σαλεύω (saleuō)
saleuō
to shake
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 14 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb saleuō describes a physical shaking or agitation, often caused by wind, waves, or an earthquake. In the Gospels, it appears in vivid images such as Jesus asking if people saw a reed swaying in the wind (Matthew 11:7) and Paul describing how a prison door shook after an earthquake (Acts 16:26). It also describes the earth itself trembling in prophecy (Hebrews 12:26).
Beyond physical movement, the word carries a strong metaphorical sense of instability. It is used to describe things that are unsettled or shaken from their secure position, as when early Christians felt the place where they were meeting shake together (Acts 4:31). In Hebrews, it refers to created things that will be removed so that what cannot be shaken may remain (Hebrews 12:27).
Its root relates to a sudden, forceful motion. Translators usually render it as "shake" or "agitate," capturing both the literal trembling of structures and the figurative disturbance of minds or nations. This word highlights the contrast between temporary instability and enduring security in Scripture.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Life often feels like standing in a wind where you cannot control your footing. We see this image clearly when Jesus asks if John the Baptist was merely a reed shaken by the wind (Matthew 11:7). That question invites us to look at our own stability. Are we swaying with every cultural shift, or are we rooted in something deeper? The word describes that physical trembling, but it also points to the inner state of our hearts when fear tries to take hold.
Yet Scripture offers a different foundation. In Luke 6:48, Jesus describes a house built on rock that floods cannot shake. This is not about avoiding storms, but about where we place our trust. When the apostles prayed in Acts 4:31, the very place they stood shook, yet it did not destroy them; instead, it filled them with boldness. The shaking removed what was temporary so that what is eternal could remain (Hebrews 12:27). We are invited to rest in that unshakable reality.
This promise does not mean we will never face turbulence. It means our security does not depend on the calm of our circumstances. When the powers of heaven are shaken, as seen in Matthew 24:29, our faith remains anchored in Christ. We can find peace knowing that while everything around us may tremble, God’s kingdom is permanent and secure.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 14 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- will be shaken.’2×
- shaken?2×
- will be shaken.1×
- was shaken1×
- to shake1×
- to be shaken1×
- stirring up1×
- shook1×
- shaking1×
- shaken together1×
- being shaken.1×
- being shaken1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- σαλευθήσονται.3×
- σαλευόμενον;2×
- σαλευθῆναι2×
- ἐσάλευσεν1×
- ἐσαλεύθη1×
- σεσαλευμένον1×
- σαλεῦσαι1×
- σαλεύοντες1×
- σαλευόμενα.1×
- σαλευομένων1×
- σαλευθῶ·1×
Key Verses
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Matthew 11:7
As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
Jesus uses this word to contrast John the Baptist’s steadfast faith with a fragile reed that bends with every gust of wind.
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Luke 6:48
He is like a man building a house, who dug and went deep and laid a foundation on the rock. When a flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because it was founded on the rock.
The word describes the floodwaters failing to shake the house built on rock, illustrating the security of a life founded on Christ.
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Acts 4:31
When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
The shaking of their meeting place did not cause fear but resulted in the believers being filled with the Holy Spirit and boldness.
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Hebrews 12:27
This phrase, “Yet once more” signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.
This verse explains that created things will be shaken and removed so that only the unshakable kingdom may remain.