Word Study for G5111 (τολμάω)

tolmáō /tol-mah'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom (boldness; probably itself from the base of τέλος through the idea of extreme conduct)

Meaningto venture (objectively or in act; while θαῤῥέω is rather subjective or in feeling); by implication, to be courageous

KJV usagebe bold, boldly, dare, durst.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tolmáō — 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 tolmáō, represented by G5111, describes the act of venturing or being courageous. It appears 18 times in 15 unique verses. The word denotes an objective action of daring to do something, as opposed to a subjective feeling of courage. It is used to describe both righteous boldness and improper presumption, often in situations involving risk or a challenge to authority.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, G5111 often signifies a hesitation to act in the presence of overwhelming authority or holiness. After Jesus' resurrection, none of the disciples durst ask who he was, knowing it was the Lord John 21:12. Similarly, after Jesus wisely answered his questioners, no one durst ask him any more questions (Matthew 22:46, Mark 12:34). Conversely, the term can describe a commendable act of courage. Joseph of Arimathaea boldly went to Pilate to request the body of Jesus Mark 15:43. Paul also uses the term to describe the brethren who, inspired by his imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear Philippians 1:14.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of daring and boldness:

G2292 tharrhéō (to exercise courage): This word describes a subjective feeling of confidence, whereas G5111 is more about the objective act of daring. Paul uses both when he says he has the confidence G4006 with which he thinks to be bold G5111 against his critics 2 Corinthians 10:2.
G1905 eperōtáō (to ask for, i.e. inquire, seek): This word for asking questions is frequently used in contexts where people durst not G5111 approach Jesus because of His profound wisdom and authority Luke 20:40.
G1252 diakrínō (to separate thoroughly, i.e. ... oppose; ... contend): This word highlights a limit to confrontation. In Jude 1:9, Michael the archangel, while contending G1252 with the devil, durst not G5111 bring a railing accusation against him.
G870 aphóbōs (fearlessly): This adverb is directly linked with G5111 to show that bold action is often accompanied by a lack of fear. Believers in Philippi were more bold G5111 to speak the word without fear G870 Philippians 1:14.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G5111 is evident in its application to divine encounters and Christian conduct.

Reverence for Authority: The word frequently appears in the negative to demonstrate proper respect for divine power. Moses durst not behold God at the burning bush Acts 7:32, and even the archangel Michael deferred judgment to the Lord Jude 1:9. This illustrates a holy fear and recognition of God's supreme position.
Courage in Faith: When used positively, G5111 signifies a boldness that stems from faith in God, not from self-reliance. Joseph of Arimathaea acted boldly out of devotion Mark 15:43. Paul's willingness to be bold is rooted in his apostolic ministry for Christ 2 Corinthians 11:21.
Humility in Service: The apostle Paul is careful about what he will dare to do. He will not dare to compare himself with those who measure by worldly standards 2 Corinthians 10:12 and will only dare to speak of what Christ has accomplished through him Romans 15:18, showing that true spiritual boldness is tempered with humility.

Summary

In summary, G5111 is more than just a word for daring. It defines a critical line between righteous courage and foolish presumption. It shows that true boldness is an action rooted in faith and reverence for God's authority, while appropriate hesitation can be a sign of wisdom and humility. The use of tolmáō in scripture provides a powerful illustration of when to act with fearless conviction and when to stand in reverent awe.

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 16 occurrences, inflected in 11 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Singular 4×
Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Singular 2×
Present Active Indicative 3rd Singular 2×
Aorist Active Infinitive 1×
Aorist Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine 1×
Future Active Indicative 1st Singular 1×
Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Present Active Indicative 1st Plural 1×
Present Active Indicative 1st Singular 1×
Present Active Infinitive 1×
Present Active Subjunctive 3rd Singular 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
1st: First person — the speaker ("I"/"we").
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".
Future: Action yet to take place.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".
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 15 verses across 10 of the 27 books. Most frequent in 2 Corinthians (3 verses); never once in the other 17.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Philippians

Jude

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.