θραύω (thrauō)
thrauō
to crush
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb thrauō means to crush or shatter something into pieces. It conveys a forceful breaking that leaves the object destroyed or severely damaged. In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in Luke 4:18, where Jesus reads from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth.
Here, it describes the mission to "set at liberty those who are oppressed" by translating the Hebrew concept of breaking the yoke. The imagery is physical and violent: just as a heavy burden or a cage bar might be shattered, so too is the power of oppression broken. This usage connects directly to the Old Testament background, where similar language describes God’s judgment on enemies or His care for the vulnerable.
While rare in Greek literature outside biblical contexts, its single New Testament occurrence carries significant weight. It does not suggest gentle correction but decisive liberation through the destruction of oppressive forces. The word emphasizes the thoroughness of this freedom — those released are no longer bound because the mechanism of their captivity has been completely shattered.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word thrauō describes a forceful crushing, often used for breaking heavy burdens or shattering cages. In Luke 4:18, Jesus reads this from Isaiah to declare His mission to deliver those who are crushed. This is not a gentle suggestion but a decisive act of liberation. It means the very mechanisms holding people down are destroyed, leaving them free.
For your faith, this offers deep comfort. You do not have to carry every weight alone. Jesus came to break what oppresses you, whether that is fear, guilt, or hardship. His power is sufficient to shatter any chain that tries to bind your heart. Rest in the truth that He brings total freedom.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] oppressed1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- τεθραυσμένους1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 4:18
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed,
This verse marks Jesus' public declaration that His mission includes shattering the power of oppression over those who are crushed.