πίπτω

נָפַל nâphal · H5307 · to fall, to sink, to let fall

Hebrew נָפַל is the standard Hebrew verb for falling, in both literal and figurative senses, and Greek πίπτω is its consistent translation equivalent throughout the Septuagint.

נְפַל nᵉphal · H5308 · fall, have occasion

Aramaic cognate of Hebrew נָפַל (nâphal, H5307), denoting the same core action of falling in both literal (physical descent) and figurative (spiritual/political collapse) senses; the Aramaic form appears primarily in Daniel and Ezra where Greek πίπτω serves as its direct translation equivalent.

To happen to, to fall upon13.122

πίπτω can describe a circumstance or judgment coming upon someone. John's letter to Ephesus warns of a consequence that will befall an unrepentant church: “Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent” (Revelation 2:5).

To fall from, to worsen13.59

The same verb can describe a decline from a former favorable state. Paul contrasts Israel's stumbling with the Gentiles' inclusion: “See then the kindness and severity of God: to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; for otherwise you too will be cut off” (Romans 11:22).

To cease, to come to an end, to fall13.97

The verb can also describe something ceasing to be in force. Luke records Jesus affirming the Law's abiding validity: “But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail” (Luke 16:17).

To fall15.118

Most literally, the verb describes an object or person falling to the ground. Luke's account of Eutychus records the result of his fatigue: “And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, Eutychus was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor, and was picked up dead” (Acts 20:9).

To fall, to fall down15.119

The same sense of physical falling appears in Jesus's parable of the sower. Luke records, “The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the sky ate it up” (Luke 8:5).

To prostrate oneself before, to fall down before17.22

The verb can describe deliberately falling to the ground in reverence or supplication. Matthew records the magi's response upon finding the child: “And after they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary; and they fell down and worshiped Him” (Matthew 2:11).

To experience destruction, to be destroyed20.60

The verb can describe a people's destruction, especially by military conquest. Jesus foretells Jerusalem's fate: “and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24).

To die23.105

The verb can denote death, especially sudden death in judgment. Paul warns the Corinthians against the sins of the wilderness generation: “Nor are we to commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day” (1 Corinthians 10:8).

To cause to suffer, to cause pain to24.93

The verb, in a distinct construction, can describe an affliction throwing a person into violent distress. Mark's account of the boy with an unclean spirit describes the effect of the spirit's presence: “When he saw Him, the spirit immediately threw him into convulsions, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth” (Mark 9:20).

To choose by lot, to select by lot30.107

The verb can describe the outcome of casting lots. Luke's account of Matthias's selection records the result: “And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:26).

Scrap, crumb5.5

In a related, more specific use, the verb's participial form names what falls as scraps from a table. Luke's parable of the rich man and Lazarus describes the poor man's condition: “and longing to be fed from the scraps which fell from the rich man's table; not only that, the dogs also were coming and licking his sores” (Luke 16:21).

To be condemned, to suffer condemnation, to be judged guilty56.32

The verb can describe standing condemned before a judgment, pictured as falling. Paul instructs the Corinthians about respecting a fellow believer's conscience: “Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand” (Romans 14:4).

To stop, to cease, to fail68.49

The verb can describe love's enduring quality by denying that it will ever come to an end. Paul writes, “Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with” (1 Corinthians 13:8).

To become inadequate, to fail75.7

The verb can also describe a person failing under temptation or testing. Paul warns the Corinthians, “Therefore let the one who thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Honor or disgrace depends on the person whom one serves87.56

The verb appears in a fixed idiom contrasting standing and falling as a picture of a servant's standing before his own master rather than another's judgment. Paul writes of the same clause quoted above under 56.32: “Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand” (Romans 14:4, where this idiom of standing or falling frames the whole verse's point about accountability belonging to one's own master).

To come to experience, to experience, to encounter, to be beset by90.71

The verb can more broadly describe coming under some circumstance or experience. Hebrews warns believers against imitating a past failure: “Therefore let's make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11).

To collapse20.51

The verb can describe a structure giving way and collapsing. Jesus's parable of the two builders contrasts a house built on rock with one built on sand: “and the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and its collapse was great” (Matthew 7:27).

Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.

Also from the root πίπτω

Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.