To sleep
κοιμάωStrong’s G2837koimaō
Appears in 18 verses of the New Testament
In short
Koimaō is the Greek word usually translated “having fallen asleep”, “sleeping” and “fell asleep”. It appears in 18 verses of the New Testament.
“And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”
Meaning
Usually translated “having fallen asleep”, “sleeping” and “fell asleep”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.
How it's translated
- having fallen asleep 5
- sleeping 2
- he fell asleep 2
- being asleep 1
- has fallen asleep 1
- he has fallen asleep 1
- shall have died 1
- are fallen asleep 1
Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.
Where it's used most
- 1 Corinthians 6
- Acts 3
- 1 Thessalonians 3
- Matthew 2
- John 2
- Luke 1
7 books in all.
Explore in Scripture
- Matthew 27:52And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
- Matthew 28:13Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
- Luke 22:45And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,
- John 11:11These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
- John 11:12Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
- Acts 7:60And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Greek dictionary
κοιμάω koimaō · to sleep
κοιμάω, -ῶ [in LXX chiefly for שָׁכַב ;] to lull to sleep, put to sleep. Mid and pass., to fall asleep (M, Pr., 162; M, Th., 1, 4, 13): Mat.28:13, Luk.22:45, Jhn.11:12, Act.12:6. Metaph, of death: Mat.27:52, Jhn.11:11 Act.7:60 13:36, 1Co.7:39 11:30 15:6 15:18 15:20 15:51, 1Th.4:13-15, 2Pe.3:4 (cf. Isa.14:8 43:17, 2Ma.12:45).† SYN.: καθεύδω (AS)
From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).
Webster's 1828 Dictionary
How the English word “sleep” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.
SLEEP, verb intransitive
preterit tense and participle passive slept.
- To take rest by a suspension of the voluntary exercise of the powers of the body and mind.
- To rest; to be unemployed; to be inactive or motionless; as, the sword sleeps in its sheath.
- To rest; to lie or be still; not to be noticed or agitated.
- To live thoughtlessly.
All definitions and other forms of “sleep”
- To be dead; to rest in the grave for a time.
- To be careless, inattentive or unconcerned; not be vigilant.
SLEEP, noun
That state of an animal in which the voluntary exertion of his mental and corporeal powers is suspended, and he rests unconscious of what passes around him, and not affected by the ordinary impressions of external objects. sleep is generally attended with a relaxation of the muscles, but the involuntary motions, as respiration and the circulation of the blood, are continued. The mind is often very active in sleep; but its powers not being under the control of reason, its exercises are very irregular. sleep is the natural rest or repose intended by the Creator to restore the powers of the body and mind, when exhausted or fatigued.
Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.
Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.