Strong's Lexicon biazó: to force, to seize, to press Original Word: βιάζω Word Origin: Derived from βία (bia), meaning "force" or "violence." Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for "biazó," the concept of forceful pursuit can be related to Hebrew words like חָזַק (chazaq), meaning "to be strong" or "to seize." Usage: The verb "biazó" primarily conveys the idea of applying force or exerting pressure. In the New Testament, it is used metaphorically to describe the earnest and sometimes forceful pursuit of the kingdom of God. It implies a sense of urgency and determination in seeking spiritual matters. Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of force or compulsion was often associated with physical strength or military might. However, in the context of the New Testament, "biazó" takes on a more spiritual connotation, reflecting the intense effort required to enter the kingdom of God amidst opposition and challenges. This reflects the early Christian understanding of the kingdom as something that must be actively pursued and sometimes contended for. HELPS Word-studies 971 biázō – properly, to use power to forcibly seize, laying hold of something with positive aggressiveness. 971 /biázō ("to advance forcefully") is only used twice in the NT (both times positively). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom bia Definition to force NASB Translation forcing his way (1), suffers violence (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 971: βιάζωβιάζω: (βία); to use force, to apply force; τινα, to force, inflict violence on, one; the active is very rare and almost exclusively poetic (from Homer down); passive (Buttmann, 53 (46)) in Matthew 11:12 ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ οὐρανοῦ βιάζεται, the kingdom of heaven is taken by violence, carried by storm, i. e. a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought for with the most ardent zeal and the intensest exertion; cf. Xenophon, Hell. 5, 2, 15 (23) πόλεις τάς βεβιασμενας; (but see Weiss, James Morison, Norton, in the place cited). The other explanation: the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence namely, from its enemies, agrees neither with the time when Christ spoke the words, nor with the context; cf. Fritzsche, DeWette, Meyer, at the passage, middle, βιάζομαι followed by εἰς τί to force one's way into a thing, (ἐς τήν Ποτιδαιαν, Thucydides 1, 63; ἐς τό ἔξω, 7, 69; εἰς τήν παρεμβολήν, Polybius 1, 74, 5; εἰς τά ἐντός, Philo, vit. Moys. i., § 19; εἰς τό στρατόπεδον, Plutarch, Otho 12, etc.): εἰς τήν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, to get a share in the kingdom of God by the utmost earnestness and effort, Luke 16:16. (Compare: παραβιάζομαι.) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance press, suffer violence. From bios; to force, i.e. (reflexively) to crowd oneself (into), or (passively) to be seized -- press, suffer violence. see GREEK bios Forms and Transliterations βιαζεται βιάζεται βιάζη βιασάμενος βιάση βιασώμεθα εβιάσατο biazetai biázetaiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 11:12 V-PIM/P-3SGRK: τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται καὶ βιασταὶ NAS: of heaven suffers violence, and violent men KJV: of heaven suffereth violence, and INT: of the heavens is taken by violence and [the] violent Luke 16:16 V-PIM-3S |
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