Original Word: φθέγγομαι
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: phtheggomai
Pronunciation: ftheng'-gom-ahee
Phonetic Spelling: (ftheng'-gom-ahee)
KJV: speak
NASB: speaking, speak
Word Origin: [probably akin to G5338 (φέγγος - light) and thus to G5346 (φημί - said)]

1. to utter a clear sound
2. (generally) to proclaim

speak.

Probably akin to pheggos and thus to phemi; to utter a clear sound, i.e. (generally) to proclaim -- speak.

see GREEK phemi

see GREEK pheggos

5350 phthéggomai – properly, to make a generic or unintelligible sound (resembling the whinny of a horse, LS); (figuratively) to speak in a way that is not understandable to the listener ("unintelligible").

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
to utter
NASB Translation
speak (1), speaking (2).

STRONGS NT 5350: φθέγγομαι

φθέγγομαι; 1 aorist participle φθεγξάμενος; (φέγγος (but cf. Vanicek, p. 1176), ΦΑΩ); deponent middle; from Homer down;

1. to give out a sound, noise, or cry; used by the Greeks of any sort of sound or voice, whether of man or animal or inanimate object — as of thunder, musical instruments, etc.; (φθέγγεσθαι denotes sound in its relation to the hearer rather than to its cause; the μέγα λαλῶν is a braggart, the μέγα φθεγγόμενος. is a lofty orator; Schmidt, Syn., chapter 1 § 53).

2. to proclaim; to speak, utter: Acts 4:18; ὑπέρογκα, 2 Peter 2:18 (ἄδικα, Wis. 1:8); ὑποζύγιον, ἄφωνον ἐν ἀνθρωπίνῃ φωνή φθεγξάμενον, 2 Peter 2:16. (Compare: ἀποφθέγγομαι.)

Overview

The verb behind Strong’s Greek Number 5350 appears only three times in the New Testament, each time highlighting a significant contrast between true and false proclamation. Whether employed of Spirit-empowered witnesses, a miraculously vocal animal, or deceptive teachers, the word consistently centers on the audible expression of a message and the authority that stands behind it.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Acts 4:18 – After healing the lame beggar, Peter and John are commanded by the Sanhedrin “not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus”. Here the governing authorities attempt to silence the gospel witness just as it is beginning to spread.
2. 2 Peter 2:16 – Peter recalls the Old Testament account of Balaam, whose “own donkey restrained the prophet’s madness by speaking with a man’s voice”. A dumb animal is empowered to articulate truth when the prophet himself has become morally mute.
3. 2 Peter 2:18 – False teachers “speak bombastic words of vanity” in order to entice the unstable. Their eloquence masks spiritual emptiness and moral corruption.

Contrast Between Divine and Human Authority

Acts shows religious rulers forbidding the apostles’ speech, but subsequent verses reveal that the apostles regard the command of God as higher than any human mandate (Acts 4:19-20). The voice that must be heard is ultimately God’s. Conversely, in 2 Peter the false teachers possess no divine commission, and even Balaam must be rebuked by an animal to expose his waywardness. The term therefore underscores the decisive issue of authority: Who authorizes the utterance?

Prophetic Reversal and Irony

Peter’s appeal to Balaam demonstrates the Lord’s prerogative to reverse expectations. An unreasoning beast becomes the vessel of truth, while a professional prophet is censured. Likewise, humble fishermen stand before Israel’s elite, embodying God’s living word, whereas learned leaders deny the Messiah. This literary irony intensifies the warning against trusting mere credentials or rhetorical flair.

Sound Versus Substance

2 Peter 2:18 pairs the verb with “arrogant words of vanity,” indicating that eloquence divorced from truth serves only to ensnare. The apostle supplies a standard for discernment: message content must accord with apostolic doctrine and holy living. Empty verbiage, however impressive, leads to bondage (2 Peter 2:19).

Historical Context

• Acts 4 unfolds within weeks of Pentecost. Jewish leadership fears losing control over the populace as thousands respond to the apostles’ preaching. The attempt to muzzle them marks the first formal persecution of the church.
• Peter’s second epistle, probably written in the mid-sixties A.D., confronts an infiltration of antinomian teachers. By invoking Balaam, Peter situates contemporary error in a long history of mercenary prophecy.

Ministry and Discipleship Implications

• Courageous Proclamation: Believers today must resist pressures—legal, cultural, or social—that seek to silence the gospel, following the apostolic example of Acts 4:20.
• Discernment in Hearing: Congregations are exhorted to evaluate teaching not by oratory but by fidelity to Scripture and the fruit of righteousness (Matthew 7:16).
• Humble Instrumentality: God can employ unexpected voices to advance His purposes. Servants of Christ therefore speak with humility, recognizing that the power lies in the message, not the messenger.
• Warning to Teachers: The fate of Balaam and the condemnation of false instructors serve as sober reminders that those who speak in the name of the Lord will be judged more strictly (James 3:1).

Connections to Old Testament Prophetic Speech

The Greek verb resonates with Hebrew concepts of the prophet as one who utters (נָבָא) the word of the Lord. Whether through Moses, a donkey, or the risen Christ’s apostles, God ensures that His truth is vocalized. Silence is never neutral: either it submits to human threats or it yields to divine commission.

Summary

Strong’s 5350 supplies a thread that ties together themes of authority, authenticity, and accountability in speech. Its scattered appearances paint a unified picture: God’s message must be voiced, His servants must be willing, and listeners must be discerning, for eternity hangs on what is spoken and on whose behalf it is uttered.

εφθέγξατο φθεγγεσθαι φθέγγεσθαι φθέγγεσθε φθέγγεται φθεγγόμεναι φθεγγομενοι φθεγγόμενοι φθέγξαιτο φθεγξαμενον φθεγξάμενον φθεγξάμενος φθέγξασθε φθεγξάσθωσαν φθέγξεται φθέγξομαι φθέγξονται φθειριεί φθειρίζει phthengesthai phthéngesthai phthengomenoi phthengómenoi phthenxamenon phthenxámenonInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts