Word Study for G994 (βοάω) | Strong's Concordance

boáō /bo-ah'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootapparently a prolonged form of a primary verb

Meaningto halloo, i.e. shout (for help or in a tumultuous way)

KJV usagecry.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of boáō — 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 boáō, represented by G994, is a verb used to describe a loud, urgent utterance. It is defined as "to halloo, i.e. shout (for help or in a tumultuous way):--cry." Appearing 11 times across 11 unique verses, its usage often marks moments of high emotion, public proclamation, or desperate appeal.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G994 is used in several distinct contexts. It is famously used to describe the prophetic announcement of John the Baptist as "the voice of one crying in the wilderness" (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23). The word also conveys a desperate appeal for help, as when a blind man cried to Jesus for mercy Luke 18:38 or when the elect cry out to God for justice Luke 18:7. It can depict the chaotic shouting of a tumultuous mob (Acts 17:6; Acts 21:34) or the loud utterances of unclean spirits being cast out Acts 8:7. Jesus himself is shown to cry out from the cross in a moment of profound anguish Mark 15:34.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to frame the context and nature of the cry expressed by G994:

G5456 phōnḗ (voice): This word is frequently paired with G994 to specify the source of the cry, as in "the voice of one crying" John 1:23. It refers to a tone or address, and its presence emphasizes that the cry is an intentional, meaningful sound.
G3004 légō (say): This verb, meaning to relate in words or "to 'lay' forth," often follows G994 to deliver the specific content of the cry. For example, a man cried, saying, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me" Luke 18:38, and Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Mark 15:34.
G4486 rhḗgnymi (to break): Meaning to "break," "wreck" or "crack," this word is used alongside G994 to describe a sudden, forceful outburst of emotion. In Galatians 4:27, the barren are commanded to "break forth and cry."
G4160 poiéō (to make or do): This word often describes the purpose or result of the cry. The voice crying in the wilderness calls on people to "prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight" Matthew 3:3.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G994 is significant, highlighting key dynamics in the relationship between God, humanity, and spiritual forces.

A Cry of Proclamation: The use of G994 for John the Baptist's ministry establishes it as a term for heralding divine action. The cry is not mere noise but a preparatory announcement for the coming of the Lord Mark 1:3.
A Cry of Faithful Dependence: The word often signifies an appeal made in faith. The elect cry to God because they trust He will avenge them Luke 18:7. The blind man's cry is an expression of his belief in Jesus' power to heal Luke 18:38.
A Cry of Spiritual Confrontation: The cry of unclean spirits signals their reaction to the presence and authority of the holy Acts 8:7. Similarly, the tumultuous crying of a mob represents human opposition to the divine message Acts 17:6.

Summary

In summary, G994 is more than a simple word for shouting. It is a term that captures the urgency and significance of a vocal outburst in moments of great importance. Whether it is the herald of a prophet, a desperate plea for salvation, the anguish of the Savior on the cross, or the chaos of a crowd, to cry out in scripture is to participate in a pivotal and revelatory event.

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 14 occurrences, inflected in 7 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Active Indicative 3rd Singular 4×
Present Active Participle Genitive Singular Masculine 4×
Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 2×
Aorist Active Imperative 2nd Singular 1×
Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Present Active Participle Accusative Plural Neuter 1×
Present Active Participle Genitive Plural Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Genitive: Possession or source — often "of".
Accusative: The direct object of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
Neuter: Neuter 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.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
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 11 verses across 6 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Luke and Acts (3 verses each); never once in the other 21.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

Galatians

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.