Luke 4:18

Πνεῦμα Κυρίου ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ, οὗ εἵνεκεν ἔχρισέ με εὐαγγελίσασθαι πτωχοῖς· ἀπέσταλκέ με ἰάσασθαι τοὺς συντετριμμένους τὴν καρδίαν· κηρύξαι αἰχμαλώτοις ἄφεσιν, καὶ τυφλοῖς ἀνάβλεψιν, ἀποστεῖλαι τεθραυσμένους ἐν ἀφέσει,

RBT Greek Interlinear:

Strongs 4151; Pneuma; Πνεῦμα; Spirit; N-NNS

Strongs 2962; Kyriou; Κυρίου; Master; N-GMS

Strongs 1909; ep’; ἐπ’; upon; Prep

Strongs 1473; eme; ἐμέ; me; PPro-A1S

Strongs 3739; Hou; Οὗ; By whose/whosoever; RelPro-GNS

Strongs 1752; heineken; εἵνεκεν; on account of; Prep

Strongs 5548; echrisen; ἔχρισέν; has anointed; V-AIA-3S

Strongs 1473; me; με; myself; PPro-A1S

Strongs 2097; Euangelisasthai; Εὐαγγελίσασθαι; to gospelize; V-ANM

Strongs 4434; ptōchois; πτωχοῖς; cowering; Adj-DMP

Strongs 649; Apestalken; Ἀπέσταλκέν; He has sent; V-RIA-3S

Strongs 1473; me; με; myself; PPro-A1S

Strongs 2390; iasasthai; ⧼ἰάσασθαι; to heal; V-ANM-3S

Strongs 3588; tous; τοὺς; the; Art-AMP

Strongs 4937; syntetrimmenous; συντετριμμένους; those who have been broken; V-RPP-AMP

Strongs 3588; tēn; τὴν; the; Art-AFS

Strongs 2588; kardian; καρδίαν⧽; in heart; N-AFS

Strongs 2784; kēryxai; κηρῦξαι; to proclaim; V-ANA

Strongs 164; aichmalōtois; αἰχμαλώτοις; to captives; N-DMP

Strongs 859; aphesin; ἄφεσιν; letting go; N-AFS

Strongs 2532; Kai; Καὶ; And; Conj

Strongs 5185; typhlois; τυφλοῖς; to blind; Adj-DMP

Strongs 309; anablepsin; ἀνάβλεψιν; recovery of sight; N-AFS

Strongs 649; Aposteilai; Ἀποστεῖλαι; to send forth; V-ANA

Strongs 2352; tethrausmenous; τεθραυσμένους; those who have been oppressed; V-RPM/P-AMP

Strongs 1722; en; ἐν; within; Prep

Strongs 859; aphesei; ἀφέσει; letting go; N-DFS

RBT Hebrew Literal:

συντετριμμένους - Smashed to smithereens, Pulverized, Reduced to dust

A spirit of a master upon myself, for the sake of whomever he anointed myself to gospelize to cowering ones! He has sent away myself to heal the ones who have been ground down to nothing²⁰ in the Heart, to proclaim to captives of war a release, and to the smoke-blind a looking up, to send away those who have been broken in pieces within a release,

συντετριμμένους

Rubbed/Ground Down
Blown to pieces
Demolished
Crash
Shivered to Atoms
Psychological collapse
Emotional ruin

(cf. Footnote - A Crushed Spirit Who Can Bear?)

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for which he anointed me to announce good news to the poor; he has sent me to heal the broken in heart, to proclaim a remission to the captives, and a recovery of sight to the blind, to send away with remission the bruised,

LITV Translation:
" The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me. Because of this He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me" to heal the brokenhearted, "to preach remission to captives and new sight to the blind," to send away the ones having been crushed in deliverance,

ESV Translation:
Error retrieving verse.

Footnotes

20

A Crushed Spirit Who Can Bear?

συντρίβω, to rub together, shivering to atoms is an expressive way to describe συντρίβω in its most extreme sense—utter destruction into tiny, irreparable fragments.

This phrase captures:

1. Total disintegration → not just breaking, but reducing to minuscule parts, akin to shattering glass or exploding into splinters.
2. Sudden, violent action → a forceful rupture, like a pot breaking into shards (τὴν χύτραν συντρίψασα, Plato Hp. Maior 290e).

Parallels in Greek Thought

• Aristophanes (Pax 71) → συντρίβῆναι τῆς κεφαλῆς (to have one’s head shattered).
• Thucydides (4.11) → συντρίβειν τὰς ναῦς (to stave in ships, breaking them apart).
• Euripides → συντρίβω = contundere (Latin: to pound, pulverize).

Etymological Force

• συν- (together, completely) + τρίβω (rub, wear down, crush)
• The root τρίβω already implies grinding, wearing down, but συν- amplifies it to total destruction.

Modern English Parallels

• Smash to smithereens
• Pulverize
• Reduce to dust

While συντρίβω primarily signifies grinding, smashing, and shattering, it is frequently used metaphorically to express mental, emotional, or existential destruction across different genres of Greek literature.

1. Philosophy & Intellectual Metaphors

In philosophical texts, συντρίβω often describes the shattering of ideas, hopes, or intellectual constructs—not just physical destruction.

• Aristophanes, Vespae 1050 → συντρίβειν τὴν ἐπίνοιαν (to shatter one's design or thought)
  • Here, συντρίβω signifies intellectual failure, as if an idea were physically smashed.
• Demades (12), Demosthenes (10.44) → συντρίβειν τὴν ἐλπίδα (to crush hope).
  • Like καταγνύω, it implies a total loss of expectation.
• Polybius (21.13.2) → συντρίβειν τῇ διανοίᾳ (mentally shattered).
  • Used to describe extreme psychological exhaustion.

Philosophical Connection:

• Plato (Republic 611d) uses συντετριμμένος to describe the crushed parts of the soul, showing a metaphysical use of the word.
• The idea of συντρίβω as the collapse of one’s mental structure aligns with Stoic and Platonic thought on the fragility of human perception.

2. Tragedy & Emotional Ruin

Greek tragedy often applies συντρίβω to overwhelming grief, loss, or defeat.

• Euripides, Cyclops 705 → ἐπειὸς σε συντρίψω (for I will crush you).
  • Here, συντρίβω implies utter physical domination, but the Cyclops' defeat also symbolizes humiliation and psychological collapse.
• Plutarch (Moral. 165b) → δέος συντρίβει τὸν ἄνθρωπον (fear crushes a man).
  • Fear is likened to a grinding force that destroys the will.
• Menander (Epitrepontes 561) → ὁ τρόπος συντρίβει σε (your character crushes you).
  • Here, one’s own personality is the destructive force.

Tragic Connection:

• Tragedy uses συντρίβω to express total defeat—physical, emotional, or existential.
• It conveys irreversibility (like a shattered vessel cannot be restored).

 

20

A Crushed Spirit Who Can Bear?

συντρίβω, to rub together, shivering to atoms is an expressive way to describe συντρίβω in its most extreme sense—utter destruction into tiny, irreparable fragments.

This phrase captures:

1. Total disintegration → not just breaking, but reducing to minuscule parts, akin to shattering glass or exploding into splinters.
2. Sudden, violent action → a forceful rupture, like a pot breaking into shards (τὴν χύτραν συντρίψασα, Plato Hp. Maior 290e).

Parallels in Greek Thought

• Aristophanes (Pax 71) → συντρίβῆναι τῆς κεφαλῆς (to have one’s head shattered).
• Thucydides (4.11) → συντρίβειν τὰς ναῦς (to stave in ships, breaking them apart).
• Euripides → συντρίβω = contundere (Latin: to pound, pulverize).

Etymological Force

• συν- (together, completely) + τρίβω (rub, wear down, crush)
• The root τρίβω already implies grinding, wearing down, but συν- amplifies it to total destruction.

Modern English Parallels

• Smash to smithereens
• Pulverize
• Reduce to dust

While συντρίβω primarily signifies grinding, smashing, and shattering, it is frequently used metaphorically to express mental, emotional, or existential destruction across different genres of Greek literature.

1. Philosophy & Intellectual Metaphors

In philosophical texts, συντρίβω often describes the shattering of ideas, hopes, or intellectual constructs—not just physical destruction.

• Aristophanes, Vespae 1050 → συντρίβειν τὴν ἐπίνοιαν (to shatter one's design or thought)
  • Here, συντρίβω signifies intellectual failure, as if an idea were physically smashed.
• Demades (12), Demosthenes (10.44) → συντρίβειν τὴν ἐλπίδα (to crush hope).
  • Like καταγνύω, it implies a total loss of expectation.
• Polybius (21.13.2) → συντρίβειν τῇ διανοίᾳ (mentally shattered).
  • Used to describe extreme psychological exhaustion.

Philosophical Connection:

• Plato (Republic 611d) uses συντετριμμένος to describe the crushed parts of the soul, showing a metaphysical use of the word.
• The idea of συντρίβω as the collapse of one’s mental structure aligns with Stoic and Platonic thought on the fragility of human perception.

2. Tragedy & Emotional Ruin

Greek tragedy often applies συντρίβω to overwhelming grief, loss, or defeat.

• Euripides, Cyclops 705 → ἐπειὸς σε συντρίψω (for I will crush you).
  • Here, συντρίβω implies utter physical domination, but the Cyclops' defeat also symbolizes humiliation and psychological collapse.
• Plutarch (Moral. 165b) → δέος συντρίβει τὸν ἄνθρωπον (fear crushes a man).
  • Fear is likened to a grinding force that destroys the will.
• Menander (Epitrepontes 561) → ὁ τρόπος συντρίβει σε (your character crushes you).
  • Here, one’s own personality is the destructive force.

Tragic Connection:

• Tragedy uses συντρίβω to express total defeat—physical, emotional, or existential.
• It conveys irreversibility (like a shattered vessel cannot be restored).