ἁγνίζω G0048
To purify, make ceremonially or morally clean; middle/passive: to purify oneself or be purified
Derived from hagnos ('pure, holy'), this verb spans both ritual and moral purification in the New Testament. In Acts it appears in its middle/passive forms for Jewish ceremonial purification — Paul purifying himself before entering the temple (Acts 21:24, 26; 24:18), and Jewish pilgrims purifying themselves before Passover (John 11:55). James 4:8 bridges the ceremonial and moral: 'purify your hearts, you double-minded.' In its active transitive use, it describes believers purifying their souls through obedience to truth (1 Pet 1:22) and the hope of Christ's return purifying the one who holds it (1 John 3:3).
Senses
1. to purify oneself, be purified (middle/passive) — The middle or passive voice: to purify oneself or to be purified, primarily in the context of Jewish ceremonial purification. Acts 21:24 and 21:26 describe Paul undergoing ritual purification in the temple to demonstrate his respect for the law. Acts 24:18 notes Paul was 'having been purified' when found in the temple. James 4:8 extends the imagery morally — 'purify your hearts.' Spanish 'purificad/purificado' and French 'purifier' mirror the reflexive nuance of self-undertaken cleansing. 4×
AR["تَطَهَّرَ", "تَطَهَّرْ", "مُتَطَهِّرًا", "نَقّوا"]·ben["পবিত্র-করো", "শুদ্ধ-হও", "শুদ্ধ-হয়ে", "শুদ্ধিকৃত"]·DE["reinigen", "ἁγνίσθητι", "ἁγνισθεὶς", "ἡγνισμένον"]·EN["be-purified", "having-been-purified", "purify"]·FR["purifier"]·heb["הִטְהַר", "טַהֲרוּ", "מִטְהָר"]·HI["पवित्र-करो", "शुद्ध-हो", "शुद्ध-होकर", "शुद्धकियाहुआ"]·ID["disucikan", "sucikanlah", "sucikanlah-diri"]·IT["agnisate", "purificare"]·jav["dipun-sucèkaken", "nyucèkaken-diri", "sampun-nyucèkaken-diri,", "sucèkna"]·KO["성결케-하라", "정결하게-된", "정결하여", "정결하여라"]·PT["purifica-te", "purificai", "tendo-se-purificado,"]·RU["освятите", "очистившись,", "очистись", "очищенного"]·ES["purificad", "purificado", "purificate", "purificándose"]·SW["akijitakasa", "jitakase", "nimejitakasa", "takaseni"]·TR["arın", "arınarak", "arınmış", "arıtın"]·urd["صاف-کرو", "پاک-کیا-ہوا", "پاک-ہو", "پاک-ہو-کر"]
2. to purify (active/transitive) — The active transitive sense: to purify someone or something, to make clean. In John 11:55 many went up before Passover to purify themselves (here the active form with reflexive force). First Peter 1:22 speaks of having purified one's soul through obedience to the truth, and 1 John 3:3 declares that everyone who has this hope in Christ 'purifies himself' just as Christ is pure. Spanish 'se purifica' and German 'reinigen' both capture the active effort of making oneself or another clean. 3×
AR["مُطَهِّرينَ", "يُطَهِّرُ", "يُطَهِّرُوا"]·ben["শুদ্ধ-করে", "শুদ্ধ-করেন"]·DE["reinigen"]·EN["having-purified", "purifies", "they-might-purify"]·FR["purifier"]·heb["טִהַרְתֶּם", "לְהִטְהַר", "מְטַהֵר"]·HI["पवित्र-करता-है", "पवित्र-करें", "शुद्ध-किया-है"]·ID["menyucikan", "telah-menyucikan"]·IT["agnisosin", "agnizei", "ēgnikotes"]·jav["kang-nyucèkaken", "ngresiki", "nucèkaken"]·KO["깨끗하게-하였으니", "정결케-하려고", "정결케-한다"]·PT["purifica", "tendo-purificado"]·RU["очистив", "очистить", "очищает"]·ES["habiendo-purificado", "purificaran", "se-purifica"]·SW["anajitakasa", "kuzitakasa", "wajitakase"]·TR["arındırmış", "arındırsınlar", "arındırır"]·urd["پاک-کر-کے", "پاک-کرتا-ہے", "پاک-کریں"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἁγνίζω, future ῐῶ (ἀφ-) LXX: perfect ἥγνικαNT: (ἁγνός): —wash off, cleanse away, especially by water (τὸ πῦρ καθαίρει.. τὸ ὕδωρ ἁγνίζειRefs 5th c.BC+ __2 cleanse, purify, χέρας σὰς ἁγνίσας μιάσματοςLXX+5th c.BC+:—middle, purify oneself,LXX+1st c.AD+:—passive, ἁγνίσθητιLXX+NT __3 especially ἁ. τὸν θανόντα purify the dead by fire, Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, σώμαθ᾽ ἡγνίσθη πυρίRefs 5th c.BC+ __4 sacrifice, Refs 5th c.BC+ __5 hallow, consecrate, Refs 3rd c.BC+ __6 burn up, consume, Refs 5th c.BC+