WG: Crucifixion¶
Overview¶
The crucifixion concept in the NT involves a tight cluster of words: the verb for the act itself, the noun for the instrument, and related killing/death vocabulary that overlaps in the Passion narratives.
Word Group Members¶
| Strong's | Word | Transliteration | POS | Occurrences | Role in Concept | Library Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G4717 | σταυρόω | stauroō | verb | 42 | The act (to crucify) | G4717-stauroo.md |
| G4716 | σταυρός | stauros | noun | 28 | The instrument (cross/stake) | G4716-stauros.md |
| G388 | ἀνασταυρόω | anastauroo | verb | 1 | Intensified form (crucify afresh) | TODO(need G388 study) |
| G4362 | προσπήγνυμι | prospēgnymi | verb | 1 | The physical fastening (nail to) | TODO(need G4362 study) |
| G615 | ἀποκτείνω | apokteinō | verb | 71 | General killing (broader term) | G615-apokteino.md |
| G337 | ἀναιρέω | anaireō | verb | 22 | Judicial killing (overlapping term) | G337-anaireo.md |
| G2288 | θάνατος | thanatos | noun | 106 | The result (death) | G2288-thanatos.md |
Relationships¶
Shared Roots¶
- σταυρόω (G4717), σταυρός (G4716), ἀνασταυρόω (G388) — all from root σταυρ- (stake/post)
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)¶
| Word A | Word B | Shared Verses | Typical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| G615 apokteinō | G2288 thanatos | 2 | "kill... with death" (Rev 2:23) |
| G4717 stauroō | G4716 stauros | 1 | "glory in the cross... world crucified" (Gal 6:14) |
| G4717 stauroō | G615 apokteinō | 1 | "kill and crucify" — escalating persecution (Matt 23:34) |
| G4717 stauroō | G2288 thanatos | 1 | "condemned to death, and have crucified" (Luke 24:20) |
| G4716 stauros | G615 apokteinō | 1 | "reconcile... by the cross, having slain the enmity" (Eph 2:16) |
| G4716 stauros | G2288 thanatos | 1 | "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil 2:8) |
| G337 anaireō | G4362 prospēgnymi | 1 | "ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain" (Acts 2:23) |
| G337 anaireō | G2288 thanatos | 1 | "found no cause of death... desired Pilate that he should be slain" (Acts 13:28) |
The low pairwise counts reflect that NT authors typically use one crucifixion term per verse rather than stacking synonyms. The co-occurrences that do exist tend to be theologically dense passages.
LXX / Hebrew Background¶
| Hebrew Word | Greek Members Sharing It | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| H4191 mûwth (to die) | G2288 (84×), G615 (48×), G337 (15×) | The broad OT death verb feeds three of the group's members through LXX |
| H2026 hârag (to slay) | G615 (106×), G337 (20×) | Violent killing — maps to both general and judicial NT terms |
| H2719 chereb (sword) | G615 (30×), G2288 (27×), G337 (8×) | Instrument of death connects three members |
σταυρόω (G4717) and σταυρός (G4716) have no Hebrew antecedent — crucifixion was not an Israelite practice. The closest OT concept is H8518 תָּלָה (talah, "to hang"), cited by Paul in Gal 3:13 via Deut 21:22–23.
Roles in the Concept¶
- Act: σταυρόω (G4717) — the specific act of crucifixion
- Instrument: σταυρός (G4716) — the stake/cross itself
- Intensification: ἀνασταυρόω (G388) — crucifying again (figurative, Heb 6:6)
- Physical detail: προσπήγνυμι (G4362) — the fastening/nailing (Acts 2:23)
- Broader category: ἀποκτείνω (G615) — killing in general; crucifixion is a species of this
- Judicial overlap: ἀναιρέω (G337) — used in Acts for Jesus's execution
- Result: θάνατος (G2288) — death; the outcome of crucifixion
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together¶
- Phil 2:8 — θάνατος + σταυρός: "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross"
- Gal 6:14 — σταυρόω + σταυρός: "glory in the cross... the world is crucified unto me"
- Matt 23:34 — σταυρόω + ἀποκτείνω: "some of them ye shall kill and crucify"
- Acts 2:23 — ἀναιρέω + προσπήγνυμι: "by wicked hands have crucified and slain"
- Eph 2:16 — σταυρός + ἀποκτείνω: "reconcile both unto God... by the cross, having slain the enmity"
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, search_strongs.py, co-occurrence queries Last updated: 2026-05-03