Be perplexed
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Ἀπορέω (aporéō) means to be perplexed, uncertain, or at a loss about what to think or do. In John 13:22 the disciples look at one another in perplexity after Jesus announces that one of them will betray Him.
Reader summary
Full entry for ἀπορέω (G639) · Open the biblical lexicon
Ἀπορέω (aporéō) means to be perplexed, uncertain, or at a loss about what to think or do. In John 13:22 the disciples look at one another in perplexity after Jesus announces that one of them will betray Him.
The BSB source-word alignment has 6 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include perplexed (2), he was greatly perplexed (1), I am perplexed (1), was at a loss (1), were puzzling (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Mark 6:20. Its strongest book concentrations include 2 Corinthians (1), Acts (1), Galatians (1), John (1).
Ἀπορέω (aporéō) means to be perplexed, uncertain, or at a loss about what to think or do. In John 13:22 the disciples look at one another in perplexity after Jesus announces that one of them will betray Him. Their uncertainty is understandable: the betrayer is not obvious to them, and Jesus' knowledge exceeds theirs.
The women at the empty tomb are perplexed until heavenly messengers interpret what they see (Luke 24:4). Paul can be perplexed about the Galatians and desire a different tone with them (Gal. 4:20). Yet he also says that the apostles are perplexed but not driven to despair (2 Cor. 4:8). Acts 25:20 uses the word for an official uncertain how to investigate Paul's disputed case.
The word gives faithful language for limited understanding without making confusion a virtue. Disciples can be perplexed and still remain with Jesus. Ministers can admit uncertainty while seeking truth. Christian hope does not require pretending to know everything; it refuses despair because God's character, Christ's resurrection, and His promises remain firm. Pastoral care should make room for questions, grief, and delayed understanding while guiding people toward Scripture, prayer, wise counsel, and patient obedience.
The verb names uncertainty among disciples, witnesses at the empty tomb, apostles under pressure, and leaders facing difficult decisions.
While they were puzzling over this, suddenly two men in radiant apparel stood beside them.
The women's perplexity at the empty tomb is answered by revelation concerning Jesus' resurrection.
The disciples looked at one another, perplexed as to which of them He meant.
The disciples cannot identify the betrayer and must depend on Jesus' knowledge and disclosure.
We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
Apostolic suffering includes real uncertainty without the final collapse of hope.
How I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.
Paul honestly names pastoral uncertainty while continuing to labor for Christ to be formed in the churches.
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. To be at a loss or blocked—lacking a way forward mentally or practically.
Textus Receptus witness, full corpus Greek token appearances from Scrivener 1894 Textus Receptus in the full New Testament corpus.
4 Greek text appearances shown. Linked morphology labels have verse guides.
I am in difficulties, am at my wits end
Read verseI am in difficulties, am at my wits end
Read verseI am in difficulties, am at my wits end
Read verseI am in difficulties, am at my wits end
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 6 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)
ἀπορέω is built from these roots:
Perplexity is not the opposite of faith. In John 13, the disciples do not know whom Jesus means, but they remain at the table and seek an answer from Him. At the tomb, the women need God's messengers to interpret the empty place. Paul admits both circumstantial and pastoral uncertainty, while insisting that he is not abandoned to despair. This helps churches resist performative certainty.
Mature believers may ask real questions, acknowledge incomplete knowledge, and wait for clarity. The anchor is not confidence in one's own interpretation but trust in God's character and revealed word. Pastoral leaders should speak clearly where Scripture is clear, name uncertainty where it remains, and accompany people patiently rather than shaming them for honest perplexity.
John.13.22
The verb expresses being at a loss, not necessarily unbelief or panic. Context shows whether clarity arrives, action is delayed, or hope continues amid uncertainty.
Wisdom and lament give language for limited understanding before God. The New Testament anchors perplexed disciples in the revealed death and resurrection of Jesus.
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Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
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