λούωloúō
to bathe (the whole person; whereas G3538 (νίπτω) means to wet a part only, and G4150 (πλύνω) to wash, cleanse garments exclusively)
Greek (New Testament) · G3068
Meanings
to bathe, wash the body: with accusative of person, Acts 9:37 (of a dead body); id. followed by ἀπό, Acts 16:33; passive participle perfect, John 13:10, Hebrews 10:22; middle, to wash oneself, 2 Peter 2:22; metaphorically, Revelation 1:5, Rec., R, margin (cf. ἀπο-λούω).
Synonyms
νίπτω, used of parts of the body-hands, feet, face; πλύνω, of things, as garments, etc. (see Leviticus 15:11; cf. Tr., Syn., § xlv).
Same root
Where it appears
Appears 5 times in the Bible.
- John 13:10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.”
- Acts 9:37 About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room.
- Acts 16:33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized.
- Hebrews 10:22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
- 2 Peter 2:22 They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”
Source: G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), public domain.