θεραπεύω (therapeuō)
therapeuō
to serve/heal
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 43 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb therapeuō carries a dual sense of serving and healing, rooted in the idea of attending to someone’s needs. In secular Greek, it described the work of an attendant or servant, but in the New Testament, it is predominantly used as a medical term for treating illness or restoring health. This usage appears frequently in the Gospels, particularly in the accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, where Jesus and his disciples are shown curing diseases and alleviating suffering.
A notable distinction lies in its specific application: while other Greek words simply mean to heal, therapeuō often emphasizes the process of treatment or care. For instance, Moulton-Milligan notes that in contemporary medical papyri, the term refers to the act of treating a patient medically rather than just the result of being cured. This nuance is visible in passages like Luke 6:7 and Matthew 12:10, where the focus is on the active intervention required to restore health.
The word also retains its older sense of service in rare instances, such as Acts 17:25, where it describes God not being served by human hands. This connects the physical act of healing with the broader biblical theme of divine care and attention. By using a term that implies attentive service, the New Testament authors highlight that healing is not merely a miraculous event but an act of compassionate engagement with human brokenness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Greek word therapeuō blends the ideas of medical healing with attentive service. In the New Testament, it describes Jesus not just as a miracle worker who snaps his fingers to cure illness, but as someone who actively tends to broken lives. This verb highlights the hands-on nature of God’s compassion, showing that restoration often involves patient, personal care rather than distant intervention.
For your faith life, this reminds us that spiritual and physical wholeness are deeply connected. When we face suffering, we can trust in a Savior who does not merely observe from afar but enters into our pain with purposeful love. His work is thorough, addressing both the visible symptoms of our struggles and the deeper needs of our hearts.
This dual meaning encourages us to view care for others as a sacred duty. Just as Jesus attended to the sick with deliberate attention, we are invited to serve those around us with similar patience and grace. It is a call to embody God’s healing presence in our communities through practical, loving action.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 43 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- He healed9×
- to heal4×
- healing3×
- were healed;2×
- was healed2×
- healed2×
- do heal2×
- will heal1×
- were healing [them].1×
- were healed.1×
- were healed1×
- was healed,1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐθεράπευσεν11×
- θεραπεύειν3×
- ἐθεραπεύθη2×
- θεραπεύων2×
- ἐθεράπευσεν.1×
- ἐθεράπευσεν,1×
- ἐθεράπευον.¶1×
- ἐθεράπευεν1×
- ἐθεραπεύοντο·1×
- ἐθεραπεύοντο.1×
- ἐθεραπεύοντο1×
- ἐθεραπεύθησαν·1×
Key Verses
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Matthew 12:10
And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” so that they might accuse him.
This verse highlights the active process of treatment, as religious leaders question whether Jesus’ intervention on the Sabbath constitutes lawful healing.
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Luke 4:40
When the sun was setting, all those who had any sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
The phrase 'laid his hands on every one' emphasizes the personal, tactile nature of therapeuō, showing Jesus’ individual attention to each person’s need.
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Matthew 10:8
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.
Jesus commands his disciples to heal the sick as part of their mission, linking the act of service directly to the free grace they have received.
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Mark 3:10
For he had healed many, so that as many as had diseases pressed on him that they might touch him.
The crowd pressing forward because he had healed many shows how the widespread impact of his therapeutic ministry drew people seeking relief from their afflictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does therapeuō mean in the Bible?
How is therapeuō different from other Greek words for healing?
Where does this word appear most frequently?
Every Occurrence (43 verses across 6 books)
Matthew 16 verses
Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing…
Matthew 4:24The report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases…
Matthew 8:7Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
Matthew 8:16When evening came, they brought to him many possessed with demons. He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all…
Matthew 9:35Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the Good News of the…
Matthew 10:1He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal…
Matthew 10:8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.
Matthew 12:10And behold, there was a man with a withered hand. They asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day?” so that…
Matthew 12:15Jesus, perceiving that, withdrew from there. Great multitudes followed him; and he healed them all,
Matthew 12:22Then one possessed by a demon, blind and mute, was brought to him; and he healed him, so that the blind and mute man…
Matthew 14:14Jesus went out, and he saw a great multitude. He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Matthew 15:30Great multitudes came to him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they put them down…
Matthew 17:16So I brought him to your disciples, and they could not cure him.”
Matthew 17:18Jesus rebuked the demon, and it went out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.
Matthew 19:2Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there.
Matthew 21:14The lame and the blind came to him in the temple, and he healed them.