τράχηλος (trachēlos)
trachēlos
neck
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek noun trachēlos refers to the neck, a body part that serves as both a physical connector and a vulnerable point of exposure. In the Gospels, Jesus uses this concrete image to describe the grave consequences of leading others astray, warning that it would be better to face drowning than to cause a "little one" to stumble (Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42). The word appears in Luke’s account of the Prodigal Son as well, where the father runs to embrace his returning child, falling on his neck in a gesture of intimate forgiveness (Luke 15:20).
Beyond its literal sense, the term carries significant metaphorical weight regarding submission and burden. In Acts, Peter challenges the early church leaders by asking why they would "put a yoke on the neck" of the disciples, highlighting the neck as the place where external control is applied (Acts 15:10). Similarly, Paul notes that Timothy’s fellow workers risked their lives for him, describing this sacrifice as having "put their necks in the balance" (Romans 16:4), illustrating a posture of total vulnerability and readiness to suffer.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for "neck" in the New Testament highlights our physical vulnerability and our capacity for deep connection. Jesus uses this image to warn against leading others astray, showing how serious it is to damage someone else’s faith. At the same time, the term appears in moments of tender reunion, where falling on a neck signifies immediate forgiveness and relief from shame.
In your daily life, this word invites you to consider how you treat those around you. Are you building up others with gentle words, or are you adding heavy burdens to their shoulders? The text encourages us to remove yokes of control and instead offer the kind of grace that restores dignity. It reminds us that our relationships should be places of safety, not sources of unnecessary pain.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- neck7×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- τράχηλον7×
Key Verses
-
Luke 15:20
“He arose and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, fell on his neck, and kissed him.
This verse captures the father’s immediate compassion as he embraces his returning son, using the neck to symbolize intimate forgiveness rather than judgment.
-
Acts 15:10
Now therefore why do you tempt God, that you should put a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Peter uses the image of a yoke on the neck to argue against imposing legalistic burdens on believers, framing it as a test of God’s grace.
-
Romans 16:4
who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles.
Paul describes coworkers who risked their lives for him, using the phrase 'risked their own necks' to illustrate total vulnerability and sacrifice.