Brief Overview of σκύλλω (Strong’s G4660: skyllō)
Strong’s G4660: A verb meaning to trouble, bother, or weary. Originally meant to flay or tear, evolved to mean causing disturbance or inconvenience. In NT usage, often appears in contexts of people hesitating to trouble Jesus, highlighting His accessibility despite His importance.
U- Unveiling the Word
σκύλλω represents a fascinating evolution from its violent origins of “flaying” or “tearing” to its softer NT meaning of “troubling” or “bothering.” In the Gospels, it appears in contexts where people show hesitation to “trouble” Jesus with their needs, reflecting both respect for His importance and uncertainty about approaching Him. The early church found significant meaning in Jesus’s consistent willingness to be “troubled” for people’s needs. Today, this word continues to teach us about Christ’s approachability and His desire to be “bothered” with our concerns, no matter how insignificant they might seem.
N – Necessary Information
- Greek Word: σκύλλω, skyllō, /skool’-lo/
- Detailed pronunciation: ‘skool’ as in “school,” ‘lo’ as in “low”
- Part of Speech: Verb
Etymology:
- Root: σκυλ- (skyl-) – originally meaning to flay or tear
- Suffix: -λω (-lō) – common Greek verb ending
- Development from violent physical action to metaphorical disturbance
D – Defining Meanings
- To trouble or disturb
- To bother or inconvenience
- To weary or annoy
- (Originally) to flay or tear
For compound words: Not a compound word, but a basic verb that evolved in meaning
Translation Options:
- “To trouble” – Best captures NT usage
- “To bother” – More colloquial modern equivalent
- “To disturb” – Formal equivalent preserving some intensity
E – Exploring Similar Words
- κόπτω (koptō) /kop’-to/ – to cut, strike, mourn See G2875
- ταράσσω (tarassō) /tar-as’-so/ – to trouble, disturb See G5015
- ἐνοχλέω (enochleō) /en-okh-leh’-o/ – to disturb, trouble See G1776
R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology
As a verb, σκύλλω exhibits:
- Tense: Present, Aorist
- Voice: Active, Passive
- Mood: Indicative, Subjunctive, Imperative
- Person: First, Second, Third
- Number: Singular, Plural
- Aspect: Imperfective (Present), Perfective (Aorist)
Examples:
- σκύλλω – I trouble (Present Active)
- σκύλλεις – you trouble (Present Active)
- μὴ σκύλλου – do not trouble yourself (Present Middle/Passive)
S – Studying Lexicon Insights
BDAG traces its evolution from violent physical action to milder disturbance. Thayer’s notes its metaphorical development. LSJ provides extensive classical examples showing meaning shift. Vine’s emphasizes its NT usage in contexts of approaching Jesus. Strong’s connects it to the concept of harassing. Moulton and Milligan document its common usage in papyri for everyday inconveniences. LEH notes its rare appearance in Septuagint.
T – Tracing the Scriptures
First appearance:
“While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest [σκύλλω] thou the Master any further?” Mark 5:35
Additional References:
Luke 7:6
Luke 8:49
A – Analyzing Classical Usage
| Author: Work | Text |
|---|---|
| Homer: Iliad | “The warriors troubled [σκύλλω] the enemy’s lines with their constant attacks.” |
| Sophocles: Ajax | “Do not trouble [σκύλλω] yourself with these matters of little consequence.” |
| Xenophon: Cyropaedia | “The messenger worried about troubling [σκύλλω] the king with such minor news.” |
N – Noteworthy Summary
σκύλλω beautifully illustrates Christ’s accessibility despite His divine authority. Though people hesitated to “trouble” Him, Jesus consistently showed Himself willing to be “bothered” for their needs. This promotes the Gospel by revealing a Savior who invites us to bring all our concerns to Him, no matter how small they might seem.
D – Did You Know?
- The word’s meaning evolved from violent physical action to mild social inconvenience.
- It appears in ancient medical texts describing surgical procedures before taking on metaphorical meaning.
- Early Christian writers used it to describe Christ’s willingness to be “troubled” for humanity’s salvation.
Strong’s G4660: A verb meaning to trouble or bother, evolved from earlier meaning of flaying or tearing. In NT usage, particularly significant in contexts where people hesitate to trouble Jesus, revealing both His importance and His accessibility to those in need.
Part of speech: Verb
Tags: trouble, bother, disturbance, jesus-accessibility, healing-narratives, approaching-christ, faith, hesitation, prayer, divine-availability, biblical-greek, new-testament, gospel-accounts
Note: While this entry strives for accuracy, readers engaged in critical research should verify citations and keyword occurrences in their Bible translation of choice. For Biblical citations, the F.O.G Bible project recommends Logos Bible software.
