verb
koimomō
Strong’sG2837
I fall asleep, am asleep
stem koim-18 times in the New Testamentin 7 of 27 books12 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
κοιμάομαι means, in its plain sense, to sleep. Used actively, it can mean to lull or put someone to sleep 13; used in the middle or passive, the form that appears in the New Testament, it means to fall asleep or be asleep 1234, of ordinary physical sleep 1.
The word is also used as a metaphor for death: to fall asleep in the sense of dying, or to be dead 1234.
In the Greek Old Testament the word can further describe something remaining in place overnight, such as wages not being left unpaid until morning 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
κοιμάω, -ῶ,
[in LXX chiefly for שׁכב;]
SYN.: καθεύδω.
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G2837 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidkoy-mah'-o
to put to sleep, i.e. (passively or reflexively) to slumber; figuratively, to decease
Fromfrom G2749;
King James(be a-, fall a-, fall on) sleep, be dead.
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
future -ήσω, Doric dialect -άσω [ᾱ]: aorist ἐκοίμησα, Epic dialect κοίμησα Refs 8th c.BC+:—middle, future -ήσομαι Refs 1st c.BC+aorist κοιμήσατο, -αντο, Refs 8th c.BC+:—passive, future -ηθήσομαι Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἐκοιμήθην Refs 8th c.BC+: perfect κεκοίμημαι Refs 4th c.BC+:—lull, put to sleep, κοίμησον.. Ζηνὸς ὑπ᾽ ὀφρύσιν ὄσσε φαεινώ Refs 8th c.BC+; put to bed, τὸν δ᾽ αὐτοῦ κοίμησε Refs 8th c.BC+; of a hind, ἐν ξυλόχῳ.. νεβροὺς κοιμήσασα Refs
2 metaphorically, still, calm, ἀνέμους, κύματα, Refs 8th c.BC+; also, soothe, assuage, κοίμησον δ᾽ ὀδύνας Refs 8th c.BC+; ᾧ (i.e. φύλλῳ) κοιμῶ τόδ᾽ ἕλκος Refs 5th c.BC+
II middle and passive, fall asleep, go to bed, Refs 8th c.BC+; of animals, lie down, κατὰ ἤθεα κοιμηθῆναι Refs 8th c.BC+; βαθὺν κοιμηθῆναι (i.e. ὕπνον) Refs 2nd c.AD+
II.2 metaphorically, ὅπως ἂν κοιμηθῇ [τὸ ἐπιθυμητικόν] Refs 5th c.BC+
II.3 of the sleep of death, κοιμήσατο χάλκεον ὕπνον Refs 8th c.BC+: absolutely, fall asleep, die, NT+5th c.BC+
II.4 κοιμῶντο.. παρὰ μνηστῇς ἀλόχοισι Refs 8th c.BC+: hence, of sexual intercourse, lie with another, Refs 8th c.BC+
II.5 keep watch at night, Refs 5th c.BC+
II.6 of things, remain during the night, οὐ μὴ κοιμηθήσεται ὁ μισθὸς παρά σοι ἕως πρωί LXX; ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐκοιμήθη ἐκεῖLXX
II.7 with accusative, dream of, μέταλλα χρύσεια Refs 2nd c.AD+
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| koimolōκοιμῶνται | happening now · theypresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person plural | died | 1× |
| koiminiκοιμηθησόμεθα | will happen · wefuture passive indicative 1st person plural | sleep | 1× |
| koimitaἐκοιμήθη | happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular | fell asleep | 2× |
| koimilaἐκοιμήθησαν | happened · theyaorist passive indicative 3rd person plural | fell asleep | 2× |
| koimotēκεκοίμηται | has happened · he/she/itperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular | fallen asleep | 2× |
| koimiteiaκοιμηθῇ | happened · he/she/itaorist passive subjunctive 3rd person singular | dies | 1× |
| koimorōntosκοιμώμενος | happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine | sleeping | 1× |
| koimorōntoinκοιμωμένους | happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle accusative plural masculine | sleeping | 1× |
| koimorōntoiuκοιμωμένων | happening now · of, belonging topresent middle or passive participle genitive plural masculine | asleep | 2× |
| koimirantoisκοιμηθέντες | happened · subjectaorist passive participle nominative plural masculine | fallen asleep | 1× |
| koimirantoinκοιμηθέντας | happened · objectaorist passive participle accusative plural masculine | fallen asleep | 2× |
| koimorēntoiuκεκοιμημένων | has happened · of, belonging toperfect middle or passive participle genitive plural masculine | fallen asleep | 2× |
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, 8 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 | koimomō | koimome | koimomē | koimomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | koimosō | koimose | koimosē | koimoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | koimotō | koimote | koimotē2×κεκοίμηται | koimotelē |
| we 1st person plural | koimonō | koimone | koimonē | koimonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | koimovō | koimove | koimovē | koimovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | koimolō1×κοιμῶνται | koimole | koimolē | koimolelē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | will happen future | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | koimimi | koimima |
| you 2nd person singular | koimisi | koimisa |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | koimiti | koimita2×ἐκοιμήθη |
| we 1st person plural | koimini1×κοιμηθησόμεθα | koimina |
| ye 2nd person plural | koimivi | koimiva |
| they 3rd person plural | koimili | koimila2×ἐκοιμήθησαν |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 1 occurrence
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | koimomeiō | koimomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | koimoseiō | koimoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | koimoteiō | koimoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | koimoneiō | koimoneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | koimoveiō | koimoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | koimoleiō | koimoleiē |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | koimimeia |
| you 2nd person singular | koimiseia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | koimiteia1×κοιμηθῇ |
| we 1st person plural | koimineia |
| ye 2nd person plural | koimiveia |
| they 3rd person plural | koimileia |
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 | koimosōr | koimosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | koimotōr | koimotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | koimovōr | koimovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | koimolōr | koimolēr |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | koimisar |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | koimitar |
| ye 2nd person plural | koimivar |
| they 3rd person plural | koimilar |
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 | koimomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | koimosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | koimotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | koimonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | koimovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | koimoloiō |
acted on passive voice
| Who person | happened aorist |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | koimimoia |
| you 2nd person singular | koimisoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | koimitoia |
| we 1st person plural | koiminoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | koimivoia |
| they 3rd person plural | koimiloia |
The “to …” form — infinitive, no occurrences
| 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 | koimorō | koimorē | ||
| acted on passive voice | koimiri | koimira |
Used as an adjective — participle, 9 occurrences
| 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 | koimorōntos4×κοιμώμενος | koimorēntos2× | ||
| acted on passive voice | koimirintos | koimirantos3× |
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
koim 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.
18 occurrences, every one of them listed
koimolō“died”happening now · theypresent middle or passive indicative 3rd person plural1×
1 Corinthians 11:30“died”… vi pollois asthenois kai arrōstois kai koimolō hikanois.… is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number …
koimini“sleep”will happen · wefuture passive indicative 1st person plural1×
1 Corinthians 15:51idou mustēriem vi legamō; pantois ouk koimini pantois de allaxini,… a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed —
koimita“fell asleep”happened · he/she/itaorist passive indicative 3rd person singular2×
Acts 7:60… houtan tan hamartan; kai houtem legarantos koimita.… when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Acts 13:36… genea hupēretarantos ta tou theou boula koimita kai prostithita pros toin patroin autou …… purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his …
koimila“fell asleep”happened · theyaorist passive indicative 3rd person plural2×
1 Corinthians 15:6… polloterois menalō heōs arti, tinois de koimila;… are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
2 Peter 3:4… autou? apo hau gar tois patrois koimila, panteim houtōs diamenatō apo archau ktisiau.… will ask. “Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from …
koimotē“fallen asleep”has happened · he/she/itperfect middle or passive indicative 3rd person singular2×
John 11:11… legatō autoi; Lazaros tos filos nu koimotē, alla poreuomō hina exupnizameia auton.… told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to …
John 11:12“fallen asleep”… oun tois mathētois auto; Kurior, ei koimotē sōziti.His disciples replied, “Lord, if he is …
koimiteia“dies”happened · he/she/itaorist passive subjunctive 3rd person singular1×
1 Corinthians 7:39… zōatō tos andros autau; ean de koimiteia tos andros, eleutheras atō ho thelatō …… he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone …
koimorōntos“sleeping”happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative singular masculine1×
Acts 12:6… ta nukta ekeina ate tos Petros koimorōntos metaxu duo stratiōtoiu dorēntos halusiai duo, …… bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two …
koimorōntoin“sleeping”happening now · objectpresent middle or passive participle accusative plural masculine1×
Luke 22:45“sleeping”… proseuchau ercharantos pros toin mathētoin heuriskata koimorōntoin autoin apo tau lupau,… rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.
koimorōntoiu“asleep”happening now · of, belonging topresent middle or passive participle genitive plural masculine2×
Matthew 28:13… autou nuktau ercharantois kleptala auton nu koimorōntoiu;… stole Him away while we were asleep.’
1 Thessalonians 4:13“fallen asleep”… de vin agnoarō, adelfoir, peri toiu koimorōntoiu, hina mē lupoveiō kathōs kai tois …Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who …
koimirantois“fallen asleep”happened · subjectaorist passive participle nominative plural masculine1×
1 Corinthians 15:18ara kai tois koimirantois en Christo apolela.Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
koimirantoin“fallen asleep”happened · objectaorist passive participle accusative plural masculine2×
1 Thessalonians 4:14… anastēata, houtōs kai tos theos toin koimirantoin dia tou Iēsu agati sun auto.… bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.
1 Thessalonians 4:15… tou kuriou ouk mē fthananeia toin koimirantoin;… no means precede those who have fallen asleep.
koimorēntoiu“fallen asleep”has happened · of, belonging toperfect middle or passive participle genitive plural masculine2×
Matthew 27:52… mnēmeieim anoigila kai polleim sōmeim toiu koimorēntoiu hagioiu egerila,… bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
1 Corinthians 15:20… Christos egerotē ek nekroiu, aparchas toiu koimorēntoiu.… the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.