In Scripture, what is…
kissing

also known as: kiss

A grateful refugee camp resident in Kabul, Afghanistan, kisses U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Dr. Yevsey Goldberg, who helped bring the refugees a huge supply of rice and other needed supplies.

Various types of kisses are mentioned in the Bible

• …of affection (Genesis 27:26-27; 29:13; Luke 7:38, 45)

• …of reconciliation (Genesis 33:4; 2 Samuel 14:33)

• …of leave-taking (Genesis 31:28, 55; Ruth 1:14; 2 Samuel 19:39)

• …of homage (Psalm 2:12; 1 Samuel 10:1)

• A fond kiss between parents and children (Genesis 27:26; 31:28, 55; 48:10; 50:1; Exodus 18:7; Ruth 1:9, 14)

• A fond kiss between male relatives (Genesis 29:13; 33:4; 45:15)

• Kisses accompanied social worship as a symbol of brotherly love (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:26; 1 Peter 5:14).

• The heathen often worshipped false gods by kissing the image or the hand toward the image ).

  …I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. —1 Kings 19:18 ESV

  And now they sin more and more,
  and make for themselves metal images,
  idols skillfully made of their silver,
  all of them the work of craftsmen.
  It is said of them,
  

  “Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!” —Hosea 13:2 ESV

Old Testament word

Hebrew: נָשַׁק —transliteration: nashaq —Meaning: to kiss (literally or figuratively)

New Testament words

Greek words translated as “kiss”…

• Greek: φιλήματι —transliteration: philéma, philema, or philēmati

  Meaning: “a kiss to show respect or affection between friends, i.e., people sharing a deep (common) bond.”

  Paul to the Believers in Corinth…

  Greet one another with a holy kiss. —2 Corinthians 13:12

  Christ to the Pharisees who invited Him to eat with them…

  I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she [a repentant sinner] has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. —Luke 7:44-45 ESV

• Greek: καταφιλοῦσά —transliteration: kataphilousa or kataphileo

  Meaning: to kiss affectionately; to kiss earnestly or repeatedly

  “You gave Me no kiss [philēma]; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss [kataphilousa] My feet.” —Luke 7:45)

• Greek: φιλέω —transliteration: phileó or phileo (fil-eh'-o)

  Meaning: kiss, love

  This is a verb meaning to love, “to be a friend to (fond of [an individual or an object]), i.e. have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling; while agapao is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety: the two thus stand related very much as thelo and boulomahee, or as thumos and nous respectively; the former being chiefly of the heart and the latter of the head); specially to kiss (as a mark of tenderness).” —Strong's Dictionary

  Now he who was betraying Him had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss [phileó], He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away under guard.” —Mark 14:44 NASB

More information

• What is LOVE? Answer
• What is IDOLATRY? Answer