Word Study for G5015 (ταράσσω)

tarássō /tar-as'-so/ Ask about this word

Rootof uncertain affinity

Meaningto stir or agitate (roil water)

KJV usagetrouble.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tarássō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word tarássō, represented by G5015, means to stir or agitate. It is used in scripture to convey the idea of being troubled. It appears 20 times across 17 unique verses, describing a range of disturbances from the literal roiling of water to the deep agitation of a person's heart, soul, or spirit.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G5015 is used to describe several types of agitation. It can refer to a physical stirring, as when an angel troubled the water at the pool of Bethesda John 5:4. More frequently, it denotes an internal emotional or spiritual turmoil. The disciples were troubled when they saw Jesus walking on the sea, thinking he was a spirit Matthew 14:26. Similarly, King Herod was troubled upon hearing news from the Magi Matthew 2:3. The word is also used to describe the disruptive influence of false teachers, who trouble believers with erroneous doctrines that would pervert the gospel (Galatians 1:7, Acts 15:24).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help define the context of being troubled:

G5401 phóbos (alarm or fright): This is often a direct consequence of being troubled. When Zacharias saw the angel, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him Luke 1:12. Believers are encouraged not to be afraid of their terror, nor be troubled 1 Peter 3:14.
G1168 deiliáō (to be timid): This word is used alongside tarássō as a state to be avoided. Jesus commands his followers, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" John 14:27.
G3344 metastréphō (to pervert, turn): This action is linked to those who cause trouble. In Galatians, those who trouble the church are also trying to pervert the gospel of Christ Galatians 1:7.
G1261 dialogismós (reasoning, thought): Inner turmoil is often accompanied by anxious thoughts. Jesus asked the disciples, "Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?" Luke 24:38.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G5015 is significant, particularly in its contrast with divinely given peace.

The Command Against Inner Turmoil: Jesus repeatedly commands His followers, "Let not your heart be troubled" (John 14:1, John 14:27). This is presented not as a suggestion but as an imperative linked directly to belief in Him and His Father, and as a result of receiving the peace He gives.
The Agitation of False Doctrine: The term is used to describe the spiritual chaos caused by teachings that deviate from the gospel. Those who trouble the church are said to subvert souls Acts 15:24 and will face judgment Galatians 5:10.
The Humanity of Christ: Jesus himself experiences this state. He was troubled in spirit just before announcing his betrayal John 13:21, and his soul was troubled as he contemplated his coming suffering John 12:27. This demonstrates his profound empathy and shared human experience.

Summary

In summary, G5015 is a powerful word that captures a state of agitation, whether of water, a community, or the human soul. It describes the natural human reaction to fear, grief, and the unknown, as seen in the disciples, Herod, and even Christ himself. Ultimately, its use in scripture highlights a fundamental choice for the believer: to live in a state of being troubled by the world or to accept the unshakable peace that comes through faith in Christ.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 17 occurrences, inflected in 12 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 3×
Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Plural 2×
Aorist Passive Indicative 3rd Plural 2×
Present Passive Imperative 3rd Singular 2×
Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Aorist Passive Subjunctive 2nd Plural 1×
Aorist Passive Subjunctive 3rd Singular 1×
Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Perfect Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Perfect Passive Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Perfect: A completed act whose results continue.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 17 verses across 7 of the 27 books. Most frequent in John (7 verses); never once in the other 20.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

Galatians

1 Peter

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.