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Greek

Torment

βάσανοςStrong’s G0931

basanos

Appears in 3 verses of the New Testament

In short

Basanos is the Greek word usually translated “pains” and “torment”. It appears in 3 verses of the New Testament.

“And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.”
Matthew 4:24 KJV
Meaning

Usually translated “pains” and “torment”. Open the dictionary entry below for the full range of meaning, with the verses it cites.

How it's translated
  • by pains 1
  • torment 1
  • of torment 1

Word-by-word English from the STEPBible tagged text.

Where it's used most
  • Luke 2
  • Matthew 1

2 books in all.

Related words
Explore in Scripture
Greek dictionary

βάσανος basanos · torment

βάσανος, -ου, ὁ (of Oriental origin), [in LXX chiefly for כְּלִמָּה ,אָשָׁם, and frequently in 4Mac ;] 1. prop., touchstone, a dark stone used in testing metals. 2. examination by torture. 3. torment, torture: Mat.4:24, Luk.15:23, 28. † (AS)

From STEPBible’s Greek lexicon (based on Abbott-Smith).

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

How the English word “torment” was understood when the King James Version was still the common Bible of English readers.

TOR'MENT, noun

[Latin tormentum.; torqueo, torno; Eng. tour; that is, from twisting, straining.]

  1. Extreme pain; anguish; the utmost degree of misery, either of body or mind.“Lest they also come into this place of torment 14” Luke 16:28
  2. That which gives pain, vexation or misery.“They brought to him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments” Matthew 4:24
  3. An engine for casting stones.
All definitions and other forms of “torment”

    TORMENT', verb transitive

    To put to extreme pain or anguish; to inflict excruciating pain and misery, either of body or mind.

    1. “Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” Matthew 8:29“He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone” Revelation 14:10
    2. To pain; to distress.“Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented” Matthew 8:6
    3. To tease; to vex; to harass; as, to be tormented with importunities, or with petty annoyances.
    4. To put into great agitation.

    Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828). Verse references are checked against the KJV. Read the full entry.

    Verses are from the King James Version. Word meanings come from the original Greek, not from any one translation.