σάλος (salos)
salos
tossing
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun salos describes the violent tossing or heaving motion of the sea during a storm. It refers specifically to the rolling swell and agitation of water, capturing the chaotic energy of waves in distress rather than a calm surface.
This word appears only once in the New Testament, in Luke 21:25, where Jesus speaks of signs in the sun, moon, and stars alongside "the distress of nations" and the roaring seas. The usage here evokes a sense of natural upheaval and turmoil that mirrors the spiritual anxiety of the times.
Etymologically, it likely derives from roots associated with shaking or trembling, linking the physical movement of water to a broader concept of instability. Translators typically render it as "tossing" or "agitation," preserving the image of a world shaken by forces beyond human control.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word salos captures the violent, chaotic motion of the sea during a storm. It is not just wind on water, but the deep, heaving agitation that makes the ocean seem unstable and dangerous. In Luke 21:25, Jesus uses this image to describe a time when nations will be in perplexity and the seas will roar with distress.
When life feels like a storm you cannot control, this word reminds us that such turmoil is part of the broader picture. The chaos of the waves mirrors the anxiety many feel when the world seems to shake apart. Yet, even in these moments of natural upheaval, Jesus speaks to prepare His followers, offering a perspective that looks beyond the immediate fear.
This imagery invites us to find peace not by calming the sea ourselves, but by trusting the One who speaks over it. The same voice that calms the storm also guides us through spiritual uncertainty. We are invited to rest in the hope that remains steady even when everything around us is tossed about.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- rolling surge1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- σάλου1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 21:25
“There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves;
This occurrence links the physical roaring of the sea and its waves to the spiritual perplexity of nations, using salos to illustrate external chaos reflecting internal anxiety.