ταράσσω (tarassō)
tarassō
to trouble
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 18 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek verb tarassō describes a state of agitation, whether physical or emotional. In its most concrete sense, it means to stir up fluids, as seen in John 5:7 where an angel stirs the water at Bethesda. This literal image of turbulence carries over into the spiritual realm, where it depicts the disturbance of calmness or peace.
When applied to people, tarassō refers to inner turmoil, anxiety, or fear that disrupts one’s equanimity. Jesus uses it in John 12:27 to express His own deep distress before His crucifixion, and in John 14:1 to comfort His disciples by asking if their hearts are troubled. The word captures a profound shaking of the soul, often caused by external events or internal doubt.
Its usage extends to crowds being stirred up for unrest, as in Acts 17:8, showing how this agitation can spread socially. Translators typically render it as “trouble” or “disturb,” reflecting its core idea of moving from stillness to commotion. The term emphasizes the loss of inner peace rather than mere external chaos.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tarassō describes a deep stirring of the soul, like water churning after an angel’s touch or a crowd reacting to sudden news. It captures that moment when inner peace is shaken by fear, doubt, or external pressure. Jesus knew this agitation well; He felt His own soul troubled before the cross, showing us that even holy distress is part of the human experience.
Yet Scripture does not leave us in that turbulence. In John 14:1, Jesus gently asks if our hearts are troubled, then immediately points us to faith. He offers a peace that does not depend on circumstances but on His presence. When anxiety rises, we can remember that God sees our stirring and invites us to rest in Him.
This word reminds us that turmoil is not the end of the story. Even when fear or confusion shakes us, Christ’s invitation remains: believe, and find calm. His peace is not a temporary relief but a lasting gift that steadies the soul through every storm.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 18 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- troubled3×
- was troubled2×
- should be troubled2×
- were troubled.1×
- was troubling1×
- troubling1×
- they were troubled1×
- shall you be troubled;1×
- may be stirred1×
- he was troubled1×
- has been troubled,1×
- are troubling1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐταράχθη3×
- ἐτάραξαν2×
- ταράσσοντες2×
- ταρασσέσθω2×
- ἐτάρασσε1×
- ἐτάραξεν1×
- ἐταράχθησαν.1×
- ἐταράχθησαν1×
- τετάρακται,1×
- τεταραγμένοι1×
- ταράσσων1×
- ταραχθῆτε·1×
Key Verses
-
John 14:1
“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.
Jesus uses this word to acknowledge His disciples' fear and immediately directs them toward faith in God and Himself.
-
John 12:27
“Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time’? But I came to this time for this cause.
Here Jesus expresses His own profound inner agitation before His death, showing that deep distress can coexist with divine purpose.
-
Matthew 2:3
When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Herod and Jerusalem are stirred by fear upon hearing of a rival king, illustrating how external threats can cause communal unrest.
-
John 5:4
for an angel went down at certain times into the pool and stirred up the water. Whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had.
The literal stirring of the pool water provides a concrete image for the spiritual agitation that often accompanies hope and waiting.