πέμπω G3992
To send, dispatch — to commission or direct a person or thing toward a destination or purpose.
One of the New Testament's key 'sending' verbs (alongside apostellō), pempō emphasizes the act of dispatching rather than the authority behind it, though both nuances overlap considerably. Jesus uses it when describing the Father's sending of the Son (John 1:33), and Paul uses it for sending co-workers to churches. The passive forms — 'being sent, having been sent' — highlight the commissioned status of the messenger. Spanish 'envió/enviados' and German 'senden/sendet' preserve this active-passive distinction cleanly.
Senses
1. send, dispatch (active) — Active sending or dispatching: to send a person, message, or thing to a destination for a specific purpose. Covers the overwhelming majority (76 of 79 occurrences), including Jesus' parables of sent servants (Luke 20:11-12), the sending of the Spirit (John 1:33), and requests to send help (Luke 16:24). Spanish 'que envió,' French 'envoyer,' and German 'senden' all render this with standard dispatch vocabulary. 76×
AR["أَرْسَلَ", "مُرسِل", "مُرْسِلُ", "مُرْسِلِ"]·ben["পাঠানো", "পাঠানো-", "পাঠিয়েছেন", "পাঠিয়েছেন-যিনি", "প্রেরণকারীর"]·DE["senden"]·EN["having-sent"]·FR["envoyer"]·heb["הַשׁוֹלֵחַ", "שָׁלַח", "שֹׁלֵחַ", "שׁוֹלֵחַ"]·HI["भेजने-वाले", "भेजने-वाले-को", "भेजने-वाले-में", "भेजनेवाला", "भेजनेवाले", "भेजनेवाले-की", "भेजा"]·ID["mengutus", "yang-mengutus"]·IT["mandare"]·jav["ingkang-ngutus"]·KO["보내신", "보내신-분", "보내신-분-을", "보내신-분-의", "보내신-분에게", "보내신-분을", "보내신-분의", "보내신-분이", "보내신-분이시다"]·PT["que-enviou"]·RU["Пославшего", "Пославшему", "Пославший", "пославшего", "пославшему", "пославший"]·ES["-que-envió", "que-envió"]·SW["aliyemtuma", "aliyenituma"]·TR["gönderen", "gönderene", "göndereni", "gönderenin"]·urd["بھیجنے-والا", "بھیجنے-والے", "بھیجنے-والے-پر", "بھیجنے-والے-کو", "بھیجنے-والے-کی"]
Mark 5:12, Luke 16:24, Luke 20:11, Luke 20:12, John 1:33, John 4:34, John 5:23, John 5:24, John 5:30, John 5:37, John 6:38, John 6:39 (+38 more)
2. be sent, be dispatched (passive) — Passive commissioning: to be sent or dispatched, emphasizing the agent's role as one under authority rather than acting independently. Found in Luke 4:26 (Elijah 'was sent' to the widow of Zarephath), Luke 7:10 (those 'having been sent' return to find the servant healed), and 1 Peter 2:14 (governors 'being sent' by the emperor). Spanish 'fue enviado/enviados' and German 'sendet' mark the passive voice, underscoring the messenger's commissioned status. 3×
AR["أُرسِلَ", "المُرسَلونَ", "المُرسَلينَ"]·ben["পাঠানো", "পাঠানো-হল", "প্রেরিত"]·DE["senden", "sendet"]·EN["being-sent", "having-been-sent", "was-sent"]·FR["envoyer"]·heb["הַנִּשְׁלָחִים", "נִשְׁלַח", "נִשְׁלָחִים"]·HI["भेजा-गया", "भेजे-जाते-हैं", "भेजे-हुओं-ने"]·ID["diutus", "yang-diutus"]·IT["mandare"]·jav["dipun-utus", "kang-dipunkintun,"]·KO["보내졌다", "보내진-사람들이", "보냄을-받은"]·PT["enviados", "enviados,"]·RU["послан-был", "посланные", "посылаемым,"]·ES["enviados", "fue-enviado"]·SW["hakutumwa", "waliotumwa"]·TR["gönderilenler", "gönderilenler,", "gönderilmedi"]·urd["بھیجا-گیا", "بھیجے-گئے،", "غلام"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
πέμπω, Epic dialect infinitive -έμεναι, -έμεν, Refs 8th c.BC+: Ionic dialect imperfect πέμπεσκε Refs 5th c.BC+: future πέμψω Refs 8th c.BC+; Doric dialect πεμψῶ Refs 3rd c.BC+; Epic dialect infinitive πεμψέμεναι Refs 8th c.BC+aorist ἔπεμψα, Epic dialect πέμψα Refs 8th c.BC+: perfect πέπομφα Refs 5th c.BC+: pluperfect ἐπεμπόμφει, Ionic dialect -εε, Refs 5th c.BC+:—middle (not in early Prose,…