G4717 — σταυρόω (stauroō)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: G4717
Original: σταυρόω
Transliteration: stauroō
Pronunciation: stow-ro'-o
Part of Speech: Verb
Root: From σταυρός (stauros, G4716) — a stake or post set upright; the noun for the instrument of execution
Occurrences: 46 tokens in 42 unique NT verses (9 books)
First Occurrence: Matt 20:19 — "And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him"
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

From σταυρός (stauros, G4716); to impale on the cross; figuratively, to extinguish (subdue) passion or selfishness. The verb denotes the act of fastening a person to a stauros for execution.

Louw-Nida Semantic Domain¶

Domain: 20.76 — Kill (Domain 20: Violence, Harm, Destroy, Kill)
Other words in subdomain: αἷμα (G129), αἴρω (G142), ἀναίρεσις (G336), ἀναιρέω (G337), ἀνασταυρόω (G388), ἀνθρωποκτόνος (G443), ἀπάγχω (G519), ἀποκεφαλίζω (G607), ἀποκτείνω (G615), διαχειρίζω (G1315)

Domain Neighbors (Louw-Nida 020004 — Kill)¶

Strong's	Lemma	Total Vv	Primary KJV Translation(s)
G129	αἷμα	87	blood
G142	αἴρω	22	take up
G336	ἀναίρεσις	2	death
G337	ἀναιρέω	7	kill
G388	ἀνασταυρόω	2	crucify afresh
G443	ἀνθρωποκτόνος	3	murderer
G519	ἀπάγχω	1	hanged himself
G607	ἀποκεφαλίζω	5	beheaded
G615	ἀποκτείνω	25	kill
G1315	διαχειρίζω	2	slay, kill

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Verses	%
crucified	6	14.3%
crucify	6	14.3%
be crucified	5	11.9%
Crucify	4	9.5%
have crucified	4	9.5%
they crucified	4	9.5%
was crucified	4	9.5%
Let him be crucified	2	4.8%
he was crucified	2	4.8%
to crucify	2	4.8%
Other (8 translations, 1v each)	8	19.0%

Every KJV rendering translates the word as some form of "crucify." No alternative glosses exist — the translation is semantically uniform.

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Galatians	3	2.0
Mark	8	1.2
Matthew	10	0.9
John	8	0.9
1 Corinthians	4	0.9
Luke	5	0.4
2 Corinthians	1	0.4
Acts	2	0.2
Revelation	1	0.2

Concentration is highest in the four Gospels (31 of 42 verses, 74%), with the Passion narratives accounting for the bulk. Paul's epistles use the word 8 times, shifting from narrative to theological application. Acts and Revelation contribute 3 verses total. The word is absent from Hebrews, the General Epistles, and all other Pauline letters besides Corinthians and Galatians.

Morphological Distribution¶

Form	Count	Notes
Aorist Active Indicative (V-AAI)	8	Narrative past: "they crucified"
Aorist Active Imperative (V-AAM)	6	Demand: "Crucify him!"
Aorist Passive Indicative (V-API)	5	"was crucified"
Perfect Passive Participle (V-RPP)	5	"the crucified one" — ongoing state
Aorist Active Infinitive (V-AAN)	3	Purpose: "to crucify"
Aorist Passive Infinitive (V-APN)	3	"to be crucified"
Aorist Passive Subjunctive (V-APS)	3	"that he might be crucified"
Aorist Active Subjunctive (V-AAS)	2	"that they might crucify"
Aorist Passive Imperative (V-APM)	2	"Let him be crucified!"
Present Active Imperative (V-PAM)	2	Luke 23:21 — urgent present demand
Present Active Indicative (V-PAI)	2	Mark's historical present: vivid narration
Present Passive Indicative (V-PPI)	1	Matt 27:38 — co-crucifixion in progress
Perfect Passive Indicative (V-RPI)	1	Gal 6:14 — enduring crucified state of the world
Future Active Indicative (V-FAI)	1	Matt 23:34 — prediction
Aorist Active Participle (V-AAP)	1	"having crucified"

The aorist tense dominates (33 of 46 tokens, 72%), reflecting the word's primary use in narrating or referencing a completed event. The perfect tense forms (6 tokens) are theologically significant — Paul uses the perfect passive participle to present Christ as "the crucified one" (1 Cor 1:23; 2:2; Gal 3:1), emphasizing the continuing relevance of the completed act.

Semantic Categories¶

1. Narrative of Christ's Crucifixion¶

The majority of uses describe the historical event of Jesus's execution. - Matt 27:35 — "And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots" - Mark 15:25 — "And it was the third hour, and they crucified him" - John 19:18 — "Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst" - Luke 23:33 — "There they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left"

2. Demand for Crucifixion¶

The crowd's and leaders' insistent calls for execution. - Matt 27:22–23 — "They all say unto him, Let him be crucified... Let him be crucified" - Mark 15:13–14 — "And they cried out again, Crucify him... Crucify him" - John 19:6 — "They cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him" - John 19:15 — "They cried out, Away with him... crucify him"

3. Prediction and Purpose of Crucifixion¶

Prophetic announcements of the coming event and its divine necessity. - Matt 20:19 — "And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him" - Matt 26:2 — "The Son of man is betrayed to be crucified" - Luke 24:7 — "The Son of man must be delivered... and be crucified, and the third day rise again" - Matt 23:34 — "I send unto you prophets... and some of them ye shall kill and crucify"

4. Proclamation of Christ Crucified¶

Paul's theological use: the crucified Christ as the center of the gospel message. - 1 Cor 1:23 — "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness" - 1 Cor 2:2 — "I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified" - Gal 3:1 — "Before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you" - Acts 2:36 — "God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ"

5. Identification of Jesus as "the Crucified One"¶

Post-resurrection identification using the perfect tense — defining Jesus by the enduring fact of his crucifixion. - Matt 28:5 — "I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified" - Mark 16:6 — "Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen" - 2 Cor 13:4 — "For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God"

6. Figurative / Participatory Crucifixion¶

Extended beyond literal execution to describe the believer's break with sin and the world. - Gal 5:24 — "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" - Gal 6:14 — "The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world"

7. Prophetic / Typological Reference¶

Rev 11:8 — "The great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified"

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)	G2424	14x (33%)	Named object: "crucified Jesus"
Χριστός (Christos)	G5547	9x (21%)	Theological title: "Christ crucified"
λέγω (legō)	G3004	9x (21%)	Speech introducing demand: "saying, Crucify him"
παραδίδωμι (paradidōmi)	G3860	7x (17%)	Sequence: "delivered him to be crucified"
Πιλᾶτος (Pilatos)	G4091	6x (14%)	Roman authority presiding over the crucifixion
ἱμάτιον (himation)	G2440	5x (12%)	Detail: "parted his garments" at the cross
ἀρχιερεύς (archiereus)	G749	4x (10%)	Jewish authorities demanding crucifixion
δύο (duo)	G1417	4x (10%)	"Two thieves crucified with him"
τόπος (topos)	G5117	4x (10%)	"The place where he was crucified"
κύριος (kyrios)	G2962	4x (10%)	"Crucified the Lord of glory"

Word Family / Cognates¶

G4716 σταυρός (stauros) — the noun: a stake, post, cross; the instrument of execution (28 verses)
G388 ἀνασταυρόω (anastauroo) — to crucify again/afresh (Heb 6:6 only)

Synonyms (Louw-Nida Kill domain)¶

G615 ἀποκτείνω (apokteinō) — to kill, put to death (general killing verb; 71 verses) — G615-apokteino.md
G337 ἀναιρέω (anaireō) — to take away life, kill (judicial/violent removal; 22 verses) — G337-anaireo.md
G4362 προσπήγνυμι (prospēgnymi) — to fasten to, impale (Acts 2:23 only; closest physical synonym)
G2289 θανατόω (thanatoō) — to put to death (11 verses)

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
ἀνασταυρόω	G388	"crucify"	G388 = crucify again; figurative in Heb 6:6 only
προσπήγνυμι	G4362	"crucify" (Acts 2:23)	G4362 = fasten/nail to; describes the physical fastening, not the method of execution as such

Hebrew Source¶

No Hebrew source via LXX. σταυρόω is a NT-period Greek word with no direct OT Hebrew equivalent — crucifixion was a Roman, not Israelite, mode of execution. The OT background concept is H8518 תָּלָה (talah, "to hang"), used in Deut 21:22–23 ("he that is hanged is accursed of God"), which Paul applies to crucifixion in Gal 3:13.