Word Study for G5021 (τάσσω) | Strong's Concordance

tássō /tas'-so/ Ask about this word

Meaninga prolonged form of a primary verb (which latter appears only in certain tenses); to arrange in an orderly manner, i.e. assign or dispose (to a certain position or lot)

KJV usageaddict, appoint, determine, ordain, set.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tássō — 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 tássō, represented by G5021, means to arrange in an orderly manner or to assign or dispose to a certain position. It appears 8 times in 8 unique verses. The term conveys a sense of order, appointment, and deliberate placement, with applications ranging from being set under authority to being ordained for a specific purpose.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, G5021 is used to describe both divine decree and human decision. It refers to God's sovereign act of having ordained governing powers Romans 13:1 and also describes those who were ordained to eternal life Acts 13:48. Jesus had appointed a mountain for his disciples to meet him Matthew 28:16. The word is also used to describe a centurion who was a man set under authority Luke 7:8. On a human level, the church determined to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem Acts 15:2, and the household of Stephanas addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints 1 Corinthians 16:15.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which tássō appears:

G5293 hypotássō (to subordinate; reflexively, to obey): This word is used in conjunction with G5021, calling for every soul to be subject to the higher powers that God has ordained Romans 13:1.
G1849 exousía (delegated influence, authority): This term for power or authority is what God ordains in rulers Romans 13:1 and what the centurion recognized as the basis of his position in a military hierarchy Luke 7:8.
G4100 pisteúō (to have faith, believe): This word shows the response to divine appointment, as those who were ordained to eternal life believed the word of the Lord Acts 13:48.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G5021 is significant, highlighting concepts of order and purpose.

Divine Sovereignty: The word underscores God's authority in arranging both earthly and eternal matters. He has ordained the powers that be Romans 13:1 and has also ordained individuals to eternal life Acts 13:48.
Hierarchical Structure: G5021 is used to illustrate a clear understanding of structure and authority. This is seen when Jesus appointed a meeting place Matthew 28:16 and when the centurion described himself as a man set under authority Luke 7:8.
Purposeful Action: The term can describe determined human commitment. In Damascus, Paul was to be told of all things appointed for him to do Acts 22:10. Likewise, the house of Stephanas addicted themselves to ministry, demonstrating a self-assigned devotion 1 Corinthians 16:15.

Summary

In summary, G5021 is a versatile word that signifies deliberate arrangement and assignment. From God ordaining governments to believers dedicating themselves to service, tássō consistently points to the establishment of order. It reveals a world structured by divine appointments, recognized authority, and purposeful human action.

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 9 occurrences, inflected in 8 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Plural 2×
Aorist Middle Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Aorist Middle Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Perfect Active Infinitive 1×
Perfect Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 1×
Perfect Passive Participle Nominative Plural Feminine 1×
Perfect Passive Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×
Present Passive Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Feminine: Feminine grammatical gender.
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
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.
Middle: The subject acts on or for itself.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
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 8 verses across 5 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Acts (4 verses); never once in the other 22.

Matthew

Luke

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

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.