To run
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Τρέχω means to run, whether in swift bodily movement or in sustained effort toward a goal. The Gospels use it in scenes charged with urgency: a bystander runs at the cross, the Gerasene man runs toward Jesus, the father runs to welcome his returning son, and disciples run in response to the empty tomb.
Reader summary
Full entry for τρέχω (G5143) · Open the biblical lexicon
Τρέχω means to run, whether in swift bodily movement or in sustained effort toward a goal. The Gospels use it in scenes charged with urgency: a bystander runs at the cross, the Gerasene man runs toward Jesus, the father runs to welcome his returning son, and disciples run in response to the empty tomb.
The BSB source-word alignment has 20 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include [and] ran (2), ran (2), run (2), [and] let us run (1), do not run (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Matthew 27:48. Its strongest book concentrations include 1 Corinthians (4), Galatians (3), John (2), Luke (2).
Τρέχω means to run, whether in swift bodily movement or in sustained effort toward a goal. The Gospels use it in scenes charged with urgency: a bystander runs at the cross, the Gerasene man runs toward Jesus, the father runs to welcome his returning son, and disciples run in response to the empty tomb. Paul can then draw on the familiar exertion of running to speak about human striving, apostolic labor, and persevering obedience.
The verb does not make speed or effort virtuous by itself. A person may run from fear, toward mercy, or in vain. Scripture identifies the destination, motive, and grace that give the running its moral and theological character.
Τρέχω moves from literal haste in narrative scenes to a vivid picture of purposeful exertion. Its uses distinguish urgent response, compassionate welcome, human effort, and disciplined perseverance without confusing effort with the source of saving mercy.
One of them quickly ran and brought a sponge. He filled it with sour wine, put it on a reed, and held it up for Jesus to drink.
At the cross, the bystander's quick movement serves a concrete action within Jesus' final suffering; the scene should not be turned into a general lesson about spiritual enthusiasm.
When the man saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees before Him.
The tormented man runs to Jesus and bows before Him, showing urgent approach in a confrontation where Christ's authority, not the man's motion, governs the outcome.
So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
The father runs while the returning son is still far away, embodying compassion that moves first to welcome rather than waiting with cold reserve.
So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,” she said, “and we do not know where they have put Him!”
Mary Magdalene runs with alarming news, and the disciples soon run toward the tomb; their haste belongs to the confusion and discovery surrounding the resurrection.
So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
Romans denies that salvation rests on the one willing or running. Human exertion has a real place, but God's mercy is the decisive ground of His saving purpose.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Greek word. Metaphorically denotes urgent effort toward a spiritual goal, like a racer striving for victory.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpusGreek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
16 of 20 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
I run, exercise myself
Read verseI run, exercise myself
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Read verseI run, exercise myself
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Read verseI run, exercise myself
Read verseI run, exercise myself
Read verseI run, exercise myself
Read verseI run, exercise myself
Read verseI run, exercise myself
Read verseI run, exercise myself
Read verseI run, exercise myself
Read verseI run, exercise myself
Read verseI run, exercise myself
Read verseFull New Testament corpus: 260 chapters, 7,957 verses, 140,628 tokens. Data source: honza/textus-receptus (data only), with authority check against byztxt/greektext-textus-receptus.
How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Verse guides are not available for this word yet, so verse references remain plain evidence markers.
How this verb appears across 18 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).
Aspect reflects grammatical form — not authorial emphasis. Participles and infinitives are verbal adjectives and nouns respectively.
Clause data: MACULA Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0) · SBLGNT (Logos/SBL, CC BY 4.0)
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 20 lexical occurrence verses.
τρέχω is built from this root:
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Running makes inward purpose visible through directed exertion. In Luke 15 the father's running gives bodily form to compassion, while in John 20 urgent running belongs to witnesses who do not yet understand all that has happened. Paul takes the same ordinary experience of exertion and disciplines it theologically. Romans 9:16 refuses to place God's saving mercy under human willing or running.
Elsewhere apostolic running can describe labor that must not prove empty and Christian perseverance that seeks an imperishable prize. Grace therefore does not abolish effort, and effort does not manufacture grace. The church should call believers to responsive, focused obedience while locating every faithful step within God's prior mercy, Christ's finished work, and the Spirit's sustaining power.
Matt.27.48
Τρέχω is the ordinary verb for running and can describe literal rapid movement or figurative exertion. Its complements and surrounding discourse identify the course, purpose, and result. The word itself does not imply that the runner succeeds or that the effort is righteous.
Old Testament messengers run with news, servants run to obey, and the faithful are summoned to walk or run in God's way. The New Testament concentrates the race image around gospel service and endurance, always under the mercy revealed in Christ.