Lexical Summary koimaó from NG2749: To sleep, to fall asleep, to die Original Word: κοιμάω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sleep, fall asleep, dieFrom keimai; to put to sleep, i.e. (passively or reflexively) to slumber; figuratively, to decease -- (be a-, fall a-, fall on) sleep, be dead. see GREEK keimai NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originto put to sleep, fall asleep NASB Translation asleep (3), dead (1), fallen asleep (7), fell asleep (3), sleep (2), sleeping (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2837: κοιμάωκοιμάω, κοίμω: passive, present κοιμάομαι. κοιμωμαι; perfect κεκοίμημαι (cf. Winer's Grammar, 274 (257)); 1 aorist ἐκοιμήθην; 1 future κοιμηθήσομαι; (akin to κεῖμαι; Curtius, § 45); to cause to sleep, put to sleep (Homer, et al.); metaphorically, to still, calm, quiet, (Homer, Aeschylus, Plato); passive to sleep, fall asleep: properly, Matthew 28:13; Luke 22:45; John 11:12; Acts 12:6; the Sept. for שָׁכַב. metaphorically, and euphemistically equivalent to to die (cf. English to fall asleep): John 11:11; Acts 7:60; Acts 13:36; 1 Corinthians 7:39; 1 Corinthians 11:30; 1 Corinthians 15:6, 51 (cf. Winers Grammar, 555 (517); Buttmann, 121 (106) note); 2 Peter 3:4; οἱ κοιμώμενοι, κεκοιμημένοι, κοιμηθέντες, equivalent to the dead: Matthew 27:52; 1 Corinthians 15:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15; with ἐν Χριστῷ added (see ἐν, I. 6 b., p. 211b), 1 Corinthians 15:18; in the same sense Isaiah 14:8; Isaiah 43:17; 1 Kings 11:43; 2 Macc. 12:45; Homer, Iliad 11, 241; Sophocles Electr. 509. Topical Lexicon Overview of the Term Strong’s Greek 2837 (κοιμάω / κοιμάομαι) is consistently rendered “to sleep” in the sense of natural rest, yet in every New Testament occurrence it is used of people who are actually or apparently dead. The verb thus becomes a gentle, faith-filled euphemism that frames physical death as temporary, anticipating awakening at the resurrection. It appears eighteen times across ten New Testament books, uniting Gospel narrative, Acts history, Pauline instruction, and Petrine eschatology with a common vocabulary of hope. Sleep as a Metaphor for Death Scripture presents the believer’s death as “sleep” to underscore two truths: the absence of conscious suffering in the body and the certainty of future awakening. “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). The metaphor never implies soul-sleep or annihilation; rather, it stresses the transient nature of bodily death for those united to Christ. Continuity with Old Testament Usage The Septuagint employs κοιμάομαι to translate Hebrew שָׁכַב (shakav) in formulae like “David slept with his fathers” (for example, 1 Kings 2:10), preparing Jewish readers to hear the same concept in the apostolic proclamation. Luke echoes that heritage in Stephen’s speech: “After he had served his own generation by the will of God, David fell asleep and was laid with his fathers” (Acts 13:36). In the Ministry of Jesus Jesus Himself adopts the terminology to signal His authority over death. Concerning Lazarus He announces, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up” (John 11:11). The disciples misunderstand, thinking of natural sleep (John 11:12), allowing Jesus to clarify that He speaks of death and of His power to reverse it. At the cross, Matthew records, “The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised” (Matthew 27:52), previewing the wider resurrection harvest. In the Early Church Narrative Luke’s history shows the term marking both martyrdom and miraculous deliverance. Stephen “fell asleep” beneath the stones of persecution (Acts 7:60), whereas Peter, “sleeping between two soldiers” the night before probable execution (Acts 12:6), is awakened by an angelic rescue. The juxtaposition displays divine sovereignty: some servants are taken home, others are spared, but all rest secure. Pauline Theology of ‘Those Who Sleep’ Paul uses the verb ten times, shaping Christian eschatology. In each case the metaphor situates death inside the larger redemptive narrative of resurrection. Petrine Perspective Peter anticipates scoffers who will say, “Where is the promise of His coming? Ever since the fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4). The mocking phrase unwittingly affirms the biblical metaphor while denying its eschatological payoff, prompting Peter’s reminder that the Lord’s timetable cannot be judged by human patience. Eschatological Consolation and Warning By calling the dead “those who sleep,” Scripture balances sober realism with triumphant assurance. Grief is permitted—“so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13)—yet grief is transformed by the certainty of bodily resurrection and reunion. Conversely, 1 Corinthians 15:18 underscores the stakes: “Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished” if Christ is not raised. The metaphor is no empty comfort; it stands or falls with the historical resurrection of Jesus. Pastoral Application 1. Funeral liturgy: Believers are commended to God as “asleep in Jesus,” rooting sorrow in hope. Historical and Liturgical Usage Early Christians called burial places κοιμητήρια (koimētēria), “sleeping rooms,” the source of the English word cemetery. Inscriptions frequently read κοιμᾶται (“he sleeps”), testifying to the term’s embeddedness in Christian consciousness from the catacombs onward. Doctrinal Synthesis Strong’s 2837 threads together creation order, redemptive history, and future glory. It affirms the goodness of embodied life, acknowledges the curse of physical death, and proclaims Christ’s victory that renders death a mere sleep until the resurrection dawn. Forms and Transliterations εκοιμηθη εκοιμηθή εκοιμήθη ἐκοιμήθη εκοιμήθημεν εκοιμήθην εκοιμήθης εκοιμηθησαν εκοιμήθησαν ἐκοιμήθησαν εκοιμώντο κεκοιμημενων κεκοιμημένων κεκοίμησαι κεκοιμηται κεκοίμηται κεκοίμηταί κοιμά κοιμάσθαι κοιμάται κοιμηθείς κοιμηθέντα κοιμηθεντας κοιμηθέντας κοιμηθεντες κοιμηθέντες κοιμηθη κοιμηθή κοιμηθῇ κοιμηθήναι κοιμηθήσεσθε κοιμηθήσεται κοιμηθήση κοιμηθήσομαι κοιμηθησομεθα κοιμηθησόμεθα κοιμηθήσονται κοιμηθήτε κοιμήθητι κοιμηθήτω κοιμηθώ κοιμηθώμεν κοιμηθώσιν κοιμώμενον κοιμωμενος κοιμώμενος κοιμωμενους κοιμωμένους κοιμωμενων κοιμωμένων κοιμωνται κοιμώνται κοιμῶνται ekoimethe ekoimēthē ekoimḗthe ekoimḗthē ekoimethesan ekoimēthēsan ekoimḗthesan ekoimḗthēsan kekoimemenon kekoimeménon kekoimēmenōn kekoimēménōn kekoimetai kekoimētai kekoímetai kekoímētai koimethe koimēthē koimethêi koimēthē̂i koimethentas koimethéntas koimēthentas koimēthéntas koimethentes koimethéntes koimēthentes koimēthéntes koimethesometha koimethesómetha koimēthēsometha koimēthēsómetha koimomenon koimoménon koimōmenōn koimōménōn koimomenos koimōmenos koimṓmenos koimomenous koimoménous koimōmenous koimōménous koimontai koimôntai koimōntai koimō̂ntaiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 27:52 V-RPM/P-GMPGRK: σώματα τῶν κεκοιμημένων ἁγίων ἠγέρθησαν NAS: of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; KJV: of the saints which slept arose, INT: bodies of the fallen asleep saints arose Matthew 28:13 V-PPM/P-GMP Luke 22:45 V-PPM/P-AMP John 11:11 V-RIM/P-3S John 11:12 V-RIM/P-3S Acts 7:60 V-AIP-3S Acts 12:6 V-PPM/P-NMS Acts 13:36 V-AIP-3S 1 Corinthians 7:39 V-ASP-3S 1 Corinthians 11:30 V-PIM/P-3P 1 Corinthians 15:6 V-AIP-3P 1 Corinthians 15:18 V-APP-NMP 1 Corinthians 15:20 V-RPM/P-GMP 1 Corinthians 15:51 V-FIP-1P 1 Thessalonians 4:13 V-PPM/P-GMP 1 Thessalonians 4:14 V-APP-AMP 1 Thessalonians 4:15 V-APP-AMP 2 Peter 3:4 V-AIP-3P Strong's Greek 2837 |
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