κοιμ-άω G2837
To fall asleep; used as a euphemism for death (especially of believers), or literally of physical sleep.
Koimao carries a striking double life in the New Testament. In its most theologically charged usage, it serves as a gentle euphemism for death, portraying the deceased as merely sleeping, awaiting resurrection. Jesus himself introduces this language when he says of Lazarus, 'Our friend has fallen asleep' (John 11:11), and the disciples misunderstand him literally. Paul anchors an entire resurrection theology on this metaphor: those who have 'fallen asleep' in Christ will be raised (1 Cor 15:6, 18, 20, 51; 1 Thess 4:13-15). The literal sense of physical sleep appears less frequently but provides the metaphor's grounding, as when the guards at the tomb claim the disciples came while they were sleeping (Matt 28:13).
Senses
1. fall asleep (die, euphemism) — To die, expressed euphemistically as falling asleep, used especially of believers who await resurrection. Spanish 'durmieron/dormiremos' and German 'schlafen/schläft ein' preserve the sleep metaphor without explicit death language, mirroring the NT's pastoral tenderness. This sense dominates Paul's resurrection discourse (1 Cor 15:6, 18, 20, 51; 1 Thess 4:13-15), where the metaphor is not mere softening but theological assertion: death for the believer is genuinely temporary, like sleep before waking. Stephen 'fell asleep' after his martyrdom (Acts 7:60), and the saints who 'had fallen asleep' were raised at Christ's crucifixion (Matt 27:52). 14×
AR["الرَّاقِدِينَ", "الرّاقِدينَ", "راقِدونَ", "راقِدينَ", "رَقَدوا", "رَقَدَ", "سَنَرقُدُ", "قَدْ-نَامَ"]·ben["ঘুমিয়ে-পড়লেন", "ঘুমিয়ে-পড়লেন।", "ঘুমিয়ে-পড়া", "ঘুমিয়ে-পড়েছে", "ঘুমিয়েছে", "নিদ্রিত-হব,", "নিদ্রিত-হয়েছেন।", "নিদ্রিতদের।", "নিদ্রিতেরা", "মরে-যায়"]·DE["schlafen", "schläft-ein"]·EN["fell-asleep", "has-fallen-asleep", "have-fallen-asleep", "having-fallen-asleep", "he-fell-asleep", "he-has-fallen-asleep", "sleeps", "we-will-sleep"]·FR["dormir", "endormir"]·heb["יְשֵׁנִים", "יִשְׁנַח", "יָשֵׁן", "נִירָדֵם", "נִרְדְּמוּ", "נִרְדַּם", "נִרְדָּמִים"]·HI["सो-गए", "सो-गया", "सो-जाए", "सो-रहा-है", "सो-रहा-है।", "सोए-हुए", "सोए-हुओं", "सोएँगे", "सोये-हुओन"]·ID["dia-tertidur.", "ia-tertidur", "kita-akan-tertidur,", "meninggal", "telah-tertidur", "telah-tertidur.", "tertidur", "tertidur,", "yang-telah-meninggal", "yang-telah-tertidur.", "yang-tertidur"]·IT["addormentare", "addormentarsi", "ekoimēthēsan", "koimēthentas", "koimōmenōn"]·jav["-ingkang-sampun-séda", "ingkang-sampun-séda", "kita-badhé-séda", "pejah", "piyambakipun-saré", "sampun-sare", "sampun-sare,", "sampun-saré;", "sampun-séda", "sare,", "séda.", "tilem,", "tiyang-sare,"]·KO["잠든", "잠든-자들-의", "잠든-자들보다.", "잠든-자들을", "잠든-자들이", "잠들었느니라", "잠들었다", "잠들었다,", "잠들었으면", "잠들지", "잠자는-자들에-대하여"]·PT["adormecer", "adormeceram", "adormeceram.", "adormeceu", "adormeceu,", "dormiremos,", "que-adormeceram", "que-adormeceram.", "que-dormem", "que-dormiam", "que-dormiram"]·RU["почившие", "почивших", "почил", "почили", "уснул", "уснули", "уснём", "уснёт", "усопших"]·ES["dormiremos", "duerma", "durmieron", "durmió", "que-duermen", "que-durmieron", "que-habían-dormido", "se-ha-dormido"]·SW["alilala", "alilala,", "amelala", "mume-akilala", "tutalala", "walilala", "waliolala", "wamelala", "wanaolala", "watakatifu-waliolala"]·TR["değil", "o-", "uyu-muş-olanların", "uyudu", "uyuduysa", "uyuyanlardan", "uyuyanları", "uyuyanların", "ölürse"]·urd["سو-جائے", "سو-گئے", "سو-گئے،", "سو-گیا", "سو-گیا-ہے", "سوئیں-گے", "سوئے-ہوئوں-سے", "سوئے-ہوئوں-کا", "سوئے-ہوئوں-کو", "سوئے-ہوئوں-کے", "سوئے-ہوئے", "سوئے-ہُوئے"]
Matt 27:52, John 11:11, John 11:12, Acts 7:60, Acts 13:36, 1 Cor 7:39, 1 Cor 15:6, 1 Cor 15:18, 1 Cor 15:20, 1 Cor 15:51, 1 Thess 4:13, 1 Thess 4:14 (+2 more)
2. sleep (literal, physical) — To be in a state of ordinary physical sleep or rest. French 'dormir/endormir' and Spanish 'durmiendo/duermen' apply equally to this literal sense and the euphemistic one, showing how naturally the metaphor arises from the physical reality. The guards at Jesus' tomb claim the disciples stole the body while they slept (Matt 28:13); Peter sleeps between two soldiers in prison (Acts 12:6); the disciples sleep during Jesus' agony in Gethsemane (Luke 22:45). In 1 Corinthians 11:30, Paul may be using the word with deliberate ambiguity, straddling physical illness and death. 4×
AR["نائِمينَ", "نَائِمًا", "ونَحنُ-نِيامٌ", "يَرقُدونَ"]·ben["ঘুমন্ত", "ঘুমাচ্ছিলেন", "ঘুমানো-অবস্থায়", "ঘুমিয়ে-পড়েছে"]·DE["schlafen", "schläft-ein"]·EN["sleep", "sleeping"]·FR["dormir", "endormir"]·heb["יְשֵׁנִים", "יָשֵׁן"]·HI["सोते-हुए", "सोते-हैं", "सोया-हुआ"]·ID["sedang-tidur", "tertidur", "tidur"]·IT["addormentare", "addormentarsi"]·jav["sami-sare", "sami-saé", "sare", "tilem."]·KO["자고-있는", "자고-있는-동안", "자고-있었다", "잠들었느니라"]·PT["dormem"]·RU["засыпают", "спящий", "спящих"]·ES["duermen", "durmiendo"]·SW["amelala", "tulipolala", "wamelala", "wanalala"]·TR["uyurken", "uyuyan", "uyuyorlar"]·urd["سوتا-ہوا", "سوتے-ہوئے", "سوتے-ہیں"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
κοιμ-άω, future -ήσω, Doric dialect -άσω [ᾱ]: aorist ἐκοίμησα, Epic dialect κοίμησα Refs 8th c.BC+:—middle, future -ήσομαι Refs 1st c.BC+aorist κοιμήσατο, -αντο, Refs 8th c.BC+:—passive, future -ηθήσομαι Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἐκοιμήθην Refs 8th c.BC+: perfect κεκοίμημαι Refs 4th c.BC+:—lull, put to sleep, κοίμησον.. Ζηνὸς ὑπ᾽ ὀφρύσιν ὄσσε φαεινώ Refs 8th c.BC+; put to bed, τὸν δ᾽ αὐτοῦ κοίμησε…