2323. therapeuó
Lexical Summary
therapeuó: To heal, cure, restore to health

Original Word: θεραπεύω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: therapeuó
Pronunciation: ther-ap-yoo'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (ther-ap-yoo'-o)
KJV: cure, heal, worship
NASB: healed, heal, healing, cured, cure, get healed, getting cured
Word Origin: [apparently from an obsolete derivative of the base of G2330 (θέρος - summer)]

1. to wait upon menially
2. (figuratively) to adore (God)
3. (specially) to relieve (of disease)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
cure, heal, worship.

From the same as therapon; to wait upon menially, i.e. (figuratively) to adore (God), or (specially) to relieve (of disease) -- cure, heal, worship.

see GREEK therapon

HELPS Word-studies

2323 therapeúō – properly, heal, reversing a physical condition to restore a person having an illness (disease, infirmity).

[2323 (therapeúō), the root of "therapy" and "therapeutic," usually involves natural elements in the process of healing.]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from therapón
Definition
to serve, cure
NASB Translation
cure (1), cured (4), get healed (1), getting cured (1), heal (9), healed (21), healing (5), served (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2323: θεραπεύω

θεραπεύω; imperfect ἐθεράπευον; future θερπεύσω; 1 aorist ἐθεράπευσα; passive, present θεραπεύομαι; imperfect ἐθεραπευομην; perfect participle τεθεραπευμενος; 1 aorist ἐθεραπευθην; (θέραψ, equivalent to θεράπων); from Homer down;

1. to serve, do service: τινα, to one; passive, θεραπεύεται ὑπό τίνος, Acts 17:25.

2. to heal, cure, restore to health: Matthew 12:10; Mark 6:5; Luke 6:7; Luke 9:6; Luke 13:14; Luke 14:3; τινα, Matthew 4:24; Matthew 8:7, 16, etc.; Mark 1:34; Mark 3:10; Luke 4:23; Luke 10:9; passive, John 5:10; Acts 4:14; Acts 5:16, etc.; τινα ἀπό τίνος, to cure one of any disease, Luke 7:21; passive, Luke 5:15; Luke 8:2; θεραπεύειν νόσους, μαλακίαν: Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 10:1; Mark 3:15 (R G L, Tr marginal reading in brackets); Luke 9:1; a wound, passive, Revelation 13:3, 12.

Topical Lexicon
Basic Sense within Scripture

While the classical root of θεραπεύω is “to serve,” the New Testament consistently uses it for the act of curing bodily disease or demon-induced affliction. Healing is presented as an act of compassionate service that restores created wholeness and thereby foreshadows the complete redemption promised in the gospel.

Occurrences in the Earthly Ministry of Jesus Christ

From His inaugural Galilean circuit (Matthew 4:23) to the final week in Jerusalem (Matthew 21:14), Jesus “healed every disease and sickness among the people.” Mass healings (Matthew 12:15; Luke 4:40) emphasize the breadth of His authority, while individual encounters—such as the man with the withered hand (Matthew 12:10), the demon-possessed mute and blind (Matthew 12:22), and the woman long bound by the spirit of infirmity (Luke 13:14)—highlight His compassionate attention to each sufferer. In every case healing accompanies proclamation: “The kingdom of God has come near to you” (Luke 10:9).

Authority and Compassion Revealed

Therapeuō underscores that Christ’s miracles are never mere displays of power; they are tangible expressions of covenant mercy. Mark 6:5 notes that unbelief constrains reception of this mercy, yet even there “He laid His hands on a few sick and healed them,” showing that divine compassion persists even amidst rejection.

Healing and the Sabbath Controversies

The verb surfaces repeatedly in Sabbath settings (Matthew 12:10-15; Luke 13:14; 14:3), sharpening the conflict with religious leaders. Jesus’ question in Luke 14:3—“Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”—reveals that true Sabbath rest consists in liberation from the crippling effects of the Fall. By healing on that day, He fulfills rather than violates the Sabbath.

Commissioning of Disciples

Matthew 10:1 records that Jesus “gave them authority over unclean spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” Luke 9:6 testifies, “So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.” The verb thus marks apostolic ministry as a continuation of Christ’s own work, confirming the preached word with signs following (Mark 16:20).

The Early Church

Acts extends the pattern. Multitudes in Jerusalem were healed (Acts 5:16); the bedridden father of Publius on Malta was healed, leading to an island-wide outbreak of ministry (Acts 28:9). Healing remains God’s prerogative, mediated through Spirit-empowered servants for the advancement of the gospel.

Faith, Repentance, and Restoration

Although θεραπεύω emphasizes physical cure, the narratives intertwine healing with forgiveness and faith. The healed demoniac Mary Magdalene follows Jesus (Luke 8:2); the formerly lame man stands beside Peter and John as living testimony (Acts 4:14). Bodily restoration becomes a signpost toward spiritual renewal.

Counterfeit Healing in Revelation

Revelation 13:3, 12 uses the passive form (“was healed”) to describe the Beast’s deadly wound. Satanic mimicry of Christ’s resurrection aims to deceive “those who dwell on the earth,” underscoring that not all apparent healings are divine. Discernment is required lest signs without truth lead to apostasy.

Eschatological Fulfillment

All biblical healings anticipate the consummation where “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4). Until then, the church prays for the sick (James 5:14-16) and trusts God’s sovereign will, knowing that every genuine θεραπεύω in time is a preview of the ultimate restoration.

Pastoral and Missional Implications

1. Ministry is service: The root idea of “attending” reminds believers that healing gifts are exercised in humble service, not self-exaltation.
2. Word and deed converge: Preaching and healing operate together in Jesus’ model; compassion authenticates proclamation.
3. Hope for the whole person: Christ’s redemptive work addresses both sin and its bodily consequences, encouraging holistic pastoral care.
4. Vigilance against counterfeit signs: Revelation’s warning guards the church against chasing wonders detached from scriptural truth.

Therapeuō thus threads through the New Testament as a sign of the inaugurated Kingdom, an instrument of mercy, a validation of apostolic authority, and a pledge of the age to come when the Great Physician completes His saving work.

Forms and Transliterations
εθεραπευεν εθεράπευεν ἐθεράπευεν εθεραπεύετο εθεραπευθη εθεραπεύθη ἐθεραπεύθη εθεραπευθησαν εθεραπεύθησαν ἐθεραπεύθησαν εθεραπευον εθεράπευον ἐθεράπευον εθεραπευοντο εθεραπεύοντο ἐθεραπεύοντο εθεράπευσε εθεραπευσεν εθεράπευσεν ἐθεράπευσεν θεραπευει θεραπεύει θεραπευειν θεραπεύειν θεραπευεσθαι θεραπεύεσθαι θεραπευεσθε θεραπεύεσθε θεραπευεται θεραπεύεται θεραπευετε θεραπεύετε θεραπευθηναι θεραπευθήναι θεραπευθῆναι θεραπευοντες θεραπεύοντες θεράπευοντι θεραπεύουσι θεραπεῦσαι θεραπευσει θεραπεύσει θεραπευσον θεράπευσον θεραπεύσουσι θεραπευσω θεραπεύσω θεραπευων θεραπεύων τεθεραπευμεναι τεθεραπευμέναι τεθεραπευμενον τεθεραπευμένον τεθεραπευμενω τεθεραπευμένω τεθεραπευμένῳ etherapeuen etherápeuen etherapeuon etherápeuon etherapeuonto etherapeúonto etherapeusen etherápeusen etherapeuthe etherapeuthē etherapeúthe etherapeúthē etherapeuthesan etherapeuthēsan etherapeúthesan etherapeúthēsan tetherapeumenai tetherapeuménai tetherapeumeno tetherapeumenō tetherapeuménoi tetherapeuménōi tetherapeumenon tetherapeuménon therapeuei therapeúei therapeuein therapeúein therapeuesthai therapeúesthai therapeuesthe therapeúesthe therapeuetai therapeúetai therapeuete therapeúete therapeuon therapeuōn therapeúon therapeúōn therapeuontes therapeúontes therapeusai therapeûsai therapeusei therapeúsei therapeuso therapeusō therapeúso therapeúsō therapeuson therápeuson therapeuthenai therapeuthênai therapeuthēnai therapeuthē̂nai
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 4:23 V-PPA-NMS
GRK: βασιλείας καὶ θεραπεύων πᾶσαν νόσον
NAS: of the kingdom, and healing every
KJV: and healing all
INT: kingdom and healing every disease

Matthew 4:24 V-AIA-3S
GRK: παραλυτικούς καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτούς
NAS: paralytics; and He healed them.
KJV: and he healed them.
INT: paralytics and he healed them

Matthew 8:7 V-FIA-1S
GRK: Ἐγὼ ἐλθὼν θεραπεύσω αὐτόν
NAS: to him, I will come and heal him.
KJV: I will come and heal him.
INT: I having come will heal him

Matthew 8:16 V-AIA-3S
GRK: κακῶς ἔχοντας ἐθεράπευσεν
NAS: with a word, and healed all
KJV: and healed all
INT: sick were he healed

Matthew 9:35 V-PPA-NMS
GRK: βασιλείας καὶ θεραπεύων πᾶσαν νόσον
NAS: of the kingdom, and healing every
KJV: and healing every
INT: kingdom and healing every disease

Matthew 10:1 V-PNA
GRK: αὐτὰ καὶ θεραπεύειν πᾶσαν νόσον
NAS: to cast them out, and to heal every
KJV: and to heal all manner
INT: them and to heal every disease

Matthew 10:8 V-PMA-2P
GRK: ἀσθενοῦντας θεραπεύετε νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε
NAS: Heal [the] sick, raise
KJV: Heal the sick, cleanse
INT: Sick heal dead raise

Matthew 12:10 V-PNA
GRK: τοῖς σάββασιν θεραπεῦσαι ἵνα κατηγορήσωσιν
NAS: Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? --
KJV: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days?
INT: on the Sabbath to heal that they might accuse

Matthew 12:15 V-AIA-3S
GRK: πολλοί καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτοὺς πάντας
NAS: followed Him, and He healed them all,
KJV: him, and he healed them all;
INT: many and he healed them all

Matthew 12:22 V-AIA-3S
GRK: κωφός καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτόν ὥστε
NAS: was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so
KJV: dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that
INT: mute and he healed him so that

Matthew 14:14 V-AIA-3S
GRK: αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν τοὺς ἀρρώστους
NAS: and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.
KJV: them, and he healed their sick.
INT: them and healed the sick

Matthew 15:30 V-AIA-3S
GRK: αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτούς
NAS: at His feet; and He healed them.
KJV: feet; and he healed them:
INT: of him and he healed them

Matthew 17:16 V-ANA
GRK: ἠδυνήθησαν αὐτὸν θεραπεῦσαι
NAS: and they could not cure him.
KJV: they could not cure him.
INT: they were able him to heal

Matthew 17:18 V-AIP-3S
GRK: δαιμόνιον καὶ ἐθεραπεύθη ὁ παῖς
NAS: out of him, and the boy was cured at once.
KJV: and the child was cured from that very
INT: demon and was healed the boy

Matthew 19:2 V-AIA-3S
GRK: πολλοί καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ
NAS: followed Him, and He healed them there.
KJV: him; and he healed them there.
INT: great and he healed them there

Matthew 21:14 V-AIA-3S
GRK: ἱερῷ καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτούς
NAS: to Him in the temple, and He healed them.
KJV: the temple; and he healed them.
INT: temple and he healed them

Mark 1:34 V-AIA-3S
GRK: καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν πολλοὺς κακῶς
NAS: And He healed many who were ill
KJV: And he healed many that were
INT: And he healed many [who] sick

Mark 3:2 V-FIA-3S
GRK: τοῖς σάββασιν θεραπεύσει αὐτόν ἵνα
NAS: Him [to see] if He would heal him on the Sabbath,
KJV: whether he would heal him
INT: on the Sabbath he will heal him in order that

Mark 3:10 V-AIA-3S
GRK: πολλοὺς γὰρ ἐθεράπευσεν ὥστε ἐπιπίπτειν
NAS: for He had healed many,
KJV: For he had healed many; insomuch that
INT: many indeed he healed so that they pressed upon

Mark 6:5 V-AIA-3S
GRK: τὰς χεῖρας ἐθεράπευσεν
NAS: on a few sick people and healed them.
KJV: sick folk, and healed [them].
INT: the hands he healed [them]

Mark 6:13 V-IIA-3P
GRK: ἀρρώστους καὶ ἐθεράπευον
NAS: many sick people and healing them.
KJV: that were sick, and healed [them].
INT: sick and healed [them]

Luke 4:23 V-AMA-2S
GRK: ταύτην Ἰατρέ θεράπευσον σεαυτόν ὅσα
NAS: to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself!
KJV: Physician, heal thyself:
INT: this Physician heal yourself whatsoever

Luke 4:40 V-IIA-3S
GRK: χεῖρας ἐπιτιθεὶς ἐθεράπευεν αὐτούς
NAS: one of them, He was healing them.
KJV: one of them, and healed them.
INT: hands having laid he healed them

Luke 5:15 V-PNM/P
GRK: ἀκούειν καὶ θεραπεύεσθαι ἀπὸ τῶν
NAS: to hear [Him] and to be healed of their sicknesses.
KJV: to hear, and to be healed by him
INT: to hear and to be healed from the

Luke 6:7 V-PIA-3S
GRK: τῷ σαββάτῳ θεραπεύει ἵνα εὕρωσιν
NAS: [to see] if He healed on the Sabbath,
KJV: whether he would heal on
INT: the Sabbath he will heal that they might find

Strong's Greek 2323
43 Occurrences


ἐθεράπευεν — 1 Occ.
ἐθεράπευον — 1 Occ.
ἐθεραπεύοντο — 3 Occ.
ἐθεράπευσεν — 13 Occ.
ἐθεραπεύθη — 3 Occ.
ἐθεραπεύθησαν — 1 Occ.
τεθεραπευμέναι — 1 Occ.
τεθεραπευμένῳ — 1 Occ.
τεθεραπευμένον — 1 Occ.
θεραπεύει — 1 Occ.
θεραπεύειν — 2 Occ.
θεραπεύεσθαι — 1 Occ.
θεραπεύεσθε — 1 Occ.
θεραπεύεται — 1 Occ.
θεραπεύετε — 2 Occ.
θεραπεύων — 2 Occ.
θεραπεύοντες — 1 Occ.
θεραπεῦσαι — 3 Occ.
θεραπεύσει — 1 Occ.
θεραπεύσω — 1 Occ.
θεράπευσον — 1 Occ.
θεραπευθῆναι — 1 Occ.

2322
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