ἀνεμίζομαι (anemizomai)
anemizomai
be wind-blown
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb anemizomai describes being driven or agitated by the wind. It appears only once in the New Testament, in James 1:6, where it depicts a person who is unstable and tossed about. The form used here is passive, emphasizing that the individual is subject to external forces rather than controlling their own direction.
Its root connects to anemos, meaning wind. While some sources suggest it may imply gentler motions of the air compared to more violent verbs, its primary function in Scripture is to illustrate instability. James uses this image to contrast a double-minded person with one who trusts firmly in God, showing how lack of conviction leads to being pushed around by changing circumstances.
Translators typically render this as "tossed to and fro" or "blown about," capturing the physical sensation of being moved without agency. The word serves as a vivid metaphor for spiritual inconsistency, highlighting the danger of allowing external opinions or moods to dictate one’s faith rather than remaining grounded in trust.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
James uses this rare word to paint a picture of spiritual instability. When you are double-minded, you become like a small boat caught in a sudden gust. The Greek verb anemizomai describes being driven by the wind, leaving you with no control over your direction. It is a vivid reminder that hesitation and doubt leave us vulnerable to every shifting opinion or mood.
This image invites us to look at where we place our trust. Instead of letting external forces push us around, we are called to ask in faith. Stability comes not from having all the answers, but from anchoring our hearts in God’s character. When we rest in His promises, we find a peace that remains steady even when the winds of life blow hard.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- being blown by the wind1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀνεμιζομένῳ1×
Key Verses
-
James 1:6
But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed.
This is the only New Testament occurrence, where the passive verb illustrates how doubt leaves a person without agency, physically mimicking a wave driven by gusts.