ζεῦγος (zeugos)
zeugos
a yoke/pair
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun zeugos refers to a yoke or a pair of animals harnessed together for work. In the New Testament, it describes literal draught cattle, such as oxen or horses, bound by a wooden beam so they can pull a load in unison. The word captures both the instrument of connection and the team itself.
Scripture uses this concrete image to illustrate practical concerns. Jesus mentions a man who wants to leave his zeugos behind when called to follow him (Luke 14:19), highlighting how daily labor competes with spiritual invitation. Similarly, Luke records that Mary and Joseph offered two pigeons for purification, likely a pair of young birds (Luke 2:24), showing the word’s broader sense for any matched pair.
Its root relates to joining or fastening things together. This etymology underscores the idea of shared burden or coordinated effort. Translators typically render it as "yoke" or "pair," preserving the physical reality that anchors these brief biblical scenes in the everyday lives of ancient listeners.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word zeugos brings to mind the heavy wooden beam placed across the necks of two animals so they might pull a cart together. In the ancient world, this was not just a tool but a symbol of shared labor and mutual dependence. When Jesus spoke of His yoke being easy in Matthew 11:30, He used this same imagery to invite weary souls into a partnership with Him that brings rest rather than exhaustion.
Yet the New Testament also shows zeugos in moments of everyday life and religious duty. In Luke 2:24, Mary and Joseph offer a pair of turtledoves for purification, showing how this word covered even the simplest acts of obedience required by the Law. Later, in Luke 14:19, a man excuses himself from following Jesus because he must go test five yoke of oxen. These scenes remind us that our daily work and responsibilities are real, but they should never become the master that keeps us from responding to God’s call.
Understanding zeugos helps us see how God meets us in our ordinary lives. Whether we are carrying a literal burden or feeling the weight of life’s demands, we can look to Christ who invites us to share His load. He does not ask us to carry everything alone, but offers a way of living that is gentle and light.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Yoke1×
- A pair1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ζεῦγος1×
- ζεύγη1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 14:19
“Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go try them out. Please have me excused.’
This verse highlights the conflict between immediate economic opportunity and spiritual invitation, showing how zeugos represents the pull of daily labor.
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Luke 2:24
and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
Here zeugos refers to a matched pair of birds for sacrifice, illustrating its broader meaning for any two things joined as a unit in religious observance.