verb
misamō
Strong’sG3404
I hate, detest
stem mis-40 times in the New Testamentin 11 of 27 books22 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
μισέω means to hate, detest — to feel strong hostility or aversion toward a person or thing 1234. It can be used of persons ("hate someone") or of things or actions ("hate a deed, a practice"), and also occurs in the passive, "to be hated" 13. Strong's notes that the hatred can shade into active persecution of the object, or, by extension, into simply loving something less 2.
In some biblical uses the word carries a weaker sense, reflecting a Hebrew idiom in which "hate" can mean not outright hostility but relative disregard or lesser love for one thing when set against another that is preferred 1.
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
μισέω, -ῶ,
[in LXX chiefly for שָׂנֵא;]
G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 1922 — public domain. References open in the reader.
Strong’s G3404 — the 1890 definition, and where the word comes from
Saidmis-eh'-o
to detest (especially to persecute); by extension, to love less
Fromfrom a primary μῖσος (hatred);
King Jameshate(-ful).
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 μεμίσηκα Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, future middle in passive sense μισήσομαι LXX+5th c.BC+: aorist ἐμισήθην Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect μεμίσημαι Refs 5th c.BC+: (μῖσος):—hate, once in Refs 8th c.BC+infinitive, μίσησεν δ᾽ ἄρα μιν δηΐων κυσὶ κύρμα γενέσθαι Zeus hated (would not suffer) that he should become a prey.., Refs 8th c.BC+; οὐ μισοῦντ᾽ ἐκείνην τὴν πόλιν, τὸ μὴ οὐ μεγάλην εἶναι not hating that city, as not being.., Refs 5th c.BC+; μισῶ λακωνίζειν I hate Laconizing, Refs 5th c.BC+: but mostly with accusative, ὑβρίζοντα μισεῖν LXX+5th c.BC+:—passive, to be hated, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| misamōμισῶ | happening now · Ipresent active indicative 1st person singular | hate | 2× |
| misasōμισεῖς | happening now · youpresent active indicative 2nd person singular | hate | 1× |
| misatōμισεῖ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular | hates | 7× |
| misaleἐμίσουν | was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural | hated | 1× |
| misasiμισήσεις | will happen · youfuture active indicative 2nd person singular | hate | 1× |
| misatiμισήσει | will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular | hate | 2× |
| misaliμισήσουσιν | will happen · theyfuture active indicative 3rd person plural | hate | 2× |
| misamaἐμίσησα | happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular | hated | 1× |
| misasaἐμίσησας | happened · youaorist active indicative 2nd person singular | hated | 1× |
| misataἐμίσησεν | happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular | hated | 2× |
| misalaἘμίσησάν | happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural | hated | 1× |
| misatēμεμίσηκεν | has happened · he/she/itperfect active indicative 3rd person singular | hated | 1× |
| misalēμεμισήκασιν | has happened · theyperfect active indicative 3rd person plural | hated | 1× |
| misateiōμισῇ | happening now · he/she/itpresent active subjunctive 3rd person singular | hates | 1× |
| misaleiaμισήσωσιν | happened · theyaorist active subjunctive 3rd person plural | hate | 1× |
| misarōμισεῖν | happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive | hate | 1× |
| misarōntosμισῶν | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine | hates | 5× |
| misarōntoisμισοῦντες | happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine | hating | 2× |
| misarōntoiuμισούντων | happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine | hate | 1× |
| misarōntoiμισοῦσιν | happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative plural masculine | hate | 1× |
| misorōntoisμισούμενοι | happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative plural masculine | hated | 4× |
| misorēnteuμεμισημένου | has happened · of, belonging toperfect middle or passive participle genitive singular neuter | hateful | 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 140, by mood, including the ones the New Testament never uses
Statements — indicative mood, 23 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 | misamō2×μισῶ | misame | misami | misama1×ἐμίσησα | misamē | misamelē |
| you 2nd person singular | misasō1×μισεῖς | misase | misasi1×μισήσεις | misasa1×ἐμίσησας | misasē | misaselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | misatō7×μισεῖ | misate | misati2×μισήσει | misata2×ἐμίσησεν | misatē1×μεμίσηκεν | misatelē |
| we 1st person plural | misanō | misane | misani | misana | misanē | misanelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | misavō | misave | misavi | misava | misavē | misavelē |
| they 3rd person plural | misalō | misale1×ἐμίσουν | misali2×μισήσουσιν | misala1×Ἐμίσησάν | misalē1×μεμισήκασιν | misalelē |
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 | misomō | misome | misomē | misomelē |
| you 2nd person singular | misosō | misose | misosē | misoselē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | misotō | misote | misotē | misotelē |
| we 1st person plural | misonō | misone | misonē | misonelē |
| ye 2nd person plural | misovō | misove | misovē | misovelē |
| they 3rd person plural | misolō | misole | misolē | misolelē |
May, might — subjunctive mood, 2 occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | misameiō | misameia | misameiē |
| you 2nd person singular | misaseiō | misaseia | misaseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | misateiō1×μισῇ | misateia | misateiē |
| we 1st person plural | misaneiō | misaneia | misaneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | misaveiō | misaveia | misaveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | misaleiō | misaleia1×μισήσωσιν | misaleiē |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | misomeiō | misomeiē |
| you 2nd person singular | misoseiō | misoseiē |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | misoteiō | misoteiē |
| we 1st person plural | misoneiō | misoneiē |
| ye 2nd person plural | misoveiō | misoveiē |
| they 3rd person plural | misoleiō | misoleiē |
Commands — imperative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | misasōr | misasar | misasēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | misatōr | misatar | misatēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | misavōr | misavar | misavēr |
| they 3rd person plural | misalōr | misalar | misalēr |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|
| you 2nd person singular | misosōr | misosēr |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | misotōr | misotēr |
| ye 2nd person plural | misovōr | misovēr |
| they 3rd person plural | misolōr | misolēr |
Wishes — optative mood, no occurrences
the subject acts active voice
| Who person | happening now present | happened aorist |
|---|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | misamoiō | misamoia |
| you 2nd person singular | misasoiō | misasoia |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | misatoiō | misatoia |
| we 1st person plural | misanoiō | misanoia |
| ye 2nd person plural | misavoiō | misavoia |
| they 3rd person plural | misaloiō | misaloia |
acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice
| Who person | happening now present |
|---|---|
| I 1st person singular | misomoiō |
| you 2nd person singular | misosoiō |
| he/she/it 3rd person singular | misotoiō |
| we 1st person plural | misonoiō |
| ye 2nd person plural | misovoiō |
| they 3rd person plural | misoloiō |
The “to …” form — infinitive, 1 occurrence
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | misarō1×μισεῖν | misari | misara | misarē |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | misorō | misorē |
Used as an adjective — participle, 14 occurrences
| Who is acting voice | happening now present | will happen future | happened aorist | has happened perfect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the subject acts active voice | misarōntos9×μισῶν | misarintos | misarantos | misarēntos |
| acts on itself, or is acted on middle or passive voice | misorōntos4× | misorēntos1× |
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
mis 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.
40 occurrences, every one of them listed
misamō“hate”happening now · Ipresent active indicative 1st person singular2×
Romans 7:15… hem thelamō houtem prassamō, alla hem misamō houtem poiamō.… do not do. But what I hate, I do.
Revelation 2:6… teim ergeim toiu Nikolaitoiu, heim kamis misamō.… of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
misasō“hate”happening now · youpresent active indicative 2nd person singular1×
Revelation 2:6alla houtem echasō hoti misasō teim ergeim toiu Nikolaitoiu, heim kamis …… have this to your credit: You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which …
misatō“hates”happening now · he/she/itpresent active indicative 3rd person singular7×
Luke 14:26… tinos erchotō pros min kai ouk misatō ton patron heautou kai tan mētēran …… comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife …
John 3:20pantos gar tos fauleim prassarōntos misatō tem fōtem kai ouk erchotō pros …Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come …
John 7:7… tos kosmos misarō vin, min de misatō, hoti mis marturamō peri autou hoti …… world cannot hate you, but it hates Me, because I testify that its …
John 15:18Ei tos kosmos vin misatō, gnōskavō hoti min prōtem vu misatē.If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me …
John 15:19… vin ek tou kosmou, dia houtem misatō vin tos kosmos.… as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of …
John 15:23… min misarōntos kai ton patron mu misatō.Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well.
1 John 3:13mē thaumazavōr, adelfoir, ei misatō vin tos kosmos.… be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.
misale“hated”was happening · theyimperfect active indicative 3rd person plural1×
Luke 19:14tois de politois autou misale auton, kai apostelala presbeian opisō autou …But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after …
misasi“hate”will happen · youfuture active indicative 2nd person singular1×
Matthew 5:43… legita; Agapasi ton plēsion su kai misasi ton echthron su.… was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’
misati“hate”will happen · he/she/itfuture active indicative 3rd person singular2×
Matthew 6:24… kurioi douleuarō; ē gar ton henon misati kai ton heteron agapati, ē henou …… serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other …
Luke 16:13… kurioi douleuarō; ē gar ton henon misati kai ton heteron agapati, ē henou …… serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other …
misali“hate”will happen · theyfuture active indicative 3rd person plural2×
Matthew 24:10… skandalizili pollois kai allēloin paradōali kai misali allēloin;… fall away and will betray and hate one another,
Revelation 17:16… heim horasa kai tem thērem, houtois misali tan pornan, kai erēmorēntan poiali autan …… the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her …
misama“hated”happened · Iaorist active indicative 1st person singular1×
Romans 9:13… Ton Iakōb agapama, ton de Ēsau misama.… Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
misasa“hated”happened · youaorist active indicative 2nd person singular1×
Hebrews 1:9agapasa dikaiosunan kai misasa anomian; dia houtem chriata sin tos …You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has …
misata“hated”happened · he/she/itaorist active indicative 3rd person singular2×
John 17:14… ton logon su, kai tos kosmos misata autoin, hoti ouk alō ek tou …… Your word and the world has hated them. For they are not of …
Ephesians 5:29oudenos gar pote tan heautou sarkan misata, alla ektrefatō kai thalpatō autan, kathōs …Indeed, no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes …
misala“hated”happened · theyaorist active indicative 3rd person plural1×
John 15:25… en to nomo autoiu graforēntos hoti Misala min dōreōs.… is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’
misatē“hated”has happened · he/she/itperfect active indicative 3rd person singular1×
John 15:18… misatō, gnōskavō hoti min prōtem vu misatē.… world hates you, understand that it hated Me first.
misalē“hated”has happened · theyperfect active indicative 3rd person plural1×
John 15:24… echale; nun de kai horalē kai misalē kai min kai ton patron mu.… but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father.
misateiō“hates”happening now · he/she/itpresent active subjunctive 3rd person singular1×
1 John 4:20… ton theon, kai ton adelfon autou misateiō, pseustos atō; tos gar mē agaparōntos …… anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar …
misaleia“hate”happened · theyaorist active subjunctive 3rd person plural1×
Luke 6:22Makariois avō hotan misaleia vin tois anthrōpois, kai hotan aforizaleia …Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you …
misarō“hate”happening now · the “to …” formpresent active infinitive1×
John 7:7ouk dunotō tos kosmos misarō vin, min de misatō, hoti mis …The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me, because …
misarōntos“hates”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative singular masculine5×
John 12:25… psuchan autou apolatō autan, kai tos misarōntos tan psuchan autou en to kosmo …… life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will …
John 15:23tos min misarōntos kai ton patron mu misatō.Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well.
1 John 2:9… fōte arō kai ton adelfon autou misarōntos en ta skotia atō heōs arti.… to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in …
1 John 2:11tos de misarōntos ton adelfon autou en ta skotia …But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness …
1 John 3:15pantos tos misarōntos ton adelfon autou anthrōpoktonos atō, kai …Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and …
misarōntois“hating”happening now · subjectpresent active participle nominative plural masculine2×
Titus 3:3… en kakia kai fthono diagarōntois, stugētois, misarōntois allēloin.… malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
Jude 1:23… harpazarōntois, hoin de elēavōr en fobo, misarōntois kai ton apo tau sarkau spilorēnton …… others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the …
misarōntoiu“hate”happening now · of, belonging topresent active participle genitive plural masculine1×
Luke 1:71… nu kai ek cheirau pantoiu toiu misarōntoiu nin,… from the hand of all who hate us,
misarōntoi“hate”happening now · to, forpresent active participle dative plural masculine1×
Luke 6:27… toin echthroin vu, kalōs poiavōr toi misarōntoi vin,… enemies, do good to those who hate you,
misorōntois“hated”happening now · subjectpresent middle or passive participle nominative plural masculine4×
Matthew 10:22kai evi misorōntois hupo pantoiu dia tem onomem mu; …You will be hated by everyone because of My name …
Matthew 24:9… thlipsian kai apoktenali vin, kai evi misorōntois hupo panteiu teiu ethneiu dia tem …… and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My …
Mark 13:13kai evi misorōntois hupo pantoiu dia tem onomem mu. …You will be hated by everyone because of My name …
Luke 21:17kai evi misorōntois hupo pantoiu dia tem onomem mu.And you will be hated by everyone because of My name.
misorēnteu“hateful”has happened · of, belonging toperfect middle or passive participle genitive singular neuter1×
Revelation 18:2“hateful”… kai fulakas panteu thēreu akatharteu kai misorēnteu,… bird, and every detestable beast.