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Greek · G928 · unreviewed

βασανίζω

To torture

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βασανίζω G928
Pronunciation basanízō

What does βασανίζω (basanízō) mean in the Bible?

βασανίζω (basanízō) is a Greek word meaning "to torture". βασανίζω (βάσανος), [in LXX: 1Ki. Points to the coming eschatological judgment of demonic powers.

Full entry for βασανίζω (G928) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to torture
Extended definition

Torture rooted in testing by touchstone; NT emphasizes tormenting distress rather than judicial examination alone

(βάσανος), [in LXX: 1Ki.5:3, Sir.4:17, and frequently in Wi, II, 4Mac ;]

1prop., to rub on the touchstone, put to the test.
2to examine by torture, hence, generally, to torture, torment, distress: Mat.8:6, 29 14:24, Mrk.5:7 6:48, Luk.8:28, 2Pe.2:8, Rev.9:5 11:10 12:2 14:10 20:10.
Source: STEPBible TBESG + Abbott-Smith
Why This Word Matters
Points to the coming eschatological judgment of demonic powers. Matthew 8:28–34
Grammatical Forms

How mood, tense, and voice shift the force of this verb in context.

Tenses
Aorist Future Present Imperfect
Voices
Active Passive
Subjunctive possibility, probability, or purpose 2×
Aorist Active Mark 5:7 · Luke 8:28 2×
Indicative states a fact or reality 5×
Future Passive Rev 9:5 · Rev 20:10 · Rev 14:10 3×
Imperfect Active 2 Pet 2:8 1×
Aorist Active Rev 11:10 1×
Participle verbal adjective — the action as a modifying quality 4×
Present Passive Matt 8:6 · Matt 14:24 · Mark 6:48 · Rev 12:2 4×
Infinitive verbal noun — the action in abstract 1×
Aorist Active Matt 8:29 1×
12 total occurrences across all forms in the biblical text Morphology: MorphGNT SBLGNT — CC BY-SA 3.0
Discourse Aspect

How this verb appears across 12 occurrences in the NT discourse index (MACULA Greek SBLGNT).

Aspect
completed 1 prospective 3 background 1 subjunctive 2 infinitive 1 participle 4
Tense
aorist 4 present 4 future 3 imperfect 1
Voice
passive 7 active 5
Mood
indicative 5 participle 4 subjunctive 2 infinitive 1
NT Occurrences
Matthew 8:29 βασανίσαι aorist active infinitive infinitive Matthew 8:6 βασανιζόμενος present passive participle participle Matthew 14:24 βασανιζόμενον present passive participle participle Mark 5:7 βασανίσῃς aorist active subjunctive subjunctive Mark 6:48 βασανιζομένους present passive participle participle Luke 8:28 βασανίσῃς aorist active subjunctive subjunctive 2 Peter 2:8 ἐβασάνιζεν imperfect active indicative background Revelation 9:5 βασανισθήσονται future passive indicative prospective Revelation 11:10 ἐβασάνισαν aorist active indicative completed Revelation 12:2 βασανιζομένη present passive participle participle Revelation 14:10 βασανισθήσεται future passive indicative prospective Revelation 20:10 βασανισθήσονται future passive indicative prospective

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)

Biblical Occurrences

Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.

New Testament Witnesses
Matthew 8:28–34 βασανίζω basanízō Infinitive · Aorist Active
to torment or inflict judgment
Appears In

Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.

δεινῶς · βασανίζω G1171, G928
terribly tormented, severely distressed
Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

Mark 5 — The Authority of Jesus over Demons, Disease, and Death Mark 6 — Rejected Prophet, Sending Lord, Wilderness Shepherd, and Divine Son on the Sea Matthew 14 — The Death of John, the Compassion of Jesus, and the Son of God over Bread, Sea, and Fear Matthew 8 — The Authority of Jesus over Uncleanness, Sickness, Discipleship, Storms, and Demons

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

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