ζυγός (zugos)
zugos
yoke/scales
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun zugos refers to a yoke, the wooden beam used to join draft animals for pulling loads. In Scripture it carries two distinct meanings: the physical device for plowing or transport, and metaphorically, a balance or pair of scales. This dual sense appears in Revelation 6:5, where an angel holds scales to weigh grain, linking the word directly to measurement and justice.
More commonly, however, zugos describes a burden or state of submission. Jesus invites his listeners to take his yoke upon themselves in Matthew 11:29-30, contrasting his gentle guidance with the heavy demands of religious leaders. Here, the image shifts from oppression to partnership; while a yoke implies restriction, Christ’s version offers rest rather than exhaustion. The early church recognized this tension, using the term to describe both the constraints of slavery and the voluntary submission to divine authority.
Paul later employs zugos in Galatians 5:1 and Acts 15:10 to warn against returning to the strictures of the Mosaic law as a means of salvation. He frames these legal requirements as a yoke that neither ancestors nor believers could fully bear, urging freedom instead. Similarly, 1 Timothy 6:1 uses the term to instruct slaves to respect their masters, grounding social conduct in theological humility. The word consistently points to a relationship defined by shared load or imposed duty.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word zugos describes a wooden beam that joins two animals so they can pull a load together. In the Gospels, Jesus uses this image to invite us into a partnership with Him. He does not ask us to carry our burdens alone but offers His own yoke as a way to share the weight. This is not a tool of oppression, but a means of support and guidance for those who are weary.
While Paul warns against using religious rules as a heavy burden that enslaves the conscience, he also encourages respectful conduct in social relationships. The consistent theme is that true freedom comes from trusting God’s grace rather than striving to meet impossible standards. When we rest in this shared load, we find peace instead of exhaustion.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- yoke2×
- a yoke2×
- in a yoke1×
- a pair of scales1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ζυγὸν3×
- ζυγῷ1×
- ζυγός1×
- ζυγόν1×
Key Verses
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Matthew 11:29
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.
Jesus defines the quality of His yoke by describing Himself as gentle and humble, offering rest to those who learn from Him.
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Acts 15:10
Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Peter identifies the requirement of Mosaic law for salvation as a yoke that even Israel’s ancestors could not bear, highlighting human inability.
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Galatians 5:1
Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Paul urges believers to stand firm in the freedom Christ provides and avoid being entangled again by a yoke of bondage.
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Revelation of John 6:5
When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come and see!” And behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a balance in his hand.
The angel holds a balance (zugos) on a black horse, linking the word to the precise measurement of grain during judgment.