"strangled, suffocated; in NT τὸ πνικτόν, the flesh of animals killed by strangulation or suffocation, Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25*"
Definition and meaning
strangled, suffocated; in NT τὸ πνικτόν, the flesh of animals killed by strangulation or suffocation, Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25*
In the original Greek the word is written: πνικτός
Historical context
The Roman Empire provided infrastructure no previous civilization had built — roads, sea routes, a common language in Greek, and relative peace across the Mediterranean. Jewish synagogues existed in every major city, giving Paul a starting point everywhere he traveled. The early church had no buildings, no political power, no social standing — and spread faster than any movement in ancient history.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of pniktos (G4156) across the King James Bible.
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
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Common questions
Strong's G4156 (pniktos) is a Greek word that means: strangled, suffocated; in NT τὸ πνικτόν, the flesh of animals killed by strangulation or suffocation, Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25* It appears 3 times in the King James Bible.
The word pniktos (G4156) appears 3 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G4156 is pniktos, a Greek word defined as: strangled, suffocated; in NT τὸ πνικτόν, the flesh of animals killed by strangulation or suffocation, Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
pniktos is a Greek word found in the New Testament.