βλαστάνω (blastanō)
blastanō
to sprout
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb blastanō describes the natural process of a plant sprouting or putting forth new growth. In the Gospels, it captures the sudden appearance of life in crops that have been sown but left to develop on their own. Jesus uses this image in Matthew 13:26 and Mark 4:27 when describing how a field yields a harvest; the stalks appear overnight, revealing a vitality that the farmer did not manually create.
Its root meaning connects directly to "sprout" or "bud," emphasizing organic emergence rather than mechanical construction. While primarily intransitive, the word shifts slightly in James 5:18, where it takes on a causal sense. Here, God is described as making the earth sprout again, highlighting divine agency behind natural cycles. The term relies on the visible evidence of life returning to what seemed dormant.
Translators typically render this verb as "sprout" or "grow," preserving its simple agricultural imagery. It serves as a reminder that spiritual fruitfulness often follows hidden periods of rest. The word points to a quiet, inevitable power within creation that brings forth results without human effort, anchoring the parable of the growing seed in observable reality.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word blastanō describes life breaking through soil without human effort. In Matthew 13 and Mark 4, Jesus uses this image to show that spiritual growth often happens while we sleep. The farmer does not force the seed to sprout; he trusts the hidden power within creation. This offers comfort when you feel stuck or unable to produce results in your own strength.
Even when circumstances seem dormant, new life is already forming beneath the surface. James 5:18 reminds us that God can make the earth yield fruit again after drought. Your season of waiting is not a sign of failure but part of a natural process. Trust that the same power that makes grass sprout is at work in your heart.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- sprouted1×
- produced1×
- may sprout1×
- having budded1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐβλάστησεν2×
- βλαστᾷ1×
- βλαστήσασα1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 13:26
But when the blade sprang up and produced grain, then the darnel weeds appeared also.
This verse highlights the sudden appearance of grain, showing that growth occurs independently of human control.
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Mark 4:27
and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn’t know how.
Here the seed sprouts while the sower sleeps, emphasizing divine agency over visible effort.
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James 5:18
He prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
The earth produces fruit again through God's action, illustrating restoration after a period of barrenness.