Lexical Summary ochlopoieó: To incite a crowd, to cause a disturbance, to stir up a mob Original Word: ὀχλοποιέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance form a mobFrom ochlos and poieo; to make a crowd, i.e. Raise a public disturbance -- gather a company. see GREEK ochlos see GREEK poieo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ochlos and poieó Definition to gather a crowd NASB Translation formed a mob (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3792: ὀχλοποιέωὀχλοποιέω, ὀχλοποιῶ: 1 aorist participle ὀχλοποιησας; (ὄχλος, ποιέω); to collect a crowd, gather the people together: Acts 17:5. Not found elsewhere. Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek 3792 appears a single time in the New Testament, at Acts 17:5, describing the deliberate stirring up of a violent crowd against the messengers of the gospel. The term points to intentional agitation that harnesses the volatile power of a mob to oppose the advance of God’s word. Scriptural Usage Acts 17:5 portrays the hostile reaction in Thessalonica when “the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob, and set the city in an uproar”. The verb captures both the organization (“rounded up”) and the purpose (“set the city in an uproar”) of the mob. Though the exact word occurs only here, kindred scenes of mob violence appear elsewhere (Mark 15:11; Luke 23:18; Acts 13:50; 19:29; 21:30). Together they underscore a pattern: whenever the gospel confronts entrenched interests, some respond by manipulating public passions rather than engaging God’s revealed truth. Historical Context Thessalonica was a free city under Rome, proud of its autonomy and sensitive to public disorder. By exploiting the marketplace rabble, the opponents of Paul tapped into anxieties about imperial loyalty (“acting against the decrees of Caesar,” Acts 17:7). The verb highlights calculated orchestration rather than spontaneous unrest. Early Christian missionaries frequently faced such engineered hostility (Acts 13:50 in Pisidian Antioch; Acts 14:19 in Lystra; Acts 19:23-34 in Ephesus). Luke’s narrative exposes the recurring tactic: religious jealousy (Acts 17:5), civic fear (Acts 16:20), and economic self-interest (Acts 19:25) combine to foment violence against the church. Theological Implications 1. Spiritual opposition: The gospel challenges both sin and idolatry; Satan counters by stirring confusion and rage (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10). Lessons for Ministry • Expect resistance: Faithful proclamation may provoke orchestrated hostility. Contemporary Application Modern ministry can confront digital and physical “mobs.” Social media outrage, protest culture, or targeted harassment often mirror Acts 17:5 tactics. Believers must uphold truth without yielding to intimidation, trusting God’s sovereignty while actively seeking the public good (Jeremiah 29:7; 1 Timothy 2:1-2). Summary Strong’s 3792 encapsulates organized mob agitation against the gospel. Its lone appearance in Acts crystallizes a wider biblical theme: when divine truth disrupts worldly systems, opposition may resort to crowd manipulation. The church is therefore called to courageous, peaceable perseverance, confident that God turns even riotous schemes to the furtherance of His redeeming purposes. Forms and Transliterations οχλοποιησαντες οχλοποιήσαντες ὀχλοποιήσαντες ochlopoiesantes ochlopoiēsantes ochlopoiḗsantesLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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