ἐμπαίζω G1702
To mock, ridicule, or treat with contempt; to deceive or make a fool of someone through trickery
A verb of cruelty and scorn that runs like a dark thread through the Passion narratives. Soldiers mock Jesus (Matt 27:29, 31), passersby ridicule him on the cross (Matt 27:41), and the chief priests join the abuse (Mark 15:20). The word carries physical and verbal contempt together: spitting, dressing in royal purple, bowing in sham homage. Yet its earliest Gospel appearance reveals a sharper edge: when the Magi fail to return, Herod realizes he has been 'mocked,' that is, outwitted and made a fool of (Matt 2:16), where deception rather than derision is the core meaning.
Senses
1. mock, ridicule, scorn — To mock, ridicule, scorn, or treat with contempt through words and actions. This sense dominates New Testament usage, concentrated in the Passion predictions and fulfillment narratives: soldiers mock Jesus before crucifixion (Matt 27:29, 31; Mark 15:20; Luke 22:63), and the mockers at the cross deride him (Matt 27:41; Mark 15:31). Spanish 'burlarse' (to mock) and French 'se moquer' capture the derision precisely. Paul's warning in Galatians 6:7, 'God is not mocked,' extends the sense to any attempt to treat God with contempt. 12×
AR["اسْتَهْزَأَ", "اسْتَهْزَأُوا", "سَاخِرِينَ", "سَخِرُوا-مِنْ", "كانوا-يَسْتَهْزِئونَ", "مُسْتَهْزِئِينَ", "يَستَهزِئوا", "يَسْخَرُونَ", "يُستَهزَأُ"]·ben["উপহাস-করছিল", "উপহাস-করতে", "উপহাস-করল", "উপহাস-করে", "উপহাসিত-হবে", "ঠাট্টা-করবেন", "বিদ্রূপ-করলেন", "বিদ্রূপ-করে", "Ἐνέπαιξαν-ঠাট্টা-করল"]·DE["verspottet", "ἐμπαίζοντες", "ἐμπαίξουσιν", "ἐνέπαιξαν"]·EN["having-mocked", "he-will-be-mocked", "mocked", "mocking", "they-mocked", "they-will-mock", "to-mock", "were-mocking"]·FR["se-moquer"]·heb["הִתְלוֹצֵץ", "יְלֻעַג", "יִלְעֲגוּ", "לִלְעֹג", "לַעֲגִים", "לָעֲג-וּ", "לָעֲגוּ", "לָעֲגוּ-בּוֹ", "לֹעֲגִים", "לוֹעֵג"]·HI["उपहास-कर-रहे-थे", "उपहास-करके", "उपहास-करेंगे", "उपहास-किया", "ठट्ठा-करते-हुए", "ठट्ठा-किया", "ठट्ठा-किया-जाएगा", "मज़अक-उदन", "मज़ाक-उड़ाने।"]·ID["Mengolok-olok", "diolok-olok", "mengejek", "mengolok-olok", "mereka-akan-mengolok-olok", "mereka-mengejek"]·IT["deridere"]·jav["badhe-dipun-oyak-oyak,", "moyoki", "moyoki,", "ngina", "sami-moyoki", "sami-ngecé"]·KO["조롱당할-것이고", "조롱하고", "조롱하기를", "조롱하리라", "조롱하며", "조롱한-후에", "조롱했다"]·PT["a-zombar", "escarnecer", "escarnecerão", "zombando", "zombaram", "zombavam"]·RU["издевались", "наиздевались", "насмехались", "насмехались-над-", "насмехаться", "насмехаясь", "насмеявшись", "насмеялись", "осмеян-будет", "осмеять", "посмеются"]·ES["a-burlarse", "burlarse", "burlándose", "habiéndose-burlado", "se-burlaban", "se-burlaban-de", "se-burlaron", "se-burlaron-de", "se-burlarán-de", "será-escarnecido"]·SW["akamjenga", "atadhihakiwa", "kumdhihaki", "na", "wakajenga", "wakidhihaki", "wakimdhihaki", "walimdhihaki", "watamdhihaki"]·TR["alay-edecekler", "alay-ederek", "alay-edilecek", "alay-edip", "alay-ediyorlardı", "alay-etmek", "alay-etmeye", "alay-ettiler"]·urd["مخول-کرنے", "مخول-کیا", "مذاق-اڑا-کر", "مذاق-اڑاتے-تھے", "مذاق-اڑاتے-ہُوئے", "مذاق-اڑانے", "مذاق-اڑایا", "ٹھٹھ-کریں-گے", "ٹھٹھ-کیا-جائے-گا", "ٹھٹھا-کرتے-ہوئے"]
2. deceive, trick, fool — To deceive, trick, or make a fool of someone, emphasizing outwitting rather than verbal ridicule. In Matthew 2:16, Herod perceives that the Magi have 'mocked' him, not by laughing at him but by evading his trap and departing by another route. Spanish 'fue burlado' and German 'verspottet' retain the mock-language, but the narrative context makes clear this is deception: Herod has been outmaneuvered, and his rage is that of a man duped, not merely insulted. 1×
AR["سَخِرَ-بِهِ"]·ben["ঠকানো-হয়েছে"]·DE["verspottet"]·EN["he-was-mocked"]·FR["se-moquer"]·heb["הֻתַל"]·HI["ठगा-गया"]·ID["diperdaya"]·IT["deridere"]·jav["dipundamel-geguyon"]·KO["속임당했다"]·PT["foi-enganado"]·RU["осмеян"]·ES["fue-burlado"]·SW["alidanganywa"]·TR["aldatıldı"]·urd["ٹھگا-گیا"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἐμπαίζω, future -ξομαιLXXperfect ἐμπέπαιχαLXX:— mock at, mock, τινί Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, ψυχὴ ὑπό.. σωμάτων καὶ πραγμάτων ἐμπαιζομένη Refs 1st c.AD+ __2 euphemistic in mal. participle, LXX __3 passive, to be deluded, NT+2nd c.AD+; to be defrauded, of the revenues, Refs __II sport in or on, ὡς νεβρὸς χλοεραῖς ἐ. λείμακος ἡδοναῖς Refs 5th c.BC+; τοῖς χοροῖσιν ἐ. to sport in the dance, Refs 5th c.BC+