς ἐ. λείμακος ἡδοναῖς Refs 5th c.BC+; τοῖς χοροῖσιν ἐ. to sport in the dance, Refs 5th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| empaizaleἐνέπαιζον | was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural | mocking | 1× |
| empaizaliἐμπαίξουσιν | will happen · theyfuture active indicative 3rd person plural | mock | 1× |
| empaizitiἐμπαιχθήσεται | will happen · he/she/itfuture passive indicative 3rd person singular | mocked | 1× |
| empaizalaἐνέπαιξαν | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | mocked | 4× |
| empaizitaἐνεπαίχθη | happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular | tricked | 1× |
| empaizarōἐμπαίζειν | happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive | ridicule | 1× |
| empaizaraἐμπαῖξαι | happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive | mocked | 1× |
| empaizarōntoisἐμπαίζοντες | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine | mocking | 2× |
| empaizarantosἐμπαίξας | happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine | mocked | 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, 8 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 | empaizamō | empaizame | empaizami | empaizama | empaizamē | empaizamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | empaizasō | empaizase | empaizasi | empaizasa | empaizasē | empaizaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | empaizatō | empaizate | empaizati | empaizata | empaizatē | empaizatelē |
| we 1st person plural | empaizanō | empaizane | empaizani | empaizana | empaizanē | empaizanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | empaizavō | empaizave | empaizavi | empaizava | empaizavē | empaizavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | empaizalō | empaizale1×ἐνέπαιζον | empaizali1×ἐμπαίξουσιν | empaizala4×ἐνέπαιξαν | empaizalē | empaizalelē |
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 | empaizomō | empaizome | empaizomē | empaizomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | empaizosō | empaizose | empaizosē | empaizoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | empaizotō | empaizote | empaizotē | empaizotelē |
| we 1st person plural | empaizonō | empaizone | empaizonē | empaizonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | empaizovō | empaizove | empaizovē | empaizovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | empaizolō | empaizole | empaizolē | empaizolelē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | empaizimi | empaizima |
| you 2nd person singular | empaizisi | empaizisa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | empaiziti1×ἐμπαιχθήσεται | empaizita1×ἐνεπαίχθη |
| we 1st person plural | empaizini | empaizina |
| ye 2nd person plural | empaizivi | empaiziva |
| they 3rd person plural | empaizili | empaizila |
May, might — subjunctive mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | empaizameiō | empaizameia | empaizameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | empaizaseiō | empaizaseia | empaizaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | empaizateiō | empaizateia | empaizateiē |
| we 1st person plural | empaizaneiō | empaizaneia | empaizaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | empaizaveiō | empaizaveia | empaizaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | empaizaleiō | empaizaleia | empaizaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | empaizomeiō | empaizomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | empaizoseiō | empaizoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | empaizoteiō | empaizoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | empaizoneiō | empaizoneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | empaizoveiō | empaizoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | empaizoleiō | empaizoleiē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | empaizimeia |
| you 2nd person singular | empaiziseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | empaiziteia |
| we 1st person plural | empaizineia |
| ye 2nd person plural | empaiziveia |
| they 3rd person plural | empaizileia |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | empaizasōr | empaizasar | empaizasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | empaizatōr | empaizatar | empaizatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | empaizavōr | empaizavar | empaizavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | empaizalōr | empaizalar | empaizalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | empaizosōr | empaizosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | empaizotōr | empaizotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | empaizovōr | empaizovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | empaizolōr | empaizolēr |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | empaizisar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | empaizitar |
| ye 2nd person plural | empaizivar |
| they 3rd person plural | empaizilar |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | empaizamoiō | empaizamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | empaizasoiō | empaizasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | empaizatoiō | empaizatoia |
| we 1st person plural | empaizanoiō | empaizanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | empaizavoiō | empaizavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | empaizaloiō | empaizaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | empaizomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | empaizosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | empaizotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | empaizonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | empaizovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | empaizoloiō |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | empaizimoia |
| you 2nd person singular | empaizisoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | empaizitoia |
| we 1st person plural | empaizinoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | empaizivoia |
| they 3rd person plural | empaiziloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 2 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | empaizarō1×ἐμπαίζειν | empaizari | empaizara1×ἐμπαῖξαι | empaizarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | empaizorō | empaizorē | ||
| acted on passive voice | empaiziri | empaizira |
Used as an adjective — participle, 3 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | empaizarōntos2× | empaizarintos | empaizarantos1×ἐμπαίξας | empaizarēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | empaizorōntos | empaizorēntos | ||
| acted on passive voice | empaizirintos | empaizirantos |
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
empaiz 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
empaizale“mocking”was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Luke 22:63“mocking”Kai tois androis tois sunecharōntois auton empaizale auto derarōntois,The men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him.
empaizali“mock”will happen · theyfuture active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Mark 10:34kai empaizali auto kai emptuali auto kai mastigali …who will mock Him and spit on Him and …
empaiziti“mocked”will happen · he/she/itfuture passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
Luke 18:32paradōiti gar tei ethnei kai empaiziti kai hubriziti kai emptuiti,… to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.
empaizala“mocked”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural4×
Matthew 27:29… dexa autou, kai gonupetarantois emprosthen autou empaizala auto legarōntois; Chairasōr, basilevor toiu Ioudaioiu,… hand, knelt down before Him, and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the …
Matthew 27:31kai hote empaizala auto, ekduala auton tan chlamudan kai …After they had mocked Him, they removed the robe and …
Mark 15:20kai hote empaizala auto, ekduala auton tan porfuran kai …After they had mocked Him, they removed the purple robe …
Luke 23:36empaizala de auto kai tois stratiōtois proserchorōntois, …The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer …
empaizita“tricked”happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular1×
Matthew 2:16“tricked”Tote Hērōdos horarantos hoti empaizita hupo toiu magoiu thumita liōs, kai …When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity …
empaizarō“ridicule”happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive1×
Luke 14:29… ektelara pantois tois theōrarōntois archeleia auto empaizarō… work, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,
empaizara“mocked”happened · the “to …” formaorist active infinitive1×
Matthew 20:19… paradōali auton tei ethnei eis tem empaizara kai mastigara kai staurara, kai ta …… over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. And on …
empaizarōntois“mocking”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine2×
Matthew 27:41“mocking”homoiōs kai tois archierevois empaizarōntois meta toiu grammatevoiu kai presbuteroiu legale;In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying,
Mark 15:31“mocking”homoiōs kai tois archierevois empaizarōntois pros allēloin meta toiu grammatevoiu legale; …In the same way, the chief priests and scribes mocked Him among themselves, saying, “He saved …
empaizarantos“mocked”happened · subjectaorist active participle nominative singular masculine1×
Luke 23:11… Hērōdos sun tei strateumei autou kai empaizarantos peribalarantos esthan lampran anapempata auton to …… Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine …