[B-Greek] LOUW, NIPTW, BAPTIZW
Iver Larsen
iver_larsen at sil.org
Tue Nov 4 01:05:35 EST 2003
> what is the difference between these terms? did they all
> refer to washing? was there any distinction between the
> terms? if so, what is it?
Richard C. Trench in his "Synonyms of the New Testament" discusses PLUNW,
NIPTW and LOUW (p. 160f).
PLUNW refers to washing of inanimate things, especially garments (Rev 7:14,
22:14) but also a net like in Luke 5:2.
The other two refer to washing of living persons, but with NIPTW referring
to washing a part of the body, while LOUW is to bathe the whole body. (A few
exceptions to the rule are found in classical Greek).
Trench does not consider BAPTIZW to be a synonym of the above, but talks
about BAPTISMOS and BAPTISMA on p. 369. Whereas BAPTIZW/BAPTW was
occasionally, but rarely, used in classical Greek, the word is only used in
a ritual, ecclesiastical sense in the NT. It is therefore a technical term
that refers to religiously significant cleansing (Jewish or Christian). It
never refers to ordinary washing. It includes the aspect of transition from
one (more or less unclean) state to a different (cleansed) state. So, one
can "go through" a baptism and come out as a different person. Water is not
necessarily involved.
Iver Larsen.
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